I feel lousy about making you all wait for one chapter, I decided to do two this time around. Enjoy.
Chapter Four- New World
Yami swam about for a while, sorting out his feelings. As obligated as he felt toward his father, he couldn't marry Kaiba. It was just wrong. The way he felt toward Yugi was love, but it was a forbidden love. Falling in love with a human was forbidden and was punishable by death. But, he wasn't giving up. Determined, Yami headed home and went straight to the library. Scanning the shelves of books, he found one on ocean myths. Hoping it contained a spell to turn a merperson human, he curled up in a chair, opened it up , and began to read.
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"The Millennium Puzzles?"
"Yes, Yugi. As you can see, one of them is already complete. I did that and made a wish on it that you find true happiness whatever that may be. Now, it's your turn. When you complete the second one, make the dearest wish of your heart on it. I know you'll wish good fortune on someone, so the second puzzle is for them. The first one is yours."
"Oh, thank you Grandpa. I already know the wish I'll make when it's completed." As Yugi said this, he had put on the completed puzzle and had the first two peices of the second one together already.
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Yami gave a frustrated sigh as he turned the page. No spell in sight. At least, not the one he was looking for. There was, however, a small section on Human/Merfolk Love, so Yami flipped back to it and read in earnest. One sentence seemed to suddenly leaped out at him from the passage.
"If an engaged merperson were to fall for a human, the merperson's mate is given the right to kill the human," Yami read out loud.
Yami gasped as the book floated from his hands and to the floor. He got up quickly and started to head for Yugi's palace as fast as his tail would move him. He had to tell Yugi what he found out! Their forbidden love was truly forbidden. He had no choice but to marry Kaiba and sacrifice his happiness in order to protect the prince.
'I only hope I can Yugi's ship before it reaches the palace!'
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'It's almost done. Just a few more pieces.' Yugi sat at his cabin's table, an almost completed puzzle in his hand and a few golden pieces in a box on the table.
A knock at the door drew the prince's attention. "Enter," he called. The door opened to reveal his grandfather on the other side.
"We're nearly home, Yugi. Wow, you're almost finished! This wish must be very dear to you."
"It sure is. I hope to make the wish before getting off the ship."
"Then I'll leave you to your task." Once the door had closed, Yugi returned to his puzzle.
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Yami panted when he broke the surface. He had followed the shoreline as Yugi instructed and found the palace. He saw Yugi's ship heading for the dock. He made it! Slowly, he made his way to a flat rock in the shallowest part of the ocean. It was almost sunrise. Hopefully, Yugi would spot him before anyone else did. Just to be safe, he stayed crouched beside the far side of the rock. There, he waited for Yugi to emerge.
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'I can't believe Grandpa gave me such rare artifacts for my birthday! He's the greatest! One more piece!' Yugi held the last piece. The Eye of Horus was carved into it and he ran his fingers over the raised carving.
'I bet this is when I make my wish. Just as I'm putting the last piece in.'
As Yugi began to put the piece in, he closed his eyes tightly and wished with all his heart.
'I wish Yami was human.'
The piece fell into place with a definite click. Yugi stared hopefully at the completed puzzle. "I hope I get my wish," he whispered to himself.
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Yami watched the ship while keeping an eye on the horizon. The sky was starting to change colors. He wouldn't be able to stay once the sun rose. It would be too risky. He would be spotted by anyone.
An itchy sensation covered his tail and he scratched at it in an effort to relieve himself of it. The itch worsened and spread to his fins. He squirmed, wishing it would go away. But it didn't work. If anything, the itch began to burn as well.
Yami thrashed and writhed in the shallow water, hoping to douse the burning and put it out. It felt like his tail was splitting in two! In a blind panic, Yami pulled himself up onto the beach, where he collapsed from the pain as the sun rose into the sky.
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Yugi climbed onto the deck and headed down the gangplank. His birthday party had been great. Jou, Honda, Ryou, and Shizuka had been there and the five of them had a great time. Even though he hadn't been up to a Shadow Game, he did watch one between Jou and Ryou.
His visit from Yami had been the highlight of the evening. Yami's words about finding a way to become human bounced around in Yugi's head after the merboy's departure and for the rest of the trip, even as he worked on the puzzle.
'I wonder why Yami would give up his life in the sea and become human. Surely, we could be as we are and still be in love. But, being the same race would help.'
"My prince!"
Yugi looked up at Jou's panicked voice and saw the teen rush towards him. "What's wrong?"
"We found someone on the beach. He might be hurt!"
Worried, Yugi followed Jou across the beach where their friends (Ryou and Honda, actually) and a few sailors were gathered. The sailors parted upon seeing the prince and let him through. Yugi looked at the prone form and gasped.
"Yami!"
Lying in the sand was the innocent merboy he met last night. Only he wasn't a merman anymore. He was human! His brillantly colorful tail had been replaced with a pair of long slim white legs. The two princes' dearest wish had been granted.
Yugi suddenly blushed when he realized that Yami was naked, but he seemed unable to turn away from the beautiful sight before him. Fortunately, Jou stepped in front of him, blocking his view.
"Yug, do you know him?"
Yugi thought fast. "Uh, yeah. I met him the other day in the marketplace."
"But I was with the entire time that day."
"Not on the way home. That's when I met him."
"Well, it seems like someone robbed the poor guy of his clothes," Honda observed.
"Honda, why don't you carry him to my room," Yugi suggested. "I've got some clothes that are too big for me. They should fit Yami."
"Can do buddy." Placing the former merboy on his back, Honda followed Yugi to the palace, unaware that his royal friend kept glancing at his now human love.
'Welcome to your new home my love. And a new world.'
Unbelievable. Four chapters done. There are six in total. Almost done with this story.
