Chapter 3

Caught In Your Eyes

Atem opened his eyes slowly, feeling completely sore and tired. Ryou usually had that effect on a person, with his strong healing magics and lilting, hypnotic voice. Atem vaguely remembered seeing the healer last night, but for reasons he did not know. He could also remember Bakura's blank eyes.

Stretching himself, the Prince swam from his bedchambers. He met his father in the throne room, where the King was staring absentmindedly at his golden staff.

King Aknamkanon greeted his son with a small smile. He wanted to scold the Prince for sneaking out the night before, but Bakura's words came back to him.

'Don't forget, my King. I erased his memory so his spirit wouldn't be scarred. You would do well not to mention it, for it may bring back the memories.'

As always, Bakura had been brash and disrespectful, but by now the merKing was used to it. Bakura had never had any respect for authority, and it would always be that way. Besides, no matter how rude he was, he would never be exiled. The King needed the Seer, and if Bakura left, Ryou would follow, and he was the only healer in the city.

"Good morning, son. Are you well?" the King asked, his mighty red-black tail beating the water as he swam over to inspect his child.

Atem nodded. "Yes Father." He hesitated slightly. "Um, why were Ryou and Bakura here last night?"

"You were not feeling well, my son. The healer and his mate came to care for you, nothing more," the King responded, nodding to Mahad as the sandy-tailed merman gestured to him. "I must go now, Atem. Try not to get into any trouble."

Atem blinked in confusion at that statement, but nodded just the same. "Of course, Father."

The young merman looked to the side as Seth swam up beside him. "What was that about?"

The brunette smiled slightly. "I wouldn't think on it. The King just worries for your safety."

Atem nodded absently, turning and heading out of the palace. Seth followed silently, trailing after his young charge to keep an eye on him. After all, he didn't want the Prince to try a repeat of the night before.

Atem sighed, floating down to rest against the cool sand. Meela swam down to him, nudging him with her nose. Are you okay, Atem?

He nodded. "Yes. I'm just…bored, I guess. Nothing interesting ever happens around here."

Meela laughed. Unless you count when your father gets angry and it storms.

Atem chuckled at that. "True. The whole ocean reacts when he gets angry." He put his hands behind his head, lounging against the sand. A dark shape passed overhead, and Atem's eyes lit up. "Hey look, a ship! That means there are humans up there!"

Meela chittered softly, worriedly. Don't do anything Atem. Humans are bad news. "Your friend is right, Prince. Nothing good ever comes from consorting with humans." Set's voice was full of warning as the blue-eyed merman came forward from his nearby spot.

Atem frowned. "But I just wanted to look. I've never seen a human before. What are they like?" He was curious; he just wanted to know more about them. 'And what better way to do so than to meet one?' he thought.

"They are similar to us, but they walk on two legs. They are murderers, Atem. They catch fish in nets and trap dolphins and whales. They are a no good species." Seth said firmly. "Now come, Prince. We had best be getting back to the palace."

Atem started to follow his bodyguard, still frowning slightly. Meela chittered a goodbye and swam away, leaving Atem to plot. The young merman looked back up, seeing a school of fish swimming by the boat. He slowed, looking to see Seth a little ahead of him. Without hesitation he kicked his silvery-black tail, propelling himself upward.

Seth turned in time to see Atem's silver fins streaking out of sight, vanishing straight up. "Prince, what are you doing?.!"

But Atem wasn't paying any attention to his bodyguard. Something was drawing him to the surface, and he wanted to know what it was.

"Ready? Heave!"

The net plunged into the water above the school of tuna, sinking down into the depths. Yugi pushed the edge of it off the deck, watching as the fish swam right into the cords.

"Thanks for helping me today, Yug'!" Joey said, rubbing the back on his hand over his forehead. "I panicked when they said Tristan wasn't coming in today."

Yugi nodded to his friend. "No problem Joey."

Joey worked for a fisherman, going out about twice a week and bringing in a catch. Usually he had a friend of theirs named Tristan to help him, but he had been out somewhere else. So Joey had enlisted Yugi for the day.

Yugi looked over the edge into the dark water. He felt drawn to the sea, even more so than usual. It was almost like… it was calling out to him.

The violet-eyed boy sighed slightly, and then looked back into the water. There was a flash beneath the water, silver catching the light.

Yugi gasped. 'Could it be? Yami?' He leaned over the edge, watching as the silver fins thrashed under the surface. At that moment Joey started pulling the net back up, the wench groaning at the weight.

The silver moved closer, and Yugi realized. 'He's trapped… Yami's trapped in the net! I have to make it stop!'

Yugi was right. Just under the surface Atem was frantically trying to untangle his tail, which had been caught when the net was dumped overboard. It was now hopelessly entangled around his lower half, imprisoning the young merPrince.

Seth had sounded the alarm, and was trying to pull Atem from the net's clutches, but to no avail. Atem was trapped.

The net moved upward, taking Atem with it. Atem thrashed, kicking his tail in a last frantic attempt at escape. "Seth!"

"Hold on Prince! We'll save you!" Seth cried as his grip on Atem's arm was torn away, and Atem ripped out of the water.

Atem felt the air waft over him, and instantly felt sick inside. Below him the water shone faintly, the only place that he could breathe torn away from him.

The net came fully out of the water, moving over to the tank of salt water that they kept the fish in. This was a fresh fish place; they kept the fish alive until they were needed.

Yugi searched among the fish and cords, and finally saw a larger form, silver fins twitching in the air. He looked down, and then saw a human torso hanging from the net, the person fighting the net.

"Joey!"

The net released into the tank, and Yugi saw the boy disappear beneath the fish. He ran forward, grabbing the only thing he could see of the boy, a single hand. He pulled and the boy slid out and onto the wet deck.

Yugi gasped. Instead of legs this boy had a large black-silver tail, silver fins fluttering weakly. Yugi watched as he tired to breathe, and then figured it out. 'Water! He needs water!'

The last tank was empty of fish, and closer than the ocean, so Yugi quickly pushed the boy – no, the merman – into it. He sank for a second, and then his head broke the surface once more.

Yugi looked into the eyes he had been seeing for the past two days. He blinked in shock, and then the merman spoke. "You… I know you…"