Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ If only for one moment, I could be like you... ❯ Public pool problems ( Chapter 27 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Yugi grumbled as they walked. “I'm hungry...” he said grumpily, catching a glare from Ootogi. “I told you to eat before we left the pond.”

....

“I'm thirsty.” Ootogi blinked for a moment. “How in hell did you manage that...no wait...I don't even want to know.”

....

“Are we there yet?” Ootogi glared at the sidewalk as his eyebrow twitched in annoyance.

....

“My legs hurt.” Ootogi whined to himself. `Neptune...whatever I did. I'M SO SORRY!' He thought, wanting to claw his own ears off.

....

“I have to go to the bathroom.” Ootogi growled. “THAT'S IT!” He yelled, stopping literally everyone in the street. He calmed himself, regaining his composure to look at Yugi. “You are the WORST person to travel with, this isn't bonding! This is like some sick Siren-esque torture technique! MY GOD!” He ranted to Yugi, who merely stared in shock at Ootogi's outburst. “Are you CAPABLE of making it from one crossing to the next without commenting on something?! Are you?!”

Yugi raised an eyebrow. “Why yes I am, but it's more fun watching you SQUIRM.” He said amusedly. Ootogi felt his jaw drop for a moment. “You were doing that on PURPOSE?! You little bastard!” He growled lunging at Yugi, who ran away quickly, giggling at each step. “Yugi! When I catch you I'm going to KILL you!” He yelled after.

...Well...at least they were making good time...

~~~~~

Ryou sighed softly, letting Marik examine him closely. “I rented a pool.” He said calmly, writing the morning information down, and setting down his clipboard. “You and I are going. I'm going to time how long it takes for you to transform from human to merman.” He said picking up a small plate full of sardines and other small fish handing it to Ryou. Ryou smiled and took the plate eagerly picking up the fish and eating them.

Marik watched intently. “You...eat them whole.” He said after a moment. “Do you eat most fish whole, or just small fish?” He asked curiously. “Um...well...I personally eat the small ones...but some of us eat the big ones without picking away the bones. I...just don't like being poked while I'm chewing.” He said sheepishly. Marik nodded. “What about your bodies, your habits of disposing of waste?” Ryou gagged around a fish gasping for breath after forcing it roughly down.

“We...well...” he murmured looking down at the plate. “We take it privately. Usually deeper than we normally dwell, or bury it...or...” he said coughing and looking up at Marik redly. “I see. Primitive means.” He chuckled. “How about your diets? Fish and seaweed only?” Ryou's blush lightened, glad the subject had changed. “Fish, seaweed, crabs, lobster, sometimes we...take a chance eating food that's fallen with a ship. But...that doesn't happen as often as it did long ago.” He mumbled eating another fish.

“Alright and how is your society built? Do all of you vote? Do you have a selected leader, or a born leader?” Marik asked taking light notes on his clipboard. “We have Yami. His family is the god's choice for our rulings.” Marik nodded scribbling. “I see. So, the gods picked him? So does he also lead in religious matters?” Ryou nodded. “Ahh. What about laws?” Ryou nodded again. “There...aren't many laws. Don't interact with humans, don't kill each other, and don't kill fish wastefully or without proper means.”

Marik nodded again. “Simple, but you still broke one didn't you?” Ryou sighed a bit. “Yes...” Marik smirked a bit. “So, what would have happened to you if you had been caught by them, rather than me?” Ryou shuddered. “I'd be exiled; sent away from my home's waters...I'd most likely end up with the nomads in the cold artic waters...or die alone on the journey to them.”

~~~~~

Marik clicked the stopwatch checking the time, Ryou had dived in ten times now, and each time took roughly 20 seconds from first touching the water to when he was completely transformed. Ryou pulled himself tiredly from the water and panted, lying on the cool concrete sidewalk of the indoor pool. “M-Marik...the water...” he croaked coughing a bit. “It doesn't smell very good.” He mumbled catching his breath from the exertion of pulling himself up. Picking up a towel he began to dry himself once more. “Again?” He asked looking to Marik, who nodded.

Ryou sighed, using the tenth towel and trying to dry himself more quickly. He felt oddly breathless after about the fifth dive, and now it was a bit worse, plus he itched slightly and his eyes were burning a bit. He closed his eyes, waiting for the legs to appear once more. “How many times more must I dive?” He asked softly, as Marik looked up from his notes. “Five. Then we'll say it averages at whatever time I get.” Ryou nodded calmly, getting up on newly reformed legs, climbing up the ladder to the high-dive.

Marik looked up for the tenth time, examining Ryou's legs, as an excuse to admire his lithe form. He was really a luscious creature, and his attitude matched his soft physique. Ryou dived down, Marik watching with his stopwatch, clicking it the moment the tail was completely within view.

~~~~~

Ryou coughed as Marik fiddled with his notes, and he dressed. “Marik...my throat hurts.” He whimpered coughing again and scratching his arms a bit. His head was throbbing and his whole body itched and burned, even after the shower Marik had him sit through. His eyes burned and itched, and his throat was making him cough and gasp for air.

Marik looked up for a moment. “I've got some cough drops at home.” He said as Ryou finished dressing. “Come on, let's go.”

~~~~~

Ryou laid on the couch as Marik shuffled through the medicine cabinet. He coughed, wheezing softly. “Hurts...” he mumbled pathetically. Marik came back offering Ryou the cough drop, before noticing something, Ryou's whole body seemed to be broken out in a slight rash, and his breathing seemed to be labored.

He thought for a moment, before gasping. The Chlorine! He quickly got to his feet and left the room. Returning moments later, with some balm and a few bottles. “Ryou, I want you to drink this, and I'm going to put this on your body, once it dries you're going back in your tank, and I'll fill it with some medicine to make your throat feel better. Ok?” He asked trying to maintain his cool.

How could he have overlooked the chlorine?! It literally cooks fish alive and he had Ryou diving in and out of it for what must have been three hours!

Ryou nodded slightly losing consciousness.

~~~~~

Ryou awoke surrounded by cool comforting water and breathing better, his throat felt numb, as did his skin. He swam clumsily before hitting the glass side of the tank drunkenly. “Ma...rik...” he mumbled shaking his head a bit, looking with fuzzed vision around. “Ma...rik...” He caught sight of him across the room looking at a computer monitor. He groaned and raised a lazy hand to knock against the glass, succeeding in making absolutely no noise, and making his arm tingle before it dropped to his side, making him practically turn over. “Hnnn...” He mumbled swimming into the side of the tank again. The force knocking him back just enough to repeat the action, making moderately loud thunking noises.

Marik looked up and noticed Ryou trying to get his attention. “Ryou!” He gasped, getting up and rushing up the steps to the side of the tank. Ryou smiled dully, swimming awkwardly to the surface of the tank as Marik pulled him up and out into his arms. “You're ok. You had me worried.” He whispered hugging Ryou tenderly. “I thought I was going to lose you.”

Ryou smiled, nuzzling into Marik's arms, the medicine making him dull-witted. “I'm ok...I feel much better...” he said smiling a bit, slowly coming around. “The medicine...makes me feel funny and I can't...see anything but fuzziness...” He breathed shaking his head a bit, still dazed, but more aware than he'd been moments before.

Marik nodded petting Ryou's hair; trying to comfort the pale merboy. “In all my eagerness to study you, I'd forgotten pools had chlorine in them. You nearly were cooked from the inside and out.” Ryou shuddered before smiling dopily at Marik. “Thank you...” he mumbled after a few moments. “For...saving my life.”