Apparition
Apparition (n.) a supernatural appearance of a person or thing, especially a ghost.
Sunlight crept into a small game filled room in southern Domino. Birds greeted the sun with melodic joy, alighting upon branches and taking in the new day. The light slowly filled the room with a soft golden glow and awakened the figure sleeping on the small twin sized bed. With a mighty yawn sooty eyelashes fluttered open to reveal amethyst eyes.
“Good morning, Abiou.” A rich baritone intoned from the other side of the room.
Amethyst eyes focused on the voices owner as Yugi sat up. Smiling brightly Yugi took in the spirit leaning against his desk. Transparent, yet still physical, the spirit was a mirror image of the young man on the bed; pale skin, unruly gravity defying spikes, sharp features and narrow eyes. Most people would consider them to be siblings, twins really. If they could see the spirit that is.
Yet, there were differences as well. Such as the spirits maroon eyes, which flashed bright crimson in fury or irritation. The color of fresh blood tipped the spirits inky spikes, well bolts of blond bangs shot upward into the black hair. A preternatural grace expounded the spirits movements, and the most startling of all. Four needle like fangs graced the spirits mouth.
Retractable, the upper and lower sets of fangs could tear out a human throat in seconds. The two sets revealed that in life the spirit had been the cream of the crop, the top of the proverbial pyramid of power; the spirit had been a pureblood vampire.
Yugi had never minded the fact that the spirit found no reason to retract his fangs; after all, the spirit was already dead. It wasn’t like the spirit was going to puncture his lip and make himself bleed. In all honesty, Yugi found the fangs fascinating and had spent hours just watching the spirit talk or do other things.
Even dead, the spirit seemed to have habits from life, habits Yugi learned the summer his between junior and senior year of high school came from adolescents. Even if the spirit could puncture his own lip with the fangs he wouldn’t, Yugi mused to himself. After all, it sounded like vampire adolescents was a painful time if one did not learn how to go about life without retractable fangs.
A chuckle drew Yugi from his thoughts. Glancing at the spirit again Yugi was startled to see the intensity in which the spirit was watching him. The spirit almost looked…hungry.
Yugi shook his head to dispel such thoughts and smiled once again. “Good morning, Other Me!”
“And what a bright morning it is,” the spirit, now dubbed Other Me, stated. “The storm passed well you where in the realm of Nephthys, leaving a clear view of Nut to her children. You will not have to worry about Ryou turning in to a drowned kitten anytime soon.”
Yugi’s lips twitched at the spirit’s description of Ryou. Now that he thought about it, Ryou had looked like a wet kitten, not that he would ever say that to his friends face. Oh, no. Yugi preferred to live, thank you very much. But it was an amusing thought. One, Yugi decided, he would have to tell Marik in secret. It wouldn’t be too hard. He just had to make sure Ryou never found out it was him who told the Egyptian, Khemetian, whatever.
Once again shaking his head, Yugi laughed softly. “Do you know what time it is? I promised the other Hikari that we would meet up before class so we could go over our notes.”
Other Me tilted his head like a bird. Narrowing his eyes to maroon slits, the spirit hummed. “It’s a little after eight.”
“What!”
Star covered pajamas met the floor as Yugi threw himself into the bathroom. A hiss escaped him as cold water sprayed down from the showerhead. Sweet smelling shampoo filled the air as Yugi quickly washed himself. Chattering and shivering Yugi wrenched the water off, it was his quickest shower to date.
Heat puffed against Yugi’s ear as a tawny towel was draped over his shoulders like a royal cloak.
“Abiou,” the spirit chided wrapping an arm around the human.
A shudder that had nothing to do with the cold swept through Yugi. The spirits other arm swept around the human, and down, down, down.
“Other Me!” Yugi squeaked.
Dark chuckling filled the bathroom.
“Your late already, Abiou. There’s no reason the kitten and asp can’t look over their notes by themselves. Besides,” the spirit purred, “you look good enough to eat.”
Tsuruhime Ohori University was a small private school settled near the center of Domino. The nearly 400-acre campus included both modern and historic buildings. Facilities included comfortable residence halls, subject-specific computer labs, a state-of-the-art health education and sports complex, Kaiba Library with its Blue Eyes Wing, the Sage Center for the Arts, the Byakko Science Building, Amefurikozō Music Hall, and two classroom buildings— Baku Hall and Fūjin Hall. Adjacent to the campus was the model primary and secondary school, Tsuruhime Academy, whose comprehensive Reference Guide was used in hundreds of schools throughout Japan.
It catered to both Humans and Vampires, even though it had been founded by vampire slayers, Tsuruhime Ohori had been officially pro-vampire since its inception. It was founded as Sureiyāyunaiteddo College, in 1844. Eight years later it moved to Domino and assumed its current name.
Tsuruhime Ohori’s educational mission rested upon two principles: academic excellence and species harmony. The University considered itself a trustee of modern man’s intellectual and inheritance of freedom from those who fought in the Vampire-Human (Millennium) War, a heritage finding its clearest expression in the experiment of human self-government under law.
Yugi thought it all was just a rather obvious and loud screw you! by the Japanese slayer community toward the vampire race. However, he wasn’t one to complain; in fact Yugi encouraged the University’s mission whole heartedly. Perhaps then no one would experience the same travesties he had. Human or Vampire. Though, Yugi meant Human more.
“Gah! This is too confusing! Why did I have to listen to Other Me?! My thoughts always get jumbled up and I can’t think straight after we do that.” Yugi shook his head and glared at the cherry trees hiding Baku Hall. “Though,” he continued softly, “Other Me was very convincing.”
Shaking his head to try and get a coherent thought to pass through it Yugi shifted his gaze down at the inverted golden pyramid he wore. The spirit was oddly silent, not even quipping back. The spirit was rarely like this now-a-days. During the beginning, after Yugi had fist completed the puzzle, the spirit had been silent, only appearing when it perceived a threat to its host.
Though, Yugi thought, Other Me is a vampire, and a pureblood at that, so that could have just been his possessiveness?
Nah. Yugi graced the puzzle with a soft look. Other Me may be possessive, alright, overly possessive to the point of obsession, but he’s always been there. After Other Me and Yugi truly met for the first time the vampire spirit stopped his silent act. Yugi had begun to spend more and more of his time just sitting and talking with the spirit, until nothing was hidden between the two and both minds where completely open to the other.
It was a relationship that worked for them. Especially considering Other Me had no memories of his own. Amethyst eyes flashed at the thought and Yugi frowned. It was something that even eight years later bothered Yugi.
Bakura, Ryou’s spirit was in many ways in the same boat as Other Me. However, Bakura could remember parts of his life before being sealed in the ring. Bakura couldn’t remember why he had been sealed within the ring, but he remembered more than Other Me. It didn’t help that the two spirits had hated each other at first sight.
No, Bakura had taken great joy in teasing Other Me with the knowledge that he was the one to remember, well the great pureblood knew nothing. It was only when Other Me saved Bakura and triggered a certain set of memories that the two spirits had finally gotten along.
Now they acted like a well oiled machine. It was almost like they had–
“Yugi Moto! Where in the name-of-Ra have you been?!” Ryou’s voice bellowed from the front steps of Baku Hall.
Jolting out of his thoughts Yugi instinctually shifted into a ready stance. Seconds later his jumbled mind recognized it was Ryou who had spoken and Yugi relaxed. Relieved amethyst eyes zeroed in on the two blonds standing a few yards away from him.
Ryou was on the right, long white hair pulled back into a plate and tied with a leather strap. Golden earring seemed to glow in the mid-morning light, drawing attention to his honey-brown eyes, and the golden millennium ring he wore. The worried look in his eyes was hidden behind a scowl, something most people wouldn’t be able to distinguish. But Yugi had known Ryou far longer than anyone else in Japan, well, aside from Marik that was.
In a stunning show of opposites, yet similarity, yes, it’s a paradox; the young man standing next to Ryou could not have been any more different. With shoulder length blonde hair, kohl lined lavender eyes, and skin the color of clay, Marik was a sight to behold. The Khemetian knew he was different, exotic even, compared to the pale skinned humans that inhabited the islands making up Japan. So to play up that fact, Marik stayed in shape, he wore golden arm bands, earrings, and necklaces, all in the style of his homeland.
It was safe to say Marik was the one who made sure the Hikari were supplied with the best of the best, be it jewelry, clothing, or food. As the only member of their little group that came from Khemet, the land of the Vampires, Marik had deemed it his responsibility.
After all, two of the Hikari had vampire spirits that claimed them as their own. Then there was the fact that all three Hikari were rightful owners of a millennium item.
Yugi and Ryou may not know fully what that means, but Marik had grown up in Khemet. He had heard the stories and memorized the legends. Hell, he had spent the first eight and a half years of his life guarding the tomb of the Nameless Pharaoh. He knew what would happen if anyone found out whom and what they were.
That was why when Marik caught sight of Yugi he couldn’t help the sneer that crossed his lips. “What are you wearing? I thought we talked about this, prince.”
Yugi blinked and looked down. “What’s wrong with my clothes?”
Yugi was wearing a pair of old grey jeans, worn and scuffed army boots, black sweater vest, and a hyacinth colored dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up. Pale purple jewels set in silver hung from his ears and the millennium puzzle finished off the look. Yugi thought he looked great.
“It’s all last season, not to mention the fact that it will all have frayed or be full of hole by the end of the day. I can already see that you had to cut some of the cloth before you put it on. Besides that,” Marik couldn’t help but glare at the vest as if it had insulted him. “I thought we had agreed that you were going to donate those.”
“They’re the only things that still fit me! It’s not my fault I had a late growth sprit!” Yugi cried, not caring who heard.
If the students of Tsuruhime Ohori University weren’t already used to such arguments then that was their problem. After all, Yugi, Ryou and Marik had been taking classes at the university since their junior year of high school. The three of them where part of the campus tours given nearly every week, and everyone knew to stay clear of the three when they got like this. It had saved people their lives.
Though, it had taken a few pureblood vampires a while to figure out that the Hikari where not just humans. They were dangerous, shadow using, humans. Everything worked out in the end. Kaiba just had to make an appearance once or twice. It was honestly, one of the scariest things to happen on campus. Seto Kaiba was after all called the Lord of Dragons for a reason.
“Be that as it may,” lavender eyes flashed in amusement, “we’re going shopping after class. You obviously can’t be trusted to look after yourself, so we will have to do it for you.”
Amethyst eyes turned to their honey-brown companion, but no help came form that corner.
“Oh, no.” Ryou couldn’t keep the laughter out of his voice. “Think of this as a punishment for not meeting us to review our notes.”
“That was Other Me’s fault.”
Marik grabbed one of Yugi’s arms and started pulling him toward the double doors.
The last thing people heard before the doors to Baku Hall closed was. “Do we look like we care?”
Walking down the teak wood floors of the nearly deserted building Ryou and Marik shared a look.
“Prince,” Marik started softly, “did you know you where being followed? By a group of pureblood vampires, no less?”
Yugi jerked slightly, amethyst eyes widened in panic before narrowing again. “No, I didn’t. In all honesty I was out of it. You know how I get after Other Me ‘feeds’, then I was worrying because Other Me was silent the whole way here. Do you think it was because of the vampires?”
“It’s a possibility.” Ryou stated quietly. “When did Yami start acting the whole I am an inanimate object routine?”
“Just after I left the house now that I think of it.” Yugi shook his head, blond bangs flying everywhere as they turned a corner. “Let’s not think about this now. We have a class to tutor, what are we lecturing on today?”
Marik and Ryou shared a wicked grin. “Our esteemed Headmaster thought it would be hilarious to have us teach Vampire Customs 101. After all, he knows how much we love vampires.”
Yugi laughed. “Well, I hope the Headmaster is ready for some terrified humans and vampires. I don’t think anyone outside of Khemet knows as much about Vampire Customs as we do.”
“This is going to be so much fun. The little firsties just finished the vampire ranking system, and the Headmaster said that the teacher is going to be out for the rest of the semester. Meaning we get to teach however and whatever we choose!” Marik was bouncing down the hall, a manic grin on his face.
Ryou resembled Bakura as he smirked. “Let’s give these freshmen something to remember.”
They stopped in front of a set of cherry doors. Next to the doors was a brass plaque with the number 18.3, showing that beyond the doors was the building’s eighteenth classroom, and that this was the teacher’s entrance. All the classrooms in the two classroom halls had two doors for the students to enter through, and one door that only opened to teachers. No one really knew why. It was simply how Japan’s slayer community had wanted the university to be built.
A quite murmur could be heard through the door, signaling that the students were ready and waiting. The Hikari shared a grin before pushing the doors open and walking into the room.
Silence fell over the hall like a tide coming in to the harbor. No one moved as Marik, Ryou and Yugi got situated. Yugi hopped onto the table at the front of the lecture hall, well Marik moved to lean against the white board, and Ryou set up behind the lecturen.
The Hikari didn’t say anything to each other. But then again, nothing had to be said. They where Hikari, they knew each other better then they knew themselves, and they all knew that they were waiting for the first soul brave enough to ask why they were here.
It took minutes, but after a stare off between the Hikari and the class that was going nowhere, one of the students finally caved.
“Excuse me,” a small girl with glasses and blond hair started, “but where is Professor Iulia?”
Yugi shared a look with Marik and Ryou before turning to face the class again. “Professor Iulia was called away on an emergency and will not be able to finish the semester–” Whispers started to run through the students. “–However,” Yugi continued, “Our esteemed headmaster decided that we, as in Marik, Ryou and I, will finish off the semester in her place.”
The silence was deafening.
Marik smirked as he looked over the class, zeroing in on the vampires that dotted the room. Pushing off the wall Marik sauntered up to Yugi’s side. In a movement that had more than one of the students blushing, PDA anyone? Marik grinned malevolently.
“Let us begin.”
“Now, your homework is to memorize the different lunar festivals and write a one page summary on the festival of your choice.” Ryou told the class from next to Yugi.
“The summary must be one full page, 12 point font, Times New Roman.” Yugi continued. “The page margins should be one inch or less.”
Marik’s lavender eyes flashed as he looked over the students. “Now get out!”
A flurry of activity came from across the lecture hall as students quickly scribbled down the homework and bolted from the room. There were some students that took a more leisurely pace as they left. Trying, no doubt, to show the world they had survived a lecture with Marik, Ryou, and Yugi unscathed.
Too bad the shaking of their hands and pale faces showed otherwise.
Some of the vampires even looked shocked by what they had learned. It shouldn’t have come as a surprise though. They were after all vampires. Perhaps it was because they were fledglings still? Yugi didn’t know.
“That was an amazing class!” The girl who asked after Professor Iulia gushed.
Yugi blinked slowly. “Thank you, miss?”
“Rebecca, Rebecca Hawkins.” The girl–Rebecca–said. “I have to get to my next class. Classical History. It’s my favorite, but I can’t wait for next week! Bye!”
Rebecca ran off without another word, leaving the Hikari alone in the lecture hall.
“Hawkins, as in the grandchild of Arthur Hawkins?” Marik mused, still pressed knee to shoulder with Yugi.
Shrewd brown eyes stared at the doorway Rebecca had gone through. “Perhaps, but Seto should have told us she was going here.”
“We can yell at the Priest later,” Marik decided with a nod. “It’s time for shopping.” And finding out just who it is stalking the prince went unsaid.
Yugi rolled his amethyst eyes, but smiled none the less. Sometimes, aright most of the time, Yugi wondered where he would be without Marik and Ryou. Most likely six feet under, one of the turned, or there. It wasn’t a pretty picture, but it was one Yugi knew was the only alternative to his life.
Here he was respected, feared even not that Yugi really cared about that, and most of all, protected.
Marik and Ryou were the only two living persons Yugi could truly relax around. They knew everything about him. Just as Yugi knew everything about them. There were no secrets between them. After all, the underground leaves a mark on everyone.
The three of them were thicker then thieves. Bakura had said so himself, and coming from the tomb robber turned Domino’s ruler-of-the-underground, it was quite the complement.
Yugi could hear Bakura telling Marik and himself off for drinking a full case of sake he had been saving. ‘Kura would growl out Squirt, I told you not to drink that! I’ll laugh in your face tomorrow when you have to deal with a hangover. Don’t expect any help from me!
Bakura would growl and sneer…and, Yugi blinked, he could hear Bakura right now.
“Squirt! Let the Pharaoh out! I need to talk to him.”
Bakura stood right in front of Yugi. The spirit wore clothing similar to Ryou. White tennis shoes, pressed black slacks, and a white dress shirt and vest finished off the look. Yugi knew Bakura would wear all white if he could get Ryou to agree to the idea. Secretly Yugi thought Ryou, and by extension Bakura, would look stunning dressed in all white.
However, Ryou was adverse to the idea and Yugi had learned early on not to push certain issues.
“Squirt!” Bakura barked. “Pharaoh. Now.”
Yugi’s eyes flashed at the demand and Bakura smirked as a scowl slowly crept across the humans face. The spirit couldn’t keep the smirk off his face even if he tried. The squirt, and Bakura would always call the squirt that, even if in the safety of his own mind Bakura used the terms prince or mini pharaoh, would always be the tiny Pharaoh look-alike Bakura had first met bloody and broken. The mini-pharaoh would just have to deal with it.
After all, it was better than being called fledgling.
The puzzle hummed softly before the squirt’s dark side made an appearance. Dressed in a dimmer version of the squirts ensemble Bakura couldn’t help but note the pharaoh made a cutting figure. It made Bakura feel better about a certain set of memoires he hopes the Pharaoh never remembers.
Amusement flickered in the spirits brown eyes as he watched the Pharaoh gently push Yugi in the direction of the other Hikari. “You know,” Bakura started. “I can see why they call it feeding. The squirt and my landlord both act like a fledgling drank from them after words.”
Maroon eyes flashed with amusement as Yami watched the Hikari. “It’s because of their blood. We wake up a side of them that lays dormant when we ‘feed’.”
Bakura snorted. “Why don’t they call it what it is?”
“Would you admit that you were seduced by a spirit?” Yami asked dryly.
A white eyebrow quirked. “I am a spirit.”
Yami rolled his eyes. As one the spirits began to follow the Hikari. They were in the shopping district now and it was packed. Tsuitachi no chi and humans alike were out in mass, trying to get their shopping done before the weekend.
Pristine–the shopping district–was the first portion of Domino city Seto Kaiba had set his sights on after taking over his father’s business. In a matter of months the old shopping district and surrounding neighborhoods had been torn down. From the bones of the old district grew a sleek, technology rich, species diverse one that put Domino into a new era.
Pristine was the first of many districts Kaiba corp. had rebuilt, all with the goal of Kaiba technology becoming the backbone and lifeblood of the city.
Domino was a city of the future or as the Hikari liked to say one of the past. Encased in glass and yet rolling in nature, with luscious wild trees entangled between the buildings. Nature and modern humanity coexisted freely. And behind all of it was Seto Kaiba, he gave the city and the people in it the hope of a better, brighter future. The man may have been a tyrant, but he was a very good one. He knew how to get a nation to do what he desired them to do.
Oh, Seto Kaiba had more influence than most thought. There is power and then there is…Seto Kaiba. The fact that Seto had in a few short years built Domino into a powerhouse to be reckoned with using ancient technologies? Well it was something both the vampire spirits and the Hikari found immense pride in. Jokingly the Hikari thought Domino City should have a sign saying Welcome to The Age of the Dragon: Seto Kaiba’s Empire.
Yet, the spirits wondered what the rest of the world would think if they knew that the new technology coming out of Kaiba corp. wasn’t even human. Would they scramble to get their hands on it? Abhor and shun it? Greedily want to for their own?
Perhaps none of the above, but it was a thought that never truly left any of their minds.
“You wouldn’t happen to have been to Khemet recently, have you?” Yami asked watching Marik drag Yugi into one of the more high-end clothing stores.
Bakura frowned and turned away from the vampires following Ryou, Yugi, and Marik. “No, I can’t go there without Ryou, and Ryou won’t go there without Marik. Marik hasn’t had a reason to return to Khemet, so neither have I. Why?”
“I have a feeling something is happening. I just don’t know what.” Yami narrowed his eyes at a vampire that got a little too friendly with Yugi. “Khemet and what awaits me there has been on my mind lately.”
“So you want to go? Even knowing the risks?” The former tomb robber leaned against a tree.
Yami turned away from the Hikari to fully face Bakura. “How are the risks any different for me then they are for you or Marik? I’ve thought about this long and hard. The truth of the matter is I could wait forever, I would wait forever for the answers that are in Khemet, but it is not just me that I’m thinking about in this decision. Yugi may not act like it but it is eating him up inside.”
Bakura nodded. “You’re doing this for him.”
Silence settled between the two as Marik, Ryou, and Yugi exited the store. Already the three humans had started to collect a large pile of shopping bags. This was only the beginning, but the spirits knew that by the end of this excursion there would be double, maybe even triple the amount.
The three dropped their bags at the feet of the spirits, giving them bright smiles before rushing into a jewelry store. No one would take the Hikari’s shopping bags since they had mysteriously disappeared into the shadows.
Once Bakura and Yami knew their humans were out of earshot their conversation continued.
“Do you know when you want to go?” Bakura asked his companion.
A pondering expression settled upon Yami’s features, reminding Bakura yet again that the spirit next to him had once been Pharaoh. The tomb robber may joke and tease all he wanted, but that didn’t change the facts. Yami had been, was, a Pharaoh. When and if the spirit of the millennium puzzle ever regained his memories hell would raise on earth.
Bakura had had time to reckon with what memories he had, to recognize that the world had changed, that not all humans where evil, vile creatures that wanted nothing more than the extinction of their only natural predator. Yami had not, he could not remember a time when humanity held the vampire race in a strangle hold. When all of vampirity joined together just to survive.
What would the Pharaoh do when he realized he was helping the humans obtain that which he had sworn they would never have? When the Pharaoh learned what had happened to his people in his absence? How would the Pharaoh react to the Hikari? To Yugi? For it wouldn’t be Other Me, Yami, reacting. No, it would be the Nameless Pharaoh.
The spirit of the millennium ring shuddered. The Nameless Pharaoh was nameless for a reason. If, after Yami found his answers, the spirit wished to continue the war with humanity Bakura would have to stop him. The tomb robber couldn’t chance the Nameless Pharaoh once again rampaging through the world. Once was enough to nearly destroy it. Yet, the most chilling thought of all was the fact Bakura knew the Nameless Pharaoh would go after Yugi first.
As the completer of the Millennium puzzle, Yugi had a right to the title of Pharaoh, to rule Khemet and the Vampire Race. It was why Marik called the tricolored haired human ‘prince’.
I just have to hope the bond between Yugi and Yami is strong enough to circumvent the memories, Bakura sighed at the thought.
He didn’t want to deal with the squirt if it came down to taking out Yami. The human would be broken far worse than their first meeting, and the tomb robber didn’t know if he and the other Hikari would be able to put the pieces back together again.
Seto Kaiba would act like a dragon protecting a hatchling as well. If there was one thing that could bring out the over protectiveness of the cold hearted tyrant, it was Yugi.
“I would go after the blood moon eclipse,” Yami’s voice sliced through Bakura’s thoughts. “Preferably after Yugi is done with his semester, he wouldn’t need the stress beforehand.”
Bakura’s dark thoughts swirled behind his eyes as he studied Yami. The spirit was doing this for Yugi, was willing to take on memories that could destroy him. It was one of the purest acts of love Bakura had ever seen.
“Then we’ll make a date of it,” Bakura decided. “I have a few things I want to collect from my tomb anyway.”
The tomb robber wouldn’t let Yami and Yugi go alone. He had followed the Nameless Pharaoh into death once; he would do it again if necessary.
They were finally finished. It had taken them just over four hours, but the Hikari where finally finished shopping. Bakura and Yami had returned to the ring and puzzle as the Hikari slowly made their way out of the shopping district.
Yugi’s stalkers where still following them, Ryou frowned as he glanced at a shop window to check on the stalkers progress. They were good, these pureblood vampires, Ryou had to concede as he watched two of them stop and hold a discussion on what looked like directions through the reflection on the window. Most people wouldn’t know that they were being followed.
Too bad Ryou, Marik, and Yugi weren’t like most people.
Picking up pace Ryou grabbed Marik and Yugi’s hands. There was an entrance to the underground one block over, if they could get there without being caught there was a chance they could escape. The undergrounds inhabitants would make the perfect distraction. Now, they just had to get there.
So focused on his thoughts Ryou ran straight into someone. It was only the fact that Yugi and Marik where holding on to him that stopped Ryou from falling on the ground. Righting himself, Ryou was about to apologize when he was beaten to it.
“Jez, sorry Ryou! I didn’t see you there.” Came an accented voice.
Ryou blinked as his eyes settled on a pair of hazel. A large fanged grin settled over the speakers face at Ryou’s look.
“Joey,” Yugi said beaming, “what are you doing here, is Seto with you?”
The newly named Joey shook his head. “Nah, moneybags took the afternoon off to spend time with Mokuba. The kid got Noah to lock down Kaiba corp. until moneybags agreed.” Amusement flashed through Joey’s eyes at the memory. “Mokuba didn’t want me around for the afternoon, even though I’m his brother’s bodyguard. So I got the afternoon off.”
“It probably has to do with the fact you and Seto always end up fighting,” Marik pointed out. “It’s amazing Kaiba corp. is still standing with you two always going at it.”
“Or it’s because Joey’s a vampire,” Ryou said.
Mokuba Kaiba disliked vampires on principle. It had something to do with his past, but the Hikari had never found out what had happened. Joey Wheeler had been the Kaiba brother’s bodyguard since they had been adopted into the Kaiba family as children. Which made Mokuba’s dislike of vampires very interesting, because as much as the kid wanted to say that all vampires should be staked on sight, he actually like Joey as a person. It was only when Mokuba remembered Joey was a vampire that things got interesting.
Joey shrugged. “Possibly, but then again, you three don’t like vampires either and you’re friends with me.”
“That’s because the Priest would have had our heads if we didn’t,” Marik muttered.
A bark of laughter broke free from Joey’s lips before he could stifle it. Yet, Joey’s grin turned into a frown as he looked over Yugi, Marik, and Ryou. Most people wouldn’t be able to see behind the three’s cheerful expressions, but Joey had seen them at their worst.
“What’s wrong?” Joey asked his accent thickening in worry.
Lavender, brown, and amethyst eyes shared a look before turning back to hazel.
“Yugi’s being followed, and since we’ve been with Yugi all day so are we.” Ryou told the vampire.
Hazel eyes flashed red as Joey scanned the crowd, marking potential threats quickly one of Joey’s eyebrow’s rose as he saw The Pharaoh’s court trying to act inconspicuous. The Pharaoh’s court was supposed to be with the Pharaoh, not out and about by themselves, if moneybags knew about this heads would role. He didn’t want the vampires anywhere near Domino city, even if he had invited them here himself.
“Let’s gettcha’ out of here,” Joey muttered lowly already slipping into the role of bodyguard. “Where yah head’n?”
“There’s an entrance to the underground hidden one block over,” Ryou whispered. “I was taking us there when I ran into you.”
Joey nodded, already running through all the escape routes and possibilities. A group of fledglings caught the vampire’s attention. Fangs flashed in the light as Joey started to grin wickedly.
“I have an idea,” he told the Hikari, “when I say run, run.”
The Hikari nodded their heads slightly.
Giving them one last glance Joey slowed down as they passed the fledglings. There was an impossibly good chance that the fledglings wouldn’t know who the Pharaoh’s court was. As such, Joey knew it would take only a matter of prompting to get the fledglings to do what he wanted them to do.
Whispering quickly to the leader of the group Joey continued on his way, silently counting down the seconds. A roar went up from behind him and Joey couldn’t help the cackle that escaped his lips even if he tried, oh, he knew he should feel sorry for setting a bunch of fledglings on the Pharaoh’s court, but he couldn’t. Jogging past the Hikari Joey grinned again.
“Run.”