"Aibou" is the term the Spirit of the Millennium Puzzle uses to refer to Yugi, translated as "partner."

Chapter 6

The tall skyscraper soaring over all of Domino still seemed proficient in all its business. But beneath the scuttle of work and appearance of commitment and calmness, the workers were worried and confused. If Mr. Kaiba remained how he was, how would it affect their jobs? Yes, a new owner might not be so hard on them, but a new owner may be less demanding (as Kaiba so often believed a miracle of work could come forth from their hands, the believed plethora closer to the myths of the never-ending water in the chalice than even if they worked constantly for twelve hours) and need fewer people.

But the workers were not the only people worried. One young man had noted Kaiba's absence from school and how Mokuba never answered the phone. Always, it was goons who were "unauthorized to say." Sourly, he wondered what would happen if no one ever authorized them to do anything. Still, Kaiba usually had his reasons, very good ones according to the CEO, for not coming to school or socializing with anyone else in the slightest. So, Kaiba's fellow classmate shrugged it aside, mainly because the others teased him over his "needless worry."

"Kaiba's always doing some big, great thing with his business, Yugi. I'm sure he doesn't want to be interrupted." Jonouchi's thoughts on the missing young man faded instantly as his mouth filled with a large sandwich that needed at least three hands to keep it together long enough for his teeth to tear it apart again.

"You just don't want to be the one to interrupt him!" Honda elbowed Jonouchi right when the sandwich was about to enter the gaping maw, and the two instantly had a small wrestle after the sandwich collapsed.

So, Yugi avoided bringing up the topic again and tried to shut it out of his mind. Doing so was also a relief to his other self who was tired of hearing about Yugi's worries about Kaiba.

"I'm sure he's just fine, aibou. Besides, you know Kaiba; he wouldn't want us to do anything about it." That was what Yugi's other self told him constantly. None of the others seemed any more worried about Mokuba's lack of presence either. Apparently, reprimands of how family business was not for any of the others to worry about had finally sunk into the nerd herd. That just made it more unfortunate that Kaiba was unable to realize it.

Therefore, the circumstances were more of a brief accident than any well-acted plan when Mutou Yugi discovered Kaiba Seto was "staying" in the hospital.

Suguroku had protested his annual check-up for long enough. For some reason, the old man hated going to see any physician, adamant that they were out to tag him with some illness and steal all his money.

Privately, Yugi just knew Suguroku hated being told he needed to lose some weight.

"I don't care about any conspiracies you think there are between the doctors and the pharmacists! You have to at least get yourself checked up to know whether you should even consider throwing away all your money on some newfangled cure!"

The store owner was giving his entire attention to wiping the windows clean, muttering how there would be no need to waste time going to the doctor if certain adolescents would just do their fair of the work around the shop. But, as it was, that merely proved he was fit as could be. After all, Grandpa Mutou managed to get everything finished that needed work even with a grandson prone to vanishing for extended periods of time.

"That's not fair! You know I do my share of the work! You're just frightened of what all the nurses will think when they give you the run-over."

"That's not true, Yugi!"

"Then you're frightened you'll be given a shot."

Suguroku glowered down at his grandson, knowing where this was leading. But there existed no way to sneak out of it. "I am not afraid of shots! Me—an old veteran to the rude strength of doctors jamming in needles of medication?"

Of course, the next words were what always made the old man do as his grandson desired.

"Then prove it."

Yugi's mother was holding a hand over her smile as she listened to Suguroku and Yugi argue. What she was most grateful for, however, was the fact that Yugi was the one dealing with the ornery old man instead of making her take him to the doctor. (1)

Sputtering, Suguroku shook a fist at Yugi. "You're going to be telling me to prove I'm dead one day and what then? You want me to come back from the grave and haunt you just to prove it?"

Trying to keep a straight face, Yugi merely took his grandfather's arm and led him toward the door.

Obviously, since Suguroku hated doctors so much, he did not belong to any clinic, and the two had to go to the hospital every time Yugi managed to convince him to have a check-up.

Other various people looked at the old man arguing and protesting the entire way to the hospital, but they would quickly avert their eyes after a covert glance. Yugi, despite it all, was red.

"Grandpa, I don't care how brave you are. Just keep your tone down, please?"

Oblivious, Suguroku continued to rant, "And you know I'm only doing this for you, so that you'll be convinced I'm just fine, Yugi. An old man like myself learns how healthy he is just by getting up in the morning; doctors have no more intelligence to it than I do. But, being the noble man that I am, I realize that you want official proof, that my own knowledge is nothing. So, don't you be worried, little Yugi. I'll soon be checked-out and rightfully deemed healthy, as I told you I was."

That train of thought continued to cascade out of the old man like water toppled over a cliff without fail, no matter how many rocks Yugi tried to pile in front of it.

Finally, their feet hesitated outside the automatic sliding doors of the entrance to the hospital. Then, realizing his grandpa had become glued to the concrete as if the sun had melted his shoes into a puddle to stick there, Yugi grabbed his arm once more and dragged Suguroku in after him.

Wishing that Suguroku would one day give in and apply to belong to a clinic where all the appointments were less hassled, Yugi managed to find a nurse who knew where they belonged and took her clipboard for his grandfather to sign.

"They want my signature now, too, huh? I'm not that foolish, Yugi! They'll probably use it to buy me all sorts of medications I don't need!"

Yugi looked out of the corner of his eyes at everyone now openly staring at the shouting man. Mentally sighing and hating to hear the sniggering coming from the Puzzle, Yugi gave the clipboard a little jerk to reiterate its presence. "You're going to sign, Grandpa, or I'll sign it for you. We did not just walk all the way here for the exercise!" That part, at least, Suguroku agreed with. Yugi quickly added, "And you're making yourself just seem less capable of taking care of yourself and more requiring of being admitted into a different part of the hospital—the psychiatric ward!"

The nurse had never seen anyone sign a name so quickly, and surprised, she led them to a tiny room to await the nurse that would begin the check-up.

Fortunately, the two did not have to wait long or else Suguroku would have begun another round of protestation.

"Why don't you step over here so I can measure you?" The nurse had evidently worked with reluctant patients before, for she gave a winning smile and grasped the old man's wrist firmly.

Well, in the wake of such a charming young woman, Mr. Mutou was suddenly not so reluctant. But as Yugi was heading out the door, not wanting to be around during the entire procedure, the nurse was telling Suguroku to step on the scale. That caused an entire change of attitude.

"Yugi, help! Where are you going?"

"The bathroom," the young man replied immediately, not looking back. He hoped the nurse would not be in a grumpy mood after his grandfather's visit.

Going to the bathroom was, of course, a lie, and Yugi wandered down the halls a little just to be doing something. Sitting and staring at nothing as he talked with the Spirit of the Puzzle was not the best idea when in the hospital.

Yugi hesitated at the end of the hallway. After casting a look around, he saw something that suddenly made him completely freeze.

Then, just by chance, a nurse was walking Kaiba down the halls to keep his legs working.

Yugi stopped and gaped.

There was no confusing Kaiba with someone else. The CEO still had the same umber hair cascading into the same icy blue eyes that used to hold such depths of remembered pain; the same tall, proud stance; but they way he looked now…it was just wrong. All of how he looked merely made him look like someone trying to impersonate Kaiba, and doing an excellent job of it, but the main portion of the genius was missing.

His spirit was lacking.

"Aibou, is that Kaiba?" Uncertain just of how much the Spirit of the Puzzle knew himself—did he learn things from Yugi's mind or did he somehow see out from where he was?—Yugi ripped the chain off his neck and stared down the hall where Kaiba had vanished to—no, been led down. No doubt remained in Yugi's mind.

Kaiba looked just as he had when his mind was being reformed.

Feeling shocked and betrayed, Yugi went back to his grandfather.

The luck that had aided Kaiba before apparently had not wholly abandoned him as a joke to all of destiny despite how well it hid during the years. Through such luck, Ms. Dojinschi discovered the truth of the Kaiba family as well. After being reminded of Mokuba from the tabloids, the teacher was anxious to discover more. Since her own school knew little, she decided to call the high school Mokuba's brother went to. Maybe there she could find some answers—all in the name of giving Mokuba the homework he missed, of course.

The principal had just been transferred to the line when she overheard a conversation that gave everything away.

"If you'll excuse me a moment," the principal apologized, turning his attention to the short student now in his room. Somehow, the student would not take any of the hints of the principal being busy; nor would this student inform anyone else of what was so important. Now, in the presence of the principal, the phone with Dojinschi on the line facedown, Yugi admitted what was on his mind.

"I wanted to have a collection of cards for the Kaibas, both Seto and Mokuba. Since the one is having…difficulties, I thought we could make it a school goal to let Mokuba know our condolences and Seto himself once he recovers." At least, Yugi really hoped the CEO would recover.

The boy appeared familiar to the principal. Well, such a hairstyle was difficult to forget, but there was something else…something missing. Suddenly, his mind had it. A certain golden amulet was absent from around his neck. At least the kid had learned a little fashion sense. But now the principal was certain who this was.

"I'm afraid you won't be able to send Kaiba Mokuba anything, Mr. Mutou, but your idea was very generous. Perhaps once we find out Mokuba's new address you'll be able to do your plan."

"New…address?"

Sighing, the principal rubbed a hand over his face. "I can tell you're their friend, so I will tell you. Regardless, this should go no further. Mokuba is in an orphanage, I'm not sure which, until his brother awakes or he is adopted by someone new."

A silence where only the ticking of the clock on the wall filled the air. As every tick became more pronounced in his mind, Yugi felt like the time was more like an hour glass, the seconds fading away forever.

"Oh."

"The news is to go no further," the principal reiterated with a slightly louder voice.

In the same monotone of before, Yugi automatically replied, "Yes, I know."

Yugi turned to leave and the principal picked up the phone again, unaware of how quickly Dojinschi wrapped up the conversation to get onto future matters.

The days were crawling by at the same speed time passes when one is awaiting something exciting. Yet, Mokuba had nothing to look forward to. Whenever the future crossed his mind, all he saw was a bleak nothingness filled to the brim with black decay.

Mokuba had not even been at the orphanage for two days, and already his life seemed unalterably changed, like he could never go back to how he was. What was worse was that he feared he would never be granted a chance to go back to how things were.

The next night's dinner also reiterated the fact that his existence meant a competition between who would hold more power: the orphanage owner or Kaiba Mokuba. Or rather, it was a competition of who would remain strong and who would crumble under the pressure. With the hordes of boys under his dominion already shells of perfect obedience, the history certainly sided with Mr. Guy.

Long lines of scraggly boys passed through the kitchen, and as much as he was reminded of Oliver Twist, Mokuba knew their predicament was not as poor. In some ways, Mokuba wished there were problems so he could report them and get free from this prison. But Mr. Guy kept everything just well-off enough that no one could protest.

Continuing with the previous day's attachment, Jumi was following immediately behind Mokuba, nearly clutching his leg like a burr. Then, once they were given their hard biscuit, watery soup, and vegetables that had been turned into painted mush, the two went very carefully to a table. Mokuba helped the younger boy get into his seat without spilling everything and then started eating.

Out of the corner of his eye, almost unconsciously, the younger Kaiba was taking tabs to be certain that Jumi ate everything. Something about the boy's hair-slender arms made it obvious that Jumi needed more sustaining food within him.

"Did you hear what Sven did now, Suke?" The boy carefully nudged his friend and both flicked their eyes in the direction of where Sven slurped his soup alone.

Lower, Suke asked, "What was it this time?"

The first gained a gleeful look on his face, excited to be telling of another's disobedient behavior. The feeling that came from knowing what happened made him feel like a rebel himself, but he never had to be the one punished for it, so it was a winning situation for him.

Curious despite himself, Mokuba continued to watch his own bowl and Jumi's, but his ears and mind were completely attached to the other conversation.

"Well, he tried to run away."

The boy watched Suke's reaction with a grin. Then he added, "Yeah, it's so odd that he'd try to run when he only has to be here a few more years, but, Sven wasn't ever too smart." Both laughed. "And Guy found him before he could get far. I didn't see what it looked like, but I heard that Sven was nearly being rolled on the ground behind Guy. Wouldn't that have been great to see?"

Both were snickering as they looked over at Sven, imagining him experiencing something so undignified as being dragged along behind the orphanage owner.

When Mokuba glanced over at the older boy, however, he was troubled with another thought prone to give him a lot more trouble. Sven, the bully, the older kid, the one wanting to escape…what made him so different from Seto?

More to force his mind out of going down roads he did not want to tread, Mokuba looked down at Jumi and gave a little start at seeing the boy smiling up at him.

"Want my biscuit?"

Half mush from having fallen into the soup and crumbling away into particles too small to be seen as dust, Jumi gallantly offered the hardened tack out to Mokuba. Staring at the gooey substance a little too long, Mokuba quickly shook his head with a smile.

"No, no, I think you need it. You have to eat everything."

Giving a dimpled smile as he jammed most of the slushy portion into his mouth, Jumi just chewed and smiled at Mokuba. The younger Kaiba was already finishing his own food.

Various boys deposited their dishes at a window and vanished to do whatever they desired, but Jumi was still slowly slurping his soup and crumbling his biscuit. Mokuba shoved his own utensils aside and waited as the boy continued to work. The soup, not very warm to begin with, had to be as cold as the look in Mr. Guy's eyes. Soon, the entire place was empty, a desolate camp abandoned and eerily quiet after a bomb had been dropped in the midst of it.

A voice spoke up to make the awkward feeling turn to downright fear. The bomb had just arrived.

"What's this? Not finished, Jumi? Hurry up."

It was Mr. Guy, who had come at the same time as Sven, though the latter had been there previously and left before being escorted back. Now, the delinquent was beginning to clean the tables. With the two of them in the room, the air merely became tenser and harder to breathe. Mokuba thought his lungs had collapsed they were straining so hard, and his heart was yammering to break free of his ribs to go bury itself somewhere safer.

Immediately, Jumi dropped his spoon and announced, "Done."

There was a still a quarter of soup remaining in his bowl, and all his mushy excuses for vegetables were untouched. Still, the boy was beginning to slip over the edge of his place to quickly disappear like a chipmunk suddenly alerted of danger.

This was something Mokuba knew was intolerable. And, thinking once more of his older brother, though he hated to believe it was because of the presence of Seto's two similar souls—Mr. Guy and Sven—he knew he could never feel worthy of being Seto's brother if he did not do what would make his brother proud.

Not even looking at the boy, but instead Mr. Guy, Mokuba said, "I think you should finish that, Jumi."

The five-year-old paused one moment at Mokuba's words, but then, after looking around and meeting Mr. Guy's eyes, he continued to climb down the old, rickety chair.

Mokuba reached out to grab his arm, saying in a warning tone, "Jumi…"

"What, oniichan?" His midnight blue eyes mournfully peered into Mokuba's. The orphan's racing heart and frantic look in his eyes was more reminiscent of a rodent waiting to flee than a young boy needing more food in his system.

"You should eat, Jumi. You can't possibly be full—you barely ate anything."

Staring at the ground avoiding all eyes, he whispered very softly, "Mr. Guy is mad."

"So what?" Mokuba's own voice was normal, eyes now remaining on the boy. "Ignore him. He can't hurt you."

There was one silent moment while Jumi debated.

Mr. Guy was dead silent, his very eyes daring anyone to move. The fury held in check was like a roaring waterfall gathering pressure and force behind a dam. Soon, the emotion and rage would overflow, drowning everyone in its might. Sven, all pretense of washing tables abandoned, merely gaped at what was going on between the orphanage owner and one other orphan, though the battle was not even between Mr. Guy and the hungry little boy, but the new orphan behind Jumi.

Jumi's eyes darted from one taut face to the other, knowing who had the true power and yet knowing who he idolized. Once being a boy with his own personality, Mokuba and Guy had transformed him into a symbol of power and control, a thing to manipulate and prove a point about. While Jumi did not understand that, Sven's eyes began to narrow as he realized exactly what was happening between the two, and the teen did not like knowing how Jumi's own behavior and instincts were being used.

In the end, Jumi did as his oniichan had instructed and crawled back to his seat. Hardly higher than the sound of a spider spinning silk, Jumi breathed, "Okay."

Hovering nearby, his very presence enough to unease the child, Mr. Guy cast a few scowling looks their way as he paced. Each footfall seemed to take years to descend and clump down, and each step was like the ever-present ticking of the clock. Such a well-devised torture, that being to listen to the monotonous sounds of dripping water. The Chinese water-torture certainly knew the art of going completely still and waiting for the next descent…would it come? Yes, it would, but the interminable wait stressed the listener every time.

"Get cleaning, Sven," Mr. Guy snapped. The teen quickly got back to work cleaning all the tables but the island where Mokuba and Jumi drifted.

Mr. Guy resumed his pacing with an oily smile back in place.

"You seem to be having difficulties finishing that, Jumi. Maybe"—here the man paused—"you're full."

Uneasily, Jumi looked from Mr. Guy to Mokuba, the latter outright glaring and the former appearing concerned with his small smirk.

Jumi ducked his head, stirring his soup and staring at a spot on the table that was slightly darker than the others. All his utter concentration was on the spot and nothing more as he wished he were someplace else.

"Stop harassing him." Mokuba's tone was still the same, ordering obedience.

Guy chuckled lowly as a threat, breaking the still, tense air that one could have shattered with a needle's point. "Who's in charge here, little pest? You're no longer a 'Kaiba' to even pretend to have any extra control."

"Let him eat or it's child abuse. And I won't hesitate to inform the authorities of it. Unless you're going to hold me captive."

The small silence emphasized that even Sven had ceased to wipe off tables once more. This time, Mr. Guy did not reprimand him.

A sickly sweet smile adorned the orphanage owner's face now. "Why would you ever think that, Kaiba Mokuba? Haven't I been only accommodating to your every desire and need here, however whimsical? After all, it is so difficult to please one who is so used to better, but I think everyone knows how hard and futilely I attempt to do just that. But if you won't ever be satisfied, I think we could come to an arrangement. How do you feel about my little toy stick?" His run of eloquent words contrasted with the hard glint in his dark eyes.

When Mokuba added nothing more, Mr. Guy gave an appeasing smile and a mocking bow before swirling and pacing out.

Silent, heart-pounding, Mokuba stared after him for a little while. Then, working to clear the sour air of the stench of tension, he urged Jumi to continue eating. When the boy was finally finished, they left the room for Sven to finish cleaning and went to get ready for bed.

When the two were absent from the room, when he was finally completely alone, Sven stopped his cleaning and dug his nails into his palms. Gritting his teeth and wearing a livid expression, he burst out lowly, "Stop it! Stop using Jumi like he's an object and not a boy! I won't stand for anyone to use others that way. You're just like your pathetic brother, Kaiba! You don't care who you use as long as you prove your power. Well, do it again, and I won't hesitate to show you mine." He held up one of his fists, the dripping, soapy water having a slightly pink taint to it then.

(1): If you hadn't noticed, I have been basing this story on the Japanese storyline, and you see Yugi's mom more in that version, but she does exist!