Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh
Little One Eye, Little Two Eye, Little Three Eye
OR
Marik, Yugi, Bakura
In a small corner of a rather large kingdom stood a house. Not a very large or small house, but a very strange house. It was painted purple with an orange roof and red trim. It was the most outrageous looking house anyone ever saw and no one passed it without stopping and staring for at least a full five minutes.
If a visitor was lucky enough they might get to see the occupants, who were, if anything, even stranger than the house. The mother looked ordinary enough, but her three sons were extremely unusual.
The youngest brother had one light violet eye, right above his nose His hair was a very light blonde and spiked up all over, reaching a foot or more away from his head. Out of the three brothers, he was the tallest. His mother named him Marik, and she flattered him, calling him unique and extraordinary handsome. He was slightly crazy, but his mother loved him all the more for it.
The eldest had three brown eyes, one centered on his forehead above the other two. His hair was long and pure white and was spiked up to look like bat wings. His mother called him Bakura, and she pampered him shamelessly, giving him anything he wanted. He was the favorite out of the brothers, and often called the smartest.
The middle child was named Yugi, the shortest of the three. He had the craziest hair out of all of them. Three colors spiked up into an enormous star. The main portion was black with purple outlines and jagged gold bangs framed his face. He had two large, amethyst eyes. His mother despised him. She called him ugly and normal. With only two eyes he was just not unique enough for her. He was forced to do all the chores and was only allowed to eat the scraps and burnt bits of food left on the pans. Daily he was forced to do the dishes, cook meals he couldn't eat, clean the house, do the laundry, rub his mothers feet, and care for their goat.
Each day he took the goat to the back pasture to drink from a small, clear stream. He would talk to the goat and pretend it was his friend. The goat never said anything back, but he didn't mind. He just liked talking to it. And it took his mind off his hunger.
One morning Yugi was so hungry he tried to eat grass with the goat. The day before there had been no scraps for him, and when he tried to scrape the hard, burnt bits off the edge of the pan his mother had scolded him and smacked his backside.
Just as Yugi tore a handful of grass from the ground and was about to shove it in his mouth he heard someone singing. The voice was deep and melodious. Yugi crept behind the tree and gasped. A man was sitting there, and he looked just like him! Two eyes and everything! Only his were crimson instead of purple. He was wearing simple clothes; a brown tunic and breeches.
"Wwwwwwho are you?" He asked, a little nervous.
"Hello Yugi." He stood and Yugi was surprised to find that he was only slightly taller than he was. "I am Yami. And I am here to help you."
"Help me?" Yugi's stomach growled and he blushed slightly. "Excuse me."
Yami frowned. "No need to apologize little one. You're hungry aren't you?"
The young boy nodded and tears fell across his cheeks. Yami put his hands on his shoulders.
"Would you like to have a special meal all to yourself?"
Yugi looked up in disbelief and nodded. "Yes please."
"Because you have been so kind to this little goat it will now be able to grant that wish. Simply say this rhyme and you will be given food.
"Little goat if you are able, Please bring forth my little table."
Yugi nodded and repeated the rhyme, looking at the goat and patting its head.
"Little goat if you are able, please bring forth my little table."
He gasped as a table appeared in front of him. On it was more food than he had ever seen. Roast beef, potatoes, beans, salad, stew, pork, bacon, noodles drenched in sauces, soups. Yugi's mouth watered. "This is all for me?"
Yami looked sadly at the young man. "Yes. It is."
"It is too much. Would you join me?"
He nodded. "I would be delighted."
They knelt at the table and for the first time in his life Yugi ate until he was full. It was a surprisingly small amount, but he'd never been able to eat much anyway.
When they were done Yugi looked at the leftover food in dismay. He hated wasting food, but he couldn't possibly eat another bite.
"Would you like to take the rest of the food home with you?" He asked hopefully.
Yami shook his head. "I'm fine. Besides all you need to do is say another rhyme and it will all disappear."
Yugi nodded eyes wide in wonder and repeated the rhyme.
"Little goat, if you are able, please take away my little table."
And just like that the table vanished.
Yugi clapped his hands, delighted.
"You will be able to summon the table once a day. But remember, it is your table and if your mother found out about it she would take the goat away. You must keep this a secret."
Yugi nodded fervently. "Will you come back?"
He shook his head. "I will check up on you sometimes, but I won't be able to stay for long."
Yugi looked down, slightly dejected. "Okay."
Yami knelt next to Yugi and lifted his small face. "If you ever need me, come back here and call my name. And I will help you."
Yugi nodded, wiping a tear from his eye. "Okay. Thank you Yami."
"Goodbye Yugi. I think it's time for you to return home now."
He nodded again and walked over to the goat, taking it back to the house. He turned in the middle of the field to wave at Yami, but the man was gone.
Yugi's days became much more bearable. He still had to do the chores, cook the food, clean the house, and rub his mother's stinky feet, but now every morning he was able to eat his fill and talk to his goat.
Each day he would take his goat back to the stream and say:
"Little goat, if you are able, please bring forth my little table."
And the table would appear. The food was always different and always delicious. And when he was done he would chant the other rhyme.
"Little goat, if you are able, please take away my little table."
And the table would vanish. He would walk back home and do more chores. He had more energy and his painfully thin figure started filling out a little bit.
After a while his mother noticed the changes. One night she offered him the table scraps and he refused them. Yugi had never refused food before and she glared at him until he took the plate and started shoving the nasty chunks of cold chicken down his throat.
The next morning she took her other two sons aside and whispered to them. "Your brother is getting food somewhere and I want to find out where. Marik, I want you to go with him this morning and help tend the goat. He's never alone anywhere else, so that must be when he is getting it. Watch him carefully Marik."
"But Mother! I don't want to tend the goats!"
"Hush my one eyed child. If you do this and find out where he is getting the food I will get you whatever you want."
"A Pony?"
"Fine, I'll get you a pony. Just find out where Yugi is getting the food."
Marik nodded and that morning he walked along the fields next to Yugi and the goat, complaining the whole way.
"It's too far!"
"My feet hurt!"
"The goat smells!"
Yugi nodded silently to each statement, wondering how he would summon his table with Marik watching. 'I'll just have to put him to sleep,' he thought.
When they got the stream Yugi released the goat to drink and leaned back against a tree to watch the goat. Marik sat against another tree and glared at Yugi.
"What do you do back here?"
"Well usually I sing to pass the time."
"Then sing, idiot. I'm bored!"
Yugi smiled and started to sing.
"Asleep little one eye, awake little two eye, asleep little one eye, awake little two eye. The grass is soft and the sun is warm. The stream is bubbling, the wind is rustling."
After about a minute Marik's one eye started to close and a minute after that it closed completely and he started snoring.
Yugi waved a hand in front of Marik's one eye and grinned when he didn't react at all. He turned to the goat and said the rhyme.
"Little goat, if you are able, please bring forth my little table."
Yugi ate his fill and sent the table away before waking Marik. "I hope you enjoyed your nap brother. But it's time to go home now."
Marik yawned and stood. They made their way back to the house and his mother pulled him aside. "Did you find out where the food is coming from?"
Marik shook his head. "No. I fell asleep."
"Idiot!" His mother screeched. "No ponies for you!"
"But mother!"
"Silence!" She turned to Bakura. "My dear, apparently your brother is completely inept. I should have sent you in the first place. Find out where the food is coming from?"
Bakura nodded. "I won't fail you mother."
"Good. Then you will go tomorrow with Yugi to care for the goat. Do not fall asleep!"
"Yes mother."
The next day Bakura walked silently with Yugi to the back pasture. Yugi was nervous. His older brother scared him. When they got to the stream Yugi released the goat and sat on a stump. Bakura leaned against the same tree Marik had.
They sat in silence for a few minutes until Yugi finally spoke.
"It's kind of quiet."
"I like the quiet."
"Do you mind if I sing?"
"Whatever."
Yugi nodded and started singing, but he was so nervous and hungry that he sang the song slightly wrong.
"Asleep little two eye, awake little one eye, asleep little two eye, awake little one eye. The grass is soft and the sun is warm. The stream is bubbling, the wind is rustling."
Two of Bakrua's eyes closed obligingly and soon he was snoring lightly. Yugi waved a hand in front of his face and smiled before summoning the table. He ate his fill and sent it away quickly, not wanting Bakura to wake up.
Unknown to him, hidden under Bakura's bangs, his third eye was wide open and saw everything.
When it was time to go Yugi woke Bakura up gently. "It's time to go brother. I hope you enjoyed your nap."
Bakura stretched and followed Yugi back to the house. When they got there he sought out Mother quickly and told her all he had seen.
"Thank you my boy. Truly you are the smartest of my sons and the most handsome as well." She combed her fingers through his white hair and he smiled, enjoying the praise.
"Thank you mother." He winked at Marik who was sticking out his tongue.
"Now, I must go punish your brother. How dare he think of getting food elsewhere!"
She walked over to Yugi's small corner in the kitchen. He looked up and she grabbed a handful of his hair.
"Ow." He cried softly. "Mother?"
"Disobedient child! How dare you go against my wishes!"
"I... I don't know what you're talking about mother."
"Oh you don't? Well then we'll just have to teach you a lesson!"
She dragged him outside by his hair and threw him to the ground. Someone helped him up and he looked back to thank Marik, but he wouldn't let him go.
"Marik? What's going on?"
"Pay attention boy!" His mother screeched.
Yugi looked up at her, confused. Then he heard a soft bleating. He turned to see Bakura leading the goat towards his mother, who was holding a knife.
"No." He said softly. "Please no."
His mother smiled as she raised the blade.
Once it was over Marik let Yugi go. He took one last look at the goat and started running. He ran for the back pasture and fell by the river sobbing. After a few minutes he looked up.
"Yami." He whispered and started sobbing again. "YAMI!"
After a few minutes Yugi heard steps behind him. "Yugi?"
Yugi turned and flung himself at the voice, wrapping his arms around him. Soon Yami's shirt was soaked with tears.
"Yugi? What happened?" Yami placed his hands on Yugi's shoulders and pulled him away slightly so he could look into his face.
"Iiiit was awwful! Mmmmmother found out about the gggoat and the ttttable and ssssshe killed it!" He sobbed louder, mourning the loss of his only friend and comfort.
Yami knelt and held Yugi for a minute. Then he sighed.
"Yugi. Did you love the goat?"
Yugi wiped tears from his face. "Yes."
"Then she has one gift left to give you. Ask your mother if you can have the goat's heart. Take it and plant it in the ground. Water it with your tears. Everything will be all right Yugi."
Yugi nodded and stepped back. "Okay." He wiped his eyes again.
The man smiled at the young boy and sighed. "You should go now."
He nodded again and started heading back. When he turned around again Yami was gone.
When he got back to the house his mother had already started butchering the carcass. Yugi held back more tears and walked straight up to her.
"Mother?"
"What is it?"
"Might I... could I...?"
"Spit it out!"
"That goat was my only friend mother. I would like to have her heart so I can give at least a small part of her a proper burial."
His mother started laughing. "A goat is not a friend Yugi! It is an animal. It provides food. That is it's only purpose. But fine. You may have its heart. It's useless anyway, just like you." She reached in a bucket and handed the organ to Yugi.
He took it gingerly in his fingers. It stained them red but he didn't care. He walked to the front of the house and found a small area of soft soil. Carefully holding the heart in one hand he started digging with the other. He dug until the hole was a little more than two feet deep, then he placed the heart gently in the hole and covered it with dirt. He started crying again, the tears falling in the fresh soil and moistening it. When he patted the last of the dirt over the remains of his goat he cried once more and walked back inside to start on his chores and wash the mud and stains from his hands.
That night he curled in his little corner of the kitchen and hugged himself, trying to cry quietly so his mother wouldn't come down and yell at him again. Finally he cried himself to sleep.
Yugi woke when the warm morning light touched his face. He yawned and went about his morning chores as usual, finishing quickly so he could go out with the goat. As soon as he thought of the goat the memories of the previous day hit him. The goat was gone, dead. And it was his fault. Tears gathered in his young eyes again. He wiped them away quickly, not wanting to get in trouble with his mother again for crying. He took the garbage pail from the corner and dragged it outside to place in the compost pile. Looking up he gasped and dropped the bucket. He stood there until Marik came out to find him.
"I FOUND HIM MOTHER!" He screamed. "He's been outside standing like a statue!" Marik walked over and poked Yugi in the side. "What are you looking at?" He turned and gaped too. "That wasn't there yesterday."
Right in the place where Yugi had buried the goat's heart was an enormous apple tree. So many apples hung from its branches that some of them almost touched the ground with the weight. They were the most beautiful apples they had ever seen. Golden apples that shined in the sun, red ones that practically dripped juice, bright green ones with a slight covering of dew. There were some extremely unusual ones as well. Dark purple apples, tiny silver ones, bright blue ones, clear ones that created rainbows, striped ones, polka dotted ones, square ones, squiggly ones, some even looked like stars. All of them looked delicious.
Bakura and Mother walked outside to find what Marik was yelling about and joined the other boys in gaping at the tree. They stood there for a few minutes until they were interrupted by the sound of horses. Mother looked over at the road and grinned.
The royal carriage was rolling right by their house!
She turned and shoved Yugi behind the hen house so he wouldn't be seen.
The coachman pulled the horses to a stop and seemed to be listening to something. The other men riding horses around the coach laughed softly. He nodded and leaped gracefully down from his seat. He walked up to the boy's mother.
"Hello. On behalf of the King I would like to compliment you on such a beautiful apple tree."
Mother beamed at the young man. His blue eyes stared coldly at her, but she didn't notice. "Yes. We are quite proud of it." She exclaimed, fluttering her hand in front of her face.
"The King would like to express a desire to taste some of those apples."
"Of course! As many as he would like! Just a moment."
She walked over to Marik and handed him a basket. "Go pick apples for the king, dear son."
He nodded and walked over to the tree, going for some of the lower branches to get the chore over with as soon as possible. He reached for a bright red apple, but the branches pulled away from him. He tried to grab a pink one, but the branch rose up until it was out of reach. He kept trying but every time he got close to an apple the branches pulled away from his grasp. He growled in annoyance.
The coachman laughed. "Having problems picking apples from your own tree?"
"Absolutely not." The mother turned to Bakrua. "Dear. You are smarter than your brother. Bring me some apples?"
He nodded, smirking, and took the basket from a still growling Marik. He walked up to the trunk of the tree and shimmied up it quickly. He climbed along a branch and reached for a diamond apple. Right before his fingers touched it the branch bucked and he tumbled to the ground. He gasped in pain as the wind was knocked out of him.
Their mother growled in exasperation and snatched the basket from the ground. She turned to the tree.
"I'll do it myself." But as she reached for an apple the branch swung upward and another one whipped around and smacked her on the bottom. She howled and glared at the tree.
The coachman howled with laughter. "The tree will only allow the one to whom it belongs to pick its apples. And that is not you my Lady." He swung his hat off his head and lowered himself into a mocking bow. The other men laughed again. "Will the true owner not show themselves?" He asked.
Yugi took a cautious step from behind the chicken coop.
"Is the tree yours?" The coachman asked.
He nodded. "I planted my goat's heart and the tree grew from it."
"Would you go pick me an apple?"
Yugi walked over to the tree and reached up. The tree bowed obligingly and allowed Yugi to pick a large, juicy, deep crimson apple from its branches. Yugi smiled and thanked the tree before walking back to the coachman. His mother and brothers glared at him.
The coachman took the apple. "Thank you." He walked back over to the carriage and knocked on the door. It opened and a figure stepped out of the carriage.
"Yami!" Yugi cried. He started running toward the older man, now dressed in fancy clothes with plenty of adornments, and stopped. "You're the King?"
"Yes, little one." He smiled and took the apple from the coachman.
Mother, Bakura, and Marik ran forward, pushing Yugi aside. Yami glared down at them.
"My King! Please excuse the little brat. He doesn't know his manners."
The King stood to his full height, looking much taller than he actually was. "I have searched the Kingdom for someone pure of heart and soul. I found no one purer of heart and with a soul so filled with light as that little boy over there." The coachman walked over to Yugi and helped him up.
"But your Highness – "
"NO! I have seen how you treated him. And you shall be punished for your deeds."
Yugi struggled away from the coachman and walked up to Yami. "Please don't hurt them. They might be mean, but they are still my family."
"Are you sure? They did horrible things and deserve to be punished."
The small boy nodded. "I'm sure."
"Well then." Yami smiled and knelt in front of Yugi. "Would you like to come to the Palace with me? I have been searching for a suitable heir and I have found no one more perfect for the position than you."
Yugi's eyes lit up and he launched himself at Yami, wrapping his arms around his thin frame. "YES!"
Yami smiled and hugged him back. "Good."
"Can I take my tree with me?"
"Yes."
Yami walked back to the carriage and the King and new Prince walked up the steps, vanishing inside.
Marik and Bakura ran up to the others in the group. "What about us?"
Two of the guards dismounted and walked over to the boys. To their amazement they looked just like them.
"I don't know Ryou. What should we do with them?"
The boys looked up hopefully.
"I think, Malik, that we should take them with us and make sure they are trained properly."
"I think so too."
The boys grinned. "Yes please!"
Their mother crept up behind them and grabbed their wrists. "My boys are staying with me."
The two guards turned their eyes on her and glared. "You have caused enough trouble. And you don't deserve to keep them."
The two boys turned to her. Yugi had been their brother and she had treated them horribly, and was starting to treat Marik the same way. They frowned.
"We don't want to stay here anymore."
She bowed her head. "All right then. Go with my blessing. Will you promise to visit sometimes?"
Bakura nodded. "We will, all of us. And maybe then you will appreciate us more."
They turned to Malik and Ryou who lifted them up onto their horses and mounted behind them.
The coachman leaped back into his seat and flicked the reins, getting the group moving again.
They rode all the way to the castle and into a huge courtyard.
Yami climbed out of the carriage, followed quickly by Yugi who gazed up in wonder. "I'm going to live here?"
"Yes Yugi. It's all yours." King Yami took Prince Yugi's hand and led him up the steps to his new home.
I am so happy I got this finished! It was so fun to write and is one of my favorite fairytales.
I will be doing multiple fairytale mix ups and cross-overs. Each chapter will be different, so I guess you could say this is a collection of one-shots… but it's pretty much just for fun. I will not be doing any Yaoi or Yuri pairings.
Tell me if you liked it and let me know if you have an idea for a story. I would love to do a few different ones and if you have a suggestion I would love to hear it! Especially if you have an idea for a twist that hasn't been done. I might even make a full length story if I get a good idea.
Please review!