Authoress Notes:
Blackrose:So sorry for not updating sooner. School has kept us both busy non-stop and VB20 was deathly sick.
VB20: :( Yeah and consitpation is no fun T_T
Blackrose: Don't feel bad at least you're better now ^_^
VB20: *Mumbles curses under her breath* It wasn't fun, oh well unto the chapter!
Sailorblaze: Don't worry, it would never be Selene ^_^.
Aqua girl 007: Haha, yeah it gets hectic XD. Marik does have a particular purpose in this and his character will be developed more this chapter ^_^.
Real Contest Shipping Princess: Thanks :)! Haha, yup dad's coming home ^_^.
Coka Cookie Cola: Haha, yeah really XD. Dare not to defy the necklace LOL ^_^.
Sunrise Phoenix: Haha, I know really XD. Daddy is NOT going to be happy LOL :).
MutantEnemy6789: Yeah, it's connected to the title ^_^. He lives one way by night and another way by day :).
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 Twelve
Yami's face lit up in a sly grin. Sliding an arm around her waist, he dipped down and captured Tea's sweet, soft lips in his. She tangled her hands into his unruly hair and the youth ran his hands over her slender back, gently easing her down to the lush, grassy ground. In that one moment, Yami felt all the stressful uncertainties weighing on his mind...dissolve. He was here with the woman he loved...he...was where he belonged...and nothing could ruin the magic of this moment.
"TEA!"
Yami leaped away from the girl as if she were red hot, looking around frantically for the source of the commanding voice. Standing a few feet away from the young lovers, his muscled form casting a sizable shadow over them...was a man Yami had never seen before. He was tall and well-muscled with pale skin and raven black hair that was about the length of Marik's. His powerful form was clothed in glimmering sliver armor and an elegantly engraved silver band rested atop his head. A royal blue cape trailed behind him, seeming to further enhance the majesty of his appearance. Though Yami was positive he had never seen this person before...that face...that serious, searching face...stared down at him with sapphire eyes he knew all too well.
"Daddy!" Tea beamed and jumped to her feet. She threw her arms around the man's neck...and his expression instantly melted, turning from harsh to soft and loving. She pulled back and beamed up at her father. "How was your trip?"
"Very well," he replied in a voice that sounded gentle...but had the ability of sending fear into the hearts of many. "There were a few anomalies along the way...but nothing too serious." Then, he turned his gaze to the prince...and that protective, harsh look returned. "Who is this?"
"Oh!" the girl exclaimed as if she had forgotten her boyfriend was there. Tea went back to Yami and stuck her hand through his arm. "Yami...this is my father, King Emyr. Dad, this is Yami...the man who has stolen my heart."
"Hello..." Yami's voice was a ghost of its former self. He cleared his throat, trying to regain his composure. "It is a pleasure to finally meet you, sir."
King Emyr's azure eyes ran up and down the prince's slim form, taking in everything about him. Yami's shoulders tensed as he tried not to shift in discomfort. The man continued his slow investigation...until his icy eyes finally locked with eyes of fire. Their gaze...was as cold as their color.
"The pleasure is mine," he said cordially...but his expression did not mirror the cordial words. He turned toward Tea. "And where did you meet this young man?"
The girl shared a look with her lover before responding, "Well actually...he's only been...HUMAN for very long."
Emyr shot her a look of surprise and Tea giggled. "You see..Yami is from Atlantis, land of the Merpeople."
The king slowly swiveled to look back at Yami...and the prince could swear that he saw the color drain from the king's face. He clenched his jaw tightly and his eyes were dark with something Yami couldn't quite identify. The former merman felt a glacial shiver run down his spine. He wasn't sure if this reaction stemmed from some human prejudice against merpeople...or something else entirely.
"Well..." Emyr begin, forcing a stiff smile onto his face. "I am very interested in hearing your story, young man."
Yami swallowed, his throat suddenly dry. He opened his mouth to respond...but Tea saved him the trouble.
"Of course, Dad, but you've traveled for some time. It's lunch time and you must be hungry." she slipped her hand around his muscular arm. "Let's go inside and get something to eat."
As they started toward the castle, looking majestic and inviting in the distance, Tea turned back to look at the prince. She gave him a small, encouraging smile which he returned...however his heart was not in the gesture. Something felt very wrong here...and he had a feeling the issue ran far deeper than either of them could imagine.
The long table looked just as decadent at lunch time as it did during breakfast. Large, silver bowls of fresh salad greens rested in various places all over the table as did smaller containers of crisp vegetables. Warm, fluffy bread loaves rested near plates of creamy butter and thinly sliced meats, allowing the consumers to either indulge in a sandwich or the simple joy of buttered bread.
Tea had requested that only she, Yami, and Emyr dine in this room so that they could have the much-anticipated father-meets-boyfriend conversation. The group was completely alone in the room saved for Marik's Pyramid Turtle Amon, who lay curled inside his shell against one wall. They sat in oddly isolated seats: Tea at one end, her father at the other, and Yami in the middle. In spite of the warm food placed before him, Yami felt a noticeable chill in the room. It was almost as if...he were about to be interrogated.
"Yami?" Tea's gentle voice made him jump. She was gazing at him, a gentle and encouraging smile on her pretty face. "Tell us your story."
The youth glanced at her father. Emyr was watching him, those piercing blue eyes never wavering. Yami gulped...and opened his mouth to speak. "I first saw Tea aboard a ship...as soon as I laid eyes on her...I thought that she was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen, inside and out. I could sense the impenetrable light within her soul...and it was unlike anything I'd ever seen before." he paused a moment, feeling a flush heat his face, and continued.
"My sister and I rescued her from drowning. We took her to shore...and I promised her that we would meet again..."
"Sister?" Emyr suddenly cut in, as if he'd only then registered the simple word. He shot his daughter a look. "There is another?"
Tea nodded. "Her name is Selene...and she is every bit as brave and kind as her brother.
The prince gave her an acknowledging smile and opened his mouth to continue...but the doors leading out into the hall opened. Wearing a short-sleeved lavender shirt and tan pants, Marik stepped into the room. He offered them a sheepish smile and apologetically said, "So sorry to intrude...I needed to get Amon so that I can give him his lunch." He looked at the king and gave a swift bow. "Pleasure to see you back, Sire."
The king give a stiff smile and nodded...but Yami could swear that he saw the color further leave the man's face. He didn't take time to ponder it, however, and continued. "My sister and I knew the only way to be a part of this world...was to become like those who inhabit it. So, we went to the dark sorcerer Dartz...and struck a deal for humanity."
Out of the corner of his eye, Yami saw Marik freeze. He turned and gave the platinum blonde a "what's wrong" look. Marik's coffee skin darkened slightly with a flush and he stammered out, "Did...did you say that you visited a sorcerer to become human?"
"I did."
Marik bit his lip. "So...it is possible for a merman to become human through magic?"
"It is," Yami let the questioning intonation creep into his voice.
Marik opened his mouth to ask another question, but King Emyr cut him off. "So you became human just like that?"
"Well no..." The prince hung his head slightly, feeling like a child who had just been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. "There was a price. I had to give up my most powerful dueling relic...and Selene had to relinquish her voice. It was worth it, however, to be with Tea."
Marik spoke up again as he strove to coax Amon out of his shell. "How long did it take for you to turn into humans?"
"Only a few minutes, but it was excruciatingly painful. We both passed out when it was over..." the prince spoke with more than a little wariness in his voice. What was it that interested Marik so much in this subject? The others never asked this many questions... Whatever it was, the king seemed none too happy about it as he spoke up again to end their conversation.
"And what do your parents think about all this?"
Yami's heart jolted with guilt and he couldn't help but hang his head. "Father was not happy...but...he doesn't understand. He has something against humans...I am not sure what exactly. We...don't always see eye to eye..."
The prince took a deep breath...and slowly raised his gaze to meet the king's. Their stares locked, blood clashing with deep water...and Yami saw something in those eyes. A sorrow...a knowing shadow...and what looked like...compassion. It was almost as if...the king knew something...something that Yami did not. Finally, Emyr cleared his throat.
"Well, Yami...you seem like a nice young man...and you seem to care deeply for my daughter. For that I am willing to give you a chance and would like to get to know you better." He leaned back in his plush chair...but the relaxed posed looked rather forced. "I am going Horn Imp Hunting with the other boys tomorrow morning. Would you like to join me?"
Yami had no idea what "Horn Imp Hunting" was but he was ready to leap on any chance to get on the king's good side. He readily agreed and felt a wave of relief pass over him at Tea's joyous smile. Still...he couldn't banish the nagging questions from his mind. What was it that Emyr knew? Was it something about Merpeople...or did it go far deeper than that? And what was the cause of Marik's intense interest? The prince had no idea and this wasn't the time to ask...so he continued his meal in silence, hoping that everything would work out in the end.
The ocean could be such a mysterious and beautiful place, waves a gorgeous turquoise color crashed against the sharp dark rocks. Selene watched as the last rays of the sunlight settled upon the quiet and peaceful beach. The dark crystal waters of her former home glistened in the distance. It was another beautiful sunset but something about it seemed so different. In all her years as a mermaid she had never seen one this amazing. A cool breeze caressed her skin as she let out a sigh.
It had been a few weeks since Yami and she had decided to become humans. Of course she didn't regret coming to the place that he had longed so much for, it was a wonderful beautiful place. The sky painted in glorious shades of gold, red, and pink and the ocean was a dark blue, seeming to melt into the gun metal grey clouds on the horizon. The air was cool but not too cold and smelled of ocean and the rapidly approaching night. Her fingers ran through the smooth sand.
'He really seems to love it here, it's like he was meant for this kind of life one on land not in the sea. Tea is the one he's destined for and I know he loves her so much. They're so lucky to have found each other. I wonder how Father, Grandfather, Yugi, and Ishizu are doing, for each of them I hope they are well. I miss them so much, but honestly being here feels right.' she thought pulling my knees closer towards her chest.
She seriously also wondered why Bakura kissed her first. Of course she wouldn't deny it, he was beautiful for a thief. His long white shaggy white and dark brown eyes would surely make any woman swoon at the sight of him. But the games he liked to play with people's hearts just made her despise him. But when she was around him, everything just felt perfect and in balance. He told her of his past and where he grew up in a place called "Kul Elna."
It was a peaceful village just a few miles south of where Tea lived. She never expected to him even bother opening up about his past but slowly he recalled bits and pieces of his memory. His whole family slaughtered when he was a child. Everything taken from him: His own family, his home, and his own peace of mind. If she could still speak, then she would tell him more about the home that she left and the wonderful memories that she carried inside her heart. She had fallen completely and unconditionally in love with him.
Looking around the beach, she realized it was starting to get dark. Rising to her feet, she dusted off her dress. Selene sighed softly, if Bakura wasn't so distant and close minded, he still seemed to have it in his head that almost everyone on the planet wasn't fond and didn't like him. That was before she saw him standing in shadowed corner of a palm tree, head down, his long white snowy locks covering his face. His pale arms were crossed over his slim but muscled torso. Her smile faded before she began to walk right past him.
A hand clamped around her wrist, pulling her back. He gave her his typical smirk before his face became serious. "What do you want now?" she asked. "I seriously don't what it is about you that drives me crazy, but ever since I first met you, I haven't been able to get you out of my mind. I can talk to you about anything and you understand. You've always told me to be myself and not to hide anything from you," he said.
Bakura was about to say something else when he noticed a single diamond like tear slide down her cheek and his breath caught again. He couldn't bear to see her cry, to see her in such pain. He didn't understand why she got so anxious and nervous around him. Sighing the thief reached over and slid his fingers underneath her chin, tilting to her face to look at him. "Are you all right?" he asked knowing it was a dumb question.
"I'm sorry," she quickly brushed away the tears from her eyes. "I just can't bear to let you go. I...I...love you Bakura. I always have even though it's been a short amount of time." Bakura's breath caught in his throat. Did he just hear her correctly? She LOVED him? He knew their feelings had reached beyond the level of that of a crush, but he never expected her to ever love him back. He wasn't going to deny it any longer, he had fallen in love with her.
"I suppose it's only fair to warn you that I've fallen in love with you too," he murmured, allowing a small smile to form on his lips. Brushing the tears away from her eyes, he leaned in and captured his lips with hers. She returned the kiss as he placed his hands upon her hips. Their tongues caressed each other's mouths, as the heat between them became even more intense. Selene wrapped her arms around his neck, as they continued to kiss. His fingers caressed her bare shoulder, as a strange feeling began to burn through both of their veins. A warm burning desire for each other.
The moonlight shone through the darkened was once again darkness ruling over the peaceful land, but a dark looming presence was lurking within the shadows waiting for his next victim. "Just be quiet and I won't hurt you," a voice whispered in the girls ear. Her heart was pounding from inside her chest, as he pushed her back against the tree. "Let me go, please," she pleaded.
"Not a chance sweetheart, you're mine tonight," he laughed. His fingers traced her collarbone, as the tears continued to fall from her eyes. 'Please no, someone help me!' her mind screamed in terror, as he licked his lips in anticipation. "I'm going to enjoy this morsel so well," he cackled.
"So..." Yami's voice was low and dangerous. A cruel smile twisted his pale lips. "You like to pick on the weak, eh? Well...let's see how tough you are against someone your own size."
The bulky man looked the youth over with those cold, heartless eyes and gave a mocking laugh. "My own size? Surely you don't mean YOU! Look, kid, I could crush you with the toe of my boot! No one is stronger than Panik!"
Yami arched an ebony brow, feeling the sadistic glee at his opponent's ignorance rise within him. "Oh really? Well...we'll see just how strong you are...against the Orichalcos!"
At these words, he threw his hand into the frigid night air, clenching his fingers against the blackness of the sky as if he could draw dark power from its obsidian color. His ghoulish grin widened...and he slowly lowered those blood eyes to gaze at Panik. The man's face visibly paled...and he took a step backward. That only made Yami's pleasure grow. Panik's darkness...his cruelty...his ever-growing fear...made him salivate.
The youth brought his pale hand down sharply, an unearthly growl resonating from his lips. The green Seal followed, spinning from the black sky and drilling into the ground. It zigzagged into a star shape, cutting through the dark earth as if it were shards of glass. But those green markings weren't shards of glass...they were far more dangerous than that.
Pank looked around frantically, trying to find some break in the sinister ring...but seeing none. It was so pleasing to watch this supposedly vicious man...on the verge of groveling in fear. Yami threw his head back and laughed.
"Well, Panik?" He chuckled wolfish. "Show me your strength. Show me the color of your power! Unless you're afraid of losing..."
The vein's in Panik's thick neck stood out and his jaw grew tense. His skin darkened with rage at being mocked and those fierce brows furrowed. "I'll show you loss, you insignificant little worm! Let's duel!"
"As you wish..." the dark youth smirked, crossing his arms over his black-clad chest. "I shall give you the first move...you'll need all the help you can get."
Panik growled and stretched out his hand. He curled the meaty fingers into a fist and moved it sharply to one side, grinning madly as it glowed with dark energy. "I summon Dark Chimera!"
In response to his call, a snarling beast sprang from the dark clutches of the earth. It had a dark turquoise form with thick gold plates covering its chest and lower body. Sharp fangs curled from its mouth and its narrow eyes glowed a sinister red. Dark Chimera let out a staggering roar, its body pulsating with black energy...but the prince was not fazed.
"Ah, I see..." Yami's blood eyes gleamed hungrily. "The color of your power...is dark." he gave a chilling laugh and Panik visibly tensed in discomfort. "I know what you're thinking..." the youth continued. "...you think that I will go off on some sappy speech about the power of light...how light will always defeat darkness...but I'm not going to do that. Instead...I'm gong to fight darkness...with darkness...a darkness more powerful than you could ever imagine."
He crossed his arms over his chest and grinned as the green power pulsated on his forehead. "I summon Gaia the Fierce Knight!"
A dark cloud slowly materialized on the glowing field. It swirled and crackled with purple lightning, seeming almost like a miniature storm amidst the battle. From its gun metal core, came a rather ghostly sounding whinny that echoed off the walls of the sacred Seal. Following the fleeting sound was the majestic thump of hoof beats...and the clean spick of a sharp blade.
Panik's body was so rigid that his muscles looked like wire. His dark eyes flicked over the arena, searching for the source of the ominous noise...but he didn't have to search for long. For out of that dark cloud sprang a warrior, swinging his blade as it glinted in the pallid moonlight. The knight, clad in dark azure and crimson armor and wielding twin, blood-red lances, mounted atop a horse that was every bit as impressive as its rider. The steed's coat was a deep amethyst, its mane and tail a darkened gold. Its muscled body moved with an amazing speed and strength, and when the knight pulled the horse to a stop, it pawed at the ground impatiently.
The horse and rider were intimidating enough as they were...however the added power of the Orichalcos gave them an appearance that sent chills down Panik's spine. Both man and animal roared with the sudden installment of dark energy, their bodies glowing with the sinister force. On both their foreheads rested the crown of the Orichalcos, mirroring that of their master's.
"Now then..." the smile on Yami's lips was nothing short of unpleasant. "Gaia the Fierce Knight, attack his Dark Chimera!"
Gaia raised his mighty lance as his horse rose on its hind quarters. The animal struck air with its front legs, emitting a kind of shrieking whinny that was far more beastly than any earthly horse. The horse galloped forward and its rider drew back his mighty lance. He drove the weapon into Chimera's chest, earning a surprised snarl from the monster. As if it was made of mere clay, Dark Chimera's heavy chest plates cracked beneath the force that attacked them. The cracks scattered along the rest of the creature's body...until it shattered like a glass sculpture.
"Impossible..." Panik's grisly voice was a ghost of its former self. All the color had drained from his face and sweat visible dripped from his massive chin. "Dark Chimera is one of my most powerful monsters...and you tore him down as if he were nothing more than a pesky fly!"
"That is the power of the Orichalcos," Yami replied and looked pointedly around. He took in everything...the green glow...the sharp, precise symbols...the marauding darkness...and slowly, eerily turned to gaze upon his opponent once more. "You had better get used to your surroundings...for you shall be living within them for all eternity."
"Listen, kid! The next time you open your mouth I'm going to rip you to shreds!" Panik's words were venomous, but the waver in his voice stripped bare his true fear.
The prince winked one of those cold, ruby eyes. "It's your move."
The man growled and raised his arm once more, keeping the fingers clenched tightly. He sharply thrust his arm down, unfurling the fingers as if he were throwing something, and cried, "I summon Metal Guardian in defense position!"
A formidable vibration shook the earth and a long section in front of Panik began to crack with some unseen force. The cracks spread...and finally broke as a structure began to rise from beneath them. It was a dark object, long like a fortress wall, and just as unassailable. At first, Yami thought that his enemy had indeed conjured some sort of wall...until he saw the armored shoulders and glowing gold eyes. So...his opponent had called forth a being with the intelligence of a living creature...but the improbability of a castle wall.
Yami dropped his head low, hiding his striking eyes with the pale, jagged bangs that framed his face. He smirked as Panik let out a raspy laugh.
"Has it sunk in yet, wimp?" the villain cackled. "You don't have ANYTHING that could overcome my Metal Guardian! His defense force is unmatched by any offense creature your feeble mind could even hope to summon!"
A low laugh resonated from the base of Yami's throat. It grew louder in volume and faster in speed until his entire form shook with the mocking sound. Panik's eyes grew wide with rage. "What are you laughing about, you insolent brat?"
"Heh heh...is it not obvious?" Yami flashed another vampire grin. "You are an incredible source of amusement to me. Look at you! What a contradiction you are! You look like a monster...a beast waiting in the dark for its next victim...but you are nothing more than a coward."
"Watch your mouth, insignificant child!" Panik sprayed spit at he snarled but the youth's grin only widened.
"I'm afraid that YOU are the child, Panik...and I am the monster from which you cower, ready to spring out of the darkness and drag you down."
The coward's body was shaking...but Yami suspected the tremors came more from fear than from anger. "Well...if you're so sure of yourself, then prove it!"
"With pleasure," the prince replied and crossed his arms over his black-clad chest once more. He closed his eyes...and the Seal of Orichalcos on his forehead...glowed red. "I use the last of my spell energy...to activate the Cost Down spell. It decreases the level power of a monster so that I may summon it with fewer sacrifices." His eyes snapped open, their irises glowing blood-red. "So...I sacrifice my Gaia the Fierce Knight to summon my greatest monster! Show yourself, Dark Magician!"
Gaia the Fierce Knight gave a resigning neigh as it disappeared into a vortex of blackness. The void warped and stretched for several moments...until a form leaped out of it. It was a young man, clad from head to toe in purple. A pointed hat rested atop his head while his hand clutched a blue-green scepter. His skin was pale, his eyes, oceanic blue and filled with a staggering wisdom. Upon seeing his old friend, Yami felt a pang of his daytime goodness stab at his heart...but he forced it back into the shadows that now consumed him.
Dark Magician blinked in confusion...and turned around to gaze at his master. Relief was clear in his handsome face...followed by deep worry.
"My prince! Y...you're all right! What..." the mage glanced at Panik...then back at his young friend. "What is going on here?"
"What is going on..." Yami said with an arrogant smirk. "...is that I have more power than you could ever imagine. Now, my servant, feel the dark magic of the Orichalcos!"
The Seal glowed brighter, reaching out to the wizard with green tendrils of light. Dark Magician gasped and clamped his hands to either side of his head, burrowing his brows as he tried desperately to fight off the evil force.
"Prince Yami!...What...has...happened to you...?"
"The best thing I could ever imagine," Yami replied coolly, raising his chin slightly and smirking. "Though my weak self is not aware...I enjoy the best of both worlds. When the morning sun rises, I live with the most beautiful creature in this or any world...and when the moon rises I have more power than the most experienced sorcerer. By night, I live one way...by day I live another."
Dark Magician groaned, driving his scepter into the sable earth to keep his balance. Grunting in pain, he turned and reached toward the prince with shaking fingers. "Yami, please...this dark magic...it's tainted your mind...! You have to...snap...out of it!"
At the sight of Dark Magician's distress, that urge of light struck the prince again. He growled and pressed a hand to his forehead, striving to drive the feeling back. He would not give into the light...would not lose this incredible power. Dragging his fingers down his strained face, Yami hissed, "I will never let this darkness go...! Now...accept the Orichalcos!"
The wizard howled in anguish, trying desperately to fight back the horrid force...but it was far too powerful. The Oricalchos wrapped its black chains around Dark Magician's heart...and nothing he could do would break them. "I'm sorry, my prince..." he whispered with his last ounce of consciousness. "I'm sorry...I couldn't save you..."
With that, the magician's mind drowned in darkness...and primal instinct took over. His forehead glowed with the sinister Seal and his eyes glowed red with its evil power. Yami grinned in triumph.
"Now, my servant, attack Metal Guardian and destroy my enemy!"
Dark Magician spun his staff once with nimble fingers before pointing it at the fortress beast. A stream of black energy blasted from the scepter's orb, cutting through Metal Guardian as if it were a knife cutting through soft butter. Once it broke through, the dark magic surged toward the destroyed monster's owner. Panik screamed in horror and tried to back away...but the Seal's invisible wall kept him from going anywhere. The energy struck him, wrapping around him like a black, vice-like blanket. His skin grew distorted as the force surged and a terrible scream wrenched from his lips.
"Now..." Yami growled in a low, terrifying voice, his lips twisted with a horrible grin. "You soul...is mine."
Panik fell to the ground, whimpering as the Seal began to close in around him. He looked at the one by whom he was meeting his demise...the last thing he saw...being those dark eyes of blood.
A/N: Until next time!
Blackrose and VB20