Original Yu-Gi-Oh Series
Parallel
Chapter 019
Originally Written: Saturday, April 9, 2022 410PM to 504PM
. . . . .
Mokuba and Seto arrived at Domino Museum mid afternoon, a few days later with the appropriate papers in hand. They were allowed into the back and met with Ishizu. Mokuba gawked.
Seto nodded in greeting. "H-Hello Ms. Ishtar."
She switched the short shorts and skimpy top for a beige long, loose-fitting ankle length dress and a crown of gold seated on her head. She raised an eyebrow. "Ms. Ishtar now, is it?" She tittered, pressing a hand to her lips. "I'm glad you made it."
"I-I'm sorry for the offense." Seto mumbled, fiddling with his glasses.
She waved a hand, "No apologies for an offense not committed. I just find it amusing how a change in a clothing outfit can also change one's opinion of you. Isn't that weird?"
"Oh yea!" Mokuba nodded quickly. "Never made sense to me. Lotsa people think I'm a girl." He rolled his eyes as he tugged at his hair. "Or am trying to be one. I like my d-"
"-Mokuba." Seto pressed a firm hand on his head. Mokuba's little defiances against their step-father sometimes resulted in him forgetting to utilize his brain-to-mouth filter. Mokuba frowned, but kept quiet.
Ishizu smiled, holding in another giggle. "And yet, it's something we all do, subconsciously or otherwise." She turned, her hair flaring out behind her. "These are my work clothes. I wear them because I'm surrounded by old washed up men who are quite upset that a younger, beautiful woman is in a higher position of power than them. I would never be able to get them to do anything of substance if I was wearing my casual clothes."
Seto tugged at the collar of his blue trench coat. He tried to relate, but all his casual clothes were suits. Even this outfit had a blue blazer to match. He added the trench coat solely as an act of defiance, but no one ever ignored him because he wasn't wearing a suit properly. They ignored him because Noa paid them to do so.
"At any rate, I'm certain your schedule is full today. Let me not take up anymore of your time. We'll get right down to business." Ishizu led them to the exhibit, while making small talk with Mokuba.
Seto tried not to think about the long legs hidden shamefully under that nightgown of a dress. He fiddled with his glasses.
"I welcome you to 'The Art of Egypt' exhibit."
"If that's not Yugi up there, I'm eating my hair." Mokuba stood extremely close to the old stone tablet Ishizu showed to them. The stone looked like rock and worn, tarnished gold that had lost its luster and sheen.
"Yugi?" Ishizu asked.
"Yugi Moto. He won the Duelist Kingdom Tournament, despite never playing Duel Monsters before in his life. Was wild." Mokuba spread his hands. "He's got the same hairstyle as that guy."
"How interesting." Ishizu pressed her fingers to her necklace. "Tell me, gentlemen. Do you believe in reincarnation?"
Seto got the feeling that she already knew about all of that. He could practically hear the gears turning in her head. The one carved in the stone on the right distinctly looked like Yugi, there was no mistaking it. The one on the left however, confused him greatly. He mentally thanked Mokuba for switching the obvious focus of the conversation from him to Yugi.
And yet…Seto took another step towards the stone tablet. And another step. It was just like his fantasy books. The poor, hated, unwanted farmer boy with no last name winds up making a name for himself, and discovering he's the fabled prince of a lost kingdom. He gets the princess after saving her. Takes down the bad guy. Saves the kingdom and gets all the power to bring peace to a land of darkness.
He reached out a hand. How insane would that be? He dropped it, and lowered his head. No, there was no way. Not for him. He would forever be Noa Kaiba's younger brother. Second potato. Sloppy seconds. Only adopted because Noa was too young to understand that a younger brother is an actual human, and not a trophy you put on display to make your other classmates jealous, because now you have a brother too. And he's smarter than theirs, so take that. Noa only grabbed Mokuba, because Seto wouldn't leave without him. Noa only wanted one younger brother. Not two. Two brothers made one chance too many to steal his rightful inheritance.
At least, that's what he said now. "He used to want two. He used to want many." Seto whispered to himself. A golden light filled the exhibition room, and blinded him. He suddenly felt very floaty. Mokuba screamed for him, but he couldn't react. He fell to the floor in an unconscious heap.
He woke to find Mokuba and Ishizu hovering over him. He laid on a couch spread out in a lounge room. He touched a bump on his head. "What happened?"
"Do tell me, Mr. Mitsura." Ishizu asked, handing him a bottle of water, and his glasses. "You had quite the nasty fall. Did you enjoy your trip?"
Mokuba glared at her. "That's not funny, lady."
Ishizu gave him a look that Seto took to mean she meant exactly what she said, literally.
"Egypt is very hot and dry." Seto whispered, as he perched the glasses on his nose.
Ishizu nodded, "It is. It's an old country that has, time and time again, surpassed the trials and tribulations of time itself. Maybe one day, you can visit its modern incarnation?"
"Big bro?" Mokuba put his hands on the couch. "What did you do to him?" He looked at Ishizu. "Why are you double speaking like Amane?"
"Ishizu didn't do anything. I don't think she did." Seto curled up on the couch. He looked at her, because he didn't want to look at Mokuba. "The farm boy always loses his family first. That's how the stories go. It marks his right of passage and gives the farm boy motivation to focus on the task at hand, without distraction."
"The farm boy usually doesn't have the brain and powers you do." Ishizu pushed a card into his hands. "The skill and foresight, the will, the drive." She clenched a fist.
"What's in this for you?" He looked down at the card. It was a Duel Monsters card. The god class card Obelisk the Tormentor.
Ishizu lowered her gaze. "I saw the lost soul coming, but I could not prevent destiny as even time was against me. I want my brothers back, and I will rend her soul to shreds to do it." She dropped to a full kneeling bow against the carpeted floor. "I will serve anyone who grants me the opportunity; Pharaoh or Priest."