Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Into the Darkness ❯ Present Day ( Chapter 3 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Into the Darkness 3- Present Day

Immortality. Not all it's cracked up to be, let me tell you; I've forgotten everything of my life before my Turning.

I lived with my Sire for several hundred years. She was kind and showed me I need not necessarily feed on humans (though with the wonderful human invention of blood-banks…)

Though. I have broken that rule several times…

I remember few events, and fewer people. But… I remember someone… someone with eyes of a red so deep, but tinged with brown, of a lovely almost blood-like hue. I don't remember a name, or even whether they were male of female. I do remember their touch- how could I forget it?

I sigh aloud. I have no companions, for my Sire found another immortal to share her `life' with. I could have stayed and been welcome, but I would have been a third wheel. I could not intrude on their happiness. So now I wander once more. I've left Japan once or twice, but I always find my way back. I've decided that, perhaps I shall stay here for a little while.

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Now, to find a place to live. I have yet to find a town that feels… right. I look at the map in my gloved hands. Domino hm? It seems like a nice enough place. It might just fit the bill. Though the stares I'm receiving are somewhat annoying.

What? Is there something wrong with fingerless gloves? Or is it the leather and chains? (I must say, modern clothing is comfortable! I'm lucky that I don't feel the cold though…)

Hn. It doesn't particularly matter. I like this place. Now- where to find an appropriate dwelling? Considering the town's size, and inhabitants, perhaps an apartment would be best?

I hear a faint noise, rather like someone breaking a branch. I had been about to dismiss it as yet another mundane background noise (supernatural hearing- you tend to get used to it, and merely block all the noise) but then the scent of blood drifts across on an errant breeze. Breaking bone can sound similar to the breaking of wood, as well I know...

I look around, and I see a park. The smell appears to be wafting in from over there. I groan inwardly. Ra, I'm going to regret this.

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I stride swiftly towards the smell, and as I get closer I see a small boy on the ground, arm twisted at an odd angle. A ring of about five youths surround him, kicking the poor child, who is whimpering and trying to curl up into a ball to prevent further damage to his already quite battered body. It apparently had been his blood I'd smelt. Right. I hate bullies.

“Hey! What do you think you're doing?!” I yell, getting closer. I am within striking distance now, and it is taking all my not inconsiderable self-control to prevent myself from introducing them to a world of hurt. How dare they pick on someone so defenceless!

What? I really hate bullies. They are just lucky it was me who smelt that blood first, and not one of my other… lesser compatriots. “Leave him alone!” I warn.

“Oooh, little punk wannabe thinks he's tough! What, he your brother?”

I raise my brows.

“Last person to call me little… Well, at least I think it was him, they had trouble id'ing him you see….” One or two of the cowards blanch and I grin wickedly. “His funeral was last week.”

Their eyes widen and they back away from the child. “This ain't over yet, punk!” one yells as he almost trips backwards.

I roll my eyes. Honestly, can't they come up with any other insults? Really, creativity has diminished since my day. “Hey, are you all right? Can you stand?” I ask, reaching out a hand.

The child looks up at me. Ra above! I was unaware I had a doppelganger. On closer inspection, however, there are several differences, the main one being the innocent amethyst of his eyes.

“Who… are you?” he asks.

“I'm…” I trail off. Should I give him my true name? Among my kind, although I and my Sire do not have this ability, there are some who are able to pick a thought out of someone's mind like a strand of spaghetti from a bowl. I'd rather not endanger him, but if I give him an alias…

What was their word for `darkness' again? Oh yes…

“Yami. I am Yami.” He takes my hand with his good hand and I carefully pull him up. I hear a hissing from behind me. That doesn't bode well. That blood must've attracted another one.

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“Quickly, can you trust me?” I demand. He looks undecided for a minute before nodding.

“Good.” I turn my back to him and kneel. “Get on my back.”

“But…” He must've caught a glimpse of the other one. Maybe he's worried that running will incite it to chase us?

“Just do it!” I order. We haven't got the time for his worries! If we don't move the other one will definitely attack.

He gets onto my back quickly as he is able, clutching my shoulders with his good arm. “Good.” I say. “Don't worry about hurting my throat; just hold on as tightly as you can.” With that, I begin to run.

The hiss turns to an angry shout. “Find your own prey! This is my territory! Go hunt somewhere else!”

I curse. It really should've realised that I'm different, but I suppose it must be either a fresh Turn or a weak one or it would've definitely sensed what I really am. In response, I speed up, now outrunning those minorly useful new transports- `cars' I think they're called.

It also speeds up. “Erm… Yami?” comes the slightly higher voice of the boy on my back.

“What?”

“What is that… person talking about, and why are we going so fast?”

I don't respond. How am I to answer that? I can just see it now;

“Oh, don't worry, it's just a vampire out to suck you dry. Just the same old, same old. And guess what? I'm going so fast because, get this, I'm a Lord of Darkness!”

Oh yes. That's a definite qualifier for good idea of the month.

And I'm a werewolf.

Perhaps if I get it into a secluded alley, I can deal with this one weak one. The laws do make small allowances for Lords to discipline the weaker ones who cannot follow the laws after all…

But the boy… I'll have to deal with that issue later. I'll deal with this annoying mosquito following us before I worry about him.

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I begin to spiral, hoping to throw it off without attacking, heading towards the badly lit alley between a boutique and an occult shop.

Rather ironic if you think on it.

Unfortunately, it follows. “Damn he's persistent.” I mutter. “Oh well, nothing for it, I'll have to fight it.”

“Fight it?!” the child panics.

Ah, the alley. I move backwards, and as I draw it further into the alley away from any prying eyes (secrecy is paramount to the survival of my species- it is why the laws were created in the first place) keeping my eyes on the creature in front of me as I do so. I let go of the child and he slips smoothly to the ground.

“Get into that corner.” I warn and I begin to unleash the simple glamour that keeps my slightly more pointed than normal teeth (that become full fangs when I feed), abnormally white skin (that was currently glowing lightly where the light hit it) and my aura hidden.

Obediently the boy scrambles to the corner, cradling his injured arm, eyes widening. “V…vamp…”

“Vampire.” the other creature finishes.

“You are.” I correct, gathering the shadows to me. “I… on the other hand…”

It recoils with a hiss. Good. It should be scared- this one shouldn't even be attacking in broad daylight, much less a child, who is sure to be missed.

With a twisted smile I attack. The only way to kill a true Lord of Darkness like myself is to rip the body apart and burn it to ashes. Even then you must scatter the ashes to the winds to be sure, lest they somehow manage to re-form.

A lower vampire however… well. Stake through the heart, decapitation. Preferably both, though either will do fine, and the only sure way/s to make certain they don't come back to annoy you later.

I pin it to the ground, my sharply filed nails at his throat.

“Don't Lord! Please! I… I will never attack in daylight again!”

“You're right.” I agree calmly, ripping his head off. “You won't.”

I stand, dark black liquid dripping from my nails. “How messy.” I state irritably. Damn, that'll stain my nails for at least a week.

I turn to the boy. “Sorry about that.” I say, smiling faintly.

His only response is to stand and cautiously come closer. “If you're not a vampire…”

I quirk an eyebrow, shaking the black liquid from my hand. “Yes…”

“What are you? If you'll excuse my…” He winces. His arm must really hurt, I note. “Lack of knowledge on the subject.” he finishes.

I smile secretly. “I'll tell you later. What is your name?”

“Yugi.”

“Come here, I'll take you to the hospital.” I say, holding out my hand (now finally free of the liquid.)

He frowns. I can practically see his thoughts on his face. Don't worry- I wouldn't undo all that hard work you know.”

“I suppose…” he says, taking my hand. At least he's not a stupid one. Perhaps he can help me find suitable accommodation.

Maybe he even knows the person from my memories.

Who am I kidding; they'd have to have been dead for over a thousand years by now. Unless they were one of my kind… Which I doubt.

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I pick him up and race in the direction the map had said the hospital was in. Hm. Thank Ra for my excellent short-term memory. I suppose it's to make up for loosing my long-term memory.

Apparently Yugi had had a broken arm (obviously), several cracked ribs and various cuts and bruises. Nothing too severe, once they'd set his arm they wanted to keep him overnight `just for observation'

So I… er… persuaded them to release him early. After all, if another vampire came after the child, nothing the humans could do would protect him.

As it would seem, they, like those bullying thugs from the park also thought I was Yugi's brother. That was likely the only reason they had to release him into my care. But really, I was secretly disappointed they didn't check my story. Security has also gone down I must assume.

I asked: “Would your parents mind if you stayed with me? If another vampire turns up, they'll be in danger too. And it would be unlikely that one didn't run with a coven, they tend to join up for better hunting.”

“My parents are dead.” he says shortly. “I live with my grandpa, but I've been saving up for a deposit on an apartment.”

I start. An apartment at such a young age? I must've voiced this thought, for he gives a weak parody of a smile and says; “I'm eighteen this year. Don't look it though, do I?”

Eighteen hm? “No, you don't. But then, I don't look my age either…” Am I supposed to say that I'm over two thousand years old and still counting?

“You're what? I know you're some form of vampire, so you've got to be old…”

Hm. I'd quite forgotten he knew about that. “I think I'm about two thousand and nineteen years old.”

That sounds about right. I'd been one thousand and nineteen approximately for some strange reason when I was Turned, and it's been about another thousand years since then…

“Well, you should probably just say you're nineteen for now. No-one's likely to take that well- if they even believe you that is.” Yugi says thoughtfully.

I smile. This person will make rather a good friend, even if he is mortal.

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How is it that a thousand years have passed so quickly? That woman hid my Sired! From me!

I've caught whiffs of rumours about here and there, but each fucking time I've lost him! Really, I haven't the slightest idea why I'm so attached save the fact that Amaya has insulted my pride. I don't care about the child- pharaoh. Just about the fact she's hiding him from me.

Though, I really must stop calling him that- he's not a child anymore… When I Turned him, he'd definitely grown into his exotic looks. But his eyes…

They hadn't changed. And I'm glad for that- eyes that lovely are rare, especially in men.

Hold on- I called his eyes… lovely?

Hn. Doesn't matter. He still owes me Blood Debt. I can explore that particular avenue later. First I'm going to have to find him. The damn tracking spell hasn't activated since I Turned him, but that's to be expected as there's not much that can put a Lord of Darkness into danger- even a freshly Turned one.

I slam my fist into the wall, which only crumbles slightly. I mustn't be really mad yet.

A child turns to me, eyes wide in fear. I give him a glare. Damn kids. Can't keep their noses out of other people's business.

The child scurries off like a cockroach and I widen my eyes. The spell is sending huge waves of danger signals at me. The only thing that could cause so much of a reaction after so long lying dormant is…

“Slayer…” I hiss. Humanity's answer to the vampire- both races. A human with the unnatural strength and magical resistance required to be able to, well slay Lords like our lesser cousins the vampires with a mere stake to the heart or possibly decapitation.

Tentatively I reach down the spell connection for a general location Hm. The boy's been wandering again. He's back in Japan, somewhere to the…

“North-east.” I mutter. If I'm right, somewhere around… “Fuck.” I swear. He's in Domino. Damn Atemu, he always manages to get himself into trouble!

Car's out, bus as well, both are much too slow. Train perhaps? That Shinkansen might be fast as me- and I need to save my own strength if there really is a slayer.

With that decided, I begin to make my way toward the station. That child will not come to harm while I exist.

At least- not until he's repaid his Debt.

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“So, Yugi?”

“Mmmhmm?”

“Where's a good area to live? I don't mind prices and such. I want the best while I'm living here.”

Yugi quirks an eyebrow at me. “Price is no object hm?”

I smile. “No, when you've lived as long as I have, these things just accumulate.” I say, gesturing to my one concession to vanity- a gold arm-band inscribed with several hieroglyphs.

“I suppose they would. How about this district? It's one of the nicest tones in town and I've heard that there's a vacancy in one of these buildings around here. Grandpa suggested it, but it was a little out of my price-range.” Yugi says vaguely, sweeping a hand around him.

That's worrying. The pain from that arm must really be affecting him- he sounds much too vague for my liking.

I'll have to give him a painkiller once we get a place to stay.

“How about that one?” I point at random. It's an odd building made of some dark coloured stone.

At least it fits my alias…