The Legend of Shadows
Summary Heba a young boy stumbles upon a portal to another realm after his parents died in a cave-in on an archeological dig leaving him and his two-year-old brother alone with their retired archeologist Grandfather. three years later Heba comes across a Duel Monster that can bring back his Papa and in desperation for a whole family tells his Papa to save Yami, his old babysitter, and make Yami their new Mama.
"Mama, Papa, do you have to go?" a small six-year-old boy asked his parents holding his little brother to his side with their grandpa behind them. "Don't worry Heba we will be back in a few weeks now let grandpa take care of you and don't give him a hard time."
"Yes, Mama," Heba said getting a kiss on his forehead before his parents left. "here Heba keep these safe, think of us when you feel upset ok sport?" his father said holding out the Winged Dragon of Ra and Slifer the Sky Dragon to his eldest son. Heba took the two cards pulling out his level six Silent Swordsman and a level three Silent Mage for his brother. "they're a family now. I'm going to miss you Papa, Mama." Heba let the tears fall from his eyes that he tried to hold back running to his mother and father and hugging them tightly exhausting himself to sleep.
Weeks came and passed both boys waited in the living room for their parents return in several weeks until that fated day three days before their parents' due date to come home. Heba was drawing with Yugi at the kitchen table being watched by their grandfather since their usual babysitter was running late. The door to the kitchen then opened and in stepped a young teen of sixteen with raven black spiked star-shaped crimson amethyst tipped hair mixed with goldenrod bangs that fell framing along the sides of his face "Sorry I'm late Grandpa I had detention for being late again thanks to my stepfather." The boy said but his eyes hid a different explanation as to why he was late and the raw hands Solomon noticed were one hint along with the bags covered by makeup under his eyes.
"Yami!" Heba shouted jumping up and hugging him around the waist "hey there little one what is it you two are making?" Heba looked up to Yami smiling "I made a picture of Mama, Papa, Me and Yugi along with you and Grandpa as one big Family." Heba pulled Yami to the table showing Yami his picture the elder boy looked at the picture seeing seven stick figures, two by a house and the rest in a green yard "Heba who is this?" Yami pointed to the brown stick figure next to himself in an indigo color. "He's an angel to protect us while Papa is gone." Heba said to Yami who smiled inwardly sighing knowing Heba's parents didn't like him because of his preference to males and didn't want the boys being influenced by him. 'Might as well tell him now that I won't see him again since that restraining order went through.' "Heba there is something I need to tell you, as of today, when I leave I can't see you anymore and I know you are going to tell me that I have to stay but your parents no longer want me looking after you two they consider me a bad influence on you boys and want to keep you two away from things that they consider bad. I'm sorry Heba but there is nothing I can do to stay after I am done here." Yami explained to the small boy as best he could for a young mind like Heba's. Heba shook his head not wanting to believe his parents were sending Yami away.
Heba ran upstairs ignoring Yami's shouts slamming his door and locking it tightly then ran to his bed crying. "Heba open the door please I know you're upset but please don't make my last day unhappy for me and you." Yami tried to reason with Heba for several more minutes until the young one finally came out of his room embracing Yami tightly. A phone rang in the quiet house both boys asleep on top of Yami who was just starting to doze off to sleep as well looked to the phone seeing an unknown number from Egypt. moving the two boys off him Yami picked up the phone "Hello Turtle Game Shop Yami speaking."
"This is Cairo General Hospital we are calling to tell Solomon Motou there has been an accident at the dig sight."
"I can take a message he is busy right now."
"I'm sorry to say this but Mr. and Mrs. Motou died in a cave-in." Yami almost dropped the phone in shock but with a waiver, in his voice, he said goodbye and hung up. "Grandpa!" Yami called out down in the store hearing the old man come up the stairs to see Yami crying his hand covering his mouth to cover his sobs. "I'm sorry Grandpa there was a call from a hospital in Cairo saying they were dead." Yami hiccupped leaning against the wall as Solomon processed the information covering his own mouth when it sunk in. "Yami please leave I don't want you hurt any more than necessary by your stepfather." Yami shot his head up to Solomon eyes wide with fear. "Your hands are raw along with the poor makeup to cover the bags under your eyes and that fire you had has come down to an amber almost suppressed to keep from being snuffed out."
"Tell the boys I'm sorry I couldn't stay long hopefully I will see you three again but I suspect I won't be able to for a few years not until I move out of my stepfather's house." Heba ducked his head back to the position he was in before faking sleep as Yami gathered his things tucking the boys in one last time. Walking out the door Yami looking back once more before it closed heading toward his prison now that all ties to the outside world were cut. Heba sat up once again taking what his grandpa said about the raw hands and bags under Yami's eyes. 'It sounds like Yami works a lot like Cinderella.' Tears started to fall from Heba's eyes for the news of his parents' deaths and for Yami who wasn't happy but couldn't shed the tears.
The funeral was gloomy, rain fell from the sky along with tears as both boys cried with their grandfather watching the two caskets lower into the ground. On the other side of the cemetery grounds, a man lights a cigarette taking a few puffs turning back to a black van. Climbing inside and adjusting the mirror he smirked at seeing his stepson tied up barely wearing anything but old rags sewed together to look like clothes. The boy's hands were raw and covered in blisters along with his feet small dark spots from cigarettes pressed to his skin covered the boy from the neck down. The boy was struggling to break free from his bonds holding him to the side of the van but the man just smiled at his prize, after all, he loved young boys that had some fight left in them. "Take a good look at those boys you love Yami if you don't keep up on our bargain I will add those boys to my collection." Yami looked at him with pure fear before he was struck in the head hard knocking him out cold knowing he would never see those boys ever again if only to protect them from his stepfather.
