Here's that second chapter I said I did. ^^
The Little Albino
"Hey, Ryou-chan!" A small voice yelled suddenly breaking Ryou out of the trance he'd been in since he'd left the beach. Ryou had been lying down on the sea bottom staring up in a daze for hours now.
Ryou blinked and saw that Otogi was standing on his chest looking annoyed.
"Oh hey, Otogi-kun." He smiled. "How long have you been there?"
"Awhile. What's with the dreamy face thing you've been doing?"
"Dreamy face?" He sat up cocking his head to the side in confusion.
Otogi tumbled through the water slightly thanks to Ryou's movement.
"You've been smiling and staring into space since this morning. And humming that annoying song." Otogi huffed.
"It's not annoying." Ryou pouted.
"It is when you listen to it for almost five hours straight."
Ryou blinked a couple of times then went back to smiling.
"Gomen Otogi-kun. Guess my mind's been elsewhere…" He idly twirled a lock of his hair.
"With that human?"
Ryou looked away coyly. Otogi sighed.
"Oh Otogi-kun, I can't lie. I can't stop thinking about him. I'm sure it's what those songs father keeps getting me to practice are about." He clasped his hands together and grinned happily.
"Huh?" Otogi drawled.
Ryou blushed.
"Love at first sight…" He said softly somewhat embarrassed.
"Look, Ryou-chan. Just because you think someone is handsome…"
"Ah! No it's not just that. It's his smile. The strong way he speaks. The way he acts. He's just…" Ryou laid down again his long white locks spreading out around his head. "My heart's never beat this fast before. Especially not from just the thought of someone."
Otogi rolled his eyes and made his way to where Ryou's head was.
"Ryou-chan-" He started.
Ryou sat up suddenly his eyes sparkling and far off.
"I've got to see him again!"
"Ryou-chan" He tried again.
"I'll have to think of something to say. I don't wanna chicken out again."
"Ryou-"
"I wonder where he lives."
"Ryou" Otogi was getting agitated now.
"Guess I could always ask the local kappa…"
"RYOU! Dammit! Listen to me. You can't see him again, baka! You can't survive outside the water for too long and he can't survive in it! Are you going to date a floating corpse!?" He yelled frustrated.
There was a long moment of almost complete silence except for Otogi catching his breath from that outburst.
Ryou's eyes widened. He was surprised at suddenly being yelled at but once the words sank in, his eyes lowered.
"You're right…" He muttered softly.
"Ah. Ryou-chan, I didn't mean to…"
"No its okay. You're right. I just got too excited…"
Otogi wasn't sure what to say at this point. He hadn't meant to be cruel and blurt it out like that. Ryou looked heart broken.
"Excuse me…" Ryou pushed himself up and swam away.
He felt the sobs building up in his throat but he didn't want to bother anyone.
Ryou was huddled up against an underwater rock. The water was rather shadowed in this area thanks to the large amount of tree debris floating in the water. He sat with his arms wrapped around himself and his tail crying openly since he was alone.
"Hey! You!"
Ryou looked up from his arms. Who was yelling?
"M-Me?" He pointed at himself.
"Yeah! What's with all the cryin'?"
Ryou looked closer and saw that the one speaking was a kappa. He appeared to have been swimming by and it looked like he might have hair. Or maybe that was just a yellow tint near the spring on his head.
"Gomenasai…" Ryou apologized.
"Ey. No needs for sorries." He waved it off and lounged on the rock Ryou was leaning against.
"Wh-Who are you?" Ryou rubbed his eyes.
"Name's Jonouchi. So what's with the tears?" He asked picking his teeth.
"Well…" Ryou told the kappa his story. "And I guess that's it."
"Hmm… What book is that from?"
"No. That really is what happened!" Ryou insisted.
"Calm down. I believe ya. So whatcha gonna do lover boy?"
Ryou looked down at the sand and idly raked his fingers through the wet grains.
"Ummm… I-I don't know. He's human afterall. Even if he did feel the same for me, which is impossible since he doesn't know I exist, we couldn't be together because I need the water and he needs… Well not to drown." He sighed.
"Well if you was human it'd work right?"
Ryou chuckled mournfully.
"Maybe. But how could I do that? I'm not a magic fish or anything."
Jonouchi turned on his side propping his head up with his stubby arm and flashed a grin at him.
"Well I might know a magic tree."
"Magic tree?" Ryou gave him a confused look.
"Yanagii-babaa"
"Yanagii-babaa…. The Willow Witch!?" He gasped.
Jonouchi nodded. "Exactly. Her magic's the strongest I know of."
"But don't her spells come with a cost?" He asked nervously.
The kappa shrugged.
"You can't pay?"
"I don't have any money…"
Jonouchi laughed.
"Baka! Yanagii-babaa don't take cash!"
"Then… What does she charge?"
"Depends on her. So you wanna ask her?" He looked somewhat smug.
Ryou lightly tapped his bottom lip with his index finger as he thought his offer over.
"If it means I can be with Seto-dono then… N-No price is too high." Ryou said determination shining in his eyes.
Jonouchi snickered.
"Now you're talkin, Pretty Boy!" He clapped sat up and picked up the flute that hung from a string around his neck.
He blew two very out of tune notes that made Ryou put his hands over his ears.
A swirling vortex spun the water above their heads. Ryou gripped the rock watching the water through his hair. Suddenly a face formed in the water. An older woman with long dark green willow leaves for hair and a long twig like nose. Her skin looked like aged bark and her eyes were cold and slanted. She looked down at Ryou then at the kappa next to him.
"What do you want, fool?" She asked in a gruff cracked voice.
"I got someone who wants ta make a deal witcha." He grinned.
The witch stared at Ryou as if she wore looking at his very soul. Ryou cringed slightly under her gaze.
"Well what do you want, merfolk?"
Jonouchi nudged him.
"Ah. Y-Yes.. Um…" He timidly moved forward. "I-I wish to be human so… So that I can be with my love."
She stared at him a moment before releasing a sigh.
"A love wish I see. I must warn you many others have made wishes involving love. They did not go well." She warned though her voice broke in many places.
"Th-then their love was not true." Ryou said attempting confidence.
"Hm. Fine. But I will put a time limit. Your type of wish tends to backfire then I have people tryin' to kill me."
"Sadly they keep failin'" Jonouchi muttered.
"What was that, you ungrateful water monkey?"
"Nothing ma'm." He grinned widely.
She turned her attention back to Ryou.
"I will give you your wish for a price."
He nodded and waited for her next words.
"I'm running low on potion items…." She thought pinching her sharp chin with her long bony fingers. "Fine. I know what I want from you. Just give me your voice."
"Eh!? M-My voice? But then how will I…"
"Don't worry about it. Humans often lie anyway. A voice is not necessary. But it makes for a good potion."
Ryou hesitated then hardened his resolve.
"Okay. If you turn me into a human, you can have my voice."
"Excellent." She grinned revealing only two teeth. "Take the payment, Katsuya."
Jonouchi nodded and put his lips on the flute. He played a rather high note and only that note.
"Verbal contract! Read the sand." She ordered over the flute.
Ryou looked down at his feet and carefully read the characters that suddenly shone in the dirt.
"I, Bakura Ryou, relinquish my voice as payment to Yanagii-babaa."
As soon as he finished this sentence a small ball of light left his mouth and flowed through the water. Jonouchi played a note about a half-step lower. The ball of light then flew straight into the flute. Jonouchi stopped playing. He dropped the flute and let it hang around his neck.
"Put that in a container when you return, Katsuya."
The kappa nodded. Ryou lightly touched his fingertips to his lips in slight awe.
"Now for you." Yunagii-babaa cracked her knuckles and began mixing some things together that he couldn't quite see as her hands were not in the frame of the image she was projecting. Ryou briefly wondered where she actually was.
"Done." The witch blew a pinkish smoke from the rim of what looked like a sake dish.
The smoke left the witch and swirled around Ryou's tail. Ryou's eyes widened slightly as he watched the mist thicken and hide his lower portion from view. Soon, however, he realized that he was becoming dizzy. Light headed. His vision blurred until darkness consumed his mind.
Ryou's eyes slowly opened. There was a thick canopy of willows in his line of sight but a small gap revealed the setting sun. As his senses returned, Ryou could feel that he was lying in very shallow water that rose to just above his ear.
Suddenly Jonouchi's head popped into his line of sight.
"Geez. You really can't hold your sake." He tittered.
Ryou sat up. He opened his mouth to ask what had happened but was reminded of his deal when no sound came out.
"So how ya feelin'?"
Ryou looked down at his hands checking on himself. He went to nod then noticed that his tail was now the same colour as his skin. And there were two of them… His eyes widened and his face lit up with childish excitement. He lifted one of his legs and wiggled the toes experimentally. He giggled silently.
"Hey. Have some decency." Jonouchi laughed.
Ryou continued his silent giggling until something caught his eye. A familiar die lay on a protruding root.
'Otogi-kun!'
He crawled over to where the crab was. He was accompanied by two others. Ryou poked the top of his shell.
"Eh!?" Otogi jumped startled then spun around to face him. He was on his hands and knees with his face at eye level with Otogi.
"Ryou-chan? What're you doing here?" Otogi asked but was distracted by his companions' departure.
"Wait! Where are you going, ladies?"
"Away." One answered plopping into the water.
"Yeah. We don't do humans. Sorry, sweetie." The other said and followed after the first.
Otogi sighed.
"Wait a minute! Human? What're they…" He trailed looking at his friend's face.
His eyes looked to the left coyly.
"Ryou-chaaan…" Otogi scolded then noticed Ryou's feet.
"Feet! You have feet!? What did you do!?"
Ryou opened his mouth to explain then closed it remembering he had no voice.
"How come you can't talk…?" He asked slowly.
Jonouchi sighed stepping forward each step sloshing in the water.
"Sorry, Pretty Boy. Got sick of looking at your ass. Hey look a face crab."
"You! You're that witch's pet!" Otogi pointed an accusing claw at him.
"Who you callin' a pet, shrimp!? I'm a assistant!" He retorted annoyed.
Ryou sat on his knees and watched not sure how to intervene.
"I'm not a shrimp! I'm a crab! Or do we all look the same to you!?"
"Hey! Don't go pullin the crustacean card on me!"
"Whatever. Just get your master to fix Ryou-chan."
"Can't. Made a verbal agreement." Jonouchi put a hand on his hip.
Otogi looked to Ryou for confirmation. He shrugged somewhat sheepishly making Otogi facepalm… Er face claw(?)
"Wait. I thought he couldn't talk."
"Duh. It was before he couldn't talk."
"Right…"
There was a short pause where everyone was silent.
"Oh. That reminds me." Jonouchi said turning to Ryou. "About that time limit thing."
Ryou's mouth formed an O shape. With all the excitement, he'd completely forgotten. The Willow Witch had said something about a time limit.
"Yanagii-babaa says you have a month to make the guy fall in love witcha and kiss ya."
Ryou blushed at the word 'kiss'. Then he absorbed all that was said.
'What happens after the month if he doesn't kiss me? Does the spell wear off?'
His questions reflected in his eyes.
"I spose you're wonderin what happens if ya fail?" He asked/stated.
Ryou nodded.
"Well what happens is basically you turn back into one a those merfolk and any humans you make contact with will have their memories wiped. Oh. And no refunds."
Ryou cocked his head to the side.
"So no matter what, he'll never talk again?" Otogi asked his claws on his sides.
"That's right." Jonouchi nodded making a few droplets fall from the indention at the top of his head.
"Why you-" Otogi made to leap at the kappa.
Ryou grabbed him and gave him a reassuring smile. Otogi sighed.
"So what's the plan?"
Ryou blinked confused.
"You know. The plan to do that love thing you kept talking about?"
Ryou smiled dumbly and scratched his cheek.
"You don't have a plan do you?" Otogi glared.
Ryou shrugged.
"Baka. Do you even have an idea where that guy lives? How're you going to meet him again?"
Ryou looked down at his lap embarrassed. Once again he hadn't thought it through very far. Afterall this whole turning human thing had been a spur of the moment action for him.
"Hey! I got an idea!" Jonouchi exclaimed making the other two look at him.
"I think I've seen that Seto guy ya told me about before. I'll lead em here and Crabby can write your name in the sand."
Ryou thought about this.
"Why do I have to write his name in the sand?"
"Just do it. All will explain itself."
"That wasn't really an answer…" Otogi deadpanned.
"So you wanna go through with my plan, Ryou?"
Ryou smiled and nodded eagerly.
"Good! Get to it, Heike!" Jonouchi grinned widely then ran off faster than you'd think his stubby legs would allow.
Otogi sweatdropped but went ashore to do as he was told while Ryou sat in the water waiting. He was already getting anxious and excited.
'I wonder what I should say? Oh wait. I can't talk… Huh. That means I can't even introduce myself properly. What if he thinks I'm rude because I won't talk to him?! I can't explain it to him...' He fretted.
"Hey! Don't hurt yourself over there!" Otogi called as he scuttled along the sand dragging his claw behind him.
Ryou took a deep breath and clenched his hands on his knees. Otogi rolled his eyes.
Seto sat cross legged on the grass within the shade of a large tree. A light breeze lifted the ends of his brunette locks and rustled the loose fabric of his haori along with the leaves overhead. His cobalt watched somewhat dully as the mop headed boy in front of him worked diligently on improving his calligraphy. Mokuba large eyes looked up at him
"Are you bored, nii-sama?"
"No. I'm fine. Just enjoying the weather." He shrugged.
Mokuba smiled at him and went back to work apparently satisfied with this response. Seto released a soft sigh as he absentmindedly dug a necklace out of the inside of his kimono and fiddled with it. On the end of a piece of black string was a small blue shell that glinted in the sun. The inside was a sparkling white color. He rested his head on his hand, propping it up on his knee.
Jonouchi peeked out from behind a nearby cluster of tall brush. He grinned, his eyes glinting.
'Now's my chance!'
He launched himself out of the brush, sped over to where Seto sat, and snatched the shell from his hand.
"What the-"
Jou stuck his tongue out at him before ripping the necklace from him and trodding off at top speed. Seto froze in shock for a moment before glaring and jumping up.
"You little monkey bastard! Come back here!" He shouted through clenched teeth.
Mokuba's head shot up.
"What's wrong, nii-sama!?"
"Nothing. Just wait here." With that said he ran after the kappa, the ends of his long haori trailing behind him.
'I'm going to kill it…' He thought irritated as he weaved through the trees.
Ryou was still fretting over what to do when he saw him again when the sound of quickly approaching footsteps caught his attention. He looked up from his knees to see Jonouchi stumbling towards him.
"Catch!" He tossed something at him.
'WAH!'
Ryou fumbled with the small object but eventually caught it. He opened his clasped hands and looked at it. A small blue shell one a string…
'Eh? What's this?' Ryou blinked.
"Your princey is on his way!" Jou shouted before jumping into the water and swimming under a thicket of willow roots.
'Huh? Seto-dono!?' His cheeks tinted pink and his heart sped up.
He could hear him approaching. Branches snapping under his feet. Ryou began to shake slightly both in anticipation and nervousness.
'Wah! I-I can't do it! I'm too nervous!'
Ryou clumsily crawled through the water much too quick as he wasn't used to his legs yet. He stumbled on all fours splashing around ungracefully until he'd managed to get behind one of the willow trees in the middle of the small indent of water. He pressed his back to the bark with his hands tightly clenching his shirt. Otogi face clawed again.
The fuming brunette ran onto the beach. He silently fumed as he scanned the area with narrowed eyes.
"Where the hell are you!?" He yelled.
Ryou jumped slightly startled.
'Ah. S-Seto-dono's voice…' He blushed lightly before cautiously peeking past the trunk.
Seto's back was to him. It appeared he was searching for something. Ryou's heart throbbed as it had the last time he'd seen Seto. He was so happy to see him again and he wanted so badly to actually meet him. Face to face. But he couldn't move. His disappointment in himself showed on his face as he slipped back behind the tree laying his head against it.
While he was reprimanding himself, he didn't quite notice the small, quiet splashes that approached him then stopped to his left.
"Why are you watching me?" A deep voice questioned threateningly.
Ryou's eyes widened. He spun around to face him but his clumsiness caused him to fall down on his bottom, his knees pressed together with his feet apartment. He stopped himself from falling on his back by propping himself up with his arms.
Seto raised an eyebrow slightly surprised by him. Ryou's face turned red. He was almost glad he couldn't speak because he knew he definitely would have stuttered uncontrollably and made himself look stupid. Then again he might still be doing that by sitting there, half naked, staring up at him with his mouth open.
"Um… Do you make a hobby of stalking people while in the nude?" He asked somewhat sarcastically.
If Ryou could get any redder he did. He shook his head vigorously making his wet white hair slap him.
Seto stared at him still. Now he looked a little annoyed.
"Whatever. Ignoring your being sneaky, have you seen a kappa?"
Ryou stared up at him entranced. It was so amazing to him that Seto's eyes and words were directed at him. He was sure his heart would explode at any minute.
"Are you listening to me?" Seto was even more annoyed now.
Ryou snapped out of his trance and nodded sheepishly. Seto sighed.
"Nevermind." He turned on his heel to leave.
Ryou panicked. Before he could form a coherent thought, he jumped forward and grabbed onto the fabric of Seto's hakama. Seto stopped and glared at him over his shoulder. Kaiba Seto wasn't one to suffer fools lightly. He was about to kick him away when he accidentally locked eyes with Ryou. The boy's big brown eyes were pricked with tears and pleaded silently with him not to leave. His demeanor softened for a moment as the only other time he could remember someone looking at him like that was when he and his brother were younger. When he was always kept busy by different tutors until he was too exhausted to move. He wasn't sure if he could ever make up the time that he didn't spend with his beloved otouto.
Seto shook his head lightly.
"What do you want?" He asked lowly.
Ryou stared at him still a little flustered about meeting his eyes. He loosened his hold on Seto's clothing and unclasped his hand. The little blue shell shimmered.
'Did Jonouchi-kun take this from Seto-dono?'
He looked back up at Seto and offered it to him shyly.
Seto blinked at him for a moment before taking the necklace from his pale hand.
"Arigato…" That word tasted strange.
Ryou smiled brightly at him. It was quiet for a moment while Seto tied the necklace around his neck.
"…So what's your name?"
Ryou was slightly surprised by his question. He opened his mouth then closed it again.
"What?"
He pointed to his lips then shook his head. Seto thought for a moment.
"You can't talk?" He guessed.
Ryou nodded slowly.
"I see. Then do you know where you live? Or are you a fish?" That last part was said as sarcasm but Ryou couldn't help but see the irony in it.
Ryou thought about that for a few minutes. Where did he live?
After a bit he just looked down and shrugged.
"Hn." Seto sighed. "I'll probably regret this but… Come on." He held out a hand to him.
Ryou stared at it then blinked then continued to stare, dumbfounded.
"Are you stupid?" He deadpanned.
Ryou blushed as he cautiously accepted it. Seto pulled him up. It looked like he was going to be able to stand for a moment, although a bit shaky, but his knees soon gave way. Not wanting to fall again, he grasped onto the nearest thing he could. This happened to be Seto. He gripped Seto's haori tightly.
"Ahem."
Ryou opened his eyes which he'd apparently shut without realizing and looked up at Seto. He blushed profusely.
"I'm going to admit, I'm a bit uncomfortable being hugged by a half-naked male…" Seto deadpanned.
Ryou blinked yet again. Hugged. He wasn't…
'Wah! When did I start hugging him!?'
He quickly retracted his arms from where they'd wrapped around the taller male's waist and attempted a bow. This only made him fall face first into the water.
'Nya! Owwwie…' He sat on his knees and rubbed his head.
"Pffft!" Seto hid his face with his hand obviously trying not laugh.
Ryou's face burned.
'Waaah. I've made a fool of myself afterall…'
"No. I shouldn't laugh at you not being able to walk." He said this but it was obvious he still was.
Ryou, having gotten over the pain in his head, laughed silently.
"Can you walk at all?"
Ryou nodded his head vigorously, determination shining in his eyes once again. Seto smirked slightly.
"Then let's try this again because I'm not carrying you."
He offered his hand again. Ryou tried to stand again while holding onto both of Seto's hands. He smiled happily which Seto found strange. Eventually he managed to stand on his own… Mostly. He still had to grab Seto's arm every so often.
"Alright." Seto sighed.
Ryou looked at him confused. Seto began slipping off his long black haori.
'H-Huh?'
Ryou flushed as Seto put the garment onto his shoulders. He light grabbed the haori and wrapped it around himself. He looked at Seto again.
"I have a young brother. I'm not bringing home some naked guy I don't know the name of. What kind of example is that?" He added in the last sentence with a smirk.
Ryou giggled silently with a nod. Seto grabbed his arm and helped him walk onto the shore. Ryou stole a glimpse at Seto as they slowly made their way away from the water. That same feeling of never wanting to leave the brunette's side came over him. He couldn't believe Seto had actually talked to him. But to think that he was actually being taken to his home…. He squealed inwardly, overwhelmed with happiness. If only he could tell him his name… Perhaps he could write it. He'd have paper, right?
Ryou's train of thought crashed suddenly with a sharp pain hit his foot. He jumped almost falling over. Thankfully, Seto kept him steady.
'Oowwwwwie.' Tears pricked his eyes.
"Daijoubu ka?" Seto raised an eyebrow.
Ryou nodded biting his lip before looking down at his foot.
'Otogi-kun?' He blinked at him in surprise.
Otogi sighed pointing a claw to the left. Ryou gasped, sorta, as he laid eyes on where Otogi had written his name in the sand. He'd completely forgotten about that! He dropped to his knees and pointed at it excitedly. A childish smile shone on his face.
"What is it?" Seto stepped closer.
Ryou pointed at the characters. Seto leaned forward slightly to read it.
"…Bakura Ryou?"
He nodded eagerly.
"Is that your name?"
Again, he nodded.
"Bakura-san." He pointed at him.
Ryou frowned almost pouting. This made Seto smirk.
"Ryou?"
Ryou smiled nodding again. Seto chuckled lowly.
"Kaiba Seto." He pointed towards himself.
Ryou grinned somewhat coyly. He knew that.
"But I guess you knew that already."
Ryou's eyes widened.
'N-Ne!?'
Jou is a kappa. If you're not sure what that is, it's been referred to as a 'Water Monkey' and looks a bit like a turtle... Google it. I'm not good with explaining stuff... ^.^;
Read and Review. Ja ne^^
