Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ The Jackal and the Innocent ❯ The Jackal Appears ( Chapter 2 )

Once again, I must warn that this story, though not this chapter, WILL contain LEMONS! I will properly warn readers, but BEWARE! If you are offended by such things, then simply do not read that part or this story altogether. And, if you're reading this just so you can flame me, then you must be pretty pathetic, having nothing better to do than to insult others who work hard to write. You're probably doing it just to make yourself feel better, too.

 

“Blah”/Speech

(Blah)/Author's notes

`Italics'/Thoughts

 

Jounouchi Katsuya/Joey Wheeler

Hiroto Honda/Tristan Taylor

Anzu Mazaki/Tea Gardner

 

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`W-what happened? Wa-wasn't I just in my room? I-I was! I solved the puzzle!'

But, it was dark now… so very, very dark.

Yugi thought he could've been standing, but he wasn't sure. It felt like there was no floor beneath him, but that couldn't be right, could it?

However, despite all the darkness, he could see his own hand in front of his face clearly. It was a strange thing.

Now it seemed he was laying down on something soft, like a bed. He opened his eyes, blinking so they would adjust to the brightly lit room. Where was he? Whatever this place was, it wasn't his bedroom.

It looked very much like a child's playroom. The floor was littered with toys, game pieces, pillows, and other various knick knacks. In a corner was a sink with a few shelves above it. On the shelves were containers filled with paintbrushes, water colors, rags, soap, and those fun little bandages with wild animals on them. The sink and the shelves themselves were painted an electric blue. The walls were brightly painted in a cheery green and the bed spread had a pattern of starts and planets and rocket ships. He felt like he was 5 years old again.

There were no windows however, and no source of light. Yet, Yugi could see very well in this room that was the essence of childhood. There seemed to be only one way in, or out, of the room.

On one end of the room was a very large door, painted a sunny yellow, as bright as the rest of the room. It looked very heavy set. Curious as to see what lay beyond this door, Yugi approached, though a bit cautiously. After all, who knew what had brought him here?

Yugi wrapped one his delicate hands around the large, silver knob. As he was about to give it a twist, he heard a sort of thump.

 

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He jumped and let go of the knob. His heart pounded in his throat and his chest froze.

What was that?

Yugi pressed his ear against the door and listened very carefully. For a moment, it was silent.

Then, he heard something like a whine, or a whimper. He strained to hear more, his brow furrowed in his concentration.

Using all his strength, he pulled open the heavy door just a bit to see what lay outside the bright and safe room.

A cold draft blew in from outside, and, to Yugi's surprise, there lay what looked like a jackal outside his door! Well, at least he thought it was a jackal. He'd only seen them on T.V or in books. It didn't look quite… right. It's dark body resembled something like fog, solid, and yet not. It was a dark specter waiting to be invited in.

What a sad condition it was in. The creature's body was scrawny, all skin and bones, but it's coat shone like polished obsidian. It also looked like it could've been beaten, scratches appearing a livid red on the animal's cadaver-like body. But it was obvious that the beast was still alive, proven by the moving ribcage as the jackal panted.

And, in a way, the creature was…beautiful. It stood proud and regal, his eyes fierce.

Yugi looked down at the dark creature, a stark contrast to himself, and yet, within this dying creature, he saw himself, drowning in a great swirl and refusing help.

He bent to pet the jackal's head, wishing to comfort it. That was the nature of the kind, to trust.

It seemed, however, the jackal was not so eager to cooperate. It's jaws snapped to reveal mighty teeth and his fearsome blood red eyes, like two glowing coals, and Yugi felt fear. But, as is so much like Yugi to do, he tried to sooth the injured creature anyway.

The jackal tried to get up, growling dangerously low, but it could barely raise itself on it's forelegs. Dismayed, Yugi's hand hovered close to the creature's nose, trying to figure out a way to help it.

“Please…” Yugi pleaded. His voice sounded almost desperate. “Please, let me help you.” For a long time, Yugi had wished that someone would have helped him, just be his friend. Maybe the jackal felt the same as he. And, there was such a familiar feeling about the creature, as if they had known each other long ago…

The jackal lifted it's narrow muzzle warily to Yugi's ever gentle hand, sniffing it. It soon stopped and simply stared into Yugi's eyes. The jackal's own red eyes were strangely penetrating, intense and all knowing as he stared straight into Yugi's soul. But that was silly talk. It was just an animal. And yet…

After a very long while, the jackal licked Yugi's hand, nuzzling it affectionately. Yugi reached out to touch him, and this time, the jackal did nothing to stop him. He very gently stroked the jackal's head, scratching behind it's ears. The creature pressed it's head a little more into Yugi's hand when he did.

Touching the jackal was a strange sensation, like touching the cool, soft velvet of fog. It was so soft that he wasn't sure that he was touching anything at all.

After a little while, when he was sure the jackal had relaxed, Yugi stood up and brushed himself off. The jackal's eye followed him up.

“Do you think you can stand?”

The dog dropped it's head and sort of grunted/snorted.

“I guess that's a no.” With that, Yugi kneeled down and opened his arms, a determined look on his face. “Then I guess I'll just have to carry you.” The dog once again looked up at him, this time with his head cocked. Yugi could've sworn that the creature looked amused.

Grinning sheepishly, Yugi explained his actions. “Well, it's just that, it'd be better if we get you inside where it's warm, and well…I know I don't look strong, but I promise I won't drop you…well…um…” Yugi stopped, feeling a little ridiculous for talking to an animal. But he seemed to understand every word Yugi said.

The jackal remained silent and Yugi tried his best to get some sort of reaction from the creature that was now obviously not a real jackal.

Yugi's face showed determination and embarrassment all at the same time, and for a little while, the crimson eyed beast stared at the young boy, holding out his arms, analyzing him. After holding his arms up for a while, he sighed and plopped them down.

“I just want to help you…”

Then, Yugi felt something nudging his hand. It was the dog's nose, trying to lift up the hand. Yugi took this as a good sign and got closer to the dog, wrapping his arms around the creature. It didn't fight or struggle. It simply looked up at Yugi with his crimson stare.

 

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The jackal lay on the bed, curled into the childish sheets. It stared at Yugi intently as he stood over the sink on a stool, retrieving the band aids and rags. The gentle boy dampened some of the rags in the sink and filled the plastic container they were in half way up with water. He set it down with the bandages next to it on the nightstand next to the bed. The jackal stared at Yugi's face as the boy gently pressed the rags to the creature's wounds.

“How did you get so beat up, boy?”

Yugi looked at the jackal almost as if he expected an answer. Maybe he did expect one. However, the dog just laid it head down and lazily yawned. Yugi sighed. “Well, I guess it's silly to expect an answer, but, you understand me, don't you?” The jackal let out a small yip, apparently confirming.

Yugi then took up another rag, cleaning away the dried blood as he stroked the creatures back, and the beast was soothed. He frowned as he felt the knobs of the starved creatures spine and it's ribs.

“I wish I had some food to give you, Jackal. Um, that is your name, for now. Unoriginal, yes, I think `Jackal' fits quite nicely, don't you?” Jackal licked his hand. Next, Yugi took the animal print band aid and placed them on the cuts. He spoke with a laugh in his throat.

“Sorry about the bandages…they're the only ones I could find.”

It was rather funny to see such a serious creature cover with brightly colored animal band aids plastered all over him. Yugi couldn't help but giggle, his purple eyes lighting up. Jackal scooted closer to the source of the warm laughter that bubbled from that golden throat. In a sudden burst of energy, he jumped up on Yugi, licking his face, which still held the injuries dealt by Ushio's fists. Yugi just laughed and laughed as the skinny pink tongue tickled his skin, though it aggravated the bruises. It seemed Jackal had sensed his new found companion's pain, stopping and whimpering a little. He lay on top of Yugi, the cold wet nose poking into the boys chin.

“What's wrong, boy?”

Yugi winced a bit as Jackal poked a bit at the discolored skin.

“Aw, don't worry about that. Ushio just isn't as nice as other people....” A sudden memory dawned upon him. “

Oh no, I still don't have enough money! What am I going to do?”

Jackal whined, as if feeling Yugi's distress. The boy sighed and explained what had happened that day, as it had on so many others.

Yugi in turn stroked Jackal's head for a while, his new companion having grown quiet. His head buzzed with worry again. Then, his curiosity unexpectedly returned to him.

“Wait a minute, where am I?” He looked down at Jackal in his lap and took his face between his soft hands and looked straight into the creatures eyes. “Where did you come from?” Jackal just stared back. The jackal's eyes, however, were entrancing. There was something more to this place than there seemed. Yugi had a feeling that the room, everything in the room, and even Jackal was… more than it seemed….

“What are you?”

And once again, just as it had done the moment he had solved puzzle, Yugi's world went dark.

 

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BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP.

Suddenly, with lilac eyes open wide, he sat straight up. `W-was that a dream?' Yugi grabbed his alarm clock and turned it off. It was almost time for school. He shivered. The room was freezing.

Hearing the wind rustling his curtains, he got up and closed his window.

`That's odd. I don't remember going to bed.'

But then, his worrying thoughts were banished by the sight of the gleaming Millennium Puzzle, sitting there in it's golden glory.

“Ha, it looks just like the pyramid on the box!”

Yugi held the puzzle in his hands, eyes gleaming with pride. He fingered the loop set at the top. The idea that he was supposed to wear the puzzle popped into his head. He looped a rope through the ring and hung the staring pyramid around his delicate neck. The weight of the puzzle against his chest was strangely comforting.

But, as he walked to school, his buzzing thoughts returned to him.

His mind worried itself on the night before. It had seemed so real! It couldn't have been a dream, could it?

All the way to school, he thought of that cheerfully colored room, and of Jackal, as dark as the shadows….

 

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“Ha ha! Look at that idiot!”

“Do you think he's gone insane?”

“Yah, maybe he finally had a complete thought and it overloaded him!”

People pointed and laughed at the sight, and it was quite hilarious.

Ushio sat in a pile of leaves, among more unpleasant things such as rotten food and bloody cloth, throwing it up joyously. He had a slightly glazed look about his eyes, as if seeing something that others couldn't.

“I'm rich! Look at all this money!” He looked around him viciously as other's started to close in, pulling the garbage into his arms.

“Stay away from my money. It's all MINE! I'm rich!”

Yugi couldn't believe his eyes.

“What happened, Anzu?”

The pretty blue-eyed brunette shrugged, just as surprised as Yugi was.

“No one knows. He's been here since before anyone got here this morning.”

A white van pulled up, and it's back doors opened to reveal a few men in white uniforms. They approached Ushio, soothingly trying to get him to come with them, but he began lashing out.

“Get away from my money! You can't have it! It's all mine!”

They quickly sedated him and pulled him into the back of the van.

As Yugi saw the white vehicle pull away, he could've sworn he heard a voice, dark and deep like the night ocean, laughing.

 

Greed spreads in a person's soul,

Like flame does through a patch of dry brush.

If it remains unquenched by the cool waters of compassion,

Scorching greed will consume until there is nothing left.

 

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(Well, that's it for this chapter! Looks like there was no lemon! Keep checking to find out where it's going to be!)