Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ The Hunters ❯ More Animal Friends ( Chapter 10 )

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! Nor do I own the "Dark" series. I am just a fan fiction writer having fun. So please don't sue me.

/ Yugi to Yami / // Yami to Yugi // \Ryou to Bakura\

\\ Bakura to Ryou \\ [Malik to Marik] [[Marik to Malik]]

(Seto to Jou) ((Jou to Seto))

* General conversation * Personal thoughts +Commands+

The Hunters

Tiger_Serenity

Chapter Nine

More Animal Friends

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No one was alerted of Asman's arrival since he was no seeking to harm those inside. Seto slowly woke up. Ah, it feels good to get some actual rest. Yami is not yet awake. Bakura and Marik aren't here either. Yugi and Jou are though.

He uncurled his cat body. He froze when he was what was before him. Yugi was curled up on Dama's lap asleep. Jou was lying on the bed with his head on Asman's lap. He was fiddling with his hair. Anger and something else flared inside Seto.

Asman looked up right as a large Bengal tiger leapt right at him roaring. "Yikes! Seto!" He jumped up and ran. "It was nothing!"

"Seto?"

"Call him off, Jou!" Seto had him cornered.

"Seto, stop! Please! He's a friend."

(Why was he touching you?)

Jou's mind froze then started thinking as fast as he could. An idea clicked after he remembered something Asman said. "Asman, tell Seto why you were at the police station with us yesterday."

Asman smiled and nodded. "I was protecting Jou yesterday, Seto."

Seto backed up looking confused. He shifted. "You said you would only tell me if your master told you to tell me."

"He did."

"Jou?"

"Yes, Seto?" Jou was smiling at Seto's confusion.

"How are you his master?"

Another idea flared in Jou's mind. He closed his eyes and concentrated as hard as he could on a plain simple cotton t-shirt. He heard Seto gasp. When he opened his eyes it was lying on the floor. Seto was staring at him, dumbstruck. "How?"

"He is a quarter like you. His grandmother was a full. His mother is half, and his sister is also quarter."

Seto turned to look at Jou. He felt Seto's mind enter his own. He quickly blocked off a part of his thoughts. Several memories flashed across his mind as Seto watched them. He again listened to Dama's explanation. "We had heard rumors, but they were never confirmed. Now, they have been."

"You believe us now?"

(Yes, Jou, I do.)

"You still mad at him?"

Seto growled. (No…not really.)

Jou grinned mischievously and decided to tease Seto. "Or were you…jealous?"

(Jealous?) He had been jealous of the Duel Monster. (Am I that easy to read to you?)

"Yep!" His stomach growled. "Dude, I'm hungry."

Asman laughed. "You're always hungry. You eat like a pig."

"It's one of the side effects." Dama stated softly as Yugi turned in his sleep.

"Huh?"

"Jou was not raised on the amounts of blood as he should have been. To compensate he developed a large appetite. However, he remained thin because it did not give him enough energy to grow. He does have some strength and speed, though. During growth spurts, I had to give him blood or he would become very weak and sick. Without me guarding him, he would have died quickly when he hip puberty. I fed him while he was asleep."

Jou paled. Seto pulled him to him. "Thank you for guarding him, Asman."

"You're welcome." His eyes developed a strange twinkle.

Seto caught the look. "What are you thinking?"

"Oh…nothing." Jou's stomach again grumbled loud enough for all awake to hear.

"Uh, food would be nice." Jou laughed.

"Jou, can I talk to you for a second? Alone please."

"Sure, Asman." He turned to the others. "Can you guys leave? Please."

(No.)

"Seto…He won't hurt me. You know that. Please…go."

Jou's voice washed over Seto's mind. Before he realized it, he was out the door. (Why you little...since when could you do that to me?!)

Jou's voice called from behind the door. "Since I remembered how!"

"Seto is still within hearing distance."

"Seto!"

(All right. All right. I'll go. If you need me, yell.) He walked down the stairs, shifting into a cat as he went. Yugi was still asleep where Dama had laid him on the bed next to Yami.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Jou's View

"What did you want to tell me?"

"Drink." He slashed his wrist and held it to him. "Take freely what is offered."

"Why?"

"You need it."

Jou stared at the blood. Even with the returned memories it was still strange to his mind. He brought it slowly to his mouth. He expected a coppery taste, but instead, tasted sweetness. Without a second thought, his mouth closed over it greedily. After a few minutes, Asman pulled his hand back. The wound closed on its own. "Now look in the mirror."

Jou gave him a curious look, but did as Asman told him to do. He walked into Yugi's small bathroom with Asman behind him. He gasped when he looked up and saw himself. He jerked forward to stare in the mirror. His skin looked brighter, but darker. His eyes had changed to a warm honey brown color instead of the plain brown they had been. His hair looked blonder and healthier. His teeth looked sharper and whiter when he smiled. "That is the real you, Jou." He looked down. His nails had grown longer and sharper. He even felt stronger.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. I can't stay here any longer. Feeding you drained me. If you need me, call." He faded.

"Okay." Jou snuck out of the room not wanting to disturb Yugi. He walked down the stairs. He cracked up laughing when he saw Seto.

(Help!)

"Well, aren't you cute…and wet."

"His name is Kaiba. I found him on the porch this morning. He needed a good bath."

"How did you trick him, gramps."

"Piece of meat."

Jou laughed even harder. (It's not funny! I didn't see the bucket!)

"Oh…I think…I think it is funny." He was trying to catch his breath.

(Ow!)

"Uh, gramps. His tail."

"Oops! Sorry. Didn't mean to yank it."

"Why doesn't he just leap away?"

(I'm already wet. I might as well enjoy the rubdown.) Seto finally really looked at Jou. He froze. (Jou?)

"Jou, when did you dye your hair?"

"Uh…last night."

"As a matter of fact, you look tanner, too"

"I've been getting a lot of sun."

(He gave you blood.) Jou nodded. (Why thatOw!)

"You did it again, gramps."

"Oops."

"Who's at the…"

"Who's at the what, Jou?" The doorbell rang.

"The door."

(You sensed them?)

"Will you see who it is, Jou?"

"Sure." He walked into the front room, chuckling as Solomon again accidentally yanked Seto's tail. He opened the door to see Ryou and Malik standing there staring at him.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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"Jou?"

"That is my nickname."

"When did you?"

+ Don't ask. Ignore what you see. Just go in the house. + They obeyed.

* Since when could he do that?! *

* It's a long story. * A dripping wet Seto walked in the room.

"A wet cat?" Ryou looked puzzled. Bakura suddenly burst out laughing in his head.

\\ That's Seto! \\

\ Seto? \

* How did you get tossed in the drink? *

* Don't ask. *

Malik started to chuckle as Marik told him who the cat was. "Here, kitty kitty kitty."

* Marik! *

* Sorry, Seto. Couldn't stop him. *

Solomon walked in to join them. "Hello, boys."

"Hello, Motou-san. We decided that since everyone else was meeting animals we would bring ours over as well."

"Huh?" Jou looked around puzzled. Then he barely felt them at the back of his mind. He was getting used to his enhanced senses again.

"This is Bakura, Motou-san." He was a large white shitzen itzu.

"And this is Marik." A ferret peaked out of his pocket.

* The only way to travel. Where you don't have to do the moving. *

* Lazy ass. *

* Bakura! *

* It's true. Unless you're fighting, you're lazy. *

"You boys want something to eat? Yugi is asleep upstairs. I hope he's all right."

"He's fine, gramps."

"Has anyone seen Yami around here?"

"He's asleep, too, right next to Yugi."

(Which is actually the truth.)

* Seto, what happened to Jou? He looks and smells different. *

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

After moving into the dining room, Jou told them what had happened. They were all now staring at him in shock. Seto was behind him messing with his now blonder hair, making it stand up on end.

* So the rumors are true. * Bakura shook his head.

* So it would seem. *

* My guess is that if he were full, he could be one extremely powerful hunter. *

* How do you know, Seto? *

* He displays many traits that a hunter has, and he is only a quarter. *

"Foods up, boys" Solomon called from the kitchen.

* Speaking of food…*

* We will hunt, but stay within attack range. * (Jou, we are going out. Guard Yami and Yugi. I trust you. If anything happens, call Asman and the others.)

All three of them nodded at almost the same time. Ryou discretely opened the door to let them out. They left, placing several spells around the house as they left.

No one noticed the figure climb up the stairs quietly, his eyes glazed.