As Ryo was tying up the buggy, the kids were looking in the toy store window. Joey tied up his horse and walked over to Ryo.
"Why do I have to be here?" Joey asked.
"Because you were the only one who said anything remotely nice and the fact that when you said you were asked by Seto to watch Mokuba. That means you must have been the one Seto mentioned he was going to ask to watch Mokuba. He had mentioned you turned him down. Why you're here is simple I need someone to look after Maura. I'm sure she'd like to look around on her own and not always be up under us. She has a special card that lets her charge her things to the castle. So all you have to do is keep an eye on her."
Joey grumbled. "I still don't want to keep up with some kid and be up under her the entire time!"
"Who said you had to?"
"But I've seen you with Mokuba. You do all the time."
"That's because Mokuba's like a little brother to me. I want to be with him and spend time with him. I've heard you have a little sister, am I correct?"
"Yeah what about it?"
"Well what do you do when she takes you shopping with her?"
"That's easy I wander around town then if she's still shopping I find someplace to sit and wait. What does that have to do with anything?"
"Simple, that's all you have to do with Maura. She's not like Mokuba. You don't have to stay near her constantly. Just wait at the door and if she needs you then she'll let you know. If she moves to a new store, follow. Then we'll meet back up here."
"How come you don't do that with Mokuba?"
"Because I want to spend time with him. I never had any siblings growing up. I always wished I'd had a little brother to take care of."
"But I thought Bakura was your brother."
"He is but he's also 10 years older. So, he never paid much attention to me. He always had better things to do."
"Oh, I can see why you'd attach to that kid then."
Ryo gave a small laugh. "Well he attached to me and well the kid just has a way of worming himself into your heart if you let him. So let's get going."
"Okay guys, Maura you can go off on your own and when you want to buy something just show them the card Yami gave you. Then they will either deliver it to the castle or we can take it with us. Joey, here will be around if you need him." Ryo said then bent down and said in a soft voice. "Try not to lose him."
"Hey! I heard that!" Joey said causing the kids to giggle.
"Really I can go off on my own as long as I stay near Joey?"
"Yes."
"Thank you!" Maura said. Then turned and walked off in one direction.
Joey just grumbled and followed her.
x-x-x-x-x-x-xx-x-x-x-x-x
Ryo then turned to Mokuba. "Okay kiddo, where do you want to go now?"
Mokuba thought for a moment. "C-can we go in the toy store?"
"Go ahead." Ryo said.
Mokuba smiled and walked in and much to his displeasure there was Shizuka.
"Ryo, what a surprise. I wasn't expecting to see you." Shizuka said ignoring the fact that Mokuba was there.
"I was on a break and…"
"And you came all the way here to see me. How sweet!" Shizuka said kissing him.
Mokuba glared at her. 'No, he came here cause we wanted him too! Not because of you!'
"Actually I'm only here, cause Mokuba and Maura wanted to come to town and Mokuba wanted to come in here."
Shizuka wasn't pleased that he'd only come because of Mokuba and not because of her.
Sugoroku walked in to see Shizuka hanging off Ryo. "Shizuka, you know better than to bring your boyfriends here and be hanging off of him like that during business hours."
"I know, I know!" Shizuka said.
"Good, there are more things in the back that need to be taken care of."
"But grandpa!"
Sugoroku simply shook his head no. Shizuka stormed off into the next room.
Sugoroku then smiled seeing Mokuba and walked over behind a counter and picked up a wrapped present and a picture from a magazine of what was in the package. Then walked over to Mokuba.
"Hello Mokuba."
"Hi." Mokuba said shyly.
Sugoroku handed the present to Ryo who looked at him strangely. "Mokuba take a look at this picture."
Mokuba's eyes went wide seeing it.
"I had one special ordered for you and wrapped it up. I thought you'd like to give it to Maura as a Christmas present."
"I w-would thank you!"
"You're very welcome Mokuba!"
Ryo and Mokuba continued to talk and look around the store.
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Maura had had trouble finding anything at all decent to get Seto or Yami. Plus she also wanted to get something special and nice for her sisters. She finally found one store that had everything she was looking for and more! She couldn't believe her luck. Everything she saw was just exactly what she wanted to get for them.
