Dark Crimson Night: Arrival
Author's note: Hello all, sorry this has been taking so long. I've hit kind of a slump. Don't worry though, I do plan to finish this story. I've been attacked by other plot bunnies and this one's been lazy…
Warnings: Yaoi, cussing, death, blood, mass destruction, lots of dark things and who knows what else at this point.
Pairings: Well… Bakura/Ryou, Seto/Jou, and Ishtal/Malik… others are still to come. ^_~
Disclaimer: I give up… seriously, if you don't get that I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh by now…. *sighs*
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Screeches and loud cries echoed through the crumbling streets as Bakura and Seto faced off against the twin pair of wraith sent by the dark one to destroy them. Malik had joined the fray as well and was currently back-to-back with Bakura, lashing out with the knives the kleptomaniac yami had swiped from Seto's apartment. Shadow magic was forgotten, there wasn't time to create a spell with the wraiths attacking them at incredible speed.
Seto himself occupied the second wraith, pushing it back with his ice blue magic. Sweat dripped off the brunette's forehead, running through his eyes. He was tiring quickly… too quickly. A loud yell echoed through the streets as a piece of debris sailed by, hitting the wraith's shoulder. The creature let out an enraged hiss, temporarily distracted by the thrower. Ryou gulped and dove as the wraith launched itself at him.
Taking advantage of the distraction, Seto spun a more powerful attack spell and hurled it before the wraith had a chance to react. The scent of charred flesh and a pained cry sounded around them. The wraith hissed in pain, eyeing its charred side, wing and arm. Seto didn't know what hit him next. A wave of tainted magic threw him back into a near by building. He winced at the popping sound in his shoulder, grimacing as the world went dark…
"Seto!" Malik spun in time to see Ryou leap out onto the half-burned wraith's back, wrapping his arms around the creature's neck as the being raised its still good arm, poison dripping off it's claws. The blonde didn't think. He palmed the knife he was using and threw. Both Bakura and the wraith he was fending off froze at the blood curdling scream.
Malik breathed a short sigh of relief as Ryou leapt and rolled, nimbly avoiding the wraith's body as it fell to the ground, stilled by the knife protruding from its forehead. A second scream startled Malik, and he spun again only to see the Ring's spirit slump to the crumbling cement, a deep wound in his back. Apparently the stunned wraith he had been fighting had recovered much quicker than the thief. Its dark eyes glowed red with vengeful anger as it stepped forward, its tail lashing back and forth.
"Bakura!" Ryou caught the pale boy before he could attack the remaining wraith and held him back.
"Use the Ring," the blonde murmured. "He's already dead, he can't die again." Golden light flashed and the thief's body faded. Ryou touched the Ring about his neck, smiling slightly as he felt the spirit's presence within. Malik bit his lip, his eyes darting about. His own knife was still sunken into the skull of the one dead wraith, too far away for him to reach. They could try to run for it, but they still needed Seto, they couldn't leave him. Now Bakura's dagger… The blonde glanced at Ryou, who nodded in understanding.
"I'll distract him," the pale boy murmured.
"Damn reckless albino," the Egyptian smirked. Ryou sent him a mock glare, his eyes alight.
"Just get him." With that, the silver-haired boy leapt at the wraith, dodging nimbly away from the poisoned claws while muttering under his breath about his decided lack of sanity. He could sense pained movement from the Ring, and surprise as well as worry from the spirit within. Ryou's brown eyes narrowed. He had to concentrate. If he didn't…
The wraith's tail lashed out, too fast to see and threw him into the wall of another building. The boy grimaced, his face contorting with pain as the wraith came closer. He was sure a few bones at least were broken.
"Ryou!" The silver-haired boy squeezed his eyes shut at Malik's call. His arm was numb and he didn't think he could move. *Malik!* Ryou's eyes shot open as an indescribable surge of power shot past him. He met the wraith's glowing eyes, staring in shock as the creature began to dissolve, melting into dust. Beyond the destroyed being stood Malik, one hand outstretched, gasping for breath. The blonde stumbled over to him, slumping to his knees next to the pale hikari.
"Malik…" Ryou's voice was full of wonder as he brushed a lack of sweaty, matted hair from the blonde's face with his good hand. Carefully, Malik lifted Ryou's battered body from the base of the wall. His eyes were wide with confusion and relief. "How did you…" Malik shook his head, silencing Ryou.
"I have no idea. I was scared… I panicked. Then I felt it and…"
"Thank you," Ryou murmured, sighing as he rested against Malik. He was so tired… A low groan from across the street caught the boys' attention as Seto pulled himself out of the debris. He limped over to them, holding his left arm steady against his side.
"Are you alright?" the brunette asked. "What happened?" Malik smiled tiredly and relayed the events that had happened while Seto was unconscious. Seto just stared at him in disbelief.
"You never told us you could use magic," Ryou murmured, before the former CEO could ask Malik anything. The pale boy's eyes were drooping as the excitement from the battle faded. Seto frowned, looking at his own hands.
"I've been teaching myself since…." He stopped, flinching. "I was a priest in my past life. I just started with spells and it… developed." Malik nodded, noting that this wasn't the most comfortable topic for the blue-eyed man.
"How far is it to the safe house?" the blonde asked, changing the subject. Seto shrugged, looking around them.
"A few miles. Can you make it?" Malik nodded, shifting Ryou in his arms. The pale hikari was barely conscious, blood trickling from a shallow wound in his shoulder from when he was thrown.
"I can make it," Malik answered.
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Jou paced back and forth outside the entrance to the main safe house, his amber eyes full of worry. Yami's face was solemn, his eyes searching the area for their missing comrades. They should have been there by now… had something happened?
"Come on Seto… where are you?" Jou murmured.
"They'll make it Jou," Yami told him, attempting to reassure the blonde. "Seto won't fail." Jou sighed. The sounds of feet stumbling over loose stone startled the blonde. His head shot up and his eyes widened at the sight. There, stumbling towards them was Seto, Ryou's slim form slung over his right shoulder and an exhausted Malik staggering along behind him.
"Seto!" Jou leapt towards them, followed by Yami who lifted Ryou from Seto's shoulder as Jou threw his arms around the tall brunette.
"I'm alright Jou," Seto murmured, petting the blonde's hair.
"What happened to you?" Yami asked, his crimson eyes concerned.
"Wraiths," Malik answered him, slumping to the ground. His legs had given out and he had no intention of trying to stand.
"How did you get away?" Jou asked. "Where are Ishtal and Bakura?"
"We had to fight them off," Seto answered, grimacing as Jou accidentally hit his bad shoulder. "The yami's will be alright. They're resting in the items."
"We should get out of the open," Yami remarked. Jou nodded, releasing Seto and stepping up to the door. He twisted the handle and knocked, waiting impatiently for an answer. The door creaked open, Honda's brown eyes and a second pair of violet-gray eyes gazed up at him.
"You guys alright?" the brunette asked, recognizing Jou. The blonde nodded.
"For now. Let us down." Honda swung the old door open, his eyes widening as Ryou was handed down to him. Next, Yami helped Malik to stand and climb down into the dark hideaway before he hopped down himself. Jou helped Seto follow, before entering and closing the door behind him. A lamp flickered, lighting the entranceway.
"Nii-san?" Yami's eyes widened.
"Mokuba?" he asked. The ebony haired boy nodded, flashing the dark spirit a mischievous grin. Unlike his brother, Mokuba had grown up to the age of a young adult and was now just a head shorter than his older brother. He'd grown his shaggy midnight hair long to mid-back and wore it tied and out of his face except for a few messy wisps that escaped the tie. His grayish eyes still twinkled with innocent mirth, but also with the hidden knowledge and fire of one who knew what he fought for. The boy's eyes lit up and he grinned at his brother.
"You did it!" he exclaimed excitedly. "You really did it Seto!"
"That's not all we did," Jou grinned at the boy, nodding to the two hikari's nearby. Malik waved tiredly, not really in the mood for drawn out introductions.
"Sorry if I don't remember you," the blonde muttered, sensing that he had met the boy before, probably in his past life. The ebony haired boy laughed.
"I'm Mokuba, Seto's younger brother," the boy told him. "That's Honda." Malik looked up at the brunette and smiled wryly. Honda shrugged and nodded to him, his arms occupied with Ryou's unconscious body.
"Kaiba, Otogi came back a few hours ago as well." The blue-eyed brunette raised one eyebrow.
"Yugi was with him." Yami's eyes shot wide, as did Honda's. The dark spirit jumped at the brunette, hope and surprise coloring his face.
"He's here? Yugi's here? He's safe?" Honda shrugged.
"Apparently. I didn't know that was him that Otogi brought in until now," he answered.
"He's fine," Mokuba answered. "A little confused of course, but fine. You'll see him tonight." Yami breathed a sigh of relief.
"Yokata…" Jou grinned at the group, his face relaxed now that they were safe in the underground hide out.
"Come on, let's get you settled in. Then we can grab some dinner!"
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A light knock on the door woke Yugi from his light slumber. Rubbing his violet eyes the small boy tumbled out of his makeshift bed and hobbled over to the door. Otogi stood there, just out side the door, grinning at him.
"Nice nap?" the emerald-eyed man asked. Yugi nodded, smiling at him.
"What's going on?" he asked, hiding a yawn. Otogi grinned wryly.
"It's time for dinner. I came to get you," he answered. Yugi nodded and stepped out of the room, brushing his clothing to straiten it somewhat and closing the door behind him.
"Alright." Otogi turned and started to lead him through the tunnels. Yugi watched the hall carefully, looking for any sign of a landmark that he could use to find his way back to his room.
"There are marks at the juncture of every hall telling you which tunnel leads where," Otogi told him, as they came to a cross of two halls. "See." The man pointed to a small metal impression of a strange figure with a staff and a tall pointy hat. The creature was oddly familiar, somehow. Otogi grinned as he watched Yugi's face. "Shizuka and Mokuba made them awhile back. They're modeled after an old game called Duel Monsters. You'll probably hear more about it later. You'll love the game." Yugi blinked and shrugged glancing back at the figure on the wall, before continuing to follow Otogi onward.
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A dull moan broke the calmed silence. Deep brown eyes blinked open, staring into the darkness above. Ryou groaned as he sat up, his entire body aching. The wound on his shoulder had been bandaged though the bleeding had stopped long ago.
Glancing around, the pale boy found himself in a small, darkened room. A small old table sat in the corner with a wooden chair pushed into it. Ryou himself was seated on an old mattress covered with tattered but clean blankets.
The boy smiled. He hadn't had a place to stay like this for a long time. Reaching to the side, his hand brushed something soft but solid. He turned to find the Ring's spirit asleep beside him. The pale spirit was lying on his stomach, bandages wrapping his back where the wraith had struck him. A knock at the door made Ryou jump.
"Who is it?" he called nervously, stepping off the bed and wincing at his bruised joints. Opening the door cautiously, Ryou was surprised to find a pretty redheaded young woman smiling back at him.
"Hi," she spoke, her voice light and cheerful. "I'm Shizuka, Jou's younger sister. I came to show you and your yami to dinner."
"How long have we been here?" Ryou jumped at his other's voice. Bakura smirked at the look of surprise on his hikari's face. His back was hunched slightly and he hadn't bothered to pull on a shirt. Ryou found himself blushing lightly at the sight. Shizuka giggled, catching Ryou's attention before he became more embarrassed.
"Nice to see you again," she laughed. Ryou blinked.
"You know her?" he asked his yami. Bakura shrugged, wincing as the wound on his back shifted.
"You do too… or you did." He grinned at the redhead. "Last time I saw you, you were three inches shorter and terrified of me." Shizuka only laughed.
"Half a century can change a person," she answered. Ryou just stared at her, while his yami nodded, rolling his eyes knowingly.
"You're…" Ryou blushed in embarrassment. "I'm sorry, it's just… you look…"
"I haven't aged since I turned 18," the redhead told them. "You'll get used to it, Ryou-kun." The pale hikari frowned at the familiar suffix, then smiled.
"Thanks." Bakura snorted at the two.
"Come on," he said. "This whole physical body thing is making me hungry for the first time in 3000 years." Ryou and Shizuka laughed, eyes bright with mirth.
"Follow me." With that, Shizuka led them off towards the kitchen.
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Author's note: Next chapter, the reunion!!! Ah, this'll be fun. We get to see all the characters that haven't shown up yet. ^_^
Yami: *winces* Do I have to see Anzu?
Yugi: *smirks and nudges Yami* Oh, come on… she's not that bad. *snickers*
Yami: Says you… She doesn't half stalk you…
Yugi: Poor baby…
*sweatdrops* Eh… anyway, hopefully I can get the next chapter out sooner than this one, don't plan on a quick update though, I warn you. Don't forget to review. ^_^