Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Changes ❯ Nothing Hurts Like... ( Chapter 9 )

Author's Notes: This is it, ladies and gentleman. It's the final chapter and the final showdown. It's gonna be long, so beware...

Changes

Final Chapter: Nothing Hurts Like...

"S-Stay away...stay away from me..." Téa squeaked nervously, trembling with fright. The large black werewolf crept closer despite her pleas and she screamed for a second time.

"WE'RE COMING TÉA!" she heard Yugi's voice from farther down the tunnels and the werewolf's ears pricked up for a moment before lowering flat against its head again. It snarled, baring its gleaming yellow fangs. It was almost to her now, and it lowered to the ground more, ready to pounce. As it began its motion forward, another large, furry form hit it full force, sending the two creatures into a screaming, growling, roaring, fighting heap. Yugi appeared around a corner in time to see the creatures snapping and clawing at each other; Seto and Bakura appeared shortly after. All three had looks of shock on their face and the terrified girl was trembling uncontrollably.

With a shriek, the black metamorph threw the brown one off. It quickly regained itself and snarled, seeming to wince from pain. "It" turned out to be Tristan, who kept snarling despite heavy, labored breathing. His green eyes shimmered with rage, though they were still misted with fever. Both werewolves kept growling, unmoving, almost...speaking to each other.

<I thought you didn't care about them, boy.>

<Shut up!>

<You shouldn't fight when you're ill, child...>

<Strange, it sounds like you care.>

<I don't care. It'll just be much too easy to kill you now.>

With that, the ebony-furred beast hurled himself at Tristan and they began the fight again, tumbling away from Téa and allowing the three boys to rush over and lead her farther away from the battle. She collapsed into Bakura's chest with a sob and began to shake again. The silver-haired boy's face flushed a little and he stroked her hair awkwardly to comfort her. Seto's hand fell to the gun hidden within his trenchcoat, but the two creatures were twisting and moving so much it was highly likely that he would hit Tristan instead of the other one. Who knows what Joey would do to him if he killed the boy...

The coal-black monster reared back and cuffed the brown-furred one hard, drawing blood. The red fluid stained the younger beast's muzzle and he leapt away, dashing away down the tunnels and around the corner with the leaping strides that were trademark to the variety. The black beast was quick in pursuit.

The four humans stood for a moment, staring after the animals with wide eyes. All except the girl, of course; she was still crying into Bakura's chest. She slid to her knees and buried her face into his stomach, gaining a soft yelp from the boy. The other two knelt beside her and tried to console the girl.

"It's okay, Téa, they're gone..." Yugi murmured, caressing her short hair gently. Seto put a gentle hand on her back and she burrowed further into Bakura's stomach, her grip on his waist tightening. The boy made a strangled noise and blushed furiously.

'I bloody well didn't ask for this...' he thought glumly, staring forward with an expression of helplessness.

(())(())(())(())(())(())(())(())(())(())

Joey kept running but he just couldn't find their scents. He hoped they were alright...

And then he smelled water. Dirty water, but water nonetheless. Maybe he could get his bearings from there...

(())(())(())(())(())(())(())(())(())(())

The four teens discovered the cylindrical room and were beginning to cross one of the catwalks, hoping to find either Joey or Tristan. Hopefully not the other werewolf, though.

The heard a noise like claws against metal and saw Tristan walking on one of the catwalks below. He began to slow and tremble, then he coughed (it was a very strange sound, actually), and then he collapsed into a heap, his furred chest heaving. The four began to move quicker to the tunnel on the other side and find a way down to him when they saw the black werewolf creeping up to Tristan. It snarled and then sniffed the air. And then it looked up at them with lantern-like eyes. It blinked, snarled and moved on to the tunnel on the other end of its catwalk.

They all waited for a moment, expecting it to appear before them, and when it didn't they hurriedly moved on.

(())(())(())(())(())(())(())(())(())(())

Now the water's scent was far away. What the hell was wrong with this place?! He kept running anyway.

(())(())(())(())(())(())(())(())(())(())

They were now on a closer catwalk and were halfway across it when the werewolf appeared from the blackness of the opposite entrance. It growled viciously and moved closer. Seto whipped out the gun and pointed it directly at the lycanthrope; it froze, a paw still in the air, and growled louder. Slowly it set the paw down and lowered itself closer to the ground, crouching and ready to spring. The gun in Seto's hand was beginning to quiver a little.

(())(())(())(())(())(())(())(())(())(())

The water was closer and he could barely see light coming from somewhere....

(())(())(())(())(())(())(())(())(())(())

The creature began to creep closer.

(())(())(())(())(())(())(())(())(())(())

Almost there!

(())(())(())(())(())(())(())(())(())(())

Seto fired. The werewolf had dodged in a flash and it knocked the gun out of Seto's hand in one powerful blow. It pinned him to the ground in a split second and was about to tear his throat out when-

They all heard a howl.

It came from farther within the tunnels and it sounded so much like a real wolf's....

The beast's jaws were open and around Seto's neck; its fangs were just brushing his throat. It moved its head away and stared up at a tunnel's dark entrance. Seto slowly reached for the discarded gun...

(())(())(())(())(())(())(())(())(())(())

So very close!

(())(())(())(())(())(())(())(())(())(())

The werewolf spied his movement and glared down at him, snarling. It lowered its fangs to his neck. Seto's blue eyes went wide and he trembled in pure fear, an emotion he didn't feel very often, and was about to accept death when a wolf's angered growl caused the metamorphic beast to look up in surprise.

There was a wolf on a higher catwalk with golden fur and blazing brown eyes. Its glittering white fangs were bared and its hackles were raised to the point of looking like it had been put through the dryer with no softener.

The black werewolf snarled.

The golden one snarled back. And then leapt down to knock the beast and itself off of Seto and into a fighting tumble that had the catwalk shaking like mad and the gun slip off the edge and land in the water with a splash. So much for last resorts.

The sandy-furred wolf leapt off of the other creature and bounded away into the darkness of the tunnels, the other creature quick in pursuit.

Again, the four stared after them. Slowly Yugi walked over to Seto and knelt down next to him.

"A-are you okay, Seto?"

The blue-eyed brunette looked up and stared at the shorter boy for a moment before answering.

"I...I'm fine. Just...a little scratched." 'And scared half to death.' he added to himself. He'd never been that afraid in his entire life, not even when a situation concerned Mokuba. And that was pretty damn scared.

Slowly and shakily the older teen stood up, looking for support on the catwalk's railing. Some of the metal bridges had railing, some did not. He was thankful this one did.

All four stared down at the catwalk Tristan was on. He hadn't moved and was still breathing heavily. They wondered what was wrong with him but that thought was quickly put aside as they saw the blonde werewolf leaping into view and then bounding over Tristan before screeching to a halt, whipping around, and sniffing the ill lycanthrope worriedly. It looked up and snarled fiercely as the other quadruped stalked into view as well. It put a protective blonde paw on the fallen werewolf and suddenly it struck everyone just who this new creature was.

"That's Joey..." Yugi whispered in awe.

"I didn't know he was a werewolf..." Bakura said in the same low tone.

"We all didn't. He never told us." Téa informed him just as quietly.

The jet-black beast growled at Joey and he growled back. Again, it seemed like they were talking.

<So you're this cub's friend, huh? When did you get bitten?>

<I was born, not bitten. You'd better stay away from him...>

<He's dying, you know. He's very, very sick. You might as well let me kill him to put him out of his misery.>

<I can save him.>

<I'm sure you can, kid, but we have score to settle.>

<Then settle it with me! I can fight and he's lying here sick! It'd be much more of a challenge.>

<I'm not after you.>

<But I'm after you for doing this to my best friend! YOU'LL PAY FOR CURSING HIM!!> Joey let out a terrible roar and lunged, turning the two creatures into a rapidly moving, biting, snarling, screeching fight once more. The black one hurled Joey across Tristan, leapt onto him, and sank his teeth into Joey's ruff. He bit only fur so he quickly snapped his jaws on the younger creature's middle back. Joey yelped once, then again, and then in the blink of an eye the black metamorph was off of Joey and being torn to pieces by an enraged Tristan.

He screamed. He clawed. He ripped. And soon there was hardly anything left but a bloody pile.

And then he howled.

(())(())(())(())(())(())(())(())(())(())

Everyone stared in horror as Tristan finished his kill and stumbled away from it. He only got a few paces before collapsing again, quivering and whining. Joey leapt over and nuzzled his fallen friend, whimpering worriedly.

The humans ran across the rest of the catwalk and hurried through the tunnels to the two creatures. When they arrived at them, one was a wolf and the other was human again. Tristan lay shivering and naked with Joey's furred body blocking anything not desired to be seen. Téa blushed and turned away while the other two just blushed; Seto took of his trenchcoat and began to slowly walk over, stepping over what was left of the other one gingerly. The blonde werewolf stepped over his friend and allowed Seto to cover him with the coat. When the human looked up he was looking into chocolate brown wolf eyes.

They stared at each other for a long moment, and then Seto smirked.

"I won't call you a Chihuahua anymore, Joey." he said, petting the lycanthrope's soft head gently. He panted happily and wagged his tail in reply. Seto looked back down at Tristan and delicately turned him onto his back and lifted his head. He searched in the pocket of his trenchcoat and pulled out the vial with the amethyst-colored liquid inside; then uncapped it and held it to the boy's lips. The brunette swallowed it as a reflex, still unconscious.

The other three walked over to them, avoiding the bloody carcass just as gingerly, and gazed worriedly at their sick companion. Joey abruptly bounded off and they stared after him in confusion.

"I wonder where he's going..." Yugi murmured, tilting his head to the side a little.

"I don't know but I think we should wait here." Seto replied.

"Why?"

"I just have a feeling..."

(())(())(())(())(())(())(())(())(())(())

Joey did return a few minutes later, human in shape, wearing Tristan's torn jeans and his trenchcoat and carrying his own clothes in a bundle under his arm.

"These should fit 'im pretty well. Eh, some of ya might wanna turn around..." he stated softly, setting the clothes down next to Seto. They all three did so and Joey and Seto began to dress the brunette.

"So, when did you get bitten, Joey?" Yugi asked the blonde.

"I wasn't bitten, I was born like this."

"Werewolves can be born?"

"Yep. It's like a recessive trait in my family. I just happened to be the lucky fella..."

"So how come we never heard about you doing anything?"

"I've never killed anythin' before in my life, not even a squirrel. I jes' go dumpster divin'. 'Member a while back when people kept complainin' 'bout a mixed breed dog with yellow fur runnin' around and gettin' in garbage cans? 'Dat was me. I'm fluffy, cute, an' friendly." he chuckled, smiling as he pulled his own jeans on Tristan. He hoped the brunette didn't mind wearing slightly used boxers...

"I remember that. So, what are we gonna do with Tristan?"

"Take 'im to a hospital. He needs it real bad."

"Okay..."

The two finished dressing the boy and Seto picked him up with a little difficulty.

"Want me ta get 'im? I can hold 'im."

"That's-mph-okay." Seto paused, struggling with the boy in his arms. After a moment of trying not to drop him he said "Okay, okay, here." He shifted the sick teen into Joey's arms. The blonde held him easily.

"Werewolves are stronger, remember?"

"...Whatever. If he wasn't so tall I could have held him just fine."

"Sure ya could."

And they set off through the tunnels.

(())(())(())(())(())(())(())(())(())(())

Four full moons later, Tristan was back to perfect health and a human once more. All was normal, except now he was a vegetarian.

Joey had earned a new nickname-"Jo-wolf".

Téa was now a little jumpy around dogs.

Yugi was very interested in lycanthropy.

Bakura never wanted to see another werewolf again. Except Joey, that is.

Seto's garden of 'special' plants accidentally got set on fire by Mokuba. The little boy was grounded for a month and had to help Seto pay for the new plants.

All was fine, except for one thing. A police officer by the name of Brandon Huston had just been released from the hospital. Four months ago he had nearly been killed by a large brown dog without a tail. They'd thought he was dead but he just barely survived and was now home once more with new scars on his neck and a new story to tell. Something else was new, as well....

It was the full moon and he was sitting in front of his television, watching the moving pictures. Ah, the life of a bachelor...

Suddenly he fell off the sofa, clutching his stomach in pain as heat soared through his blood. And he had the sudden urge to howl.

(())(())(())(())(())Your Mouth(())(())(())(())(())

Dun dun DUNNN! >:) Mwahahaha! It's over...or is it? Anyway, this is the longest completed story I've written since seventh grade! Thanks, everyone, for actually reading this far... And always remember: beware the full moon, big dogs with glowing eyes and no tails, and pink bunnies and sporks! @.o;; *thud*