Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh! is owned by whoever owns it, which does not happen to
be me.
Chapter 2: Encounter with the darkness.
An encounter with the darkness can leave you scared, confused. It penetrates you, and brings out all the fears you have when you are alone. For when you face darkness without light, you are truly alone.
At five in the morning, Yuugi clambered out of bed. Though he wished fervently for more sleep, he knew he had to train to maintain his fighting capabilities. Wishing his internal clock would malfunction every now and again to allow him a proper sleep, he clothed himself in loose clothes, before trudging downstairs. Finishing his training, he changed into uniform and ate toast, mourning the loss of decent breakfasts cooked by his grandfather, who currently was on an archeological dig.
The doorbell rang clearly. Scowling, Yuugi stumbled towards the door, before unlatching, unbolting, unwarding, and unlocking the wooden panel, and yanking it open. A tired looking boy with messy blonde hair and honeyed amber eyes was holding a bouquet of flowers. He was very tall, and wore a green jacket with jeans. Katsuya Jounouchi.
"Someone sent you flowers," He dropped the bouquet into Yuugi's hands, before walking off. "Who're they from?" Yuugi called after him. "Read the card."
With a sigh unheard by the departed Jounouchi, he turned, closed the door, reset all the protections, set the flowers onto the kitchen table, then pulled out the card. Wrinkling his nose a little at the perfumed scent, he read it carefully. "To Yuugi. Thanks again. If you want to talk, call me. 0426-754-265. Anzu Masaki."
Looking now at the flowers, he looked curiously at the combination of colours. Pink was a representation of Anzu. White lilies represented peace. The colour was possibly also referring to his gift. Black represented the dark creatures he fought. Smiling at the thoughtful gesture, he went up to the attic and found a pottery vase, that looked Egyptian. After trimming the flowers and putting them in the vase with water, he set it on the table. The white of the lilies accentuated the crown and kilt of the pharaoh painted on, and the mummified body of Osiris, god of the dead.
After finishing his breakfast, he grabbed his jacket and bag, before heading in the general direction of the school. Eventually, he found himself near the place were the vampire from the night before had fallen. Instead, all that remained was the residue of light magic, and the shadow of the damned. Stopping, he silently apologised.
"Yuugi! I didn't expect to see you here." Anzu walked up to him. "Don't you usually go to school a different way?" "I do, Anzu-san. However, today I felt like a change of scenery," he replied. "Thank you for the flowers, however unnecessary they are." "I just hoped to make you feel better," sighed Anzu. "You seemed awfully depressed, that's all." "They were very nice. I appreciate them. Now if you would please excuse me, Anzu-san, I have things I must take care of." "I see. Very well then, I will leave you to it. Ja ne, Yuugi." With a friendly wave, she left him.
"Good riddance," Yuugi muttered, swiftly checking the surrounding area to sense any humans. Once satisfied that he would not be interrupted, he began a careful eradication of the traces of magic left from the night before. Deftly, he scattered the light that was by now too tainted for him to use efficiently, and dispersed the darkness using a touch of his gift. Once satisfied with the results, he sat on the side bench to rest, closing his eyes. Though the sun was still quite weak, he absorbed it's light energy to replenish his emptied stores, before breaking from his trance. A glance at his watch told him he had ten minutes to get to school: ample time for a trained slayer, little time for a vertically challenged fifteen year old. Grabbing his bag, he ran.
This entire scene was watched intensely.
**********
"Class, today we introduce a new student. Minna-san, please welcome Bakura Ryou to the school," the teacher announced. Bakura Ryou? Yuugi frowned at the white-haired student that stepped into the room, looking haughty and bored. His eyes searched, resting contemplatively on Yuugi's face for a minute, before looking past him to Ryou. A corner of his lips turned upwards, to smirk. The class stared, from the new student, to the other albino, then back again. Finally, after Ryou had turned from white to flushed three times in succession, the new student snarled at the rest of the class, "It's not polite to stare."
The teacher coughed to break the awkward silence. "Would you like to tell us a bit about yourself, Bakura-san?" "No," came the curt reply. Without waiting for the teacher's consent, he walked down the aisle, heading towards the back. Stopping for a moment beside Ryou's desk, he grinned evilly and took the vacant seat directly behind Ryou, dropping his bag to the carpet carelessly and leaning back in his chair. He let out a warm breath, purposely tickling the back of Ryou's neck with the same subtleties he applied to lock-picking, causing his gentler look-alike blush.
The class, including the teacher, were in shock for the rest of the period.
At lunch time, Ryou dragged Bakura to the back of the school. Letting go of his look-a-like, he began pacing, while Bakura leant on the wall casually, waiting. After a few minutes, he was rewarded: Ryou began yelling. "What, do you think you're doing here?" "Visiting you, my dear little slayer," Bakura drawled sarcastically. "There is another slayer here, if you were too thick to notice! One that could and would wipe you out with a single blow!" "You underestimate me, dear hikari. He wouldn't even scratch me." "I remember Malik-kun managed to put a few dents in you..." Ryou smirked, mimicking Bakura with an uncanny accuracy. "Malik was lucky he didn't get thrown back forty feet," scoffed Bakura, seemingly nonchalant. "Malik uses light magic in his hunts. I use light magic in my hunts. Yuugi uses light magic. See a connection?!" "That doesn't prove anything," Bakura replied, with the same infuriating lack of concern that drove Ryou crazy. "I've met hundreds of others with light magic; they still couldn't touch me." "Not hundreds with pure light magic!" "A simple technicality, mou hitori no boku." "Will you just listen to me for once?! I..." Bakura cut him off calmly by pressing his lips to the hikari's, savouring the honey taste and breathing the scent of violets and rain. Pulling away, he smirked at the blushing Ryou while licking his lips. "No," he replied huskily. "Besides, you talk too much, about unimportant stuff. Tell me something I need to know." "Like?" The albino fiend pretended to contemplate, then finally ordered, "Tell me about the slayer."
**********
Yuugi hated gym, especially when it was the last class of the day. He wanted to keep his powers a secret; gym was the class most capable of revealing the truth of his physical prowess. Of course, when people knew the runt of year 10 could break world records constantly in athletics, or could score in any sport with a near perfect accuracy, they'd want to know why. Then, as the news spread through the school, some of it would naturally reach the ever sharp ears of the damned, who could then proceed to annihilate him. This was the sad end of the road for many an egotistical and incautious hunter.
Unfortunately, he'd had gym last period with the new student who he'd immediately suspected to be one of the night creatures, and Ryou. There was simply no way anyone human could look practically identical to Ryou -who was already exceptionally unique- unless they were twins. The name didn't fit for twins though; they didn't fit for any mortal relationship. Then there were the auras: by itself, Ryou's aura was a barely noticeable shade of light, while Bakura's a imperceptible tone of dark. Together, there was a harmonious blend of both, completely impossible to ignore. Even those without magic could sense the perfect balance.
For Yuugi, being with both at the same time was an almost excruciating torture: he himself was a pure light that could not participate in the wonderful grey the two created. Because of his light magic, he felt connected to Bakura in a surreal way, as though Bakura held the key to his own completion. It created a tearing ache deep within him, deeper than his consciousness, magic, or even subconscious; it was a wound in his soul. A very painful and distracting wound.
"Hey runt! You really shouldn't have run off yesterday. Now, you're going to have to pay double." 'Shimatte.' "I'm sorry, but I'm really busy." Turning, he began running again. "Oh no you don't!" The bullies began chasing again, intent on catching him. "Come back here." "Ludicrous request," muttered Yuugi. Turning into an alley sharply, he jumped and rebounded off the walls in the narrow space several times, vaulting up onto the roof of a single story building. Lying flat along the slate rooftop, he watched the bullies stop at the alley, look in, then continue running. Letting his magesight continue surveying absently, he jumped back down into the alley and turned his head towards the west.
The sun was setting over the ocean, a brilliant gold turning the sky around it inky black.
'Oh shit.'
The hunter suddenly noticed just how narrow the alley was, and how easily it could be cut from the street end and above. The other end was blocked by a solid stone wall. Senses stirred in warning, and he reacted immediately. Knives slid out of sheathes while he stashed his school jacket and shirt into the backpack he carried currently, revealing the blue buckled shirt he liked to wear under the uniform. Relieved that today he'd changed into nondescrepit black pants instead of his school's recognisable blue trousers, Yuugi walked towards the exit, alert.
The flap of leather and bone overhead caught his attention sharply. Senses pivoted and pinned the intrusion, and not for the first time was Yuugi thankful that few naturally occuring creatures had leather wings. Immediately, he could tell from the life force that this was one old and hungry vampire. Spinning to the right, the knife in his left hand flew with an accuracy that spoke of years of practice. The vampire though, had not lived over two millenia for nothing; veering off course, it spun away and dropped fast, in a fashion similiar to the swoop of a falcon. Yuugi watched it fly at him, another blade already in the emptied hand. At the last possible second, he dodged to the other side of the alley, careful not to smash into the opposite wall. His right hand flicked the knife to pin the bat's wing into the wall, before bumping into the wall back first. Upon contact with the wall, he felt the wrongness, and rolled right, away from the alley's exit. A pale hand stabbed a black knife into the previously occupied space as the rest of the demon emerged from the wall. The fiend stared at his miss, giving Yuugi the time to throw his left knife pommel first at the head, knocking the creature out.
Realizing that walls offered no shelter, Yuugi stood exposed in the centre of the alley, blocked from the exit by an unconscious demon and wounded vampire that had just reverted to his humanoid form. Hearing noise behind him, he fired a light bolt backwards, eyes never leaving the exit. Another vampire now entered from the street, blood-coloured cape billowing impressively in the fading light. More fiends entered via the walls, completely blocking him off and surrounding him. They stayed a respectable distance away from him.
"So, little light hunter, we finally meet," hissed the vampire with the cape in a thin voice. Yuugi eyed him contemplatively, before judging the damned one to be around four thousand years old. Age had not touched the vampire's features: they were still flawless, and a perfect replica of when the vampire had been turned; the human would have been around twenty-four or five. "Interesting that I should be known to you, while you are unknown to me," replied Yuugi, as calmly as though this was a chat at school, though much less casually. "I suppose we haven't been introduced, have we?" "No. Indeed we haven't." The vampire took two steps forward, then stared down at the much more diminuitive slayer from two feet away. "I am a captain of the Dark Army. My name is..." "I don't think names matter much, especially since one or both of us will be dead soon." The captain laughed in his wheezy voice. "You are a confident one, aren't you, young slayer?" sneered the vampire. "You are one, against six of us. Do you really think you may leave alive?!" "We shall see then." Without warning, Yuugi fired two bolts behind him. Yells and curses rewarded him. The experienced vampire slipped backwards, to allow his soldiers to attack simultaeneously. He sensed that the demons behind him that he'd not hit move forward too.
Knowing that he could not deflect so many attacks at the same time, he tried a more effective, though more energy consuming method. He immediately activated a force shield that warded him completely. Wincing as the attacks bounced off, he poured more energy into the shield before the fiends could launch a second attack. His initiative was correct: the second attack was launched with more than twice the force of the first. Pouring more light into the shield, he saw the demons trying to squint past the blinding light. He himself was unaffected by the brightness, and could thus see perfectly more Dark Army reinforcements arrive.
Offense was impossible, but he could also see that defense could not be sustained for long. He swore repeatedly; the counterattack by the night denizens was expected, but definately not at this magnitude. At this rate, the demons would cut him down in less than five minutes. He had to take drastic measures. Now.
Tapping into scarcely touched resources required more concentration than he could currently afford. He had to sacrifice his defenses somewhere, and his gathering of magic had to be fast. The demons would not leave a visible weakness unexploited. He chose: the sides of his magical dome dimmed quite visibly, symbolizing a shortage of power there. His conscious was instead focused on bringing up more magical energy. Seconds were all he needed, but a second sacrifice was needed for his plan. There was no time to choose: the defenses behind him lapsed, while blazing, pulsating power surged forward. Yuugi ran after the light he'd set loose, ploughing through stunned masses of bodies, until he made it out. Skidding to a halt, he turned and reversed the shield behind him to a lance that shot through the remaining creatures.
The last fell, and he sighed in relief. The fighting was over; now was the time for purification. Sighing, he began working through the masses, to restore them all back to their original, unwarped forms.
***********
Finally, the last of the fallen were reverted to their mortal forms. Yuugi wearily clung to the wall, each breath racking energy out of him. Energy he no longer had to spare. Sheer will, and knowledge that he'd be dead if caught here, drove him to move. Trying to think properly, he knew he had to borrow light. Streetlights were obvious and unsuspicious sources; unfortunately, the nearest street light was about thirty metres away. He wasn't quite sure he could make it without collapsing.
Hobbling from the backlash of using so much magic, Yuugi began the long and treacherous journey. Solitary steps shot pain through his body, while his backpack hung in dead weight over his back. Vaguely, he recalled that he had maths homework due the next day, but he could not care. After all, it was doubtful that he'd be able to attend school. And of course, there was no guarantee that he'd live to the next day. Careless, he dropped the bag, and continued advancing.
As he neared the light, he could feel strength beginning to fill him. With a peaceful smile, final defense wards that were instilled in his very being and subconscious were lowered, the hikari absorbed the warm and luminous substance. Normally, if he were thinking properly, those last shields would not be dropped to leave him vulnerable. If he were thinking properly, he would not linger in near the site of a mass slaying.
Force slammed into him, knocking him back into the wall behind him. Immediately alerted by the copper salt taste that filled his mouth, but dazed by the impact, Yuugi sluggishly reraised defenses and senses. With disgust, he realized that the vampire that had hit him was naught but an apprentice vampire, barely a century old. Normally, he would not even bother to spend more than two minutes to return one so young, and he would feel nothing afterwards. Even a direct hit from a young vampire would not so much as prick him, if they were able to hit him at all.
A rough tongue lapped up the leaked blood from the corner of his mouth, snapping him back to the present. Sharply as a retort, the borrowed light slapped. Previously closed, violet eyes snapped open, misty with pain but angry. He glared uncharacteristically at the captain vampire, who stood in front of him with a smirk. 'Shit.' Yuugi finally realized what had been bothering him: there had been no sign of the captain's body in the alley. "So the rumours are true, little hunter," sneered the captain. "The blood of light is the most delicious of all. Although the current lack of magical essence is a disappointment." "..." What could one say to a remark like that? "I can't believe you'd be stupid enough to waste such magic on unworthy beings like them." A gesture indicated the alleyway dead. "Why not just kill them? After all, isn't that a slayer's job?" "What do you want?" snarled Yuugi, wary and anxious. He'd never faced an ancient with as little magic as he currently possessed. "My orders were to kill you, or bring you back alive. I don't think I want to kill you now. After all, what a waste it would be, ne? Capture is so much more rewarding. But don't worry, I won't be catching you. I'll leave that to my little apprentice here. It'll be a good learning experience." Yuugi eyed the eager apprentice, then shrugged. "Whatever."
He knew that the captain wanted him to be humiliated. And what better way to humiliate him, but to defeat him with a century old apprentice? But he would not allow the captain that satisfaction. Beating both would require luck, and lots of it. A young one? He could defeat that on pride alone. When the apprentice leaped, he stepped easily to the side. One knife was all he had left, and there was no time to mourn the lapse of discipline that usually commanded him to replace knives immediately after a kill. His right hand moved much slower than usual, allotting the apprentice time to escape.
The length of steel sank into the vampire's back, but not in a mortal wound. A scream of rage and pain tore his ears, but Yuugi jumped back because he knew that the knife wouldn't come out again. Weaponless and practically magicless, he resorted to a fists and feet instead. The blow dealt to the spine of the apprentice normally would have broken every bone in the spine and ribs; this time, it barely bruised. Two more kicks proved just as ineffective. Finally, Yuugi ran back a few metres, hoping he had enough room to collect light without encountering a counter attack.
The lights of the entire street hissed and spluttered, leaving the road dark. Though vampires had perfect night vision, it still took a few seconds to adjust. A few seconds in the vampire's world were very precious seconds indeed, as the apprentice learned. Yuugi loosed the borrowed energy straight at the young vampire, searing it right through him. The apprentice fell, and Yuugi stumbled over, to let a few drops of blood drop from where he'd let a demon feed earlier to the tongue of the apprentice. Not that much blood was needed to revert a young vampire, but to Yuugi, those few drops were currently many.
Clapping interrupted his intense surveillance of the change from damned to mortal. Wrenching himself upright, he glared at the vampire leaning against the wall casually watching. "Impressive, little hunter. Very impressive." Launching off the wall, the vampire walked towards him. The slayer walked backwards. "Get away from me, vampire." "Why would I want to?" Grinning unpleasantly, the vampire continued advancing. "I said I wanted to capture you, and I will. Of course, I liked to taste that blood again before I hand you over to my superiors. Who knows, maybe they'd be so pleased, they'd let me sample your blood when the magic level is much higher." "Stay. Away." "Ah, but you're powerless to stop me, little hunter." "Stay away!"
The shout rang in a double harmony, as though two voices had sounded instead of one. One from in front; one from behind. Turning, the captain's eyes widened. Behind him stood an almost perfect copy of the slayer. But this one was not light. This one was a darkness so black, it scared even those who thrived in darkness.
Behind him, stood true shadow.
A pure black bolt erupted from the being, striking him fully on the chest. The vampire wasn't sure how, but he knew that this was little of the being's true power. In fear, he changed and flew, certain that shadow would follow in grim revenge. Sure enough, angry darkness overtook him, suffocating, killing. The darkness was strange, though. It was drawing out all the darkness and immortal powers from his own body, as one drew poisonous toxins. Of course, those powers were too tightly meshed with his being for him to survive the experience. Soul and flesh seperated midair. Almost soundlessly, the empty husk dropped onto the ground, cushioned by the bodies of those others transformed back, in the alley.
**********
Yuugi stared at the creature before him, awed. A taller, sharper, more mature version of himself. The similarities were frightening; the contrasts even more so. Spikier hair, narrower eyes, more muscular body. Darker. Definitely darker.
Instinctively, he shifted into a battle pose, weight evenly distributed onto both feet. He watched the demon carefully, suspicious of any sudden movements. Appraisingly, his eyes moved upwards, noting the fitting black leather and spikes so similar to his own, until wary violet met curious red.
Bloody crimson eyes.
Yuugi felt himself drawn to those inexorably drawn to those deep depths that swirled in confusion and interest. His body began to relax dangerously, to the point of collapsing. Inwardly cursing, he went offensive, not trusting himself to be capable of defense. He had to fight to the end. Due to exhaustion and draining though, he was extremely uncoordinated, and only managed to knock into the being. He didn't have enough momentum or strength to push his adversary over, and bounced back instead.
Braced for a heavy fall, the sensation of warm arms surrounding him gently was surprising but welcome. Looking up, he could see a concerned and very surprised face watching him intently. Caught staring, the creature blushed and looked away. "Don't worry, little one. I will get you home." Carefully, he lifted Yuugi up and carried him bridal style, before grabbing the abandoned bag and walking.
'What was that expression? It was only there for a minute maybe, but it was certainly strange. Shock, surprise, concern, fear... of what? But...' "How come we've stopped?" "I'm sorry little one, but I'm not sure where you live," the being replied, sheepish. "Kame Game Shop." "Arigatou gozaimasu."
Ten minutes later, the strange duo reached the Game Shop. Carefully, the being of darkness let the slayer of light down and handed him his bag. Taking it, Yuugi suddenly gasped. "What is wrong, little one?" "My school jacket is gone." The being pondered the information. "So they..." "They can track me down. At the school." "At the school," the dark creature murmured. Turning he began walking away. "Chouto matte!" "Nandesuka?" He stopped, and turned inquiringly. Yuugi hesitated for a moment, before speaking. "Boku wa Yuugi desu. Onamae wa?" He hesitated too. "Ore wa Yami desu." "Arigatou gozaimasu, Yami-senpai." The one named who called himself the name of darkness itself smiled, almost shyly. "Thank you."
Turning again, he continued on his way.
Darkness is something that really confuses us. It is endless, yet limited simultaeneously. But don't worry, for as long as you have light with you, you have a chance at surviving an encouter with the darkness.
End Chapter 2.
Chapter 2: Encounter with the darkness.
An encounter with the darkness can leave you scared, confused. It penetrates you, and brings out all the fears you have when you are alone. For when you face darkness without light, you are truly alone.
At five in the morning, Yuugi clambered out of bed. Though he wished fervently for more sleep, he knew he had to train to maintain his fighting capabilities. Wishing his internal clock would malfunction every now and again to allow him a proper sleep, he clothed himself in loose clothes, before trudging downstairs. Finishing his training, he changed into uniform and ate toast, mourning the loss of decent breakfasts cooked by his grandfather, who currently was on an archeological dig.
The doorbell rang clearly. Scowling, Yuugi stumbled towards the door, before unlatching, unbolting, unwarding, and unlocking the wooden panel, and yanking it open. A tired looking boy with messy blonde hair and honeyed amber eyes was holding a bouquet of flowers. He was very tall, and wore a green jacket with jeans. Katsuya Jounouchi.
"Someone sent you flowers," He dropped the bouquet into Yuugi's hands, before walking off. "Who're they from?" Yuugi called after him. "Read the card."
With a sigh unheard by the departed Jounouchi, he turned, closed the door, reset all the protections, set the flowers onto the kitchen table, then pulled out the card. Wrinkling his nose a little at the perfumed scent, he read it carefully. "To Yuugi. Thanks again. If you want to talk, call me. 0426-754-265. Anzu Masaki."
Looking now at the flowers, he looked curiously at the combination of colours. Pink was a representation of Anzu. White lilies represented peace. The colour was possibly also referring to his gift. Black represented the dark creatures he fought. Smiling at the thoughtful gesture, he went up to the attic and found a pottery vase, that looked Egyptian. After trimming the flowers and putting them in the vase with water, he set it on the table. The white of the lilies accentuated the crown and kilt of the pharaoh painted on, and the mummified body of Osiris, god of the dead.
After finishing his breakfast, he grabbed his jacket and bag, before heading in the general direction of the school. Eventually, he found himself near the place were the vampire from the night before had fallen. Instead, all that remained was the residue of light magic, and the shadow of the damned. Stopping, he silently apologised.
"Yuugi! I didn't expect to see you here." Anzu walked up to him. "Don't you usually go to school a different way?" "I do, Anzu-san. However, today I felt like a change of scenery," he replied. "Thank you for the flowers, however unnecessary they are." "I just hoped to make you feel better," sighed Anzu. "You seemed awfully depressed, that's all." "They were very nice. I appreciate them. Now if you would please excuse me, Anzu-san, I have things I must take care of." "I see. Very well then, I will leave you to it. Ja ne, Yuugi." With a friendly wave, she left him.
"Good riddance," Yuugi muttered, swiftly checking the surrounding area to sense any humans. Once satisfied that he would not be interrupted, he began a careful eradication of the traces of magic left from the night before. Deftly, he scattered the light that was by now too tainted for him to use efficiently, and dispersed the darkness using a touch of his gift. Once satisfied with the results, he sat on the side bench to rest, closing his eyes. Though the sun was still quite weak, he absorbed it's light energy to replenish his emptied stores, before breaking from his trance. A glance at his watch told him he had ten minutes to get to school: ample time for a trained slayer, little time for a vertically challenged fifteen year old. Grabbing his bag, he ran.
This entire scene was watched intensely.
**********
"Class, today we introduce a new student. Minna-san, please welcome Bakura Ryou to the school," the teacher announced. Bakura Ryou? Yuugi frowned at the white-haired student that stepped into the room, looking haughty and bored. His eyes searched, resting contemplatively on Yuugi's face for a minute, before looking past him to Ryou. A corner of his lips turned upwards, to smirk. The class stared, from the new student, to the other albino, then back again. Finally, after Ryou had turned from white to flushed three times in succession, the new student snarled at the rest of the class, "It's not polite to stare."
The teacher coughed to break the awkward silence. "Would you like to tell us a bit about yourself, Bakura-san?" "No," came the curt reply. Without waiting for the teacher's consent, he walked down the aisle, heading towards the back. Stopping for a moment beside Ryou's desk, he grinned evilly and took the vacant seat directly behind Ryou, dropping his bag to the carpet carelessly and leaning back in his chair. He let out a warm breath, purposely tickling the back of Ryou's neck with the same subtleties he applied to lock-picking, causing his gentler look-alike blush.
The class, including the teacher, were in shock for the rest of the period.
At lunch time, Ryou dragged Bakura to the back of the school. Letting go of his look-a-like, he began pacing, while Bakura leant on the wall casually, waiting. After a few minutes, he was rewarded: Ryou began yelling. "What, do you think you're doing here?" "Visiting you, my dear little slayer," Bakura drawled sarcastically. "There is another slayer here, if you were too thick to notice! One that could and would wipe you out with a single blow!" "You underestimate me, dear hikari. He wouldn't even scratch me." "I remember Malik-kun managed to put a few dents in you..." Ryou smirked, mimicking Bakura with an uncanny accuracy. "Malik was lucky he didn't get thrown back forty feet," scoffed Bakura, seemingly nonchalant. "Malik uses light magic in his hunts. I use light magic in my hunts. Yuugi uses light magic. See a connection?!" "That doesn't prove anything," Bakura replied, with the same infuriating lack of concern that drove Ryou crazy. "I've met hundreds of others with light magic; they still couldn't touch me." "Not hundreds with pure light magic!" "A simple technicality, mou hitori no boku." "Will you just listen to me for once?! I..." Bakura cut him off calmly by pressing his lips to the hikari's, savouring the honey taste and breathing the scent of violets and rain. Pulling away, he smirked at the blushing Ryou while licking his lips. "No," he replied huskily. "Besides, you talk too much, about unimportant stuff. Tell me something I need to know." "Like?" The albino fiend pretended to contemplate, then finally ordered, "Tell me about the slayer."
**********
Yuugi hated gym, especially when it was the last class of the day. He wanted to keep his powers a secret; gym was the class most capable of revealing the truth of his physical prowess. Of course, when people knew the runt of year 10 could break world records constantly in athletics, or could score in any sport with a near perfect accuracy, they'd want to know why. Then, as the news spread through the school, some of it would naturally reach the ever sharp ears of the damned, who could then proceed to annihilate him. This was the sad end of the road for many an egotistical and incautious hunter.
Unfortunately, he'd had gym last period with the new student who he'd immediately suspected to be one of the night creatures, and Ryou. There was simply no way anyone human could look practically identical to Ryou -who was already exceptionally unique- unless they were twins. The name didn't fit for twins though; they didn't fit for any mortal relationship. Then there were the auras: by itself, Ryou's aura was a barely noticeable shade of light, while Bakura's a imperceptible tone of dark. Together, there was a harmonious blend of both, completely impossible to ignore. Even those without magic could sense the perfect balance.
For Yuugi, being with both at the same time was an almost excruciating torture: he himself was a pure light that could not participate in the wonderful grey the two created. Because of his light magic, he felt connected to Bakura in a surreal way, as though Bakura held the key to his own completion. It created a tearing ache deep within him, deeper than his consciousness, magic, or even subconscious; it was a wound in his soul. A very painful and distracting wound.
"Hey runt! You really shouldn't have run off yesterday. Now, you're going to have to pay double." 'Shimatte.' "I'm sorry, but I'm really busy." Turning, he began running again. "Oh no you don't!" The bullies began chasing again, intent on catching him. "Come back here." "Ludicrous request," muttered Yuugi. Turning into an alley sharply, he jumped and rebounded off the walls in the narrow space several times, vaulting up onto the roof of a single story building. Lying flat along the slate rooftop, he watched the bullies stop at the alley, look in, then continue running. Letting his magesight continue surveying absently, he jumped back down into the alley and turned his head towards the west.
The sun was setting over the ocean, a brilliant gold turning the sky around it inky black.
'Oh shit.'
The hunter suddenly noticed just how narrow the alley was, and how easily it could be cut from the street end and above. The other end was blocked by a solid stone wall. Senses stirred in warning, and he reacted immediately. Knives slid out of sheathes while he stashed his school jacket and shirt into the backpack he carried currently, revealing the blue buckled shirt he liked to wear under the uniform. Relieved that today he'd changed into nondescrepit black pants instead of his school's recognisable blue trousers, Yuugi walked towards the exit, alert.
The flap of leather and bone overhead caught his attention sharply. Senses pivoted and pinned the intrusion, and not for the first time was Yuugi thankful that few naturally occuring creatures had leather wings. Immediately, he could tell from the life force that this was one old and hungry vampire. Spinning to the right, the knife in his left hand flew with an accuracy that spoke of years of practice. The vampire though, had not lived over two millenia for nothing; veering off course, it spun away and dropped fast, in a fashion similiar to the swoop of a falcon. Yuugi watched it fly at him, another blade already in the emptied hand. At the last possible second, he dodged to the other side of the alley, careful not to smash into the opposite wall. His right hand flicked the knife to pin the bat's wing into the wall, before bumping into the wall back first. Upon contact with the wall, he felt the wrongness, and rolled right, away from the alley's exit. A pale hand stabbed a black knife into the previously occupied space as the rest of the demon emerged from the wall. The fiend stared at his miss, giving Yuugi the time to throw his left knife pommel first at the head, knocking the creature out.
Realizing that walls offered no shelter, Yuugi stood exposed in the centre of the alley, blocked from the exit by an unconscious demon and wounded vampire that had just reverted to his humanoid form. Hearing noise behind him, he fired a light bolt backwards, eyes never leaving the exit. Another vampire now entered from the street, blood-coloured cape billowing impressively in the fading light. More fiends entered via the walls, completely blocking him off and surrounding him. They stayed a respectable distance away from him.
"So, little light hunter, we finally meet," hissed the vampire with the cape in a thin voice. Yuugi eyed him contemplatively, before judging the damned one to be around four thousand years old. Age had not touched the vampire's features: they were still flawless, and a perfect replica of when the vampire had been turned; the human would have been around twenty-four or five. "Interesting that I should be known to you, while you are unknown to me," replied Yuugi, as calmly as though this was a chat at school, though much less casually. "I suppose we haven't been introduced, have we?" "No. Indeed we haven't." The vampire took two steps forward, then stared down at the much more diminuitive slayer from two feet away. "I am a captain of the Dark Army. My name is..." "I don't think names matter much, especially since one or both of us will be dead soon." The captain laughed in his wheezy voice. "You are a confident one, aren't you, young slayer?" sneered the vampire. "You are one, against six of us. Do you really think you may leave alive?!" "We shall see then." Without warning, Yuugi fired two bolts behind him. Yells and curses rewarded him. The experienced vampire slipped backwards, to allow his soldiers to attack simultaeneously. He sensed that the demons behind him that he'd not hit move forward too.
Knowing that he could not deflect so many attacks at the same time, he tried a more effective, though more energy consuming method. He immediately activated a force shield that warded him completely. Wincing as the attacks bounced off, he poured more energy into the shield before the fiends could launch a second attack. His initiative was correct: the second attack was launched with more than twice the force of the first. Pouring more light into the shield, he saw the demons trying to squint past the blinding light. He himself was unaffected by the brightness, and could thus see perfectly more Dark Army reinforcements arrive.
Offense was impossible, but he could also see that defense could not be sustained for long. He swore repeatedly; the counterattack by the night denizens was expected, but definately not at this magnitude. At this rate, the demons would cut him down in less than five minutes. He had to take drastic measures. Now.
Tapping into scarcely touched resources required more concentration than he could currently afford. He had to sacrifice his defenses somewhere, and his gathering of magic had to be fast. The demons would not leave a visible weakness unexploited. He chose: the sides of his magical dome dimmed quite visibly, symbolizing a shortage of power there. His conscious was instead focused on bringing up more magical energy. Seconds were all he needed, but a second sacrifice was needed for his plan. There was no time to choose: the defenses behind him lapsed, while blazing, pulsating power surged forward. Yuugi ran after the light he'd set loose, ploughing through stunned masses of bodies, until he made it out. Skidding to a halt, he turned and reversed the shield behind him to a lance that shot through the remaining creatures.
The last fell, and he sighed in relief. The fighting was over; now was the time for purification. Sighing, he began working through the masses, to restore them all back to their original, unwarped forms.
***********
Finally, the last of the fallen were reverted to their mortal forms. Yuugi wearily clung to the wall, each breath racking energy out of him. Energy he no longer had to spare. Sheer will, and knowledge that he'd be dead if caught here, drove him to move. Trying to think properly, he knew he had to borrow light. Streetlights were obvious and unsuspicious sources; unfortunately, the nearest street light was about thirty metres away. He wasn't quite sure he could make it without collapsing.
Hobbling from the backlash of using so much magic, Yuugi began the long and treacherous journey. Solitary steps shot pain through his body, while his backpack hung in dead weight over his back. Vaguely, he recalled that he had maths homework due the next day, but he could not care. After all, it was doubtful that he'd be able to attend school. And of course, there was no guarantee that he'd live to the next day. Careless, he dropped the bag, and continued advancing.
As he neared the light, he could feel strength beginning to fill him. With a peaceful smile, final defense wards that were instilled in his very being and subconscious were lowered, the hikari absorbed the warm and luminous substance. Normally, if he were thinking properly, those last shields would not be dropped to leave him vulnerable. If he were thinking properly, he would not linger in near the site of a mass slaying.
Force slammed into him, knocking him back into the wall behind him. Immediately alerted by the copper salt taste that filled his mouth, but dazed by the impact, Yuugi sluggishly reraised defenses and senses. With disgust, he realized that the vampire that had hit him was naught but an apprentice vampire, barely a century old. Normally, he would not even bother to spend more than two minutes to return one so young, and he would feel nothing afterwards. Even a direct hit from a young vampire would not so much as prick him, if they were able to hit him at all.
A rough tongue lapped up the leaked blood from the corner of his mouth, snapping him back to the present. Sharply as a retort, the borrowed light slapped. Previously closed, violet eyes snapped open, misty with pain but angry. He glared uncharacteristically at the captain vampire, who stood in front of him with a smirk. 'Shit.' Yuugi finally realized what had been bothering him: there had been no sign of the captain's body in the alley. "So the rumours are true, little hunter," sneered the captain. "The blood of light is the most delicious of all. Although the current lack of magical essence is a disappointment." "..." What could one say to a remark like that? "I can't believe you'd be stupid enough to waste such magic on unworthy beings like them." A gesture indicated the alleyway dead. "Why not just kill them? After all, isn't that a slayer's job?" "What do you want?" snarled Yuugi, wary and anxious. He'd never faced an ancient with as little magic as he currently possessed. "My orders were to kill you, or bring you back alive. I don't think I want to kill you now. After all, what a waste it would be, ne? Capture is so much more rewarding. But don't worry, I won't be catching you. I'll leave that to my little apprentice here. It'll be a good learning experience." Yuugi eyed the eager apprentice, then shrugged. "Whatever."
He knew that the captain wanted him to be humiliated. And what better way to humiliate him, but to defeat him with a century old apprentice? But he would not allow the captain that satisfaction. Beating both would require luck, and lots of it. A young one? He could defeat that on pride alone. When the apprentice leaped, he stepped easily to the side. One knife was all he had left, and there was no time to mourn the lapse of discipline that usually commanded him to replace knives immediately after a kill. His right hand moved much slower than usual, allotting the apprentice time to escape.
The length of steel sank into the vampire's back, but not in a mortal wound. A scream of rage and pain tore his ears, but Yuugi jumped back because he knew that the knife wouldn't come out again. Weaponless and practically magicless, he resorted to a fists and feet instead. The blow dealt to the spine of the apprentice normally would have broken every bone in the spine and ribs; this time, it barely bruised. Two more kicks proved just as ineffective. Finally, Yuugi ran back a few metres, hoping he had enough room to collect light without encountering a counter attack.
The lights of the entire street hissed and spluttered, leaving the road dark. Though vampires had perfect night vision, it still took a few seconds to adjust. A few seconds in the vampire's world were very precious seconds indeed, as the apprentice learned. Yuugi loosed the borrowed energy straight at the young vampire, searing it right through him. The apprentice fell, and Yuugi stumbled over, to let a few drops of blood drop from where he'd let a demon feed earlier to the tongue of the apprentice. Not that much blood was needed to revert a young vampire, but to Yuugi, those few drops were currently many.
Clapping interrupted his intense surveillance of the change from damned to mortal. Wrenching himself upright, he glared at the vampire leaning against the wall casually watching. "Impressive, little hunter. Very impressive." Launching off the wall, the vampire walked towards him. The slayer walked backwards. "Get away from me, vampire." "Why would I want to?" Grinning unpleasantly, the vampire continued advancing. "I said I wanted to capture you, and I will. Of course, I liked to taste that blood again before I hand you over to my superiors. Who knows, maybe they'd be so pleased, they'd let me sample your blood when the magic level is much higher." "Stay. Away." "Ah, but you're powerless to stop me, little hunter." "Stay away!"
The shout rang in a double harmony, as though two voices had sounded instead of one. One from in front; one from behind. Turning, the captain's eyes widened. Behind him stood an almost perfect copy of the slayer. But this one was not light. This one was a darkness so black, it scared even those who thrived in darkness.
Behind him, stood true shadow.
A pure black bolt erupted from the being, striking him fully on the chest. The vampire wasn't sure how, but he knew that this was little of the being's true power. In fear, he changed and flew, certain that shadow would follow in grim revenge. Sure enough, angry darkness overtook him, suffocating, killing. The darkness was strange, though. It was drawing out all the darkness and immortal powers from his own body, as one drew poisonous toxins. Of course, those powers were too tightly meshed with his being for him to survive the experience. Soul and flesh seperated midair. Almost soundlessly, the empty husk dropped onto the ground, cushioned by the bodies of those others transformed back, in the alley.
**********
Yuugi stared at the creature before him, awed. A taller, sharper, more mature version of himself. The similarities were frightening; the contrasts even more so. Spikier hair, narrower eyes, more muscular body. Darker. Definitely darker.
Instinctively, he shifted into a battle pose, weight evenly distributed onto both feet. He watched the demon carefully, suspicious of any sudden movements. Appraisingly, his eyes moved upwards, noting the fitting black leather and spikes so similar to his own, until wary violet met curious red.
Bloody crimson eyes.
Yuugi felt himself drawn to those inexorably drawn to those deep depths that swirled in confusion and interest. His body began to relax dangerously, to the point of collapsing. Inwardly cursing, he went offensive, not trusting himself to be capable of defense. He had to fight to the end. Due to exhaustion and draining though, he was extremely uncoordinated, and only managed to knock into the being. He didn't have enough momentum or strength to push his adversary over, and bounced back instead.
Braced for a heavy fall, the sensation of warm arms surrounding him gently was surprising but welcome. Looking up, he could see a concerned and very surprised face watching him intently. Caught staring, the creature blushed and looked away. "Don't worry, little one. I will get you home." Carefully, he lifted Yuugi up and carried him bridal style, before grabbing the abandoned bag and walking.
'What was that expression? It was only there for a minute maybe, but it was certainly strange. Shock, surprise, concern, fear... of what? But...' "How come we've stopped?" "I'm sorry little one, but I'm not sure where you live," the being replied, sheepish. "Kame Game Shop." "Arigatou gozaimasu."
Ten minutes later, the strange duo reached the Game Shop. Carefully, the being of darkness let the slayer of light down and handed him his bag. Taking it, Yuugi suddenly gasped. "What is wrong, little one?" "My school jacket is gone." The being pondered the information. "So they..." "They can track me down. At the school." "At the school," the dark creature murmured. Turning he began walking away. "Chouto matte!" "Nandesuka?" He stopped, and turned inquiringly. Yuugi hesitated for a moment, before speaking. "Boku wa Yuugi desu. Onamae wa?" He hesitated too. "Ore wa Yami desu." "Arigatou gozaimasu, Yami-senpai." The one named who called himself the name of darkness itself smiled, almost shyly. "Thank you."
Turning again, he continued on his way.
Darkness is something that really confuses us. It is endless, yet limited simultaeneously. But don't worry, for as long as you have light with you, you have a chance at surviving an encouter with the darkness.
End Chapter 2.