Alverna: Here is chapter 3. I don't own Yugioh or Barbie in a Mermaid's Tail.

Chapter 3: Kehmet

"It's huge!" Yami gasped as the two dropped to lie on a sandbar.

"Of course it is." Yugi giggled. "We've lived down here for years."

"You've got me there." Yami said as he shrugged his shoulders. "But still…"

"I know," Yugi nodded his head. "Gets me every time I come back home too." The two stared at the city for a few more seconds. "Come on, we need to get you a tail."

"A tail?" Yami questioned. Why would he need one of those?

"Yeah." Yugi glanced over at him. "We need to hide your legs. Aknadin mustn't find out you're here. He would freak if he found out you were here. Follow me carefully and make sure to keep your legs out of sight."

"Okay." Yami said as he kicked, propelling himself forward after Yugi.

As they swam threw the city, Yami got a closer look at the buildings. It looked like a mix of modern and ancient Egypt. The buildings architect was ancient Egyptian style, but they were skyscraper tall in a modern sense. There were homes, shopping stores, restaurants, and many other things that simply reminded Yami of home. There were even signs that reminded him of the neon sign outside of the local 50's diner back in Malibu.

As they hid behind a sign, Yami got a good look at all the merfolk living there, and even more surprised to see…

"Duel Monsters!" Yami gasped quietly as a merboy swam past, playing tag with a "Water Omotics".

"Wait," Yugi looked over to his human friend. "You know about duel monsters?"

"Yes." Yami admitted and took his duel deck out of its pouch on his belt. "But not real ones. Only cards."

"Okay." Yugi nodded. "We have cards to, but we mainly use them to summon monsters to real life. The members of the court and royal family can summon as many as they want. Everyone else has a number of monsters or a level of monster limit that they could summon."

"Well that's interesting." Yami said as he put his deck back.

"That's where we'll get you tail." Yugi said as they looked across the street.

"I still can't believe this is real." Yami muttered as the two started off again, Yugi making sure his body blocked Yami's legs from view.

As they reached the end of a group of potted plants, Yami ducked back to hear a girl talking on her shell phone.

"There were five colors," she said. "I couldn't decide which one to get, so I bought them all."

'This place really is like home.' Yami thought. 'Giggling girls and all."

Grabbing one of the long red sea plants, Yami hid his legs and quickly swam across the street. Safely hidden behind another board Yami and Yugi peaked over to see some mermaids exit a shop.

"I bought this," one said, holding up her recent purchase. "Does it clash with my scales?"

"Kind of." Her friend replied. "Can I borrow it?"

"Sure."

As the two moved down the street, Yami got a good look at the store they were going to, Bloomingtails.

"Have you tried the new Double Crabachino?" One mermaid said to her boyfriend. "Too die for."

A loud horn blasted though the town.

"Aknadin Festival!" Someone shouted.

"It's time for the Aknadin Festival." Someone else called out.

"What's going on?" Yami asked Yugi.

"We need to get you inside." Yugi replied with a worried look. Moving quickly, the two swam into the Bloomingtails store and out of sight. Peeking out of one of the windows, the two look-alikes watched as a procession entered the town.

A bunch of manta sharks were guarding a reclining chariot that was being pulled by large orange jellyfish. In the chariot was an old man with stringy grey hair. His tail was a dark grey, as well as his eyes. But what shocked Yami most, was the fact that his left eye was a piece of golden meddle that looked like an eye.

"What is with his eye?" Yam quietly hissed to Yugi.

"That's the Millennium Eye." Yugi whispered back. "It can read a person's mind and with draw a Ka from a person. All of the priest have a Millennium Item. The Pharaoh has one too. Usually it's the Millennium Puzzle, but that has been missing for as long as Pharaoh Aknankanon has."

"Millennium Items? What do they do?"

"They are used to judge criminals." Yugi said.

"And what's a Ka?" Yami asked.

"Basically a duel monster in a person's soul." Yugi said. "You can summon them to the real world with enough practice."

"Can you?"

"Yes. My Ka is Kuriboh."

"Suit you." Yami commented. Yugi blushed and began to point out each priest.

"That's High Priest Karim, the bearer of the Millennium Scales. I'll explain what the other items do later." High Priest Karim had shoulder length black hair. His tail was a deep blue color.

"High Priest Mahad holds the Millennium Ring." High Priest Mahad had long brown hair and brown eyes. His tail was the purple color that was the same as the "Dark Magician's" robes.

"High Priestess Isis controls the Millennium Necklace." The mermaid that was High Priestess Isis had brown hair and a tail that was the color of a dark pink.

"High Priest Shada wields the Millennium Key." High Priest Shada was bald, except for a black braid on the back of his head. His tail was the color green.

"The user of the Millennium Rod is not here, but his name is High Priest Seth. He has brown hair, icy blue eyes and tail, and a no-nonsense attitude."

"Reminds me of someone I know back at home." Atemu commented as he turned his attention back to the procession, which had stopped. Next to the chariot was a black haired male merteen with green eyes. He wore a red vest, and his tail was the same green color as his eyes.

"That's Duke." Yugi whispered as the stringy haired man, the 'pharaoh', had raised himself off of the cushions and was greeting the gathered people.

"My people," the merman's voice rasped out, "do you adore me?"

To Yami's surprise, everyone cheered. What's with that?

"I said," Aknadin said even louder, "do you adore me?" The cheering rose in volume. Aknadin looked pleased and he held up shadow magic that was swirling in a ball. "Do you love me enough do deserve you shadow magic?"

The cheering increased ten times over. Aknadin smiled and soaked in all the attention. Suddenly, he frowned. "You!" he snapped, pointing at someone in the crowd.

"Me?" a small voice squeaked.

"Swim forward." Aknadin commanded.

A blond haired, blue eyed young mergirl, with a light pink colored tail swam out of the group.

"Rebecca." Yugi muttered. Yami looked at him, hearing the fear in his voice.

"What's wrong?" Yami asked. But before Yugi could answer, Rebecca started talking again.

"I'm sorry my pharaoh." She was saying. "I was just looking at some new jewelry my grandfather sent me from his travels."

"You dare to ignore me?" Aknadin questioned, his voice rising in anger.

"No, no!" Rebecca's voice pitched higher.

Aknadin's Millennium Eye began to glow. Rebecca's eyes widened and she turned and tried to swim away.

"No, please!" Rebecca pleaded. "Please don't!"

A golden flash covered the area, forcing everyone to look away. When eyes were opened again, Rebecca was on the bottom of the sea floor, not moving.

"What did he do?" Yami asked in a strangled voice.

"That's how Aknadin controls Kehmet." Yugi answered in a sad voice. "All of the Millennium Items can remove souls from a person and place them somewhere else, be it rock, duel monster, or even seaweed. Aknadin has the trick mastered down pack. None of the other priest have enough strength, or experience, to challenge him."

"How sad." Yami muttered.

"Now." Aknadin said, completely ignoring the few brave merfolk who were gathering Rebecca's still form, "who wants their shadow magic?"

The merfolk started cheering again. As the cheering increased as the shadow magic was released, Yami thought over what Yugi had said. Aknadin ruled by fear and intimidation. His shadow magic was not strong enough to care for the ocean, much less his subjects.

"Until next time, my faithful subjects." Aknadin said as he leaned back in his chariot again.

"Away." The High Priests all called out as they swam after their ruler. "Disperse."

"So my destiny is to defeat Aknadin, right?" Yami asked as he and Yugi turned away from the window.

"Right." Yugi smiled, glad Yami was being more helpful about all this.

"How am I supposed to defeat that?" Yami practically yelled. Duel Monsters and surfing was all he was good at, not defeating some crazy magic he knew nothing about.

"I don't know." Yugi replied. "That's why we are going to see the Destinies. They will know what to do. Tail first though."

"Okay." Yami nodded his head as he took deep breaths, calming himself down.

Yeah right.

"What did you think of Aknadin's chariot?" a new voice outside of the shop said. Yami sucked in his breath and dove behind a long rack of tails and tops.

"So 50 seasons ago." Another voice replied. "It went out of style when my grandpa was a kid. And his robes make him look like he's ready for burial."

"You can say that again." The first voice replied, and Yami watched as two merteens swam threw the door, one nodding his head.

The one nodding his head looked a lot like Bakura, only more gentle, not so spiky white hair with light brown tips, soft chocolate brown eyes, and with pale skin. He wore a button up, medium red, elbow length shirt, with the top two buttons undone. His tail was the white, the edge of his fins the same brown as his eyes. He also had a brown cloth belt hanging around his waist, along with two brown wristlets on his wrists.

The one swimming next to him looked a lot like Marik, except his hair didn't have the crazy downward spikes Marik's did; but it was the same color. He was a lighter tan than Marik, with lilac eyes and a sandy colored tail that had two lilac colored stripes running down his sides. He wore a sleeveless lilac colored shirt that showed off below his rib cage. Golden upper arm, and lower arm bracelets, along with a neck chocker was the only jewelry he wore.

"I know." Marik's look-alike said. "Why do old people like to be so old fashioned these days. No offense to Yugi's grandpa. He actually changes with the times, and honors the old traditions."

"Yes." Bakura's similar agreed. "There really is no one like Grandpa."

"Glad to know you two feel that way." Yugi said as they swam further into the building.

"Yugi!" the white haired merteen turned around and hugged his friend. "It's so good to see you."

"Glad to see you to Ryou." Yugi said to the one hugging him, and looked to the one who was bouncing on his fins. "Hi Malik."

"Hi Yugi." Marik's look-alike, now known as Malik, greeted.

"It's great to see you two again." Yugi grinned, and a sea lion pup shot threw one of the windows, and strait to Yugi, who got a tongue facial, free of charge. "It's good to see you too Hikari. Ryou, Malik, I have someone I want you to-"

"Yugi, come check our new toy out." Malik interrupted.

"You guys got a new toy?" a new voice said. A dirty blond haired merteen with hazel-honey colored eyes, pale skin, and a dusty honey gold tail swam inside, closing the door behind him. He wore a white t-shirt with a blue strip across the chest. A belt with a special pouch that held a duel deck hung from his hips.

"Yes Joey, we did." Malik grinned, and dragged Yugi over to a fish, who was acting like a DJ of some sort at a musical device. "A DeepSea3 player. Pre-programmed with over 1,000 songs. Listen to this one. Track 264."

The fishy DJ set the track and started the song, playing one Yami often heard at his surfing meets, only slightly different.

I'm swimming on sunshine

Whoa-oa.

I'm swimming on sunshine

Whoa-oa.

I'm swimming on sunshine

Whoa-oa.

"Let's dance!" Ryou said as he giggled.

"One second-" Yugi tried to get out, but got caught up with the other three who were swimming in a circle together.

Yami looked on from his hiding place and felt himself smile. He could remember the times when Bakura and Marik would randomly make him dance with them as well.

And don't it feel good.

Hey! Alright now.

And don't it feel good.

Hey! Alright now. Yeah.

"Isn't this great?" Malik cheered.

"It's wonderful." Yugi gasped out.

"No kidding!" the blond merteen agreed.

"Yeah Joey." Yugi nodded. "But I have someone-"

"Whoa!" Ryou cried as Malik swung him out of the circle. And under the clothes rack of tails and tops Yami was hiding behind. Ryou gasped as he saw someone who looked like Yugi looking down at him.

"Um," Yami paused and tentivly waved his hand. "Hi?"

I used to think maybe you loved me,

Now I know that it's true.

(A/N: And before anyone asks, NO! This is not a Ryou x Yami fic. That is just where the lyrics go in the story.)

"Ah!" Ryou yelped, and shot out from under the tails, causing the rack to crash down on top of Yami.

"Ryou." Malik giggled. "It's Joey's job to knock things over."

"Not funny." Joey snapped as he looked over the mess, then gasped, seeing Yami's lower legs and feet sticking out from under the clutter.

"What are these?" Malik asked as he swam over, Yugi right behind him. "Ryou look."

Ryou, Malik, and Joey all bent over Yami's feet. Getting curious, Ryou reached out and pinched the big toe on Yami's right foot.

"Ouch!" Yami yelped as he yanked his foot away and pulled the tails off the upper half of his body. "Those are me."

"What?" Joey gasped.

"Those are my toes." Yami explained.

"Toes?" Ryou asked as he bent closer to look. Hikari joined him, licking the big toe on Yami's other foot.

"Yes." Yami jerked his other foot away and laughed as he felt the sea lion pup's tongue give chase. "Toes. And they are very ticklish."

"That's what I was trying to tell you guys earlier." Yugi said as he swam to Yami's side. "Ryou, Malik, Joey, I brought a visitor. My friend Yami." Yami stood up as he was introduced, and all three of them gasped.

"But," Joey stuttered out, "he's human."

"Half human." Yugi corrected. "He's Aknankanon's son. And we've seen proof that Pharaoh Aknankanon is alive!"

"Wait." Ryou said. "He can't be the heir. His father would have given him a royal name."

"Yami is my middle name." Yami interrupted before anyone else could talk. "My first name is Atemu, but only people with a death wish call me that."

"Then Yami can fulfill the prophecy." Malik gasped. "He can overthrow Aknadin."

"Then Aknankanon can rule Kehmet again." Ryou squealed. Hikari swam in front of the three new friends Yami had made, and bowed.

"Hikari's right." Joey said, seeing the baby sea lion bow. "You are our rightful prince, and we," he glanced at Malik and Ryou, then bowed with the two, "are at your service."

"No offense," Yami looked uncomfortable as they looked up, "but, I don't want to be your prince. I just want my normal life back, but I can only do that with my father's help."

Ryou's and Joey's faces dropped. Malik seeing this quickly thought.

"We should go see the Destinies." He blurted out, making Joey perk up. "They'll know the tools needed to defeat Aknadin."

"My thoughts exactly." Yugi agreed. "But before we go, we need something to hide Yami's, uh," Yugi paused.

"Appendages?" Yami asked, well aware of the conversation.

"Yeah." Yugi nodded his head. "Let's go with that one." At that, Ryou grinned.

"Total tail makeover!" was his cheer.

"Let's get started." Malik was just as excited as his friend.

A new track started playing; Ryou and Malik really started to get into the swing off what they were doing.

"Yugi, Joey, Hikari," Ryou called out. "You are the audience."

"So we can cheer or boo on what we think looks good on Yami, is that it?" Joey asked.

"Cheering, yes." Yami replied as he was forced behind a curtain that was next to the wall. "Booing, please don't. Just shake your head or something like that."

"Let's try this one." Ryou said as he grabbed a dark blue top, one that would obviously show the abdomen.

"Oh!" Malik gasped as he grabbed a black top with silver chains. "How about this one? It goes with his hair."

After some discussion, Yami was dressed in a black and grey striped tail, some wrist gauntlets with studs, along with a neck chocker of the same design, and the black top Malik had picked. It had too many crisscrossing chains in Yami's opinion. The one thing he wouldn't let the makeover masters take away was his duel deck belt, so that was with him to. Coming out from behind the curtain, Yami modeled the look he had.

"Uh-uh." Joey shook his head.

"I think you should keep the wrist gauntlets and the chocker," Yugi added, "but go with a different design."

"Try what you have, in other words?" Ryou asked as he looked a Yugi's neck belt and bracelets.

"It's worth a shot." Yami said. He actually wore a neck belt and bracelets to school, so he knew it would look good.

"It is so you." Malik grinned. Yami was wearing the bottom half of his wet suit, knowing he wouldn't need the top, and the neck belt and bracelets. "We need some flash."

"In other words, now all we have to do is find a tail and top." Ryou said as he started sorting through tops. "No, no, no, no, no." He said as he tossed top after top over his shoulders. "Where did it go? Ah." He picked one up and turned around in time to see Hikari poke his head out from under the tops pile, Yugi and Joey beside him giggling.

Yami came out from behind the curtain again to show the dark blue top that showed abdomen that Ryou had first picked, and a green colored tail that had a bracelet of its own at the base.

"No." Joey flatly said.

"Good top design," Yugi commented. "But try a different color."

"This is so much fun." Malik giggled as he grabbed some more tails. Ryou went back to tossing tops around, trying to find the same design, but different color.

After a bunch of sorting, and two arguments, Yami came out sporting a yellow top that matched his bangs, and a royal purple colored tail.

"Sorry." Joey grimaced. "That's just not it."

"Yeah guys." Yugi agreed. "No royal colors."

"Next." Yami sighed. He couldn't believe it was only 10 in the morning.

"Let's try this one." Malik held up a neon blue tail. Ryou wrinkled his nose and shook his head. "Oooh, check this out." Ryou perked up and nodded.

10 seconds later, Yami came out from behind the curtain, again. The orange shirt and blue tail did not do any good.

"Defiantly not." Yugi spoke before Joey even opened his mouth.

"There has to be something." Malik muttered to himself.

"I've got it." Ryou gasped and whispered his idea to Malik, whose face lit up like a Christmas tree when it was turned on.

"Good idea." Malik agreed.

2 minutes later, Yami came out for the last time, grinning.

"I love it."

The crimson top he wore went well with his tanned skin, and the black tail with crimson streaks that started at the knee and down was defiantly the look for Yami. The neck belt and bracelets went wonderfully with the rest of the outfit.

"Perfect Yami." Joey cheered.

"Best work yet guys." Yugi said to Ryou and Malik.

"Now we can go see the Destinies." Joey said as he opened the doors, and the group of male merteens, plus one sea lion pup, swam out.

Alverna: Review? -puppy dog eyes of doom-