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t w o

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I am eighteen now.

The biggest thing that ever happened in my life happened four years ago. I lay in my bed, asleep. My cat Jiji is sleeping next to me. I dream about Yami every night. I'm sure he does the same.

The next morning, I wake and sit up. I look over at my window. I walk over to it, and I open it. I look out and look at the beautiful Fire Castle over the plains. I've grown stronger than I was four years ago. My father is less threatening to me now. He cannot bother me anymore anyway. I have my mother's protection. Most of all, I have Yami. I went out to the main room.

It seems a little different, I thought.

I have no idea why. It seems as if there's something here I don't know about.

I found mother.

She smiled at me. I smiled back at her.

"Morning mother," I said to her.

"Morning Nyru,"

'...It seems there's a dramatic change in the weather. The lower ice regions are melting away...'

The radio said. I looked at mother.

"Melting?" I said, a little nervously.

She swept me in her arms.

"It'll be alright sweetheart,"

I had second thoughts about it. "But what if it's not, mother?"

I'm always dramatic about things. That's one thing Yami helped me calm down a bit.

"Stop thinking of the worst," She said calmly.

She let me go. I was trying to stop the tears.

I almost stopped them till I glanced into mother's eyes. Then they came.

"Oh, Nyru,"

I covered my face. "I can't help it," I said between my sobs. I turned away from mother. She sometimes doesn't understand my emotions.

I ran out the door and ran to my favorite spot. I dropped to my knees, and stared into the ocean.

What will happen if more of the ice melts?

This was just a little problem for her...

When I was feeling better, I stood up and turned.

I walked towards my castle, and I caught eyes with my father.

"Father," I said, a little stunned.

"I was looking for you. Mother told me about how you were upset and ran out the door. You all right?" I looked down. I don't know if I was. My father calmed down a lot from four years ago. He has changed some, but I know better.

"Yes, father...I am, thank you,"

He put his hand on my cheek. He smiled at me.

"You are a very pretty girl, Nyru. I just want you to know that I love you, all right?"

I nodded, and smiled at him. He walked away, back to the castle. I stood there a little bit. I was thinking about something. I started walking back to the castle too.

Then I saw someone that looked familiar to me... inside my mind. It was so sudden...and I don't know where it came from.

Was he that...wait, no, I don't think so. I thought to myself.

I found that I had stopped walking, so I started to again. Maybe I should go find Yami?

That night, my dream was something I knew nothing of. I couldn't comprehend it.

A wave was crashing down on...something. I...don't remember. It was fierce...wait! There was a figure behind the wave. It looked like...no, that couldn't have been him...

The next morning, my mother woke me.

"Nyru! There's a big crisis! The Fire Kingdom needs our help! Come quickly!"

"What? Is Yami ok?"

"I don't know sweetheart,"

I jumped up and followed mother after putting on my outfit. We found father in the main room. He looked just as worried as mother. "Come..."

We followed him over to the Fire Castle.

When we got there, Yami ran up to me and hugged me.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

He let go of me and stood in front of me, looking around him nervously.

"The Water Kingdom is attacking us! We have to fight them," I could tell he was worried.

"The Water...Kingdom?" Then something flashed inside my head, a name.

Tyrone...

Nyru gasped. It can't be...he's supposed to be gone...Nyru thought. Yami looked at her.

"Nyru..." He was cut off.

A loud noise came from the other side of the castle. It sounded like a splash, like water. We ran into the castle and were face to face with the Water Prince. The flames around him were sizzling...they were put out.

I gasped. "Tyrone?"

Yami looked at me.

"So, you remember me, Nyru,"

He walked closer to me. I backed up.

Then my father stepped between us. He put one arm up in front of me, with a glare towards the prince.

Tyrone placed his hands up in front of him. "All right, you win,"

I was getting angry. He was the guy I saw yesterday. He was glaring at me.

"You have a problem?" I was angry. Yami never has seen this side of me before.

"You sound angry, has it been that long since we met?"

"Shut-up! You don't belong here!" I stomped my foot. A bit of flame shined in my eyes.

Yami was surprised. Tyrone smiled at me. I hate it when she gets this way.

Yami never has seen me this angry before.

Tyrone laughed, still looking at me. I was glaring angrily back at him.

He did something I was not expecting him to do. He left, out of the castle within a wave of water from a flick of his hand. "Come and follow me, my dear," A chuckle came from his throat as he disappeared. I chased him. Yami was close behind me.

There was a surprise outside the castle for us.

When we cleared the door, we clearly saw it.

I gasped.

"I knew you would follow me, little sweetheart,"

"Don't call me that!" I screamed. He had a big wave ready behind him, ready to crash down. "My dream..." I said softly, just so Yami would hear. He glanced at me, I noticed.

A wave, that was the wave that my dream was trying to show me.

I held out my hand, and the whole wave turned to ice as the light blue mist flew from her hand and touched it. Tyrone gasped.

"Not so tough now, huh?"

The facial expression on his face was just what Nyru wanted to see. Tyrone disappeared in a wave of water with a grunt.

Yami turned me around.

"You know him?"

"Unfortunately," I was still a little angry. I folded my arms. "I will NEVER be happy when I see him. He brings nothing but hatred to me," I looked down a little.

He hugged me. The hatred just melted away at that moment. I felt safe and relaxed, when Yami hugs me. I could tell, without him saying, how he felt.

My mother and father were behind us.

I looked at them. "He'll be back. That's for sure,"

I said, annoyingly. Yami's hand slipped into mine.

My mother was speaking with Yami's mother. Yami and I were talking. I told him everything. Everything from when I met Tyrone to what I dreamt last night. My anger was staying away, because Yami was calming me down, but when I see Tyrone again... Yami can tell how I am feeling all the time. He could tell I was a little worried.

"I was hoping I would never see him again,"

My eyes were filling with a little bit of water now. Yami held me close, trying to calm me down.

Then I was looking into his eyes. I laughed a bit; my eyes sparkle when I look into his. Then he kissed me. I felt weightless then. I was relaxed and my anger was gone once more.

She didn't know Tyrone was watching...

His anger was building.

That night, I spent it with Yami. I wanted him to hold me, close.

I couldn't get Tyrone out of my mind. It's like he's haunting me forever. He will not leave me alone. It's like he found out where I was, and he came, to haunt me, to try to get the best of me.

But Yami was making it better. He always has.

I fell asleep against him. His presence calms me. His warmth relaxes me.

"Nyru... come over here," I heard laughter.

I open my eyes. I saw Yami. I smiled.

He took me into his arms and was about to kiss me.

I open my eyes and Yami was gone! I look around and then I see a figure. I follow it, hoping it was Yami. I get there and it looks nothing like Yami. "Hello...Nyru..."

That voice...

I jerked and woke up. Yami was still asleep.

He won't stay out of my dreams!

'Forget him Nyru! Come with me!'

Get out of my head! I held my head with my hands, covering my eyes. I tried to go back to sleep.

I woke up and saw Yami's face. I smiled, and he helped me up. He smiled back.

He kissed me, and I suddenly felt relaxed. He pulled me closer, against him.

We never saw Tyrone the whole day. I knew he would be back though. Yami had so many questions about him. I told him about what I found out yesterday, about the ice starting to melt.

"It is?"

"I can't stop it either,"

Then I realized something.

"Wait, what if..." I broke off; mother was rushing up to me through the door.

"Mother!"

"Nyru! I was outside behind the castle, and the ice was gone!"

"What?" She started to rush out the door. Yami and I followed her.

Sure enough, when we got out there, the ice has melted even more.

I tried freezing it back. It melted away again.

"I...I've already tried that," Mother said to me.

I was trying to hold back the tears...but they were fighting me back.

If Yami wasn't there to catch me...I...I'm sure I would have fallen.

Then a hand was put on my back.

I turned and saw my father's face.

"Daddy..." The tears were falling.

He looked surprised. Yami was astonished.

Did she call him daddy?

"Daddy? You...you never call me daddy? What's wrong?"

I saw from the corner of my eye Yami noticing the same as my father. Then he saw what's wrong as he turned and saw water...everywhere.

"This shouldn't be happening. Someone or something is causing this!"

I thought...a lot.

"Tyrone!" I called out, through my sobs.

Father looked at me.

"Tyrone...yes, I believe so,"

Tyrone was watching...becoming more and more jealous...angry...angry they are finding out the truth.

I was crying, leaning on my father's shoulder. He was stroking my back. Yami was sitting next to me.

It was getting warmer every hour. I could feel it.

My sobs slowly quieted into nothing. My eyes were closed. I was calming down.

'The temperature is dramatically changing unsafely high. We are unsure how to fix this problem. Researchers are searching how to fix it, but are coming up short. We have no explanation for this...'

Yami was rubbing the palm of my hand. Then he clenched it tightly. I fell asleep.

I woke up in my room. It was dark outside.

How long did I sleep?

I sat up. I wondered over to my window. It was tempting to jump out of it and run to see Yami. It was pouring outside. I opened my window.

The wind blew and the rain splattered over my face. The sound of the rain was soothing to me. I lifted myself onto the windowsill. I put my hands on both sides of the window. I leaped out of the opening and landed onto the roof below me. The rain was warm on my face and arms.

It's warm...it shouldn't be warm...

Then the rain was turning to snow. It melted as soon as it touched the ground. I jumped off the roof and landed on the ground. I started to run to the woods.

"Hey there, Nyru,"

I stopped in my tracks, and I gasped. I turned and I was staring into Tyrone's face.

"I'm so glad you are happy to see me sweetheart,"

"I said, don't call me that!" I turned around. He grabbed my shoulder and turned me back around.

"Don't touch me!" I slapped his arm away.

His eyes caught my eyes.

"Why are you here?"

He smiled a little. "To get what you promised me, my dear," My stomach dropped.

"What are you talking about?"

Yami found us, he hid where he could see and hear everything.

"You promised me you would wait forever for me, so here I am!"

Yami was shocked.

"What! I would NEVER promise that to you!" I clenched my teeth.

He came closer to me. I backed away.

"Stay away from me!"

He grabbed my hand, and I couldn't get free.

"Let go of me!"

He was trying to kiss me so I kicked him. He let go of my hand. I dashed around him.

He grabbed my hand again.

"Come here. Just for a minute,"

"No! You can't make me!"

He smiled a little. "I can't, can I?"

He pulled me close to him and he touched my lips with his. I used my hands to freeze his. Ice formed around my hands.

He let go of me.

"Augh! Why you little...!"

I ran as fast as I can to get as far away from him as possible. He was chasing me. I almost tripped; I was too slow to recover. He caught me and he had me trapped. His hands clinched mine.

"Why don't you just come with me? You are nothing like Yami..."

"Don't bring him into this!"

"Come on. You two are opposites. You and I aren't. What about your promise?"

He was coming closer to me. I threw little icicles at his face. I was able to get out of the corner. He grabbed my hand. He spun me around, and tightened his grip on both of my hands. He was trying to kiss me again. I couldn't move, because he had me jammed to a tree. I tried to freeze his hands again. I kneed him in the stomach and he let go of me. I got away. He smiled as I ran away, knowing Yami watched the whole thing.

Oh Nyru...you will soon find I have outsmarted you my dear...and you will be mine...

He disappeared inside a wave of water, with a chuckle from his throat.

I made it back to the castle. I was soaked and was red. My hands were pounding. It was beginning to be morning. I went into the main room and then I dashed up to my room. I went to go close my window, and I spotted Yami down there.

He looked a little angry. He didn't smile at me. He turned started to walk away without a word.

I began to cry. "Yami...please forgive me," I called after him. What if he saw what happened last night and was mad about it?

I was crying really hard now. He disappeared within the woods. The darkness swallowed him.

Yami...I'm so sorry...

I stayed in my room all day, crying my eyes out.

Mother knocked on my door. "Nyru...are you all right sweetie?"

I didn't answer. I couldn't answer. She opened the door and she saw my face.

"Nyru, what's wrong? You've been crying all day,"

She swept me into her arms. I never stopped crying.

She waited patiently for me to calm down enough to talk to her.

"I was going to see Yami last night. Tyrone found me and didn't stop bothering me. I guess Yami saw this, and heard what he said to me. I'm not sure, but earlier, he didn't smile at me. He looked mad. Mother, Yami won't talk to me!" I went back to crying, my face so red from crying.

She held me, letting me cry. "Tyrone is ruining my life." I said softly.

It began to pour outside again, faintly changing to snow, melting as it touched the ground.

Later that night, I went to my favorite spot. Watching the flames on the Fire Castle move to the wind. I'd never been this upset in my life.

I looked down, all the way down to the rocks below.

I should just jump...if I jump, it will make everything better.

I was preparing to jump. I was starring into the rocks. I had no second thoughts. "Nyru! No!" I heard from behind me.

Too late...

The rocks were inviting me. I let myself fall from the cliff, dropping to the rocks below. I slowly closed my eyes.

I landed on the rocks, and fell into the ocean.

I felt nothing. I drifted with the waves, unconscious.

I woke and saw my father's face.

"D...daddy..."

I was hurting all over. He looked relieved.

"Nyru, I'm so glad you're all right...why would you do something like this?" He looked worried. He put his hand on my cheek.

I just want to die. There's no meaning for me to live anymore.

I turned away from his face. I began to cry again.

I looked around. Yami was nowhere to be seen.

I felt a sharp pain in my back. I cried even harder.

Then the Fire Queen rushed in. She heard about me. My mother looked at her, then at me. She was upset.

She came closer to me. My father let her next to me.

She noticed how Yami acted different. She doesn't think he hasn't come to see me before this.

I looked into her eyes. I was crying, and my face was red. She surprised me.

"Is this about...Yami?"

I looked straight into her eyes. My mother and father were surprised.

Of course...she must've figured it out...

I looked down.

"Yes," I said very quietly. I cried harder again.

My mother and father were shocked. She stood and turned to my mother and father so I covered my face.

"He has been acting very strange. Then I heard about this. Something has happened between them,"

I looked at my mother. She was looking at her.

"Nyru told me what happened," Mother said.

She told her what I told her, glancing at me a few times. I covered my face again.

"Tyrone caused this," My mother finished.

The rain was raging outside. The lightning beamed and the thunder screamed from outside the window.

I was lying in my bed. I was hurting all over.

I had to get Tyrone out of my life. I tried standing.

I walked over to my window. Every time it struck lightning, my face flashed in the window. That face filled with tears; that face that just wanted to die.

I just want to be left alone...to die...

As second jumping thoughts ran through my head, I was fighting with myself inside my head.

Then I saw Yami with his mother. It looked like he wasn't listening to her. He kept turning away from her. Then I saw something I never knew he would do. He started yelling at her! He was furious. That struck terrible pains through me.

No Yami...please forgive me...

If he saw me, he acted like he didn't, because he turned and walked away. He never looked back.

His mother turned and looked into my crying face.

She went to go speak with my mother. I knelt down on my windowsill and just bawled. I covered my face.

I woke up still on my windowsill. It was damp from me crying all over it. I had no second thoughts.

I'm going to do it...

I lifted myself up onto the window, with my back just pounding. I got myself ready and leaped out of the window!

I hit the edge of the roof and fell to the ground and I felt like a rag doll flopping through the air.

I hit the ground with a thud and it took my breath away. I lay there motionless. I was crying again. Then I felt moist liquid underneath me. It wasn't blood.

I opened my eyes and I saw water!

The castle was starting to melt! I slowly rose to my feet. The sides of the castle had streams of water falling down them. I noticed my stomach was bleeding then.

My mother and the Fire Queen rushed outside to me.

"Nyru, you're bleeding!"

She followed my gawk, and saw the castle was melting.

She gasped.

"The castle...it's melting. We're too late,"

My mother had laid me on the couch. She bandaged my stomach, that gaping open part of me that paid for my own mistake. My father was stroking my back. The castle was melting this very minute.

"I...I want Yami...daddy," I said between my sobs as I felt a drop of water hid my arm from the ceiling.

He looked at me.

"I know you do,"

Yami was watching us through a window, hiding.

He heard what I said.

He had a fight with Tyrone earlier. He found out the truth about him. He saw what a mess I was in. He saw the strength Tyrone hid within himself. He saw the blood on my shirt. He saw my red crying face. He saw the melting castle and how it didn't bother me, not as much as not having him. He found out what I had done, what I wanted. How much I missed him. How much I loved him. I did everything...

Just for him.

Then there was a noise from outside. It sounded like a water splash...

It was Tyrone, entered within a wave of water.

He had returned, to take me with him.

I sat up, and saw Tyrone's face. Father stood up, protecting me. Mother rushed in there too.

"Hey... Nyru,"

He saw what I've done to myself.

"Nyru! What happened? Did you do all of that for him?"

He pointed to Yami. I just noticed him.

"Yami!" I coughed, sounding terrible, echoing through the castle's melting walls.

Tyrone looked angry.

"Why would you do that just for him? He's nothing!"

I glared at him. I was angry. The fire was raging inside of me. I balled my fists.

I stood up, ignoring the pain. "He isn't nothing!" I coughed again.

I walked closer to him.

"I love him!"

Yami smiled, blushing a little, I noticed.

Tyrone was appalled, speechless.

"You...are nothing," I continued, coughing a bit more.

"I never promised you anything...I will never..."

I looked at Yami, then back at him. "...Love you," I finished. He looked crushed. He was speechless.

He became angry.

"Then I'll force you to come with me...if I can't get you, then no one can!" I looked at him, and then starting to cough again.

Yami was very angry. My father stood between us blocking his dash after me. "You did this to the castle! Didn't you!"

I couldn't stop coughing, and fell to my knees. Yami desired to be close to me.

Tyrone was getting aggressive. My father fought him. My mother helped too. They were throwing ice and knocking him down to the ground. Every chance he got, he tried to snatch me, but I blocked him.

I watched the fight mostly sitting on my legs on the floor. When Yami had a chance, he rushed over to me. He knelt down and put me in his arms. He held my face with one hand, against his chest.

Oh Yami...I missed you so much...

The sadness just dissolved into nothing. He wouldn't let go of me. His grip tightened. I buried my face in his shoulder. Just then, I realized we were sitting in a puddle of water. My castle was melting still.

But none of that mattered to me anymore. I had Yami back. That's all I cared about.

Then my father and my mother had put Tyrone to the ground. He was weakened.

I looked up into Yami's face. I smiled.

Then he kissed me.

I'm sorry...was what he was saying to me...

I knew that's what he wanted me to know. I missed that, too much.

I didn't want it to end.

Tyrone had given us a glare.

Then Tyrone had vanished, he fled, inside a wave of water. A grunt was left in its wake, from the fleeing Tyrone.

My mother and my father turned to us.

They smiled at us. I showed them my happiness; I looked at them with a smile.

"I've waited for this day to see you smile once again," My mother was looking at me.

Yami pulled me up against him.

I closed my eyes.

Then the water was changing into ice again! The water was cooling off and it was freezing back. I felt the temperature was getting colder with every minute.

The Fire Queen entered the room.

I opened my eyes and saw her face. She smiled at us.

I smiled back at her. She began speaking to my mother and father.

They walked into the other room. They were showing her some things.

I bet Yami has a few things he's been wanting to tell me. I do too.

"I'm so sorry...Nyru," Yami said.

Without looking up at him I said, "I know...I love you Yami," I don't want him to let go.

"I love you too Nyru,"

He put my face in his hands and he kissed me once more.

All of my pain just faded.

It was the evening. I was able to walk now. I walked out of my room and down the stairs to see my mother and father. I met their eyes and smiled.

I ran over to my father and he swept me into his arms. Yami was watching from the door.

"I love you daddy,"

"I love you too, sweetheart,"

He was smiling, just because I called him daddy.

"Thank you,"

"For what?"

"For calling me daddy,"

I laughed. "Of course daddy!"

My mother smiled at me. I smiled back.

He kissed my head, and put me down.

He gave me a sign to look behind me. I did.

I smiled when I saw Yami standing there. He was already smiling. He took my hand and he led me out the door.

He led me to our favorite spot. The ocean was beautiful. The sun was setting. Yami looked at me. He held my waist. My hands were on his shoulders.

I laughed.

He went in for a kiss. I answered him back.

The wind was blowing my hair as the sun set behind the ocean horizon.

I had won the battle...ice vs. water.

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Copyright © 2009-2015 by qstarfire.

All rights reserved.

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