Authoress Notes: Sorry for the lateness, things have been really crazy/agonizing for me especially. Our deepest apologies for not updating sooner. I started college this week and to be honest I'm still trying to get the hang of everything again. Thank you guys for all the love it really means a lot to both of us ^_^ Blackrose wrote most of the chapter because I was feeling like total shit and it hasn't been a good two weeks for me. I owe her big time.
So how do you guys want this to end? We've been talking about this and we're gonna let you guys choose, whatever one gets the most requests we'll do:
A).They all have a huge showdown with Dartz as in last battle including the mer-people, and the Great Leviathan is revived. Yami bonds with Silifer, Kaiba with Obelisk and Marik with The Winged Dragon of Ra. Yami proposes to Tea and major romance among the other characters. Selene gets her voice back.
B) The final battle happens and a sacrifice is made and we do an epilogue where Yami and Tea are married and have a baby.
Sunrise Phoenix: Thanks ^_^ Yeah it is bad. I don't know but she's gonna give him a good hard talking too.
Coka Cookie Cola: XD He's turned to the evil side MWAHAHAHAHA! Throwing out the necklace wasn't a good idea ;)
Aqua Girl 007: Thanks :) He meant what he did, and now he's stuck with her, he just doesn't know it yet.
RealShippingPrincess: Thanks ^_^ Yami's a crazy mass murder now BWAHAHAHAHAHA!
Scaevola2: Thanks :) It was chilling to write and scary. OO
sailorblaze: Thanks ^_^ XD HOLY FRIG he went completely insane on us again! Oh bother...
MutantEnemy101: Thanks :) Blackrose wrote that, glad you liked it. Trust me things are going to get a little sinister from now on.
Kender20: Thanks ^_^ Oh he'll get out of it. Dartz is gonna get what's coming to him ;)
Disclaimer: We don't own anything.
Plot:( Based on The Little Mermaid) Mermaids are mythical creatures that only exist in fairy tales and myths. A kiss from a mermaid or merman is the most powerful thing in the world. Once they are bonded, the love between them never fades. Yami is a merman prince who rescues a human princess named Tea from almost drowning, and falls in love with her, as she does with him. Even though they are from different worlds, they are willing to risk everything to be together. No matter what the cost. YamiTea JoeyMai SetoKisara
By Night One Way, By Day Another
By VampiressBeauty20 and BlackRoseDragonCK
Chapter Eleven
A cruel smile twisted Yami's lips as he wandered through the peaceful village, his face shrouded by a black hooded cloak. He had decided to wear the garment to further conceal his identity...however that was not the only reason. The dark youth relished the way that his cloak blocked out the light when he was forced to venture from the shadows. That was a concept that he did not take for granted as it was exceedingly difficult to find an area of complete darkness in this place.
The town was ridiculously cheery and tranquil at night. Red brick shops, bakeries, and other business sat in cordial rows, their doorways lit by softly glowing lanterns. Quaint flower pots added nice splashes of color around the establishments, interrupting the continuous brown of the cobblestone pathway. Sometimes doors would open and Yami would catch a hint of whatever lay inside the buildings. Tantalizing smells...animated conversation...cheery laughter...all things that would normally put him in a pleasant mood...now only served to prick his patience.
The prince gave a low growl and pulled his hood lower. He could sense them...could sense the goodness of the citizens in this area. Kindness...generosity...courage...determination...benevolence...all sickeningly righteous traits that would never do to satiate the Orichalcos's hunger. He had to find a place inhabited by scoundrels...a place filled with humans ruled by anger, greed, and darkness.
Yami stopped in the middle of the road and closed his blood eyes, breathing in deeply to increase his concentration. Faint music coming from one of the happy shops made his eyebrows furrow in irritation, but he did not let it fully distract him. He had to focus...to zoom in on the source of darkness in this area. There had to be one. No village was without its scoundrels, deviants, and thieves.
A small trace of darkness reached out to him...faint...but distinct...and a smile once again formed on the youth's lips. "Got you..." Yami murmured before taking off down a dark ally, toward the source of evil.
As he ran down the foreboding path, laughing wickedly as the force grew stronger and stronger...and the light grew weaker and weaker. Cheery, warm buildings vanished, replaced by dismal, dilapidated structures that looked as though they might collapse at any moment. The cobblestone path in this rundown part of the village was overgrown with weeds and covered in bits of crumbling buildings. Houses were deadly silent, their windows boarded up, from abandonment or fear...he was not had a hunch that this was the place from where Bakura had come.
The one building in this ghetto that did posses a spark of life, immoral as it may have been, was a large tavern. It was a rotting wood building with a porch that seemed ready to cave in. Broken bottles lay strewn about in the smell of drink was nauseatingly strong. That scent, foul as it was...made Yami lick his lips in anticipation. He would find some very good souls here...his hunger would be satisfied.
The scarred door to the tavern opened and out staggered a man. He was powerfully built with a broad chest and muscular arms clad in black bracelets. He wore a black vest over a red shirt. His cotton pants were black and thick leather boots graced his large feet. He wore a red, white, and blue cloth over his oily blonde hair that partly hung in cold blue eyes. The man's expression was hard...and his soul radiated with a darkness that he apparently couldn't tame with the dulling effects of liquor.
Yami grinned and met the man as he descended the rickety porch stairs onto the unkempt lawn. The man glared and stomped to a halt, his thick boots cracking fragments of broken glass as he did so. "What are you looking' at?"
The youth tilted his head to one side and gave a wolfish grin. "I was just wondering why a 'tough guy' such as yourself...is wandering around like a dog with its tail between its legs."
"That ain't none of your business, runt!" the blonde started to move forward, as if intending to attack...then stopped and gave a dismissive wave. "Huh...Bandith Keith doesn't have time to waste on scrawny punks like you. Get lost!"
"Bandit Keith, eh?' the youth raised a single ebony eyebrow. "Well...seeing as alcohol didn't seem to help you...what do you say release all that anger in a duel against me?"
Keith arched his own eyebrow. "You duel?"
"I do indeed...in fact...I am one of the very best," Yami's grin widened to show incisors that gleamed like fangs in the moonlight.
Bandit Keith laughed, a mocking sound that only made his opponent's smirk widen. "Kid, you have no idea what you're getting yourself into...guess it's up to me to teach ya a lesson!" The scoundrel stepped back a few paces and faced the prince, his body tensing in preparation for battle.
Yami chuckled and pulled his hood a little lower, spreading his feet firmly apart on the weedy ground. There was a great expanse of darkness between them, interrupted only by the tavern sitting a few yards away...but the prince was about to enclose them...to seal both of their fates.
"I'll start things off," Yami said and crossed his arms over his chest. He gave a low growl, feeling the power well up inside him, then threw his head back and spread his arms wide. His pale forehead glowed with emerald power, the veins standing out in his pallid, slim arms as the domineering force fought to escape. "I summon the Seal of Orichalcos!"
In that moment...the infamous circle descended from the black sky, spinning in all its wicked glory. Keith's eyes grew wide as the Seal touched the ground, crisscrossing into its middle star shape. The man turned frantically and began banging on the force field that kept them trapped within. "Hey! This isn't f-funny! What k-kinda sick joke are y-you playin' kid?"
"It's no joke..." Yami replied coolly, relishing his victim's terror. A small Seal glowed on his forehead, enhancing his already terrifying expression. "This is the power of the Orichalcos. When the duel is over...only the winner may penetrate the border...but the loser can never leave. His soul remains locked inside the Seal...forever."
Bandit Keith turned his frightened blue eyes toward the dark prince and Yami smirked. "Now that your ignorance has been corrected...allow me to complete my move. I summon Queen's Knight!"
A fair young woman appeared on the field, her agile body protected by thick red armor. She had dark, fierce eyes and blonde hair that reached down to her waist. A gleaming sword clutched in one hand, however, made it obvious that she was far from being a beauteous damsel in distress.
"Thanks to the Orichalcos..." Yami explained. "She grows even more powerful!"
As if responding to his words, a smaller green Seal burned on her forehead. The knight clutched her face and groaned in temporary pain...but soon straightened up, a cruel grin that mimicked her master's consorting her pretty face. Her blade glowed with green energy.
"With that done, I shall go easy on you and end my turn."
"O-okay, brat!" Keith tried to sound angry, but the stutter in his voice gave away his obvious fear. "My move!" He stretched his hand out in front of him, then brought it up, curling the fingers into fists. "I summon Slot Machine in Defense Mode!"
A large, yellow robot appeared in front of him. It had several slots on its front that spun quickly, making it impossible for anyone to make out the symbols on them.
"That's it for now!" the blonde growled.
Yami grinned in response and cracked his neck casually. "Very well...back to me." Those ruby eyes gleamed mockingly as he added, "I was hoping for a bit more of a challenge from the 'great Bandit Keith'...but you've only disappointed me."
"Watch your mouth, punk!" Keith snarled but Yami ignored him.
"I summon King's Knight to the field!" A large knight with rippling muscles appeared, his form barely covered by golden armor. "I'm not done though...:" the prince said with another sinister grin. "I'll give up some of my remaining magical energy to use their special ability! It allows me to Summon Jack's Knight!" A slender young man wearing blue armor materialized along with his comrades.
Yami gave a cruel laugh as all three monsters glowed and crackled with green energy. "You are no match for me! Go my creatures! Tear down his defense and attack him directly!"
The Knights obeyed, unleashing might battle cries as they did so. They raised their menacing blades, ready to strike down the pathetic robot...when Keith held out a hand.
"Not so fast!" he announced. "I use some of my magical energy to activate a trap! Negate Attack!"
A dark, swirling shield appeared in front of Keith's beast, protecting it from the warriors' onslaught. It writhed and flowed for a moment before slowly dissipating, revealing a smugly grinning Bandit Keith. "So much for your big bad knights...now it's MY move!"
The bulky scoundrel raised his honey-colored brows began to laugh. The laugh started out soft...and slowly increased in volume until Yami finally narrowed his blood eyes in annoyance.
"Heh heh...you poor, scrawny dweeb..." Keith muttered. "For all your talk about being the best...you're still no match for me!" His body began to glow with bright white energy, making those glacial eyes gleam even brighter. "I use a spell known as Soul Exchange! This allows me to sacrifice one of your monsters in addition to mine. I choose your King's Knight! With that said and done, I sacrifice your King's Knight along with my Slot Machine in order to bring out my indestructible monster!"
The dark ground began to tremble with the force of whatever was being summoned. Glass lying around the tavern jingled with the tremors and dark blue lightning pierced the ebony sky above them. Yami tensed slightly, wondering what on earth was coming.
"Behold!" Keith cackled loudly. "My Barrel Dragon!"
Dark mist began to swirl in the center of the Seal, making it near impossible to see anything. Within the smoke, however, Yami heard an ear-splitting roar. His red eyes narrowed and his fingers curled tightly into fists, preparing for whatever lay beyond that wicked mist. Slowly...the smoke faded away...and the prince got his answer. It was a large, terrifying dragon made completely out of black metal. It's head was in the shape of a gun barrel and several fluorescent green tubes protruded from its back, obviously giving it some sort of power. The beast was obviously powerful...and quite eager for a battle.
The first thing that registered in his groggy mind...was hardness...coldness. However, the stone-like feeling did no stretch all the way through his body. It resided at his sore knees, spreading iciness along the lower half of his body...while the other half rested against something soft and warm.
Yami gave a low groan and curled his fingers around the silky substance, wishing in what little awareness still remained in his mind that he could bury himself in the comfort. His head felt as if it were shrouded by a dark shadow...and while consciousness pricked at the edge of his brain, he wanted nothing more than to shove it away and sink back into the black abyss.
The youth focused in on that darkness, striving to sink back into the relieving arms of sleep. He squeezed the soft thing harder...and started when a sudden pain shot through his hands. Yami's blood eyes snapped open. He was fully awake now...and finally understood the strange warm and cold sensations he'd been pondering.
He was in his bedroom, on his knees on the cold, hard floor while the upper half of his body was draped over the lavish bed. It seemed...as though he had come in here at some unknown point and collapsed, only halfway making it onto the piece of furniture. He released the blankets and looked at his hands. They were covered in scrapes, especially around the knuckles. That had been the source of the youth's sudden pain...yet he couldn't remember what exactly had caused the injury to happen.
Groaning, Yami turned around so that he was sitting on the stone floor and leaned his back against the bed. Morning light streamed in through the bedroom window, stinging his ruby eyes. He drew a knee up to his chest and leaned his forearm against it, burying his face in the arm. Why couldn't he remember anything? The prince recalled being in his bedroom the night before...getting a sudden headache...then...nothing. His bruised hands squeezed the fabric of his black pants. Perhaps it had all been a bad dream. Perhaps...he had fallen off the bed and, in the process, hurt his hands...
Finally, the prince sighed and eased himself upward onto his feet. He staggered a bit, but caught the bed poster, steadying himself. He felt tired...weak...as if he'd only slept a few hours. Yami trudged over to his dresser and pried open the drawer, wincing as his fingers stung. He dressed himself in a long-sleeved black shirt and grey vest with dark blue pants and black boots.
As he was lacing up the boots, the youth noted his black cloak lying on the ground a few feet away from the bed...and frowned. Near the cloak...were fragments of glass...and upon further inspection, Yami saw that his vanity mirror had been shattered. Just what had happened last night? The question would not quit nagging him...but he didn't have time to ponder it. He would be late for breakfast if he did...and he did not want Tea to worry.
The breakfast table was filled with its usual spread of decadent treats. Fresh fruits, meats, pastries, breads, and jams of all kind sent tantalizing aromas wafting through the air, making Yami's stomach rumble. It was all he could do to sit patiently in his seat while everyone came to the table. He was so hungry...as if he'd been involved in some rigorous activity.
When everyone sat down, Joey and Tristan began devouring the food with their usual lack of civility and Yami found that he was not much better. He was shoveling in pastries at an alarming rate, barely stopping long enough to chew. Realizing this, the youth forced himself to slow down...and looked around the room as he ate.
Serenity was sitting beside Ryou, something she usually did not do. The two were talking in hushed tones, giggling every so often...and the girl looked happier than she had in a long time. Marik ate in his usual silence, smiling as he tossed small scraps to his Pyramid Turtle. Yami's gaze landed on Selene and his eyebrows raised in perplexity. His sister sat there, absently stabbing at her fruit with a fork. Her faced was colored with a slight blush, her eyes distant...and she didn't seem to want to eat anything. Before the prince could ask about her behavior, however, his lover spoke.
"So, is there any news this morning?" Tea asked, casually mixing some fresh, sliced strawberries into her bowl of yogurt.
Mai's pretty face lit up with a smile. "Actually, there is, hun. My Harpy Ladies have informed that when they were out hunting this morning, they saw your father fast approaching home. He should be here by this afternoon."
"Father?" the princess beamed. "Oh, that's wonderful! I'll finally be able to introduce him to Yami!" she turned to look at her beloved. "He's going to love you Yami! Almost as much as I do..."
Yami grinned and blew her a kiss. Joey and Tristan gagged, pushing their plates piled with pastries away. "UGH! We're EATING here!" Everyone laughed at the duo's antics. Yami laughed too...however he couldn't escape the nagging pang stabbing at his heart. Would her father really approve of him? Would he trust a young man...former merman...who couldn't even remember the events of last night?
Something bumped against the prince's leg and he looked down. Kuriboh crawled out from under the table, looking up at his master with those wide, adorable eyes. The little creature squeaked and rubbed against his hand affectionately, as if he had sensed Yami's feelings of doubt. Yami smiled and caressed his companion...but it did not take the doubts completely away. Still...he would just have to push past them and make it through the morning. For Tea's father was coming home...and he had to make a good impression.
After breakfast, Tea asked Yami if he would go with her on a horseback ride through the castle grounds. The girl had clothed herself in a dark blue spaghetti strap dress that had slits on either side going up mid-thigh, allowing her to easily mount a horse. Her chocolate hair was tied into a bun and she confidently clutched a small riding whip in one hand, making her look every bit as experienced as Yami was clueless. However, he would leap on any chance to be alone with his beloved so he heartily agreed.
Now, Yami found himself awkwardly perched atop a white horse, clinging for dear life to the reins. He and Tea were riding along a dirt path through the beauteous castle gardens. It was a wonderful day, the sun shining down on the picturesque earth. Fragrant flowers of all shapes, sizes, and colors surrounded them, along with hedges were trimmed into the shape of various Duel Monsters. Statues of elegantly carved dragons rested among the plants, adding stony relief to the floral setting.
Even with the breathtaking view, Yami found that he could not quite enjoy it. He was far too busy trying to stay aboard his slightly restless horse. He rode slowly, amazed by his companion's patience in decreasing her speed for his sake. She rode a chestnut-brown horse and seemed perfectly comfortable perched precariously on the creature's back. She gave him countless tips, showing her usual understanding compassion toward his nervousness. After a few moments, however, Tea let out a bell-like laugh.
"Yami, loosen your grip on the reigns!" she giggled. "You're going to fuse your hands to the leather otherwise..."
Yami gave his horse a wary look. "I am not sure that's such a good idea...I'm pretty sure this beast has a grudge against me."
"It's a horse, Yami. It doesn't have a grudge against you. Trust it."
The prince stared at her for a moment, then looked back at the horse. He took a deep breath...and slowly relaxed his hands. His pale fingers, hurt from clenching them so tightly...as did the unexplained scars on his knuckles. He let himself relax...and cautiously looked up at Tea, a slow smile playing at his lips.
"Hey...you're right. This is not so..." before he could finish the sentence, his horse let out an excited whinny. It reared up on its hind legs and took off in a cloud of dust, leaving its rider lying on the path.
"Oh no!" Tea leaped from her own steed and rushed to the prince, helping him to sit up. "Are you all right?"
Yami rubbed the back of his unruly head and glared daggers in the directions of his traitorous mount. "Evil, Ra-forsaken creature...I told you it didn't like me!"
The girl stared at him for a moment...and her blue eyes crinkled into a smile. A pink flush danced across her ivory skin and it was not long before she was laughing heartily, gasping for air as she did so. The youth watched her for a moment...her sparkling sapphire eyes...beautifully blushing cheeks...bright, cheery smile...and it was not long before he was laughing as well.
Shaking her head in amusement, Tea took Yami's hand and helped him mount her horse. He wrapped his arms around her tiny waist and waited patiently as she unfurled the reigns.
"You sure you don't want to steer?" the girl asked and he shook his head.
"No...I'm rather content where I am now," he said and planted a chaste kiss on her cheek.
With that, they rode off and Yami was finally able to fully appreciate the incredible wonders of this beautiful place. He saw exotic plants, clear, babbling streams traveling along unobtrusive paths through the grass, tiny fairies with elegant wings of black, green, purple, and blue...all small yet amazing wonders that made his heart beat rapidly with excitement. The prince held Tea's middle tighter, breathing in the sweet, intoxicating scent of her hair. That odd, cold pang ricocheted through his chest again but he ignored it. He wasn't going to let anything ruin this enchanting moment.
After while, the lovers dismounted and climbed a soft, grassy hill overlooking the pathway to the castle. They sat down beneath a majestic, leafy tree, gazing down at the cheery village below. The villagers bustled about beneath the sun, each going about their usual duties of the cheery day. Tea sighed and leaned her head into the crook of Yami's neck.
"You know..." she murmured softly. "There was an incident last night..."
"Oh?" Yami raised his brows and flicked his blood eyes down toward hers. Her face was serious...and worried.
"They found the body of one of the villagers outside a backstreet tavern. His name was Bandit Keith. He was, according to the other people, a scoundrel...but no one deserves what happened to him. They say that...his body was...empty."
The prince felt his blood go cold. His heart lurched...and he was surprised his voice came out at all. "What do you mean...empty?
"It was drained of everything. Life, mind, soul...he was an empty shell. No one knows how it happened...or what could have possibly caused it."
Yami's heart was racing. That name...Bandit Keith...why did it sound so familiar? He was certain he'd never met a merman by that name...and the only humans he knew were the ones residing in the castle. Not only that...but the method in which his corpse was found pricked the edge of his brain as well. That unexplained pang shot through his heart again and it was all the youth could do not to wince. Something was very wrong...and he had no idea what.
"I just..." Tea's soft voice made him jump. She looked up at him and placed a loving hand on his chest. The cold pain eased a little. "I'll be happy when my father returns. He'll know exactly what do about all this."
"Yes..." Yami gave a low chuckle. "I have to admit...I'm a little nervous about your father returning."
Tea raised her brows. "Why?"
The prince laughed again, running a hand through his sharp hair. "I am not exactly your average, everyday prince. Are you sure he will like me?"
"He's going to adore you, Yami," the girl smiled, her eyes half-lidded as she leaned in closer. "Though...not nearly as much as I do."
A/N: Until next time!
Blackrose and VB20