Chapter Five: I Think You're Safe Now

Yami woke up, with his head pounding like crazy. He groaned and turned his head. "Where am I?" he asked no one in particular.

"You're in a cave," someone replied. Yami opened his eyes to see Rya in a small pool of water next to him.

"Rya?" he groaned. "What happened?"

Rya told him how she found him drowning and had brought him into an underwater cave. "Lucky for us this cave has an air pocket so you can breathe," Rya stated. But her frown was deep and sad.

"What is it, Rya?" Yami asked in concern. He was answered with a sniffle. Rya's head was bowed in shame.

"You almost died out there today," Rya replied. Yami's eyes widened slightly in shock. "If I hadn't have made you come here everyday, you would've stayed safe at home. You wouldn't be trapped here. I'm sorry, Yami," she cried.

Yami slowly stood up and walked over to her. "Rya, it wasn't your fault. If you hadn't been there, who knows what would've happened to me. I'm glad you were there," Yami smiled reassuringly.

"But Yami I-"

"No 'buts'! Don't even begin to doubt if it was a good idea that we had met. When we met was probably the greatest day of my life. Well, all except the almost drowning part," he chuckled. Rya still didn't seem amused, but smiled softly anyway. Yami lifted her chin, and wiped away a stray tear.

"I suppose you're right Yami. But I still don't know how I'm going to get you back to the surface. You're too deep to hold your breath long enough, and my pendant used up most of it's energy to get you down here. I just don't know what to do," Rya stated sadly.

Yami sat down and began to think. "That does propose a problem. My friends are probably wondering where I am. How long have I been down here?" Yami asked.

"Almost the entire day," Rya replied. "I wish there was a way to get in touch with your friends. I don't want them to worry about you."

"I know. Wait!" Yami reached into his pocket and pulled out a cell phone. "I guess I owe Tea a thank you for giving me a water-proof cell phone protector," Yami laughed and dialed his house.

"Hello?" Yugi answered.

"Yugi! Is that you?" Yami called out.

"Yami! Oh my gosh! Are you all right? Where are you? When are you coming home? How-"

"Hold on, Yugi!" Yami laughed. "First off, I'm fine. I'm with a friend. I got caught in a storm and she's helping me out," Yami winked at Rya, which just made her blush. "Hold on, Yugi." Yami covered the mouthpiece with his hand and looked over at Rya. "Rya?"

"You can tell him. If he's a good friend of yours, then I know he must be as kind and wonderful as you are," Rya smiled. Now it was Yami's turn to blush. So Yami explained everything to Yugi, from Rya being a mermaidto how he ended up in an underwater cave.

"Wow. So you have no way of getting back to the surface?" Yugi asked worriedly.

"Not yet, but I'll be fine. Do you think you could drop some things off at the beach and Rya could pick them up?" Yami asked.

"Sure. What do you need?" Yugi wrote down clothes, some food, and his Duel Monsters cards. The last item didn't really come as a shock to Yugi. "I'll bring them by tomorrow morning around eight, okay?"

"That's fine. Oh and Yugi? Thank you," Yami smiled.

"You should really be thanking Rya. She sounds like one of a kind," Yugi giggled mischievously.

"What–bye Yugi!" Yami said angrily.

"So?" Rya asked.

"Well, Yugi will drop some stuff off at the beach tomorrow morning, and I was hoping you could pick them up for me," Yami stated.

"Of course, Yami. Now, perhaps you should get some rest. You've had a very tiring day," Rya suggested.

"Thank you, Rya. For everything." Yami laid down and closed his eyes, while Rya watched him for a few moments, until she drifted off to sleep herself.