I have no excuse for not posting this earlier. I should have posted it when I planned to, when CrimsonStrawberry17 reviewed because I love them and they are my constant reviewer with amazing reviews, but then I got caught up in other stuff and yeah... Long story short I forgot which is no excuse. So I'm just going to shut up and let you guys read.
Nerves fluttered in Mahad's stomach as he dressed, painfully, in the clothes that Seto had sent him. He had argued bitterly against having to wear them but Seto had pointed out that he couldn't wear them without gaining odd looks. Mahad wasn't sure what that would imply but he was sure that the rest of this world was about as crazy as this room, which had taken some getting used to. It was a shock to find that the lights came on without needing to light a candle, that the water in the taps was clean, plus the fact that there was actually plumbing. Atem may have some remnants of memory of this world but Mahad had been born and raised in New Thebes and he hadn't even been aware that there was anywhere other than Egypt before he had left. Now he was in an alien world filled with alien things.
Mahad thought back to his first day here, flying here in a private plane, falling in and out of consciousness. The injuries he had sustained had mostly been from a shadow attack but a soldier had crept up from behind him and stabbed him in the side. The strike had punctured a lung and he had been rushed, rather surprisingly, from New Thebes to Luxor, halfway across the desert for emergency help. He had woken up there with the king himself standing over him telling him that he was being transferred to Japan for safety and that he would join him there soon. Mahad had barely had time to register the fact that Atem was here too, before being rushed through a terminal in Cairo and flown to Japan, barely having time to recover from the emergency surgery. Of course, that wasn't all he had needed and he had been put through more, less severe, surgery on reaching Japan, spending a trip in an ambulance of all things, with Atem by his side. Mahad was touched that he cared so much.
Of course now, he had to face the outside world again.
Mahad had barely been able to eat his breakfast as he was so nervous. He wasn't sure what to expect from his brief glimpses of the world outside New Thebes. It was shocking to find that the rest of the world did not live as they did, secluded from the world. Mahad was unsure why they lived that way but it was never something that he had questioned. He wasn't that sort of a person and yet now his mind was asking him all sorts of questions. Why hadn't he been told about this? Why were they kept a secret? Why hadn't Atem told him about this place? Then again, Atem had spent years painstakingly teaching Mahad to speak Japanese so that they could confuse the guards when they planned to leave the palace (not that Mahad approved).
However, the technology wasn't the biggest shock for Mahad.
He hadn't shown it when meeting Yugi for the first time because back then he hadn't known it. He had just thought that the small look-a-like of Atem was just a friend that Atem had met in his few days of being in Japan. It hadn't been a bad guess but it was nothing compared to the truth. Now all the years of learning Japanese made a lot of sense, as did Atem's childhood attempts to leave New Thebes. After all, who wouldn't want to return to their twin brother?
Mahad hadn't even been aware that Atem had a brother, let alone a twin. He had always thought that Atem's mother had died while they lived in Japan and that the king had simply returned after her funeral. Now, he had discovered that not only had she been alive when Atem had moved to Egypt, that she was also living with Atem's ten-minuet younger brother. Perhaps it made sense that no one had known about Yugi, especially with everything that was going on in Egypt at the moment but it didn't explain why Atem had never mentioned him, not even when they had been little and Atem had told stories of a bright and colourful world with green grass and bright lights (Mahad had always thought that that was exactly all they were; stories).
A nurse entered the room and smiled at him. "Mr Kaiba's here to pick you up," she said, Mahad struggling to keep up with the Japanese. Even with all his practise with Atem, it was nothing compared to the speed that people spouted it here. Especially Yugi, who had been happily chattering away like someone half his age.
"Thank you," Mahad said, keeping his voice as calm and polite as always. Years of training at court had taught him similar lessons to Atem, although he had never had a very explosive temperament anyway. Nothing like, say, Bakura who had always been ready to start a fight with the nearest person. The nurse gave him another smile and left the room. Mahad took a deep breath, and left the room, wincing at the pain even taking deep breaths brought with them.
The moment he stepped into the corridor, his eyes were assaulted by the bright lights of the corridor. He gasped, blinking rapidly, attempting to get used to the light. He preferred candlelight, he decided, which was soft and comforting. This was harsh and horrible, bringing a headache almost immediately. Struggling to see, Mahad staggered down the corridor to where he knew the waiting room would be. The doctor had told him where it was the night before, telling him that this would be where Seto would pick him up from. It still felt strange to hear him called 'Mr Kaiba' considering Mahad was used to just calling him Seto.
To give Seto his due, he wasn't wearing anything too expressive that day. Dark clothes with a long sleeveless white coat, which felt blinding in these lights, but not too different to the blue and white tunics he wore in Egypt. Modern, but still Seto's style.
"Where have you been?" Seto snapped, unusually moody for some reason. Mahad didn't bother answering and just pressed a hand against his chest. Seto's flinty blue eyes softened a little and he took Mahad by the arm and led him away. "I've already signed your bloody release papers so we can leave right now. Good riddance. Hospitals are-"
"Are you always this dirty mouthed in Japan?" Mahad asked, trying to distract himself from the pain to his senses and chest. Seto didn't normally curse, although Mahad was perfectly aware that that was not the case with Atem. It seemed Japan changed people.
"Apparently," Seto snapped as they finally exited the building. Mahad blinked at the sudden onslaught to his senses. He had thought the hospital was bad with the smell of urine and bright lights but this was so much worse. The smell of petrol fumes from the road and the vehicles caused Mahad to choke, wondering how the air here could be worse than the air in the desert in the middle of a sandstorm. The lights outside were flashing and blinking, causing dots to dance in front of Mahad's eyes and he blinked, attempting to make them go away. Seto seemed to notice this and smirked. "Different to Egypt?" he asked in a sickly sweet voice.
"I wasn't aware one could have so many blinding lights," Mahad muttered, throwing an arm over his eyes. "What do they run on?"
"Electricity which, coincidentally, is also what lightening is made up of," Seto said sarcastically, opening the door to a long black version of the vehicles on the road (Mahad had no other words for them) and gesturing for him to get in. Mahad began to shake his head, opening his mouth to say that he would rather walk, only to find himself thrust into the thing like a naughty child, the scowl on Seto's face still permanently in place.
"How did the people get the power to control the heavens?" Mahad murmured, his eyes taking in the interior in interest. It was sparsely decorated with only chairs, some of them facing backwards. Mahad felt a little nervous as the thing started up, shifting uncomfortably in his seat as Seto rolled his eyes at him.
"Game shop. I've still got two other annoyances to pick up," Seto muttered, ignoring Mahad's last question. He wondered if this was what it would be like throughout his entire stay.
Yugi was actually having fun. Ever since Atemu had saved him from Ushio, Yugi had started to open up and let him in (although he wouldn't admit that he spent every night in Atemu's room now because he drew comfort from his brother at all). Now that Mahad seemed to be ok, Atemu seemed a lot happier, although he still insisted that Japan was too cold for him. Yugi wondered what Egypt was like if this was cold.
For now the pair was simply enjoying their last few moments with Grandpa before heading to the Kaiba mansion for the next week or so. Bakura had strangely gone missing for the past couple of days but Atemu had simply stated that this was understandable- apparently there was some sort of bad blood between Bakura and their father and Bakura was simply steeling himself for seeing him again. At first, Yugi had tried to get the answer to this but Atemu refused to cough up any information so Yugi had settled for the answer given. Right now though, he was concentrating on defeating Atemu (who was currently slaughtering him) at Dual Monsters while also helping a little boy find his friend a birthday present. As the boy searched the lower shelves, Yugi glanced towards the counter which was half taken up by their game and the other half taken up by Kew. Atemu didn't look very impressed.
"So, what do you think?" Kew asked, sliding her foot onto the table. Atemu scowled at her, sending a glance to the little boy Yugi was helping, who happily hadn't noticed Kew yet. Considering she was rather scantily dressed in hot pants, a crop top and sandals, leaving nothing to the imagination, Yugi was glad he was spared the mind-scarring.
"I think," Atemu said firmly, although yet still somehow polite, "that you should consider that there are some very young children in this store." Kew just smiled seductively (in her opinion) at him. Yugi thought it made her look constipated and Atemu seemed to think so too.
"Oh, come on, we don't have to do anything here, where anyone can see. There's a supply closet right over there," Kew said in such a suggestive voice, Yugi making vomiting motions to Atemu who seemed to find it funny.
"Hey, mister, what do you think about this?" the little boy suddenly came out of the shelves holding a box filled four different puzzles. Yugi smiled and said,
"That should be fine but are you sure that's what he would want? There are lots of other games in here as well." The boy looked around a little (thankfully still missing Kew) and suddenly dropped the puzzle box to look at some pirate themed games, his eyes alight. Yugi wondered where his parents were as he heard Atemu's response.
"I'm sorry miss but I just don't like you that way. Now can you please leave before I'm forced to make you leave involuntarily?" Atemu's tone had a dangerous tone to it, clearly losing his temper. Kew didn't seem to notice.
"Aw you don't need to play hard to get, sweetheart," Kew said, still smiling like she actually had a chance. Atemu glanced at Yugi and he nodded back to him. It was time for Kew to leave.
"Miss, it's against the law for me to remove you myself but if you don't leave when asked I can call the police to remove you and I will. Especially since you've been making inappropriate advances towards me with a child in the shop." Atemu was sending Kew a hard glare which she flinched away from.
"Well, you needn't threaten the cops," she sniffed haughtily, hopping off the desk. She stalked towards the door but Atemu suddenly called out to her.
"And miss!" Kew turned around hopefully. "Please put something else on other than your undergarments." Kew made a disgusted face and flew out of the shop in a rage, leaving Yugi giggling in the aisles after her. Atemu just shook his head and glanced back towards their game. However it was not to be. At that moment, Kaiba's limo suddenly pulled up and the little boy was back.
"It's definitely this one!" he said, his eyes shining. Yugi smiled.
"Well, why don't you take it up to the desk to pay for it?" Yugi said, giving the little boy a hand. He couldn't have been any older than about four and was as small as Yugi had been at that age. Yugi preyed that this boy would grow a bit more than he had.
As Atemu helped the little boy pay for his game, Yugi packed up the Dual Monster's game. A shame too, because he'd been having fun playing it, even if it had gone on all morning and Atemu would have won anyway. It was fun to do something other than wait for the next customer to come and pay for something, plus he wasn't helping out alone anymore.
"Where are your parents?" Atemu asked the boy as he handed him the game in a plastic bag. The little boy turned around and pointed.
"Outside the shop. They said they would come and get me from here!" he said and then looked a little crestfallen. "I don't know when that is though."
"That's ok," Yugi said. "You can stay here with us until they come back."
"No, the brat's leaving," a deadpan voice suddenly said. Yugi sighed, wishing Kaiba was a least a little more sympathetic towards others. He turned to find Seto standing in the doorway with Mahad, who looked a little shocked. Perhaps I should have let Grandpa buy those Game shop work shirts Yugi thought, wondering if the tags around the neck were invisible. People might think they were stealing form the shop.
The little boy looked as if he were about to cry but at that point a young woman walked into the shop. "Are you all done Toby? We've got to go!" she said, reaching out a hand to the little boy. He brightened up immediately.
"Ok mummy! Bye!" he shouted, waving goodbye to them both. Yugi could hear him faintly chattering away outside to his mother. Yugi found himself wishing that the rest of the day could drag out, not letting them go to Kaiba's but he had promised.
"I suppose we should shut up shop," Yugi said quietly. "Grandpa won't be back for another hour yet."
"Where is the old man?" Seto asked, striding in as if he owned the place. Atemu rolled his eyes as he locked the cash register and tossed the keys to Yugi who ran up the stairs to leave a note for Grandpa and get their bags. He would have to leave these keys in the apartment and take the spare keys with them as Grandpa had his set to let himself back in. Yugi, grabbed his bag and hauled it down the stairs, before turning to go and get Atemu's. However Atemu had already disappeared to get his own stuff, leaving Yugi alone with two almost strangers.
"Um… hey Mahad. How are you?" Yugi asked, feeling awkward in the silence of the room. Mahad gave him a slow smile, just one of the calming things about him. Yugi was beginning to think that nothing really shocked Mahad completely.
"I am fine Yugi. A little sore but fine," he said, his voice washing over Yugi and instantly calming him down. Yugi wondered how the guy was able to do that. At that moment Atemu reappeared, his own duffel bag thrown over his shoulder.
"Are we going then?" he asked, looking as if he could stay where he was. Yugi wondered what was so bad about their father if Atemu didn't want to meet with him. He also vaguely wondered if Bakura would be there to annoy (or entertain) them. Then again he had disappeared of late and seemed to be avoiding anything to do with the visit of their father. Or anyone from Egypt.
"I'm leaving. You lot can stay in this dump if you want but I won't be coming back for you," Kaiba said, half as patient as he usually was. That is, if he had any patience at all. Yugi sighed and pulled his bag over his shoulder. It was time for him to meet his father and, for the first time since the announcement, Yugi suddenly had the desire to hide. There was something dark going on and no one was telling him anything that was helpful. He felt as if he were about to wade into a black sea with no idea where safe land would be and he just wanted to stay.
But Yugi had made a promise. And he was going to stick by that promise no matter what.
I know these chpaters are slightly shorter than before but I promise, they get longer again. I try to aim for the 3000 word mark for each chapter, but sometimes they fall short. I know some people write more than that, but I'm not that good. Plus, I always find myself explaining the story too fast but other people can pull it off, which I find amazing. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter.
Answers to reviews:
CrimsonStrawberry17: I'm happy that your still reviewing this. I thought it would be unfair to move on without you from the last chapter that I posted 'cause you always review every chapter. i do think your comment about Isis' age is fair becuase, as I've said before, I'm not all that well versed in the manga/Japanese anime unfortunately. But I've also mentioned in this story that Yugi and Atemu are about fifteen/sixteen and so I imagine Isis to be in her twenties (it always seemed that way to me in the manga). I suppose in this story she's about eight-ten years older than Atemu, but he was little at the time and so it's not out of the question for her to be a mother figure. I don't imagine her any older than twenty-five/twenty-six. That would be too much to swallow for people. But I'm glad you were able to review :).
Magical Guest: I'm glad your enjoying the way that I write Seto becuase I have never really seen him as uncaring before. I mean, look at the way he dotes on Mokuba in the English anime! If that's uncaring then we all just moderately care about other people. Anyway, as for your questions I think that would be giving it away the plot to answer them, so you'll just have to read and find out! Sorry if that annoys you.
lichito: Um... I'm glad you reviewed but I don't know how to answer you because I don't understand what you wrote. Sorry, but thank you for reviewing anyway :).
