Jungle Fever – By ashford2ashford
AKA: The Mini Arkana
Disclaimer: I'm sure you're all fully aware that I don't own any of these characters, so I can just skip this part!
Pairing(s): This even I don't know! I think it's got a slight hint of Strings/Arkana but also a touch of Arkana/Seeker. . .shrugs try to enjoy!
Dedications: This is dedicated to Knupfel, and also my little Pookie Drew! Without them, this idea would have never formed in my head!
Other Notes: This is a Rare Hunters fiction. This is the first of hopefully many chapters! I'd say there was hardly any yaoi in it, but I can't make that kind of promise for later chapters. This is my first YuGiOh Fic for , and I only want to make Rare Hunter fans happy! Well. . .even if you're not a Rare Hunter fan, you'd be glad to know that Mariku, Malik, Rishido, and Ishizu make it into later chapters (Probably chapter four if I get good press for this ) so there you go! I seek to please everyone!
ALSO: Part Seven…at long last!
Without Further Ado, Please Enjoy!
…
…
It hurts doesn't it?
Who are you?
Just a friend. Can you move?
No. I feel like I'm in pain.
You are.
Damn.
Indeed.
Am I dead?
No. Not quite. Do you wish you were?
What do you mean?
All this pain and confusion you've been feeling. And now you're lying in the dirt, bleeding to death, with the majority of your shoulder ripped to shreds, and the worst person to ever die in front of looming over you.
Who's that?
The Silent Doll.
Strings?
Whatever you want to call it. As far as I'm concerned, it's a doll and should not be given a name.
Who are you?
You've asked that question already.
I'll ask it again.
And I'll give you the same answer. I'm a friend.
Clearly you aren't if you wish for me to commit suicide!
You misunderstand me. I'm merely repeating the options you've already considered.
What? So you are inside my head?
So to speak.
You're a figment of my dying mind? A personification of my dying breath?
In a way.
You're not going to give me a straight answer are you?
Of course not. Where would the fun in that be?
Am I dead yet?
You've stopped breathing if that's what you mean.
No. I'm asking am I dead.
No…there are lips on yours breathing air into your lungs…I think you should wake up Pandora…Pandora…Pandora…Pandora…
Is that my name?
Pandora…Pandora…Pandora…
Who are you?
Pandora…Pandora…
What's going on?
Pandora…
I'm…still here…
…
…
"Pandora!"
He heard the cry long before he had fully woken up, and his head was hurting…and his arm, and his shoulder, and his chest, and even his throat.
"Pandora!"
That voice. It was like a beautiful bell echoing in his ears, a soft and delicate voice, one he had only heard in his sleep a couple of times before now, and it reminded him of blood upon snow…
He opened his eyes, and locked gaze, as well as lips, with Strings; who was breathing harshly and giving soft shudders as if crying. His painted lips were repeating Pandora's name as though it were the only word that mattered now in this moment. The most confusing thing was that Strings was showing some form of emotion that Pandora had never seen before. As a matter of fact, Strings NEVER showed emotion, never ever…not for anyone…so why was he doing this? And were those tears welling up in those eyes which now seemed to be glittering the colour of green instead of the dull black gems that were devoid of all things emotional and seeing.
"It's okay." Pandora reassured him, lifting his one good arm to embrace the mime in a gentle hug, "I'm alive. I'm not going anywhere, Strings."
The human doll made a soft noise in the back of his throat, half way between a harsh whimper and a gentle whisper, and then flung his arms around Pandora's neck, causing pain to the magician on the floor, and causing tears to fall more freely from eyes that has not cried in centuries…
"Ah!" Pandora endured the pain ripping through his shoulder for Strings' sake. The mime obviously needed this. Needed this reassurance. With the pain came a new awareness, awareness that Alec Pandora Hallworth had been shot from a distance with a rifle, had taken a bullet that tore through bone and sinew until it had exited his chest and shoulder, and had survived…
"We have to get up. We have to get moving. Seeker knows where we are, Strings!" A tone of urgency crept into Pandora's voice as he sat up rather painfully with his only good hand as a support, "He'll be here soon to collect me!"
Before either one could react, there was the sound of a click, like the reloading or cocking of a gun, and then a low and devious chuckle sounded in the air.
"He's already here…boy…"
Both people on the ground turned (Pandora with some difficulty) and looked into a space in the trees that had just appeared. A space that was filled by the shaggy mane of hair, the tall looming figure, the long arms gripping a rifle as though it were a delicate possession, and the evil grin of Seeker…
"Seeker!" Pandora was startled. Surely he must
have run here? From the way the bullet had gone in and from the way
it had exited, it would have meant more time for them to escape
surely!
Just how long had he been out?
"The very same, boy. I must say, you're looking well. Did that shot hurt you? I hope it did. I've been letting you off pretty easy these past few days. It's about time you felt pain…" Seeker stepped forwards, crushing the remains of the animal that the 'prey' had feasted on the day before beneath his heavy boots, "I dare say, you must be pretty weak by now, boy. You've lost a lot of blood. Surely you must be a little dizzy by now, hm?"
"Go to…hell!" Pandora choked out, more pain ripping through his shoulder and chest. Despite his sudden hatred for Seeker, Pandora could not help but admit that Seeker spoke nothing but the truth. After all, he –was- feeling a little dizzy…
Seeker cackled evilly and then
raised his rifle, aiming it at the shivering mime behind the floored
Magician.
"Hell only awaits one of us…and it isn't me…"
He murmured, licking his dry lips and pulling the
trigger.
"STRINGS!" Pandora could feel his chest filling up with both bile and worry. His eyes were as wide as saucers and his lips emitted the name of the falling Doll like it was the last word that the Silent One would ever hear.
The mime let out a
shriek, a shriek, which, for those moments, defined the truth between
man and beast, and then fell backwards, blood pouring from a wound
Pandora could not see.
Strings rolled backwards and then sprang
to his feet again, allowing blood and gore to drop upon the rich
fertile soil. He gave another whimper, and then growled like a feral
beast, like a demon that had just prepared itself to kill who
deserved to be killed. In short, the Silent Doll had chosen no longer
live in silence. If he was doomed to die in this stinking rotting
jungle, then he was prepared to make sure that either he went down
with a fight or Pandora survived to tell the tale.
"Pandora…" Strings uttered the name, more softly this time, as though it were his dying word, and then lunged forwards, avoiding one more shot from the barrel of the gun and leaping high into the air, coming down with one foot aimed at Seeker's face. The Hunter grunted and held one arm in front of his face, dropping the rifle and defending his face instead, his arm taking the full impact of the well-aimed kick. He felt his arm ache under the pressure and then forced his entire weight behind a swing at shook Strings free from his position, causing both men to roll aside and begin anew in stances that imitated that of two wolves squaring off for the position of Alpha male. Seeker felt confident that he would be the top dog in this fight, but Strings felt that it was somehow his destiny to win this fight.
"Strings…" Pandora breathed the words again, this time receiving a piercing glare from the mime and a harsh motion, which said in every sense "RUN!"
He didn't know how he found the strength to run, nor did he know how he even got up off the ground in such a hurry, but it may have been the glare Strings gave him, or even the threat of Seeker, that got Pandora running through trees and plants…
As the five gunshots sounded in the air, numbed by the chirping of insects in the sunset air, numbed by the setting sun, numbed by the squawk of birds, Pandora slowed his pace to a gentle jog and placed himself against a tree, breathing hard.
Strings may have gone today, but his kindness would live on…
It had to end…
Now…
…
…
COMING SOON – JUNGLE FEVER – THE FINAL CHAPTER
