Spirit Caller

Chapter Fourteen

14

The Story Within The Story

Jaden and Connar sat cuddled up together on her bottom bunk. No romantic intent there, the beds of the Slifer Dorm were just that small. The brunette held the card in his hand watching the little girl intently. Like a little boy waiting for a bed time story. She gave him an awkward giggle and sighed.

"Brace yourself, jaden...it's not like this is a super happy story." she stated softly.

"...When I was a little girl..." she began,"I lived in an orphanage for a little while."

As the girl mentioned this, Jaden's expression slowly changed.

"You were...adopted?" he asked softly.

She exchanged a glance with his and gave him a sad smile as she nodded.

"I was." she stated,"But before that part of the story... I spent time time growing up, all alone." she said,"The other children stayed away from me for some reason, so I didn't really have any friends." she sighed,"However I did play with some donated cards we got from time to time...and...a special toy." She gave a soft smile as she sat up and reached over into her imported night stand. In the drawer there was a small closed box that she pulled out carefully and removed the lid. Inside rested a worn out old figurine.

"A Kaibaman figure." Jaden stated softly as he pulled the toy out carefully and held it. It was worn out, but even he could tell as he held it in his hands that it was well-loved, and it brought a gentle smile to his face.

"Hehe, yeah it is." Connar giggled softly," I brought that toy with me everywhere." she said softly,"As you can see, I still do...and I sleep with it too sometimes."

"Okay, that's adorable~!" Jaden poked her teasingly and she playfully pushed him back.

"Oh shut up!" she huffed chuckling before continuing her story," Kaibaman is a Super Hero." She explained," A hero to children, and he protects them and saves them from feeling...lonely."

Jaden bowed his head in a soft moment of silence. Even he knew the feeling of being lonely.

"...You know how you told me that..I should embrace my gift?" she asked him softly.

"Yeah?"

"Well...can you tell me something, Jaden?"

"Sure, what's up?"

"...How can you yourself feel it's okay to brace your gift, if everyone around you, fears you for it?"

"Huh?" Jaden blinked and looked toward her,"...What do you mean?"

She gave him another sad smile and leaned back, gazing at the bottom of the bunk above her.

"During my years in the Orphanage...a lot of parents did want me...for a little bit." she explained,"But then, once I told them things about me, like how sometimes Kaibaman would talk to me...they would suddenly...not want me anymore."

Jaden's eyes widened and he would feel his heart shake as he imagined the small lonely little girl being rejected that way.

"That's...messed up." he sighed softly,"I''m so sorry you went through something like that Connie."

"Well...it's not like it was all bad, really." she sighed softly,"After all...eventually...someone wanted me in the end." She gave a small smile carefully taking the doll from him and holding it into her hands as she closed her eyes in memory of the day they brought her home...

It was a stormy day outside. most of the younger children played with each other inside, and young 5 year old Connar sat alone in her cot with her Kaibaman toy, hugging her knees. The nurse walked in clapping her hands together inviting all of the children to join her in the den for finger painting.

"Connar...Wouldn't you like to play with your friends one more time before you go away...?"

"No..." she whimpered softly in a little squeak,"That's okay..."she sniffed.

Mokuba and Seto Kaiba had come to visit again but thanks to the storm they had to wait out the weather for a little bit before they could leave again. Mokuba sighed at the depressing weather, but with the rain it also meant he could have a little more time to play with Connar. However, when he went to see her he noticed that the small child wasn't the usual light of joy she normally was. Not even her favorite tv show brought a smile to her face. It concerned him.

"Hey...Tobi?" Mokuba blinked as he reached out for his old friend. A younger brother to his older brother's classmate Shizuka. Both of which volunteered to help at the Orphanage as thanks to Seto for helping to pay for his treatments, "What's wrong with Connie today?" he asked,"Why does she look so sad?"

"Oh, Mokuba...you haven't heard?" the boy with wine colored hair coughed softly, he was a sickly boy with pale blue eyes, but he didn't let his weakness stop him from doing volunteer work when he wasn't partaking in his treatments,"There have been requests to have Connar transferred to...another facility."

"What!?" Mokuba gasped,"Why? Connie is a sweet girl! There's no way she did anything wrong!" he stated,"How can she be causing trouble to the facility?"

"I'm afraid I don't know all the details." Tobi sighed softly shaking his head,"My older sister might no more, I think she's talking to your big brother in the other room."

Without pressing further, mokuba took off in the direction his friend pointed and burst inside.

"Seto, it's awful!" he exclaimed.

"Mokuba!? Calm down." Seto said as he tried to comfort his brother,"What are you talking about?"

"It's Connar..." Mokuba said softly,"Tobi said they are on the verge of transferring her to another facility!"

"What!?"

"I've been trying to talk them out of it." Tobi's older sister Shizuka, a monotone girl with a gentle soul spoke up softly, her long hair matched her brother's in color and draped over half of her face, revealing one bright blue eye,"Connar is such a sweet girl and she helps with the younger children, as an adoption canidate, a lot of parents really liked her."

"Not surprising." Kaiba huffed and crossed his arms,"So then why is she not adopted?" he asked,"What is this I am hearing about a transfer? The Orphanage wants to get rid of her...?" he grumped,"What? Is she getting too old now to draw interests?"

"I'm afraid it's more complicated than that..." Shizuka said softly,"You see it goes well for the most part...but then Connar will start...saying things...and it tends to weird out the parents into no longer wanting her." She sighed.

"What sort of things?" Seto Kaiba hissed in a low tone. This was a typical story he heard over again with multiple children, of selfish wannabe parents who give children false hope of a forever home, only to either bring them back or change their mind. It made him sick.

"She would say things like...duel monsters talking to her." Shizuka explained,"In fact she says Kaibaman visits her a lot in her dreams and tells her all sorts of stories"

"And how is that threatening?" Seto stated,"it just sounds like a child's dreams, to me. Pathetic."

"So what if she talks to her duel monsters or sees Kaibaman in her dreams!?" Mokuba snapped,"She's 5! It's completely normal for a 5 year old to make up imaginary friends or manifest a hero like Kaibaman to talk to." he stated," Kids like Connie, who have been stuck in places like this for so long, hoping for a forever home, need something to believe in..." he sighed,"They need hope. A Hero. Like Kaibaman...That's what Kaibaman means to Connar..."

"Mokuba..."

"I'm just saying it's messed up, Seto!" he sighed sadly,"It's not fair..."

"I agree with you Mokuba." Shizuka said softly,"But I'm afriad there's nothing more I can do...only keep doing the best I can." she sighed,"But The complaints are piling up, and I don't know what else I can do about it."

"Seto...isn't there something WE can do about it?" Mokuba gazed upon his older brother with desperate sat quietly with his arms crossed. His blue eyes glancing out the window, lost in thought as the rain slowly began to stop.

"For now, Mokuba...You should go spend some time with Connar." Seto stated as he slowly rose to his feet and headed toward the exit.

"But Seto...where are you going?"

"I need to go take care of something." Was all he said before he left.

Mokuba sighed in the door way, watching the little girl slowly wave around her Kaibaman doll, thought her face had no life in it. It broke his heart. He took in a long, deep breath, and gave their special knock against the wall.

"Connie-Kins...Won't you come out and play~?"

"Mokey..." She sniffled softly and wiggled her way down off the cot to the boy's open arms for a warm hug as he lifted her up and carried her back to sit with her, "It's okay Connie..." he said softly,"I know it can be scary to go to a new a new place...but maybe it will be an adventure." he said to her,"I'm sure you will make new friends who will come and play with you too."

"Yeah...maybe..." she sniffed,"But it won't be you."

As the girls eyes welled up with tears, it was more than Mokuba could take. He pulled her in warmly against her chest, softly shooshing her tears away.

"It looks like the rain stopped." Mokuba said softly,"How about we go outside...and I push you in the swing, hm?"

Before the little girl could answer, a commotion started in the courtyard, which caught Mokuba's attention. He looked out the window and gasped softly.

"Connie look...it's Kaibaman!" he said excitedly,"Kaibaman is in the courtyard!"

This got the girl's attention. She turned and took a peek outside, rubbing her eyes to make sure her eyes weren't deceiving her.

"Kaibaman! Kaibaman!" the children gathered excitedly around the masked man in the courtyard.

"Hello to you all." he smiled and knelt down to their level, greeting each one,"Tell me children, does anyone here know ?"

The children blinked and looked to each other before Mokuba's rose above the crowd.

"She's over here, Kaibaman!" the boy smiled, patting the head of the girl who stood clinging to his leg, shyly looking to the hero who stood before her.

"I see...so it is you." Kaibaman smiled and approached the teary eyed child.

"K-Kaibaman..." She sniffled and tried to rub away her tears.

"Hush now dear child, why do yo cry so?" he carefully caught her tears onto his fingers and gently swiped them away before lifting the child into his arms and sitting him on her knee. The other children squealed and ahhed happily gathering around them,"Talk to me child. Tell kaibaman your worries."

"...Seto I can't believe this-" Mokuba snickered trying to keep his brother's 'secret identity' in silence, though it didn't change that he found it very amusing. At the same time, he was touched, that his brother cared enough about the hope of children to go this far.

"You care about Connar too...don't you Seto?" he chuckled and continued to watch.

"Kaibaman..."the girl sniffled,"I'm sad because...I'm about to be sent away..." she whimpered softly.

"Sent away you say?" he tilted his head,"Why is that?"

"B-because..." she sniffled," I guess...no one wants me..."

"Nonsense, I find that hard to believe" he said softly patting her pink head.

"I'm scared, Kaibaman..."she sniffled and gripped tightly at the clothing of the costumed warrior,"Help me, Kaibaman..."

The Costumed hero held the girl to his chest while she gripped at his jacket and waited for her to calm herself.

"Listen to me closely my dear." he whispered to her,"I want you to snuggle tightly into your little bed, and dream your big dreams." he said to her,"When you wake up tomorrow...Everything will be better, I promise."

That promise...was the start of everything ahead for me.

The child slept soundly, hugging tightly to the doll of Kaibaman she never let go of since his visit the day before. A gentle caress ran through her hair and woke her from her slumber, as her bright blue eyes blinked open, she noticed a light through the hall. Looking out the window she could see it was early morning, and she could hear the sound of muffled talking in the office. Rubbing her sleepy eyes, she slid herself ot of the bed and tottled over to the office doorway. As she peeked in, she saw the nice assistant Shizuka handing Mokey and Seto Kaiba a special document before she got caught.

"Oh, Connar, Good morning." Shizuka greeted her sweetly.

"Good morning..." yawned the pink haired cutie,"Am I going away today?" she asked sadly, holding tightly to her favorite toy.

"Indeed you are." said Shizuka,"But not in the way you think."

"Because no one wants me?"

"On contrary Connie." said Mokuba, he seemed to be holding in something exciting,"Turns out that someone does want you~!"

"Who?"

"We do!" Mokuba beamed and threw his arms around the girl.

"Mokuba!" Seto hissed,"...That was supposed to be a surprise."

"Sorry...I just got excited." he giggled.

The assistant Shizuka chuckled and knelt down to Connar's level.

"Listen closely Connie." she said softly,"As I am sure you know, these are the Kaiba brothers, Mokuba and his older brother Seto have decided that they wanted you." she smiled sweetly,"Congratulations Connar...you've been adopted!"

"Isn't this exciting Connie-kins!?" Mokuba beamed and picked her up,"You're coming home with us!"

It all happened so fast. She rode in a long black car that was bigger inside than her cot was. They pulled into a gated white mission, so tall that it touched the sky. That's how it appeared in Connar's eyes.

"This will be your home from now on, Connar." Kaiba said this softly walking in as held the girl's tiny hand in his fingers,"You will be breathing the air of higher places."

"It's so big..." she said in awe,"Like a castle!"

"Of course." he said softly,"Is there anything more fitting for princess?"

"I'm a princess...?"

"You are in this castle~!" Mokuba beamed excitedly as he led her to her bedroom. It was decked out in pink and frills. Filled with toys and pretty dresses. The small pink haired girl gasped in awe at its comely setting, walking into the middle of the plush carpet and twirling, stopping in front of the elegant canopy bed.

"Hope you like it." Mokuba said softly,"Seto and I spent all day decorating it yesterday when we came home to get it ready for you...do you...like it?"

The small girl smiled wide and giggling twirling in glee.

"I LOVE my princess room!" she giggled.

"We hoped you would." said Mokuba,"It was Seto's idea."

"Se...to..." she smiled and spun on her heels, charging right for the tall brunette and throwing her arms aronf his legs, nuzzling her face into her knees, since that was all she could reach. It startled him and stumbled back a bit but quickly caught his balance with a slight surprised flush on his cheeks as he placed a palm on her head.

"I love you, Kaibaman!" She snuggled into him deeply and whispered,"Thank you, Papa~"

She could feel the man twitch, taken by surprise by her actions that melted his heart.

"You're...welcome...Princess." he said this in a gentle tone, a warm smile curving his lips while he ftted his palm perfectly onto her little pink head.

"Uhhh...Connar?" Jaden's voice startled her.

Oh I see...

She thought to herself.

I got lost in my memories, again.

she chuckled.

"So, who was it, Connar?"

"Pardon?" she blinked and turned toward the brunette next to her on the bed.

"You know...the person who wanted you?" he asked,"Who adopted you?"

She stared at him blankly for the moment, thinking long and hard about his question and how to answer it. After her moment of thought she smiled and shook her head softly.

Not yet.

she thought to herself.

Someday...but not yet.

"Who, You ask?" she giggled and carefully took the card he was holding, and held it up above for both of them to see,"Someone...really important to me."

"Hmm." Jaden smiled back at her and chuckled, scooting back a bit to share in her view of the card she held so dearly.

"Well, in that case Connie, then it sounds to me like you will take really good care of'em."

"Yeah...you're right." Connar said warmly,"I Promise, I will."

To Be Continued