A Past and Future Pharaoh
Written by: Lady Lunar Phoenix
Original Beta: White Swan
A/N: So we're at the point where Anzu gets her first visit to Kaiba Mansion... And now that I've been getting a better grasp of Bakura and Maliks' voices I cut that stupid part at the end. They're going to start sounding like young men soon... I hope...
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Anzu never saw the Kaiba mansion until that day. The large ornate dragon themed gates that were connected to well maintained white stone walls gave a restricted view of the mansion. A wall that kept the public out, but also could be seen as a cage keeping something contained within. Even the dragons took on the feel of a real black dragon protecting its horde greedily. Yet inside the gates was Yugi and the Kaiba brothers, well at least Mokuba because Anzu was pretty sure that Kaiba was at work.
There wasn't much in the sense of a garden, mostly a token one since the previous owner had been a weapons manufacturer. While Kaiba was more fixated perfecting the colors of his hologram systems than natural flowers. But the grass looked well maintained and well... it was 'grass' a seemingly large track of grass that 'wasn't' a park or a natural forest. But it wouldn't be a 'Kaiba' mansion without Kaibas' cherished Blue Eyes White Dragons on display.
All three forming an isosceles triangle with their wings out spread and their long necks carved down. Each looking ready to attack and devour what laid before them, with two stationed on either side of the front of the entrance of the mansion and all looking aggressive. Not even home did Kaiba allow himself to relax his guard from any attacks it seemed, which was a shame.
She could barely see the blue shade curtains that hung in the windows of the mansion from where she stood at the gates. She wouldn't have been surprised if the blue was specifically selected to match the color of the Dragons' eyes. Yet for all the dragon motifs she could see, somewhere in that huge white mansion, was Yugi. The Master of Magicians in his contrasting black leather and spikes now lived in the proverbial dragons den.
There was a communication system set up for guests to announce their arrival, undoubtedly via vehicle. Contained in a black box with a silver face, she walked over to it and quietly pressed a button on a box marked 'call'. Hoping that someone in the huge mansion was near... whatever it was that people used to communicate with someone standing at the gates. But Anzu didn't drive; rather she walked from the last stop on the rail system. Her legs ached some, though not as much as it probably would for some had they been out of shape.
But how long until someone came to the system to see who was calling? She didn't know how long she would be expected to stand outside under the open sky until someone noticed she was there. And would there be a repeated sign that there 'was' a call or was she supposed to routinely ring in until someone spoke?
"Kaiba residence to what business do you have here?" A reserved older voice came out from the intercom's speaker.
"Ahh hello, my name is Mazaki, Anzu I've come to see Mouto, Yugi," she replied politely despite stumbling over the sudden voice startling her. A butler, Kaiba could afford a 'butler', a large mansion, and a wait staff?
"I will inform him," the voice responded, leaving Anzu alone outside.
Clutching the gift that she had forgotten to give to Yugi to her chest, Anzu waited until those large, ornate gates suddenly opened before her. Anzu walked onto the grounds and just stepping over that boundary made her feel so small. Suddenly she wasn't just a teenager visiting a friend, but something small, prey like. Knowing Kaiba and his devotion to the Blue Eyes didn't make that feeling like she was being judged lesson any either, regretfully.
A third of her way through the yard she realized the reason for the formation of the Dragons. As the road lead towards the foremost dragon, before sliding along in a tear drop path so that there was no reversing a car needed. While at the same time keeping each vehicle in the 'line of sight' of one of the large dragon statues. While between the pair of dragons the door to the house opened. Yugi, now both familiar and unfamiliar, rushing out to greet her and like she expected, he wore a good deal of black.
Black pants that didn't have a sheen, so not leather, a white t-shirt with a white button on over 'that' and he had a pair of black boots and his straps on. Yugi was quietly slipping from strangely dressed little kid to, rock star appearance and wasn't even 'trying'.
"I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry…" he gasped out, hunching over. He had a buttered slice of toast in one hand and barely looked dressed. "I slept in late, late breakfast, the butler… told me you were here and I came as soon as I could."
"Is the house so big that you get out of breath just running through it?" She asked, chuckling as she recalled how often Yugi used to run away from bullies. Just two short years ago and he could have been in track for all that run, 'now'? He probably could go as fast and as tall as he was, he'd eat up more track.
"The growing pains that come are more intense than normal. Not to mention its making me hungry from needing the extra boosts," Yugi explained as he finally stood up before looking around. Seemingly looking for her ride from Domino, "how did you get here?"
"Walked from the last stop on the monorail," Anzu replied while Yugi took another bite out of the toast.
"That's so far! I didn't realize how far it was from here to Domino City before. Though I guess it explains why Kaiba normally uses his helicopter," Yugi complained. Which was true, he hadn't paid any attention to how long the car ride had been to the mansion, the time swallowed up by misery. "Kaiba said I could use one of the limos to go to the city or the auto piloted helicopter, I'll take you back to Domino in one of those." Suddenly he blushed as he looked down at himself before stuffing the rest of the toast in his mouth and hurriedly buttoning up his shirt.
"I have to go anyways, I need a new school uniform." Yugi noted amid a spray of breadcrumbs as he attempted to speak with a full mouth of buttered toast.
"The gang wants to meet… oh… where are we going to meet? I called Bakura and got Malik on the phone, he said it would be best if you don't go to Bakura's apartment. He wouldn't elaborate, but insisted it was for your own safety, he suggested his boat, which he said was big enough to house all of us."Anzu spoke she felt a giggle work its way up her throat.
Yugi, nodding along at her words while he turned to lead her towards the mansion. He towered over her, his hair swaying slightly in time with his steps while he made like a chipmunk. Strange how the feeling of being stared at by a great predator was gone with his presence alone. Though the soft crinkling sound reminded her that she hadn't come empty handed. "Oh! This is for you! I forgot to give it to you back on the plane."
"Oh!" Yugi started at her words and turned back to face her in question of what she had gotten. He held out his hands and took the gift into his arms before he turned back towards the mansion eagerly. "I'll show you the room Kaiba gave me," he smiled, welcoming her.
Anzu was left in his proverbial dust, proving her original thought, as he began walking quickly forward. "Yugi, wait for me!" She watched as he stopped and turned to face her again, his expression one of confusion as she jogged her way up to him. "Our roles are reversed." She pointed out with a smile as his cheeks turned pink in embarrassment, before he resumed walking, at a slower pace for her.
"What is it?" He asked, giving the box a very light shake for emphasis.
"You'll find out soon enough," she replied with a beaming smile as they finally got to the house.
Out of the glare of the sun Anzu could only stare in awe at the sight before her. The entry hall of the mansion was bigger than the dance studio she had visited in America, with rich rugs along the floor, a few paintings on the white washed walls with light glittering down from a large chandelier high above. It was humbling how big the house was and it housed the Kaiba brothers, Yugi 'and' a wait staff? "Where's the Kaiba's?"
"Kaiba is at work, and Mokuba is probably getting ready since he wanted to come to the meeting too," Yugi explained as he led Anzu up the stairs. Up a staircase that curved from the ground floor up to the second floor until the pair were finally on the second floor. While Yugi led her to a room where the door had been left ajar, clearly from Yugi's quick departure. While inside a half eaten plate of breakfast rested on a desk in a bedroom that looked like someone crashed there. Apparently Yugi hadn't finished bothering putting his stuff away despite the fact he was expected to be living in the mansion. Whether from being busy or grief, Anzu couldn't tell, as she saw that his clothes were neatly folded, though not all was put away.
He sat down at the desk with the gift on his lap; taking a bite of his growing cold breakfast before he began tearing into the box, eager to find out what it held. He gave a pleased little cry as he lifted up the soft plush Bengal tiger, its lavender armor and robes just so cute on it. He hugged it tightly before crowing out "Maha!"
Anzu blinked, a little confused, her head cocked to the side. Did he say 'Magic'? "what?"
"Maha, that's his name, I'm naming him Maha, unless you already had a name for him?" Yugi asked innocently as he settled the tiger onto his lap with a gleeful expression on his face.
"Where did you get a name like that so fast? Not that he had one before, but still, that was fast," Anzu noted as she looked down at the newly dubbed 'Maha'.
"I don't know. I've been having dreams of the Other me, his life in Egypt, though I've been told it's my past," Yugi shrugged. "I don't know, but Mahaado seems to formal for something so cute. Though I might ask what the original has to say about this..." He added in a cheeky tone.
"What little guy?" Mokuba's piped up from the other side of the door. Opening it, the younger Kaiba stuck his head into the room curious as a kitten, "ah, Anzu you've come! Hello!" He trotted into the room completely to greet the older girl, when his eyes fell on the toy tiger on Yugi's lap and gave the pair a curious look.
She was a hair breath away from asking how it felt to be back home when she recalled Yugi sitting there unable to go home. "Hello Mokuba how have you been?" She asked instead.
But Mokuba, probably because for a long time he had not bothered to care about anyone else's feelings save Kaiba's didn't think first. "It's great to be back home, I missed my stuff and the servants and uh oh…" his eyes had fallen on Yugi as the teen had looked away, outwardly going towards finishing his breakfast. "Yugi I'm sorry I didn't mean it like that!"
"It's ok, I do understand that it is good to be back home. You don't have to treat me like I'll fall apart," Yugi replied with a faint smile as he speared some egg on his fork.
"But you do believe my brother don't you? You can stay here for as long as you like, forever even. It has everything you could ever want!" Mokuba insisted as rushed forward to grab Yugi's elbow, before sighing sadly. "I'm sorry I made you feel bad."
"I know you didn't mean it, and I am deeply humbled by everything you and your brother have offered me Mokuba." Yugi replied as he rested a hand on Mokuba's shoulder briefly before hugging the tiger.
"Mokuba, why don't you wait for Yugi and I down stairs?" Anzu suggested, trying to cheer up the now disappointed Mokuba and the saddened Yugi.
"Yes…" he began trudging his way to the door and opening it. "Mom. Congratulations on your new baby boy!" he added before running out of the room like a Kuriboh on fire, leaving the two teens blushing furiously behind him.
"If I can't look at you for the rest of the day, please don't take it the wrong way," Yugi finally choked out.
"Is there any way that you know of that we can kill Mokuba and have Kaiba either not notice or care?" Anzu asked sounding dazed.
Yugi didn't bother to answer though thoughts of putting Kuriboh in Mokuba's clothes 'sounded' ok. He just quietly got up from the chair and took his new precious gift to his bed, tucking the soft furry tiger under the sheets with the nice fluffy pillows behind it. Yugi wanted to say he was ready to leave, though now he was more ready to climb under the bed or into the closet rather than go anywhere with Anzu.
"Oh and Maha has a birth certificate, so you know, he's official…" Anzu wondered faintly why couldn't the earth swallow her whole at a time like this?
"Well at least it was an easy delivery," Yugi commented, distracted by embarrassment.
Anzu's mouth fell open in shock, before Yugi knew it she'd gone for a pillow and began swatting the living daylights out of him. He fell back with his arms raised, blocking most of the hits in self-defense as she drove him back and was saved when her cell phone began ringing. She put down her soft, downy weapon so that she could fish out her cell phone from her purse and Yugi put down his arms then made a mad dash to retrieve the pillow and put it back in place before she went for a round two.
"Oh Malik! Yes, I'm with Yugi right now, and we both think it would be a good idea to go to your boat… yes I remember where you were last time… ahh ok, thanks. I'll let him know and we'll see you around 3:00 how's that?" She asked looking at Yugi for confirmation as well as listening to the one from Malik, "Good we'll see you then."
Downstairs Mokuba was channel surfing while waiting for Yugi and Anzu to come down from the second floor. He was glad that Yugi was staying with them, it meant another person in the house to talk to and it meant Kaiba was letting his rivalry go. He had watched as Kaiba left his room last night, he didn't know what had transpired completely between the pair, but inside he knew it was right. Kaiba may not have known how to say those words gently, but there had been a tentative ease in Yugi's stance. After everything that had happened to them, it was a gratifying feeling to know that now they could repay Yugi for all he had done for them. Everything he had sacrificed for the Kaiba brothers had finally broke through the barrier around Kaiba's heart, making Mokuba both happy and sad, since it meant the loss of Yugi's loved ones. It's not like Mokuba would have minded waiting a little longer for Kaiba to reach this point. He hoped that with Anzu, the rest of the gang could help hold up Yugi till he could move on.
Above on the second floor the door to Yugi's bedroom opened and the pair of older teens walked out, ready for the trip. Turning off the TV, Mokuba bounded over eager to go; he had wondered what the high school looked like after all. The trio went out and saw the white limo that Kaiba owned; Isono at the wheel again, which meant that Kaiba had sent him back since Isono normally stayed with Kaiba. All three greeted the man as they climbed into the back of the limo and began the long ride back to Domino City. They rode along in silence for a while till Yugi moved so he could sit next to Mokuba with this look on his face that told Mokuba that running might be a good idea. It was just bad luck he was in a moving limo so he couldn't escape now.
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The sound of keys being pressed at a rapid speed was accompanied by the sound of the speakerphone ringing while Kaiba worked in his office.
"Help…"
Kaiba's hands stilled from his keyboard as he heard that choked cry from the phone, "Mokuba?"
"Big… Big Brother?"
Kaiba focused his attention to the phone, his work forgotten as he began to worry over his brother. Isono was supposed to be with him, Yugi as well, so what could be happening to Mokuba?
"Big Brother, help me! …Won't stop…"
Kaiba's body was tense, ready to spring to action the moment he found out who was hurting his little brother.
"Yugi won't stop tickling me!"
Concern flowed out of him like water as Mokuba squealed, allowing tensing muscles to relax as Kaiba rested an elbow on his desk and his chin in his hand.
"Hello Kaiba!" Yugi called out with Anzu also calling out a greeting in the back. Mokuba squealing about being double-teamed seemed to override everything else.
"I was just checking up on Mokuba, since I know he's ok I'll leave you be," Kaiba stated calmly.
"No! I'm not ok! I'm being tickled to death!" Mokuba cried out in response, adding a "if you love me you'll do something about it!"
"I'll see you when I get home Mokuba," Kaiba told his brother before hanging up, shaking his head ruefully as he did so.
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This was not a good day for Ryou Bakura. In fact, it was such not a good day that even waking up seemed to be the world's biggest mistake. Take when he finally opened his eyes and nearly got blinded, that had been bad. Then there was when he finally managed to sit up and look around to find his whole room looked like the dumping point of a mega jewelry store. That sucked too, as between he, Malik, Isis and Rashid routed around the whole apartment to find that there had to be tons of the stuff everywhere. Oh and turning on the TV only to find out that billions in US dollars of jewelry had disappeared in a single night with no video or audio recording of the theft.
Bakura had stayed in his bed, he refused to come out, his head stuck under the pillow, while Malik had crafted an Ouija Board so they could hopefully have a small 'chat', as it were, with the ghosts. What they had learned was not as shocking as they should have been; then again the Ishtars had been raised on the history of the Nameless Pharaoh. They had conveyed Bakura's wishes to the spirits, then hoped that the spirits would comply while Malik dragged Bakura out of his apartment so they could all attend this gathering.
Stopped only once when Bakura demanded that said board be destroyed since Malik didn't know how to handle the occult. Learning 'now' was also not a good time, and Bakura didn't need any 'more' spirits deciding to move into his life.