AN: Ok, I was originally going to not write an author's note until after I
finished this fic, but since this chapter took so long I thought an apology
was required. Also, I'd like to warn people that this is a fairly gory and
violent chapter, so... I'm not sure if I have to up the rating though...
and also, the characters might just be a tiny bit (ie. 7000km off) OOC...
so you've been warned.
Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh! is owned by whoever owns it, which does not happen to be me. I also do not own the song that appears in this chapter, which is 'Butterfly Kiss' from the anime 'Rave'.
Chapter 3: Battle
A battle is something supposedly logical, where the person with the most troops wins. Yet sometimes, things don't quite go as planned. Like when you are trying to fight the light itself, or the darkness that blends with it seamlessly.
The attack was abrupt and brutal, though not altogether unexpected. There were hundreds of demons and vampires, all targeting the same school. Windows and walls shattered under their supernatural assault. Lights flickered and went off, as electrical cords were ripped and torn by those less affected by sunlight. The day was perfect for the attack: heavy storm clouds veiled a vast majority of the sun's light. The tantalizing scent of blood filled the senses of the demons, and they rushed in hungrily for prey.
Yuugi had known this would happen, sooner or later. It would not take long to trace a jacket to the school, despite his jacket being very ordinary and common. There were maybe seven schools in Domino City that featured blue, but his was the one closest to the site of the mass slaying from the previous day. He'd known they would come for him. His aura would also be fairly easy to locate; after all, how many people in the world possessed such a profound amount of light magic?
His locker contained a katana today. He pulled it out, hoping that he could convince anyone who saw him with it that they were hallucinating from fear, provided he survived long enough. He would certainly not be alone though; this attack would flush out every single slayer in the school, and possibly the entire neighbourhood. Maybe even the entire city.
Slash. With the opposing hand, Yuugi carried unhooked a large bottle filled with his blood from his belt. It was a precaution for any day he might be short on the red liquid; today was as good a day as any to use it. Now, he poured a few drops of blood into the demon's mouth. It began to change, until only a dying wolf remained. "Gomen," he whispered, before turning to the creature behind him and running the fiend through it's stomach and wrenching his blade back out. To Yuugi's dismay, the cut flesh healed over immediately.
'I hope it can't heal bone,' he thought grimly, kicking the demon before him into a wall. Bone shattered, and to his relief it merely thrashed helplessly. Drip, drip. It's form distorted, though the young slayer did not stop to watch. Ducking to avoid a beheading from a very heavy scimitar, he slashed a third opponent across the chest. He attacked and defended automatically, until he was surrounded by piles of mortal corpses, most of which were decomposing rapidly. The stench would have made him gag, if years of hunting hadn't made him almost immune to it.
"Yuugi?!" "Anzu-san!" A brief moment of distraction allowed the pig-headed demon to disarm him. 'Shit!' A thrown knife buried itself in the demon's throat, almost disappearing in the thick boar's neck and aristocratic clothes. A few drops of blood, and he turned back into his original form. Yuugi pulled the knife out, grimacing at the black liquid that dripped onto his clothes. "What are you doing? Get out of here before you get hurt!" "Anzu?" "Honda! Jou!" "What the hell's that smell?" "Rotting bodies, I'd say." "Trust you to know, pathetic pup." "Temee! Why I oughta-"
The situation was spinning rapidly out of control. "What the fuck are you all doing here, you idiots?" bellowed Yuugi, a rare feat for the diminutive and usually calm hunter. He was beginning to panic; there was no way he could fend off a few hundred monsters bent on destruction while trying to protect this bunch of fools. Said morons turned to give him looks ranging from irritated (Seto) to astonished (Jou) to scared (Honda) to sheepish (Anzu). "If you hadn't realised already, there are demons here! You are getting in the way!" To emphasis his point, he threw a knife at the demon ninja creeping up on Honda. The blade quivered in the assassin's throat, a mere centimetre away from the boy's ear. Hurriedly, the tall boy backed away.
"Foolish mortals," growled a rough voice. "Always so helpless and vulnerable." "Now, now Bakura. That's not nice," reprimanded a softer voice: Ryou. The two albinos stepped around a corner. Bakura carried a heavy scimitar that looked out of place with his messily worn school clothes, while Ryou held a weapon more befitting of his slight build, a long sword that looked equally strange next to his neater version of the uniform. Behind trailed two strange creatures: a large green bug with horns that stood on two feet, currently chewing quite contentedly on what appeared to be a rotting foot, and a blonde girl with both angel and demon wings, shaded half black and white and cupping a small heart which floated above her hands.
Yuugi's first instinct was to attack the two beings, but he suppressed it. The insect was laced with dark magic that he linked to Bakura, while the other had traces of Ryou's light magic; they were under the control of the duo. His second instinct was to yell out "Why me?!" to all the gods above who were most probably snickering at the whole surreal situation and more specifically his misfortune. Then he sighed, choosing to hope instead that they were as he suspected. That is to say hunters of some kind.
The others though, were less calm. Screams from Anzu, yells from the others, a gun from Seto, growling from the darker albino at the cocked weapon, rapid explaining from Ryou... general chaos. He rubbed his temple while shearing through more monsters and demons, doing his best to ignore the mess behind him. This was a bad day.
"Damnit, Ishtar! There is no need for you to tear that thing to pieces, it's already dead!" cried a seventh unwanted voice. "But Maaalllliiiiiikkkkk... it's all soft and squishy!" ...Eight. "Urgh! Just wait 'til I tell Isis!" "Nonononononononononono! Malik no tell Isis. Ishtar be good. Very good." Derisive snort. "Sure." "Malik is mean to Ishtar. Me tell Isis that you skipped school." "Oh no you don't!" Thud. Clank. Bang.
Make that a very bad day.
Two wrestling figures entered via rolling, followed by a large golden bird that gleamed brilliantly, with a blue gem set in it's forehead, watching it's masters with something akin to exasperation on its metallic features. Aforementioned masters looked up at the crowd, blinked, then shoved each other and stood. Both had platinum blonde hair and pale violet eyes, though one set were more blue than purple. The taller one's hair was much spikier, and stood up at the back similar to the Statue of Liberty. He was wearing tight beige pants, a black sleeveless shirt and cape, and appeared to be the elder of the two. The other wore a purple hooded sleeveless shirt ornamented with golden chains, and tight black pants. Both also wore gold chokers, earring, bands and gauntlets. They carried identical objects in their hands; golden rods engraved with the eye of Ra, that glowed suddenly and intensely.
In response, two previously unseen objects shone from Ryou and Bakura's chests. They were two large golden rings, bearing some resemblance to a dream-weaver. The remaining few demons who'd been hiding appeared and fled, though a few well aimed magical bolts from the hunters shot them down, while the humans tried to get out of the way. They could now afford a brief reprieve; no creatures were present within a 10 metre radius.
"Malik!" called Ryou happily. "You should be at school." "Isis won't be very happy," cackled Bakura evilly. Giving him glare -which only made the receiver laugh harder- Malik boredly replied, "I have a perfectly legitimate reason. This school is swarming with demons, and it would be discourteous to leave you to handle them all." "You'll never pull that off wearing that," pointed out the darker albino, snickering.
In response, the blonde threw a spare knife at him, which was dodged easily. Ishtar immediately began scolding his hikari, telling him not to waste projectiles. Scowling, Malik looked away. His eyes fell on Yuugi and blinked a few times. Turning to Ryou, he asked, "Is this the hunter you were talking about?" "Aye. I should introduce you. Yuugi-kun, this is Malik Ishtar. Malik-kun, this is Yuugi Motou." "Nice to meet you," declared Malik, then paused thoughtfully. "Despite the circumstances." "Nice to meet you too," grumbled Yuugi. "Despite my headache."
Malik's laughter was cut off when a vicious looking peacock jumped onto Bakura's bug and began eating it. The insect screeched and dissipated in a multitude of black and purple shadows as the furious albino skewered the bird. He scowled. "Damn bug's no good except for ambushes. Stupid worthless thing..." "NO," commanded Ryou flatly. "You are NOT summoning Diaubandou." "But he'd destroy all these pathetic little monsters easily!" "And take the school down in the process." "That is part of his job description..." "NO!" "FINE!" He turned and walked through the wall, sulking. Moments later, a strange man with a white hat, cape and monocle broke through the wall. "Whhhhhooppppps."
"BAKURA!"
Assessing the situation, Yuugi decided that he was currently not needed. With an uncharacteristic growl, he stomped outside, beheading the imps waiting along the corridor. The doors swung open before his irritation and fury, blowing away the dozen or so monsters just outside. Before they could recover, the majorly pissed off slayer sliced through them and changed them back to their original forms, venting his frustration in the process. 'Idiots. Can't they see what this means?'
**********
Twenty-eight monsters later, he had almost reached the school's back gates. Despite the ample amount of monsters still within the school building and the pouring rain, Yuugi did not turn back. He was sick of it all, having to hunt every night in case some idiot human was turned. Besides, his bottle had run out, and he was still too drained from the previous night's fight to freely donate blood. A final thrust cut down the remaining demon zebra, before he sliced the gate off its hinges and walked out of the school. He had barely walked three metres when he spotted a figure leaning against a tree, coolly watching the remnants of the school getting ripped apart by the battle. The hunter narrowed his eyes, before readying his katana and walking over.
70 metres away, he recognised both the aura and the person. "It's you," he stated simply. "Surprised?" inquired the other. Despite the distance, he spoke softly, yet every word was audible to Yuugi. He shrugged at the question, before replying. "Not really. Lots of weird stuff has happened today." The hunter took a few steps towards his look alike. "Enjoying the scenery?" "It is interesting," Yami casually said, watching him. "But why aren't you fighting? Isn't it your duty to protect the humans who cannot do so themselves?" "There are other hunters who can do so," snapped Yuugi, still walking. "Like Ryou, Bakura..." "Bakura is no hunter." "You know him, do you?" "We... have a long history." "How long?" "Three thousand years."
Yuugi was momentarily taken aback. "A three thousand year shadow, huh?" He glared. "Why shouldn't I kill you right here?!" "I've already died once," Yami replied nonchalantly. "Kill me if you want to." "I will!" The tip of his katana swept up to rest right beside the dark's leather choker. "Well?" The blade dropped. "I have no reason to. You might still be useful." "Then can I kill you?" inquired the dark one, placing his own concealed knife to Yuugi's throat. The hunter remained unfazed. "You wouldn't." "Why not?" "You wouldn't waste the effort to save me yesterday just to kill me today."
Yami smirked, then let his knife slide back into its sheathe. The slayer took the moment to study him: navy leather pants, black sleeveless top, heeled boots. His hair remained upright, despite the rain running in rivulets down his face, arms, and clothes. "Aren't you cold?" The question completely startled the dark one. "Cold?" A pause. "Always. Are you?" "Frozen," muttered Yuugi. He scowled, then suddenly asked, "Why should I have to?" "Have to what?" "Protect the mortals and fix the demons." "Good question. Why don't you ask yourself that?"
The slayer frowned, before responding mechanically. "Why should I have to? Because... because they are after me. Because I have the ability to change them back to their original forms. Because I am the one who made the school a target. Because..." "You want to help them," finished the dark one. "Is that not a reason?" "I don't want to help them right now," mumbled Yuugi tiredly. "They're all just so... pathetic." He glared sharply. "Why am I talking to you?" "Because it is like talking to yourself."
Violet eyes widened at that truth. Talking to Yami was like talking to himself, albeit a taller, (assumably) older, sharper, darker version of himself, however bizarre that sounded. It was oddly comforting, in a disarming way.
"Anata wa... dare desuka?" "Ore? Ore wa... san sen no kage."
Yuugi studied the older one. "Yet you are not like other dark creatures." A faint smile. "No, I'm not." He stood up straight and pointed at the school. "Want to go back in and see how those idiots are coping?" "Why not?"
**********
"Nice of you to finally show up, Pharaoh," growled Bakura as he lounged against one of the few undamaged walls left within the building. "Whatever, Tomb Robber." "What are you here for, anyway?" "To laugh at you." "Theirs nothing to laugh about. Those monsters are all dead." "Really?" Yami threw his knife, expertly pinning a vampire bat two feet away from Bakura, and putting a dent in the previously unscathed wall. "Really." The tomb robber pulled the knife out, letting the decomposing corpse drop carelessly, and threw the blade back. Despite the velocity of the knife's spin, Yami caught it handle-first and sheathed it in a single fluid movement. "Showoff." "Only because I can." "Are you two finished?" demanded Yuugi. "Bakura, where's Ryou?" The albino glared at the hunter who dared to order him around, then growled, "Down the corridor, looking after those humans. He sent me down here when I tried to shut one of them up." "And you obeyed," Yami added tauntingly. "Don't push it, Pharaoh." "Aren't you the least bit worried about your hikari?" "Of course I am; Malik and Ishtar are down there too."
Yuugi stalked down the corridor noiselessly, until he found the other hunter nursing the humans, who'd apparently fainted. "Ryou." "Yuugi? I thought you'd left already." "I did." "Oh. I see." "There are more headed this way. From the front of the school." Ryou frowned. "Aren't the police and ambulance there?" "Aye." "Damn it," he cursed. "Malik and Ishtar are keeping the monsters in the east corridor from coming over here, and Bakura's guarding the south corridor." "Yami's there as well." "Yami's here?" asked the albino excitedly. "Yeah. Do you know him?" "Of course. That's good news, because if they see Yami, those demons should back off. Bakura says that no one messes around with him." "Hontou?" "Hai. Not many demons mess with Bakura or Ishtar either." "Why?" "I'm not sure, and Bakura won't tell me." "I see..."
"Well what do we have here?" cut in an oily voice. The hunters looked up to see a group of five vampires, each around five millennia old. The speaker was a female with short blonde hair, a tight dress and loose trousers, and a familiar red cape. The other vampires also sported the cape. "To what do we owe the pleasure of a five captain visit?" inquired Yuugi coldly. "Such powerful foes of our master deserve a fitting reception." "Your master? Who is your master?" "The night itself." Yuugi's brow creased. "Not... Yami?" "Yami? Of course not!" laughed the lead vampire nastily. "Our master also wishes to dispose of that meddling pharaoh, along with the tomb robber and the grave keeper's anger." "You won't be able to touch them," Ryou said, angered by the thought of losing Bakura. "Maybe not now, but we will. And what better way than through their other halves?" "Why are you telling us your master plan?" She smiled thinly. "My master has unusual habits. He likes leaving his calling card before taking the prize. I am merely a messenger today, but don't worry. It won't be long before you may see my fighting prowess." "Rather eloquent message, isn't it? A few hundred monsters... quite extravagant." "Of course. We will take our leave now..." "Not so fast," interrupted Ryou, looking creepily like his other half. "You have traveled such a long way. Surely you would like to... rest, for a while." "I must be getting back," replied the vampire, looking thoroughly unnerved by the hunter's expression. "No, stay please. I insist."
Black magic sealed the doors and corridors as light closed the windows and roof. The vampires looked around frantically for a possible exit, then stepped back in fear when they spotted Bakura and Yami. Or... what appeared to be Bakura... "Ryou?" Yuugi asked, confused. "Then..." "I am Bakura," confirmed the 'Ryou' standing next to him, smirking sadistically. His hair suddenly became spikier, and his eyes narrower and deep red, while those of his counterpart widened and muted to a chocolate colour. "You tricked us," hissed the lead vampire, angry despite her fear. "Surely you should know that Ryou and Bakura can look practically identical," commented Yami, tone imperious. "But how... the auras?!" "His aura is mine, as mine is his," replied the real Ryou. "They can be seperate, combined, or switched, because wherever he is, I am there also. And vice-versa." "So don't even think of trying to hurt Ryou," concluded Bakura. "Or you'll think this is my blessing to the gods."
A giant orb of darkness appeared in Bakura's hand, then burned through the vampires, all but incinerating them. The dark albino watched emotionlessly, then snarled, "I know you're listening, fool. Your pitiful minions are no match for us, so don't even bother sending more. If you want Ryou, you'll have to get through me first. And don't bother with the others; they all have their own guardians. Unless you want to end up like this pile of dust." In response, dozens of monsters broke through the wards, though many were lost in the process. "Nice speech, tomb robber," commented Yami dryly. "Think they listened?" "Urusai, Pharaoh. This is just a diversion." "Of course you'd know." Bakura snorted. "I've used this thousands of times before. It's just a diversion." Bang! More demons poured in, surrounding the four of them. "A very big diversion."
Yami shrugged, spinning his knife thoughtfully. The demons watched his every move intently, often shrinking back at the slightest twitch. He smirked, watching eyes widen in fear: they were mortally afraid of him. 'And with good reason.' The blade in his hand spun out, and the monsters there jumped out of the way. An unlucky beaver caught the blade directly in the throat and gurgled, before exploding and destroying ten of it's neighbours. Blood splattered Yami's clothes, but he did not flinch. Instead, the knife dutifully returned to his hand. He watched for the surviving creatures' reactions, and felt satisfied when they fled and disappeared.
"Nice job, pharaoh." "Of course." He turned to Yuugi, who was watching him with interest. "Daijoubu?" "Hai, genki desu." "That's good." Yami looked at the humans. "Are they alive?" "Unfortunately," muttered the tomb robber. "Bakura," warned Ryou, as the aforementioned mortals began to stir. "Behave." "Yes mother."
Jou was the first to awaken. He sleepily asked Yuugi, "Hotdogs? Motou?" At the sight of Yami standing next to Yuugi, he jumped up, rubbed both eyes, then declared, "That's it! I'm officially hallucinating!" "Congratulations on using a five syllable word," commented Honda, who shrunk back at the sight of Yuugi and Yami. "What? Another clone?" "Who are you calling a clone?" yelled Bakura and Yami simultaeneously. They glared at each other. Honda shrunk even further away. "Get off me, you pathetic dog," growled an unmistakably cranky voice. Without waiting for a response, Seto pushed Jou off him and stood up, brushing himself off. He spotted the 'clones' and frowned. They seemed a little too familiar... "You!" snarled Bakura. "I have a name: Kaiba Seto." "Whatever, Seth." "I told you-" "Yuugi? Ryou?" "Anzu." "Who's that?" "That? Yami." "Ah... n-nice to... meet you." "Hm."
"Ryou! All the monsters disappeared!" "That's nice Malik. You should get out of here now, before Isis finds out you've skipped school." "Fine fine." "Byyyyyeeee Baaaakkkuuuu!!!!" "Urgh, how many times have I told you not to call me that Ishtar?" "Lots?" "I told you, my name isn't Seth!"
Yuugi took one look at the crazy scene, then walked out and headed home, followed by a single person.
**********
"... This is Kujaku Mai reporting from Domino High, which was attacked today by hundreds of terrorists dressed in Halloween costumes, armed with bombs, guns, swords and knives. Police report that thirty-seven students were killed in the incident, and hundreds more injured. Strangely, though students say that many of the terrorists were killed, no bodies remain for examination. The school is being assessed, but early reports suggest that the building will have to be completely demolished. An official investigation is underway, and detectives wish to interview several students involved heavily with the incident. They have already talked to several students, who are currently being treated for shock and trauma. ..." Switch.
"Halloween costumes? Great cover-up," muttered Yuugi venomously. "What will they come up with next time?" "What is Halloween?" "October 31st. People dress up as monsters, then go around asking for candy. Why are you here?" "I'm not sure. You looked worn, so..." "Well I am. Make yourself comfortable, I'm going to bed. There's food in the cupboard and fridge, though I think the milk is off. You do know how to operate the remote control of the tv, right? Well then, entertain yourself with that. Just don't turn the sound on too loudly." "Thanks." "Good night then."
Switch. "It was horrible. There were monsters everywhere!" Click. "I'm calling my lawyers!" Click. "Police are currently looking for three students, Motou Yuugi, Bakura Ryou, and Ryou Bakura, all of which disappeared shortly after the last terrorists left. If anyone has any information, please contact the police. Also, if anyone has information on three other people all seen around the school at the time of the attack, please also phone 000. One reportedly looks very similar to Motou-san, and has a tendency to..." Switch.
RRRRIIIINNNGG RIIINNNNG! RRRRIIIINNNGG RIIINNNNG!
Yami answered the phone. "Moshi moshi?" "Is that Motou Yuugi?" "Iie. Kimi wa dare?" "This is the police. We are looking for Motou-san, who disappeared from school in the wake of a terrorist attack. Is Motou-san there?" A pause. "No." "Have you seen him?" "Iie. Mimasen." "May I ask who you are, and what your relation to Motou-san is?" Another pause. "I am his guardian." "Your na-" Click.
After leaving the phone off the hook, Yami climbed the stairs softly to see if the phone call had awakened Yuugi. Though not entirely awake, the hunter was sleeping fitfully, often making slashing movements. Abruptly, he sat up and scanned the room with wide eyes. They rested on Yami, then relaxed. "Nightmare?" "Hm." "Tell me about it." Yuugi contemplated the offer. "I was... back at the school, and had to fight those demons again. Except this time, they kept coming back, and I had no blood left. I watched them turn everyone in the school, then the city, into demons. That was all." "Would you like me to tuck you into bed and sing you to sleep?" asked Yami jokingly. "Hmm... that would be nice."
Though surprised at Yuugi's acceptance, the dark one walked over and tucked the covers over the slayer's small form. He pulled a chair over and sat on it cross-legged.
"Fukai yami no hotori Nemuru chou tachi yo Aoki sorasaemo Shirazu ni iru noka Tsumiki no youni moroi sekai wo Habataku sube ga hoshii Hitotsudake sou negatta Aisubeki hito no tameni
Sai ha chijyou takaku nagerareta Rakuen sore ha hiizuru mirai You and I Tooi yume ni musubareru Kono akai kawa wo koete
Kimi no namida subete umi e kaesetara Tsumimo itamisaemo wasurerarerunoka Kodokuna hane ga nukumori kureta itoshii sono kuchibiru Hitotsudake souchikatta mamorubeki hito no tame ni
Hana ha mujyou sarau jyuujika wo daite saita hakanaki tenshi yuuen no ai itsuka mitsukeru nara Kimi ni sasageyou Paradise
Hitosuji no hikari wo motomete bokura wa michi wo ikiru Hitotsudake ima shinjita Aisubeki hito no tameni
Sai ha chijyou takaku nagerareta Rakuen sore ha hiizuru mirai You and I Tooi yume ni musubareru Kono akai kawa wo koete
Hana ha mujyou sarau jyuujika wo daite saita hakanaki tenshi yuuen no ai itsuka mitsukeru nara Kimi ni sasageyou Paradise..."
By the end of the song, Yuugi was sleeping peacefully. Gently, the dark being placed a hand on his counterpart's cheek, relishing the warmth as he stroked the smooth skin with his thumb. The slayer took Yami's hand in his own unconsciously, entwining their fingers as Yami held vigil over his hikari. A battle has more than one winner, and much more than a single loser. In the end, it is not numbers that determine who emerges victorious; it's strength. End Chapter 3.
Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh! is owned by whoever owns it, which does not happen to be me. I also do not own the song that appears in this chapter, which is 'Butterfly Kiss' from the anime 'Rave'.
Chapter 3: Battle
A battle is something supposedly logical, where the person with the most troops wins. Yet sometimes, things don't quite go as planned. Like when you are trying to fight the light itself, or the darkness that blends with it seamlessly.
The attack was abrupt and brutal, though not altogether unexpected. There were hundreds of demons and vampires, all targeting the same school. Windows and walls shattered under their supernatural assault. Lights flickered and went off, as electrical cords were ripped and torn by those less affected by sunlight. The day was perfect for the attack: heavy storm clouds veiled a vast majority of the sun's light. The tantalizing scent of blood filled the senses of the demons, and they rushed in hungrily for prey.
Yuugi had known this would happen, sooner or later. It would not take long to trace a jacket to the school, despite his jacket being very ordinary and common. There were maybe seven schools in Domino City that featured blue, but his was the one closest to the site of the mass slaying from the previous day. He'd known they would come for him. His aura would also be fairly easy to locate; after all, how many people in the world possessed such a profound amount of light magic?
His locker contained a katana today. He pulled it out, hoping that he could convince anyone who saw him with it that they were hallucinating from fear, provided he survived long enough. He would certainly not be alone though; this attack would flush out every single slayer in the school, and possibly the entire neighbourhood. Maybe even the entire city.
Slash. With the opposing hand, Yuugi carried unhooked a large bottle filled with his blood from his belt. It was a precaution for any day he might be short on the red liquid; today was as good a day as any to use it. Now, he poured a few drops of blood into the demon's mouth. It began to change, until only a dying wolf remained. "Gomen," he whispered, before turning to the creature behind him and running the fiend through it's stomach and wrenching his blade back out. To Yuugi's dismay, the cut flesh healed over immediately.
'I hope it can't heal bone,' he thought grimly, kicking the demon before him into a wall. Bone shattered, and to his relief it merely thrashed helplessly. Drip, drip. It's form distorted, though the young slayer did not stop to watch. Ducking to avoid a beheading from a very heavy scimitar, he slashed a third opponent across the chest. He attacked and defended automatically, until he was surrounded by piles of mortal corpses, most of which were decomposing rapidly. The stench would have made him gag, if years of hunting hadn't made him almost immune to it.
"Yuugi?!" "Anzu-san!" A brief moment of distraction allowed the pig-headed demon to disarm him. 'Shit!' A thrown knife buried itself in the demon's throat, almost disappearing in the thick boar's neck and aristocratic clothes. A few drops of blood, and he turned back into his original form. Yuugi pulled the knife out, grimacing at the black liquid that dripped onto his clothes. "What are you doing? Get out of here before you get hurt!" "Anzu?" "Honda! Jou!" "What the hell's that smell?" "Rotting bodies, I'd say." "Trust you to know, pathetic pup." "Temee! Why I oughta-"
The situation was spinning rapidly out of control. "What the fuck are you all doing here, you idiots?" bellowed Yuugi, a rare feat for the diminutive and usually calm hunter. He was beginning to panic; there was no way he could fend off a few hundred monsters bent on destruction while trying to protect this bunch of fools. Said morons turned to give him looks ranging from irritated (Seto) to astonished (Jou) to scared (Honda) to sheepish (Anzu). "If you hadn't realised already, there are demons here! You are getting in the way!" To emphasis his point, he threw a knife at the demon ninja creeping up on Honda. The blade quivered in the assassin's throat, a mere centimetre away from the boy's ear. Hurriedly, the tall boy backed away.
"Foolish mortals," growled a rough voice. "Always so helpless and vulnerable." "Now, now Bakura. That's not nice," reprimanded a softer voice: Ryou. The two albinos stepped around a corner. Bakura carried a heavy scimitar that looked out of place with his messily worn school clothes, while Ryou held a weapon more befitting of his slight build, a long sword that looked equally strange next to his neater version of the uniform. Behind trailed two strange creatures: a large green bug with horns that stood on two feet, currently chewing quite contentedly on what appeared to be a rotting foot, and a blonde girl with both angel and demon wings, shaded half black and white and cupping a small heart which floated above her hands.
Yuugi's first instinct was to attack the two beings, but he suppressed it. The insect was laced with dark magic that he linked to Bakura, while the other had traces of Ryou's light magic; they were under the control of the duo. His second instinct was to yell out "Why me?!" to all the gods above who were most probably snickering at the whole surreal situation and more specifically his misfortune. Then he sighed, choosing to hope instead that they were as he suspected. That is to say hunters of some kind.
The others though, were less calm. Screams from Anzu, yells from the others, a gun from Seto, growling from the darker albino at the cocked weapon, rapid explaining from Ryou... general chaos. He rubbed his temple while shearing through more monsters and demons, doing his best to ignore the mess behind him. This was a bad day.
"Damnit, Ishtar! There is no need for you to tear that thing to pieces, it's already dead!" cried a seventh unwanted voice. "But Maaalllliiiiiikkkkk... it's all soft and squishy!" ...Eight. "Urgh! Just wait 'til I tell Isis!" "Nonononononononononono! Malik no tell Isis. Ishtar be good. Very good." Derisive snort. "Sure." "Malik is mean to Ishtar. Me tell Isis that you skipped school." "Oh no you don't!" Thud. Clank. Bang.
Make that a very bad day.
Two wrestling figures entered via rolling, followed by a large golden bird that gleamed brilliantly, with a blue gem set in it's forehead, watching it's masters with something akin to exasperation on its metallic features. Aforementioned masters looked up at the crowd, blinked, then shoved each other and stood. Both had platinum blonde hair and pale violet eyes, though one set were more blue than purple. The taller one's hair was much spikier, and stood up at the back similar to the Statue of Liberty. He was wearing tight beige pants, a black sleeveless shirt and cape, and appeared to be the elder of the two. The other wore a purple hooded sleeveless shirt ornamented with golden chains, and tight black pants. Both also wore gold chokers, earring, bands and gauntlets. They carried identical objects in their hands; golden rods engraved with the eye of Ra, that glowed suddenly and intensely.
In response, two previously unseen objects shone from Ryou and Bakura's chests. They were two large golden rings, bearing some resemblance to a dream-weaver. The remaining few demons who'd been hiding appeared and fled, though a few well aimed magical bolts from the hunters shot them down, while the humans tried to get out of the way. They could now afford a brief reprieve; no creatures were present within a 10 metre radius.
"Malik!" called Ryou happily. "You should be at school." "Isis won't be very happy," cackled Bakura evilly. Giving him glare -which only made the receiver laugh harder- Malik boredly replied, "I have a perfectly legitimate reason. This school is swarming with demons, and it would be discourteous to leave you to handle them all." "You'll never pull that off wearing that," pointed out the darker albino, snickering.
In response, the blonde threw a spare knife at him, which was dodged easily. Ishtar immediately began scolding his hikari, telling him not to waste projectiles. Scowling, Malik looked away. His eyes fell on Yuugi and blinked a few times. Turning to Ryou, he asked, "Is this the hunter you were talking about?" "Aye. I should introduce you. Yuugi-kun, this is Malik Ishtar. Malik-kun, this is Yuugi Motou." "Nice to meet you," declared Malik, then paused thoughtfully. "Despite the circumstances." "Nice to meet you too," grumbled Yuugi. "Despite my headache."
Malik's laughter was cut off when a vicious looking peacock jumped onto Bakura's bug and began eating it. The insect screeched and dissipated in a multitude of black and purple shadows as the furious albino skewered the bird. He scowled. "Damn bug's no good except for ambushes. Stupid worthless thing..." "NO," commanded Ryou flatly. "You are NOT summoning Diaubandou." "But he'd destroy all these pathetic little monsters easily!" "And take the school down in the process." "That is part of his job description..." "NO!" "FINE!" He turned and walked through the wall, sulking. Moments later, a strange man with a white hat, cape and monocle broke through the wall. "Whhhhhooppppps."
"BAKURA!"
Assessing the situation, Yuugi decided that he was currently not needed. With an uncharacteristic growl, he stomped outside, beheading the imps waiting along the corridor. The doors swung open before his irritation and fury, blowing away the dozen or so monsters just outside. Before they could recover, the majorly pissed off slayer sliced through them and changed them back to their original forms, venting his frustration in the process. 'Idiots. Can't they see what this means?'
**********
Twenty-eight monsters later, he had almost reached the school's back gates. Despite the ample amount of monsters still within the school building and the pouring rain, Yuugi did not turn back. He was sick of it all, having to hunt every night in case some idiot human was turned. Besides, his bottle had run out, and he was still too drained from the previous night's fight to freely donate blood. A final thrust cut down the remaining demon zebra, before he sliced the gate off its hinges and walked out of the school. He had barely walked three metres when he spotted a figure leaning against a tree, coolly watching the remnants of the school getting ripped apart by the battle. The hunter narrowed his eyes, before readying his katana and walking over.
70 metres away, he recognised both the aura and the person. "It's you," he stated simply. "Surprised?" inquired the other. Despite the distance, he spoke softly, yet every word was audible to Yuugi. He shrugged at the question, before replying. "Not really. Lots of weird stuff has happened today." The hunter took a few steps towards his look alike. "Enjoying the scenery?" "It is interesting," Yami casually said, watching him. "But why aren't you fighting? Isn't it your duty to protect the humans who cannot do so themselves?" "There are other hunters who can do so," snapped Yuugi, still walking. "Like Ryou, Bakura..." "Bakura is no hunter." "You know him, do you?" "We... have a long history." "How long?" "Three thousand years."
Yuugi was momentarily taken aback. "A three thousand year shadow, huh?" He glared. "Why shouldn't I kill you right here?!" "I've already died once," Yami replied nonchalantly. "Kill me if you want to." "I will!" The tip of his katana swept up to rest right beside the dark's leather choker. "Well?" The blade dropped. "I have no reason to. You might still be useful." "Then can I kill you?" inquired the dark one, placing his own concealed knife to Yuugi's throat. The hunter remained unfazed. "You wouldn't." "Why not?" "You wouldn't waste the effort to save me yesterday just to kill me today."
Yami smirked, then let his knife slide back into its sheathe. The slayer took the moment to study him: navy leather pants, black sleeveless top, heeled boots. His hair remained upright, despite the rain running in rivulets down his face, arms, and clothes. "Aren't you cold?" The question completely startled the dark one. "Cold?" A pause. "Always. Are you?" "Frozen," muttered Yuugi. He scowled, then suddenly asked, "Why should I have to?" "Have to what?" "Protect the mortals and fix the demons." "Good question. Why don't you ask yourself that?"
The slayer frowned, before responding mechanically. "Why should I have to? Because... because they are after me. Because I have the ability to change them back to their original forms. Because I am the one who made the school a target. Because..." "You want to help them," finished the dark one. "Is that not a reason?" "I don't want to help them right now," mumbled Yuugi tiredly. "They're all just so... pathetic." He glared sharply. "Why am I talking to you?" "Because it is like talking to yourself."
Violet eyes widened at that truth. Talking to Yami was like talking to himself, albeit a taller, (assumably) older, sharper, darker version of himself, however bizarre that sounded. It was oddly comforting, in a disarming way.
"Anata wa... dare desuka?" "Ore? Ore wa... san sen no kage."
Yuugi studied the older one. "Yet you are not like other dark creatures." A faint smile. "No, I'm not." He stood up straight and pointed at the school. "Want to go back in and see how those idiots are coping?" "Why not?"
**********
"Nice of you to finally show up, Pharaoh," growled Bakura as he lounged against one of the few undamaged walls left within the building. "Whatever, Tomb Robber." "What are you here for, anyway?" "To laugh at you." "Theirs nothing to laugh about. Those monsters are all dead." "Really?" Yami threw his knife, expertly pinning a vampire bat two feet away from Bakura, and putting a dent in the previously unscathed wall. "Really." The tomb robber pulled the knife out, letting the decomposing corpse drop carelessly, and threw the blade back. Despite the velocity of the knife's spin, Yami caught it handle-first and sheathed it in a single fluid movement. "Showoff." "Only because I can." "Are you two finished?" demanded Yuugi. "Bakura, where's Ryou?" The albino glared at the hunter who dared to order him around, then growled, "Down the corridor, looking after those humans. He sent me down here when I tried to shut one of them up." "And you obeyed," Yami added tauntingly. "Don't push it, Pharaoh." "Aren't you the least bit worried about your hikari?" "Of course I am; Malik and Ishtar are down there too."
Yuugi stalked down the corridor noiselessly, until he found the other hunter nursing the humans, who'd apparently fainted. "Ryou." "Yuugi? I thought you'd left already." "I did." "Oh. I see." "There are more headed this way. From the front of the school." Ryou frowned. "Aren't the police and ambulance there?" "Aye." "Damn it," he cursed. "Malik and Ishtar are keeping the monsters in the east corridor from coming over here, and Bakura's guarding the south corridor." "Yami's there as well." "Yami's here?" asked the albino excitedly. "Yeah. Do you know him?" "Of course. That's good news, because if they see Yami, those demons should back off. Bakura says that no one messes around with him." "Hontou?" "Hai. Not many demons mess with Bakura or Ishtar either." "Why?" "I'm not sure, and Bakura won't tell me." "I see..."
"Well what do we have here?" cut in an oily voice. The hunters looked up to see a group of five vampires, each around five millennia old. The speaker was a female with short blonde hair, a tight dress and loose trousers, and a familiar red cape. The other vampires also sported the cape. "To what do we owe the pleasure of a five captain visit?" inquired Yuugi coldly. "Such powerful foes of our master deserve a fitting reception." "Your master? Who is your master?" "The night itself." Yuugi's brow creased. "Not... Yami?" "Yami? Of course not!" laughed the lead vampire nastily. "Our master also wishes to dispose of that meddling pharaoh, along with the tomb robber and the grave keeper's anger." "You won't be able to touch them," Ryou said, angered by the thought of losing Bakura. "Maybe not now, but we will. And what better way than through their other halves?" "Why are you telling us your master plan?" She smiled thinly. "My master has unusual habits. He likes leaving his calling card before taking the prize. I am merely a messenger today, but don't worry. It won't be long before you may see my fighting prowess." "Rather eloquent message, isn't it? A few hundred monsters... quite extravagant." "Of course. We will take our leave now..." "Not so fast," interrupted Ryou, looking creepily like his other half. "You have traveled such a long way. Surely you would like to... rest, for a while." "I must be getting back," replied the vampire, looking thoroughly unnerved by the hunter's expression. "No, stay please. I insist."
Black magic sealed the doors and corridors as light closed the windows and roof. The vampires looked around frantically for a possible exit, then stepped back in fear when they spotted Bakura and Yami. Or... what appeared to be Bakura... "Ryou?" Yuugi asked, confused. "Then..." "I am Bakura," confirmed the 'Ryou' standing next to him, smirking sadistically. His hair suddenly became spikier, and his eyes narrower and deep red, while those of his counterpart widened and muted to a chocolate colour. "You tricked us," hissed the lead vampire, angry despite her fear. "Surely you should know that Ryou and Bakura can look practically identical," commented Yami, tone imperious. "But how... the auras?!" "His aura is mine, as mine is his," replied the real Ryou. "They can be seperate, combined, or switched, because wherever he is, I am there also. And vice-versa." "So don't even think of trying to hurt Ryou," concluded Bakura. "Or you'll think this is my blessing to the gods."
A giant orb of darkness appeared in Bakura's hand, then burned through the vampires, all but incinerating them. The dark albino watched emotionlessly, then snarled, "I know you're listening, fool. Your pitiful minions are no match for us, so don't even bother sending more. If you want Ryou, you'll have to get through me first. And don't bother with the others; they all have their own guardians. Unless you want to end up like this pile of dust." In response, dozens of monsters broke through the wards, though many were lost in the process. "Nice speech, tomb robber," commented Yami dryly. "Think they listened?" "Urusai, Pharaoh. This is just a diversion." "Of course you'd know." Bakura snorted. "I've used this thousands of times before. It's just a diversion." Bang! More demons poured in, surrounding the four of them. "A very big diversion."
Yami shrugged, spinning his knife thoughtfully. The demons watched his every move intently, often shrinking back at the slightest twitch. He smirked, watching eyes widen in fear: they were mortally afraid of him. 'And with good reason.' The blade in his hand spun out, and the monsters there jumped out of the way. An unlucky beaver caught the blade directly in the throat and gurgled, before exploding and destroying ten of it's neighbours. Blood splattered Yami's clothes, but he did not flinch. Instead, the knife dutifully returned to his hand. He watched for the surviving creatures' reactions, and felt satisfied when they fled and disappeared.
"Nice job, pharaoh." "Of course." He turned to Yuugi, who was watching him with interest. "Daijoubu?" "Hai, genki desu." "That's good." Yami looked at the humans. "Are they alive?" "Unfortunately," muttered the tomb robber. "Bakura," warned Ryou, as the aforementioned mortals began to stir. "Behave." "Yes mother."
Jou was the first to awaken. He sleepily asked Yuugi, "Hotdogs? Motou?" At the sight of Yami standing next to Yuugi, he jumped up, rubbed both eyes, then declared, "That's it! I'm officially hallucinating!" "Congratulations on using a five syllable word," commented Honda, who shrunk back at the sight of Yuugi and Yami. "What? Another clone?" "Who are you calling a clone?" yelled Bakura and Yami simultaeneously. They glared at each other. Honda shrunk even further away. "Get off me, you pathetic dog," growled an unmistakably cranky voice. Without waiting for a response, Seto pushed Jou off him and stood up, brushing himself off. He spotted the 'clones' and frowned. They seemed a little too familiar... "You!" snarled Bakura. "I have a name: Kaiba Seto." "Whatever, Seth." "I told you-" "Yuugi? Ryou?" "Anzu." "Who's that?" "That? Yami." "Ah... n-nice to... meet you." "Hm."
"Ryou! All the monsters disappeared!" "That's nice Malik. You should get out of here now, before Isis finds out you've skipped school." "Fine fine." "Byyyyyeeee Baaaakkkuuuu!!!!" "Urgh, how many times have I told you not to call me that Ishtar?" "Lots?" "I told you, my name isn't Seth!"
Yuugi took one look at the crazy scene, then walked out and headed home, followed by a single person.
**********
"... This is Kujaku Mai reporting from Domino High, which was attacked today by hundreds of terrorists dressed in Halloween costumes, armed with bombs, guns, swords and knives. Police report that thirty-seven students were killed in the incident, and hundreds more injured. Strangely, though students say that many of the terrorists were killed, no bodies remain for examination. The school is being assessed, but early reports suggest that the building will have to be completely demolished. An official investigation is underway, and detectives wish to interview several students involved heavily with the incident. They have already talked to several students, who are currently being treated for shock and trauma. ..." Switch.
"Halloween costumes? Great cover-up," muttered Yuugi venomously. "What will they come up with next time?" "What is Halloween?" "October 31st. People dress up as monsters, then go around asking for candy. Why are you here?" "I'm not sure. You looked worn, so..." "Well I am. Make yourself comfortable, I'm going to bed. There's food in the cupboard and fridge, though I think the milk is off. You do know how to operate the remote control of the tv, right? Well then, entertain yourself with that. Just don't turn the sound on too loudly." "Thanks." "Good night then."
Switch. "It was horrible. There were monsters everywhere!" Click. "I'm calling my lawyers!" Click. "Police are currently looking for three students, Motou Yuugi, Bakura Ryou, and Ryou Bakura, all of which disappeared shortly after the last terrorists left. If anyone has any information, please contact the police. Also, if anyone has information on three other people all seen around the school at the time of the attack, please also phone 000. One reportedly looks very similar to Motou-san, and has a tendency to..." Switch.
RRRRIIIINNNGG RIIINNNNG! RRRRIIIINNNGG RIIINNNNG!
Yami answered the phone. "Moshi moshi?" "Is that Motou Yuugi?" "Iie. Kimi wa dare?" "This is the police. We are looking for Motou-san, who disappeared from school in the wake of a terrorist attack. Is Motou-san there?" A pause. "No." "Have you seen him?" "Iie. Mimasen." "May I ask who you are, and what your relation to Motou-san is?" Another pause. "I am his guardian." "Your na-" Click.
After leaving the phone off the hook, Yami climbed the stairs softly to see if the phone call had awakened Yuugi. Though not entirely awake, the hunter was sleeping fitfully, often making slashing movements. Abruptly, he sat up and scanned the room with wide eyes. They rested on Yami, then relaxed. "Nightmare?" "Hm." "Tell me about it." Yuugi contemplated the offer. "I was... back at the school, and had to fight those demons again. Except this time, they kept coming back, and I had no blood left. I watched them turn everyone in the school, then the city, into demons. That was all." "Would you like me to tuck you into bed and sing you to sleep?" asked Yami jokingly. "Hmm... that would be nice."
Though surprised at Yuugi's acceptance, the dark one walked over and tucked the covers over the slayer's small form. He pulled a chair over and sat on it cross-legged.
"Fukai yami no hotori Nemuru chou tachi yo Aoki sorasaemo Shirazu ni iru noka Tsumiki no youni moroi sekai wo Habataku sube ga hoshii Hitotsudake sou negatta Aisubeki hito no tameni
Sai ha chijyou takaku nagerareta Rakuen sore ha hiizuru mirai You and I Tooi yume ni musubareru Kono akai kawa wo koete
Kimi no namida subete umi e kaesetara Tsumimo itamisaemo wasurerarerunoka Kodokuna hane ga nukumori kureta itoshii sono kuchibiru Hitotsudake souchikatta mamorubeki hito no tame ni
Hana ha mujyou sarau jyuujika wo daite saita hakanaki tenshi yuuen no ai itsuka mitsukeru nara Kimi ni sasageyou Paradise
Hitosuji no hikari wo motomete bokura wa michi wo ikiru Hitotsudake ima shinjita Aisubeki hito no tameni
Sai ha chijyou takaku nagerareta Rakuen sore ha hiizuru mirai You and I Tooi yume ni musubareru Kono akai kawa wo koete
Hana ha mujyou sarau jyuujika wo daite saita hakanaki tenshi yuuen no ai itsuka mitsukeru nara Kimi ni sasageyou Paradise..."
By the end of the song, Yuugi was sleeping peacefully. Gently, the dark being placed a hand on his counterpart's cheek, relishing the warmth as he stroked the smooth skin with his thumb. The slayer took Yami's hand in his own unconsciously, entwining their fingers as Yami held vigil over his hikari. A battle has more than one winner, and much more than a single loser. In the end, it is not numbers that determine who emerges victorious; it's strength. End Chapter 3.