Hope's Paradise II: End of Innocence
by Shayne Thames and Kathryn Shiver

Yu-Gi-Oh and related characters and indica © 1996 - 2005 Kazuki Takahashi

Author's Note: Christmas Vacation's a drag, but I'm posting this fic while working on a Sonic the Hedgehog fancomic, so I'll post when I can.

Chapter 02: "United Again"

That night, Yugi had been at a bar party, and actually got a decent meal and drink for once, actually getting a bottle of one of his FAVOITE drinks, cherry malt.
The small teen was happy with himself for a change, savoring the drink.
The lady who was half-drunk by now, was one of the few people that payed for Yugi's meal and asked him for a dance.
Nodding quietly, he accepted obedently.
She danced with him as basicly the whole crowd was getting drunk.
Yugi went with the flow of the music, letting his mind retreat to the back as he tended to do during the past weeks.
Before he knew it, lips were being smashed against his as another wrapped his arms around the boy from behind.
Unable to keep the faint whimper from emerging, he forced himself to relax to those holding him.

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Meanwhile, on the other side of the sea, Yami was sitting in the water, his tail moving slowly. He was slowly recovering now that he knew Yugi was alive, but now he was eyeing Seto carefully.
The brunette was looking at the screen of his computer quietly, reading the different reports as they came through.

"Isn't it ironic how everything comes back to that place...Cape Canaveral, its called?"

One eyebrow raised slightly. "Yes, what about it?"

"You never told Joey, did you? About how you and I really know each other."

Seto merely snorted slightly. "Of course not."

"Have you considered for a moment that if the scientists at the cape find Yugi, they can trace a link through me to you, and realize that you're more than just a CEO of an interational company?"

His eyes narrowed slightly at the thought.

"If we don't find him before they do, everything you worked for will come crashing down on you, leaving you back where you started. And it can be worse if they decide to pull Joey down with you."

"Not completly Yami. Mokuba is pure human and the company falls into his hands should anything happen to me."

"True. Be thankful he'll be alright, you on the other hand? You'll lose evertything that defines you as the human you wanted to be...for him..."

"I'm willing to take that risk."

He held out his hand for a moment to grasp his. "I know what you do is to take care of all of us. Even if the storm begins again, we'll find our way out...together."

A rare smile appeared in reaction. "Lets concertrate on finding Yugi first."

He nodded. "Can you get a ship ready? I want to be there for him when he returns to the ocean."

"I'll have one ready first thing in the morning."

He nodded. "Thank you...my friend."

"Your welcome. Get some rest."

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It was in the early hours of the morning a few dsays later, that Yugi woke up in the alley, his favorite bottle of drink in his hand and his coat half-open. A heavy fog had rolled in.
Shivering at the chill the fog made, the teen wrapped the coat around himself once more, scrambling to his feet slowly to search for a better place to get some more sleep.
As he moved, he heard a noise coming from the distance. It sounded like the most heavenly voice singing...but it was full of sadness.
Tired amythest eyes blinked slowly at the song before following it.
It came from the direction of the beach. It seemed SO familiar, so hauntingly beautiful, but so incredibly sad, it immeditely touched Yugi's heart.
He had to find the source of the music, heading for the beach quietly.
His search led Yugi to a rocky point, and perched on top of it was...him...the beautiful merboy. His eyes were filled with incredible sadness as he sang.
Blinking in surprise at what he saw he stopped, mouth open in disbelief.
Because he was still a distance, the merboy had yet to see Yugi. However, behind him, he heard the familiar voices of his friends. "YUGI!"

Jumping in surprise, he spun around at the sound of his name, eyes wide.

Joey and Seto were walking along the beach, calling out for the boy. "Yugi!"

Regonizing them easily he hurried after the pair.

Joey was the first to see him and gasped. "YUGI!"

The teen was crying aas he ran towards his friends, he was so relieved to see them again.

Joey gave him a big hug. "Its okay! We found you...we found you..."

The small teen was thin after weeks of not getting decent food and care.

He hugged Yugi. "Come on, let's get you back to Yami."

Amythest eyse blinked in confusion. "Who?"

Joey blinked. "Yami, your...mate..."

He only looked up at his friend in confusion still.

"...you don't remember...do you..."

"Remember what?"

"About Yami."

"And who is Yami?"

Joey turned him to have him face in the direction of the merboy. "The one that's singing for your return."

The large eyes only blinked slowly, looking towards the merboy in confusion still.

"You must of lost your memory."

His face fell at that, he always heard that losing your memory was bad.

He led Yugi over to Yami, who stopped to stare at Yugi. "Y...Yugi...!"

The teen was uneasy and nervous, darting behind his blonde friend.
Yami looked taken aback by this action, who looked at Joey and Seto helplessly.
The brunette had been listening to the two of them quietly for the most part before motioning for Yami to come to shore.
Yami slipped off the rock and used the waves to beach himself.
Telling Joey and Yugi to stay put, he went over to Yami and explained what happened.
He looked down after that, looking understanding, but sad.

"We'll do what we can ok? Lets get on home and see about getting some proper food into Yugi."

He nodded and they started to get ready to leave before Yami froze and looked out towards the open ocean.
Blue eyes blinked in reaction before straightening, looking out in the same direction.
A US military was coming around the bend, before anyone could react, a net shot out, capturing Yami. Yami started struggling and let out cries of distress.
Eyes widened and the brunette quietly went to help him.
The net was being reeled into the ship, and military officials rushed out, pointing guns at Seto and the others. "FREEZE!"

Yami had his hands outstretched for Yugi and continued his cries of distress.
The small teen was frightened, pressing closer to his friend now, confused as to what was happening.
The three were escorted onto the ship, and put into a holding area, where Yami was dumped into a tank. He pressed himself against the glass, staring towards Yugi.
Yugi was defently scared now, clinging to Joey's side.
Yami's face twisted into that of emotional pain and fell to the bottom of the tank, not looking so good anymore.
Seto looked towards the tank in concern for his friend, glaring at their captures.
They were taken to a lab, and as they were escorted in, a scientist with a bald head and white mustash turned to the group as Yami was wheeled in. "Ah, the one we been after for a while now. The one that fool Montague was supposed to capture."

"You better release Yami if you know whats good for you!"

The scientist turned on Seto now. "Ah, my old friend Seto." He touched a scar on his own face. "I remember you. You've changed I see."

Ice blue eyes narrowed angerly, a slight growl emerging.

"I see you've done quite well for yourself since the old days." He looked upon Yugi and Joey. "A rather motely crew you've chosen to intergrate with." Joey blinked as the scientist continued. "But if you're here, this makes the one we have...the precious prince you been hiding from us all this time."

The brunette was furious now. "Release him at once!"

"Oh now why would I do that?" Tasers were pointed at all three of them. "Sit down, Mr Seto."

"At least let Yugi go."

"Why would I do that, ESPECIALLY since it seems he has a link to your precious prince."

"Because he doesn't remember."

"Oh, then perhaps I can be generous enough to do you one favor, my old 'friend'." He looked to the guards. "Take the boy to the back room immeditely."

Seto blinked in confusion at first before glaring, moving to stand between his friends and the guards.

"Now now Seto, your turn will be up shortly. After all, we have unfinished business."

Joey blinked.

"Leave Yugi and Joey out of it."

"Oh, and what would you do if we did, hmm?"

"You get to play with fire is what."

"Are you offering yourself willingly?"

Eyes narrowed dangerously now. "Don't count on it."

"Ah, well, in that case-" Seto was suddenly jabbed by a taser.

The brunette yelped in reaction to the shock, jerking backwards to escape.
He was jabbed again, along with the other two.
It didn't take much more before he was on the floor completly out of it.

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He, Yugi, and Joey were taken away to seperate labs. Yugi awoke strapped to a table in a lab.
Amythest eyes opened slowly, confused and disorented.
His head was fuzzy, but he automatiucly sensed the presence of the other nearby...the merboy.
A faint noise of distress escaped, looking around the room.
He saw the tank nearby, and Yami was laying at the bottom of it, looking sicker than before.
The youth actually relaxed at seeing him, dispite not being able to remember.
He looked up, and his ruby eyes had paled considerably as he looked at Yugi.
Large amythest eyes watched him quietly from where he was strapped down, the gentleness of them showing clearly.
He lifted his head a bit in curiosity. The boy looked so calm looking at him that way.
Yugi continued to watch him, he felt calmer.
He sat up, pressing a hand against the glass.
He blinked, squirming a bit on the table before quieting again.
The doctor came in. "Ah, Mr Yugi. I heard you have quite the memory problem."

Startled the teen tore his eyes from the tank towards the stranger.

"Now, our main business is with Mr. Seto. However, we'd be more than happy to help you reaquire your lost memories of the merboy...that is...if you WANT to remember him."

Confusion showed on his face in reaction, why wouldn't he want to regain missing memories?

"The choice is yours, Mr Yugi."

"I... I want to remember..."

"I thought you might." Yugi was given an injection, which gave him a tingley feeling all over his body.

The teen shivered in reaction, he didn't like that feeling.
It knocked Yugi our for hours, feeling incredible pain. When he came to, he found it harder to breath, his legs felt weird.
Highly distressed he cried out, trying to breathe right.
He suddenly felt the wave of distress coming from...his mate...he didn't know why, he only knew that's what the other was.
Yugi cried out again, squirming as he still couldn't find a way to ease his breathing.
He was suddenly lifted and put into the tank with Yami.
A sound of surprise escaped before he sank down into the water.
Yami immeditely swam to the other and gathered him in his arms, cuddling him and sending waves of care and love and protection.
Shaking slightly, he curled up in the welcome, familier embrace.

-...I love you...-

Nuzzling into the other's chest he returned the feeling, starting to feel relieved now that he could breathe decently.