So…at it again.

Yugi: At least you updated twice this month and on the anniversary of the publish date of this story no less.

I guess.

Ryou: What's wrong?

I ran out of pages for my trading cards! There's at least 25 cards without a home! *Searches frantically through boxes.* I know I had more pages somewhere!

Yami: Well, not counting her six starter decks, PhantomBrat managed to collect a grand total of exactly 3600 cards. I'm impressed.

*Looks at Yami in shock* Did you just touch my laptop?! Face the wrath of Blizzard Princess and Blazewing Butterfly!

Yugi & Ryou: *watch as Yami runs from a Spellcaster and a fiery bug*


Yugi wandered through the mansion, peeking into open rooms as he tried to locate Mana. He vaguely remembered having a furry pet named Kuriboh after his favorite Duel Monster as he searched for his robotic caretaker. A cooing sound caught his attention as he passed a closed door. Closer examination revealed a small plaque with his name on it and the designation of nursery. Yugi decided to check it out.

He barely stepped inside when a brown blur rushed him. Yugi cried out as it collided with his stomach and knocked him to the floor. He looked at his lap and saw the creature was in fact his 'pet'. "Kuriboh," Yugi whispered in awe, "why were you in there?"

The creature froze and looked at him, its eyes narrowing. Before Yugi could say a word, the robotic pet's security protocol activated. He cried out as Kuriboh launched at him with sedative-laced claws extended. The creature missed and pursued Yugi as he dashed towards where he had last seen his brothers. "YAMI! ATEM! HELP ME," Yugi cried out as he ran through the mansion, dodging Kuriboh every time it lunged at him.

Said brothers heard Yugi's shouts and rushed to see what was wrong. They were shocked to see Kuriboh chasing after its owner and were concerned for their baby brother's safety. If that thing managed to scratch Yugi while he was running, he would likely wind up falling down the stairwell or over the railing.

Atem pulled out a small electric stunner and rushed after the haywire 'pet'. Yami headed to a shortcut that would hopefully take him ahead of Yugi so that he could pull the small boy to safety. Yami heard Yugi pleading to the robot to stop as his baby brother ran to his hiding place. He took that opportunity to reach out and grab Yugi's arm. Yugi cried out in shock as he was pulled from danger and then collapsed in Yami's arms. Yami felt Yugi go limp instantly and knew that Kuriboh had scratched him. Before he could call for Atem, he heard his brother's shout of triumph and a muffled explosion. Gathering up an unconscious Yugi, Yami headed to the hall. Atem saw the limp boy, "What happened?"

"Kuriboh got him before I could get Yugi out of its path. Only Dad has the antidote," Yami said. "We'll have to call him and clean that thing's mess up."


Aknamkanon was upset to learn that Kuriboh had attacked Yugi and had rendered the boy unconscious. At least Atem and Yami had disabled the robotic pet and informed him immediately after. He ended his day at the C.A.T and rushed home to give Yugi the antidote for Kuriboh's sedative. He was surprised to see his two eldest boys had gotten Yugi as comfortable as they could and were watching him for any signs of discomfort or adverse reactions to the sedative.

"I supposed there's no doubt as to how you boys 'disabled' Kuriboh," Aknamkanon mused.

Atem kicked a tattered box full of ruined and burned parts and faux fur across the small space between the couch and the door. "Stupid thing self-destructed when I tazed it. But at least it can't attack Yugi again."

Aknamkanon sighed as he pulled out a small vial and a syringe. "What's done is done. Yami, where was Yugi scratched?"

"Left arm near his elbow," Yami replied. "Mana insisted on tending to it before she would leave the room willingly."

Aknamkanon was pleased to know that Mana's protocol was followed. She had been given a 'One Priority Order'; that was to take care of Yugi. All other orders were to be politely refused until the 'One Priority Order' was fulfilled.

Yami and Atem watched as their father injected the antidote into Yugi's right arm. "Let your brother rest now."

The two watched as Yugi was carefully picked up and taken to the East Wing by their father. Yami looked at his elder brother, "So what now?"

Atem looked at the box of Kuriboh's parts, "I guess we find out what made this piece of junk turn on him."

"That's if the memory chip is still intact," Yami pointed out.


Yugi woke up as he was placed in his bed, "Papa? Where's…"

"Your brother are in the mansion keeping themselves busy," Aknamkanon stated gently. "The question is, how are you feeling?"

Yugi yawned, "Tired."

"That's understandable. Kuriboh released a type of…" he hesitated, "medicine to make certain people sleepy. I don't know what happened to make it do that to you, my son."

Yugi was already curled up and sound asleep. The sight of his youngest child sleeping was enough to make the man wish once more that his wife were there to see.


Sorry it's so short. I usually aim for around 1000 words per chapter.

Malik: Considering that you wrote this when most of your family was under the weather and you were taking care of them makes it understandable.

Thanks Malik.

Bakura: You promised something to your readers in the last chapter…

Oh yeah! The weird facts about me and my birth date.
1. I am my father's birthday present exactly one month and one day late.
2. I was born the first month of the year.
3. I am the oldest of four children
4. The street we lived on was the same as the day I was born.
5. The house number my dad had when I came home from being away from him for so long was the same as the year I was born. (My mother had us kids)
6. This is even stranger: The time I was born (3 minutes after 3 in the afternoon). I am the eldest of my father's three and I have three younger siblings from my mother. (Our younger sibling had a different dad.)
7. If you were to add up the digits of mine and my dad's ages up to where they both have only one number, they are always the same!

Ryou: Interesting.

Yugi: Until next time!