Friday came and Mokuba was so excited he could hardly sleep cause Seto and Yami had promised him a party. He woke up about 6 am and he took his blue eyes white dragon, then looked in on Ryo to find him still sound asleep. Yeah he knew there was a rule that said he wasn't allowed outside without Ryo or someone else with him. He thought it was silly, he'd been taking care of himself for 5 years. Not to mention the fact that they were in a castle surrounded by guards. Plus the garden was behind the castle not in front of it. He felt free and safe in the garden it was close enough to the castle that he could get back if there was trouble and odds of Noah getting to him there were very slim. He snuck downstairs and went outside into the garden. He was playing when Johnson approached him.
"So little one we met again."
Mokuba hugged his dragon and sat down. Johnson sat down next to him.
"So little one I heard there's going to be a party for you. So I suppose they care a little about you. But you do know that you will always come second to their real brother! I wonder, how many of those gifts do you think are for their brother?"
Mokuba sighed. 'Probably all of them.'
"But then I'm sure you got at least one and I'm sure you'll get a cake and candles though."
Mokuba frowned. 'Now that you mention it Noah did have candles on his cake but I never understood what they were for. I think my stepmother said what the reason was but it was so noisy I didn't hear what it was for. Then after cake he opened presents. But he's right they always had candles when it came to birthday cake. I wonder what the candles are for?'
"Who do you think they would chose if it came down to it, you or him?"
Mokuba wanted to scream and yell me! But he knew that wasn't true. Everyday it was becoming more and more obvious to him that, their brother means more to them. They didn't even know this brother but spent more time planning for his arrival than they did with him.
"I suppose they'll keep you around just as a play toy or servant for their brother. They probably wont recognize that they ever thought of you as anything more than that. You will mean nothing more to them than any of their other servants. Then again, maybe they'll force you out and maybe even allow your old family to come for you. Yes, I know all about the little papers your family signed but those can be burned and little kids can go back to where they belong! But then they might not be cruel enough to do that maybe just throw you out and let you fend for yourself."
Mokuba was crying now. He didn't want to believe him, but what if he was right!
"Tell me, you think they care about you. Have they ever actually told you that they love you or that they even like you?"
As hard, as Mokuba tried to think he couldn't think of anytime they'd actually said either one. 'Could he be right and they don't love me?'
x-x-x-x-x-x-xx-x-x-x-x-x
Later that day Mokuba shook the thoughts from what had happened earlier out of his head. He didn't tell anyone, he couldn't they wouldn't care, but more over he didn't want them to know that he felt what this person was saying was true. He didn't want people lying to him trying to convince him that it wasn't true. No, he'd concentrate on the party and enjoy it. He'd always served the parties and was usually busy with cooking or cleanup; he never really knew what you did at parties. When he wasn't busy, he was to stay in the basement or the kitchen. But once in a while, he'd sneak a peak and once he remembered Noah and his friends playing games and unwrapping gifts. That's the biggest reason he thought all those gifts were for their real brother. He hoped though that he was a least be given one.
x-x-x-x-x-x-xx-x-x-x-x-x
Seto and Yami were getting ready for Mokuba's party, they were excited since it would be the first real party they'd ever had. They usually only exchanged gifts on their birthdays, rarely did they have cake, ice cream or candles, usually just a couple of cupcakes and presents that was it. But this time they were going to go all out. Decorations and everything! When Seto and Yami were younger Seto's mother, wanted to give them parties on their birthdays. She even tried once but Gozaburo was strictly against any kind of party anytime of the year! The only time a party was allowed was when it was to celebrate an alliance with another kingdom. Gozaburo never liked parties of any kind he only did them when it came to celebrate with other kingdoms or to sway them into signing. He was also going to hold a ball at the insistence of the advisors to find someone he felt was worthy enough to become Seto's bride, bringing pride and new blood into the family. Gozaburo had planned the ball to occur two weeks after he returned from his trip. However, that trip would be his last. For he was killed, but since the ball was already scheduled there was no way to get out of it without making each country think there was something wrong with their daughter or think they were just being unfriendly and not inviting them at all. So to keep from starting a war over something so small they went through with it. However, Seto managed to get around choosing his bride. Without his father there he wasn't going to do it simply because those snake advisors wanted him to! He'd do when he found the right one!
x-x-x-x-x-x-xx-x-x-x-x-x
"So did Mokuba ever look in that closet?" Seto asked.
"No, it's strange. I put a barrier around the room too incase he went anywhere near it. But I got nothing; he never went into that room again. I remember when you were his age, I couldn't keep a gift hidden, you always found it." Yami said.
"I am surprised I can't imagine why he didn't at least look to see which ones were his."
Then a thought stuck Yami. "Seto we told him those were nothing; what if he misunderstood and thought all those were for our brother?"
"Well it doesn't matter really what he thought does it? I mean he'll find out soon enough that they are all his."
"That's true. I guess I'm worrying over nothing."
"Yami look, I'd be concerned too if not for the fact that in a couple of hours, that kid will have them all torn apart and playing with the toys, enjoying the clothes and the books that we got him."
Yami sighed. "Yes, of course. Anything he may have thought doesn't really matter as you said he'll soon find out those are his."
x-x-x-x-x-x-xx-x-x-x-x-x
At the party Mokuba was so thrilled everything was so cool! Then they brought out a cake with candles and Seto, Yami and Ryo all started to sing happy birthday!
"Okay Mokuba make a wish and blow out the candles." Seto said.
Now Mokuba was confused. "W-why do I n-need to make a wish?"
"It's a tradition to make a wish before blowing out the candles." Yami told him.
"Oh, t-that's w-what their f-for." Mokuba said. Then he thought long and hard on what his wish should be. 'Let's see. My wish is… My wish is that Seto and Yami will love me and refuse to let their brother come between us! That they will always want me around!' With that, he blew out the candles.
x-x-x-x-x-x-xx-x-x-x-x-x
As they were eating, their cake and ice cream Nezbit walked in.
"My king I hate to disturb you."
"What is it Nezbit?" Seto asked.
"It seems there's been a problem. The man that your brother is living with currently is refusing to let him leave. The boy ran and was nearly run over several times. Their working to get him to come down from a tree he's currently in now. Then their going to probably put him in the jail for the night to keep him out of trouble and to make sure he doesn't take off again. They assured me that the jails empty and the kid would be perfectly safe. They hope you can find the time to send someone to go and get him."
"No, we'll go get him now. There's no reason why he should have to stay when he should be here by now! Let's go Yami." Seto said getting up and leaving.
Yami nodded and followed they raced upstairs, changed into their riding clothes and left.
x-x-x-x-x-x-xx-x-x-x-x-x
After they had gone, with out a word to him or Ryo. Mokuba walked over and hugged Ryo.
"W-why don't they l-love me?"
"Oh, kiddo. I-I wish I could tell you that it's not true that they do but I'm not sure of anything anymore. But I love you very much." Ryo told him hugging him back.
"I l-love you too big brother!"
Ryo pulled the boy into his lap. "Here I got you a present."
Mokuba smiled a quickly unwrapped it. "I-it's a book! W-what's the title?"
"Well why don't we work on it and find out?"
"Okay." Mokuba said as he and Ryo started sounding out the words in the title.
x-x-x-x-x-x-xx-x-x-x-x-x
Meanwhile Nezbit was meeting up with Marik.
"He's just left. We believe we've planted enough doubt in the child's mind that we can run him off on our own. You're job will be to simply take the king and Master Yami out by any means necessary."
"You and your colleague are incompetent! You told me that over a week ago and the kid is still here!"
"So, what you plan on talking to him and driving him off?"
"No, I have a better plan. My sister's always talking and never seems to shut up! I'll get her to talk to the kid and see what she can do."
"And just how do you plan to do that? The brat doesn't talk to just anyone. He's never spoken to me or my colleague."
"Well my sister's weird if anyone can get him to open up and talk, it's her. After I talk to her, have the kid in the center of the maze in an hour. Ishizu will meet the kid there and she will make sure the kid wants to leave. She'll even get him to write a nice little runaway letter for you. This way you'll have proof that you did nothing to the child that he left on his own."
"I see you've thought of everything!"
"As for me, I'll catch up with the king, then I'll finally accomplish my mission and then return to collect my reward!"
"Good I'll make sure the kid is there!"
x-x-x-x-x-x-xx-x-x-x-x-x
Ryo helped Mokuba sound out most of the words to the point that he was sure he knew what each word was.
"Okay now put each word together and what does the title say."
"T-the Wizard, t-the d-dragon, the u-unicorn and t-the w-wizards m-missing staff."
"Very good. Now would you like me to read it to you?"
"C-can we go to the l-living room and y-you c-could read it to me t-there."
"All right, then, lead the way." Ryo said.