Chapter 15: A Helping Hand
After all was said and done, Mahad took Seto to the school's infirmary, Yugi, following right behind him, a thousand questions floating around his head.
Namely about what his teacher had just done. He kept looking the man over, wondering where that power had come from.
Did Yami and I do that? Did he do that? And Seto… I hope he's gonna be okay.
"There we are…" Mahad set him down on one of the beds, bringing the blanket over him. "He'll wake up in a few hours. I'll call his father after our little chat."
Yugi looked around, taking note how… empty the place was.
"You sure this is a safe place to talk?"
Mahad chuckled, making his way to the door, closing it.
"It's as good of a place as any. I don't think this kind of talk would be easy to have at home either."
Yugi nodded, taking a seat in one of the chairs, fiddling with the puzzle as he did so.
Mahad took a seat across from him, folding one leg over the other.
He gave Yugi a gentle look.
"Whatever you need answered, I'll do my best."
Yugi looked down at the puzzle before looking up.
"How involved are you with the Zorc stuff?"
Mahad sighed a bit.
"I've been worried about when this day would come, I'm not going to lie." He said as he pointed to Yugi's deck holder. "May I see the card I gave you?"
Yugi nodded, rifling through it before producing the card, handing it over.
Mahad took the card into his hand, smiling gently.
"It's been so long since I had looked like that. Felt nice to be back… yet at the same time, terrifying." he looked up at Yugi. "I was hoping all this wouldn't happen till you were older."
"I guess Natsuki and I just like surprising you like that?" Yugi smiled sheepishly before a confused look crossed his face. "What do you mean by "nice to be back"?"
Mahad held the image up for him to see.
"I've told you about the ka and the ba, yes?"
"Yes… Life energy and the soul's double basically… right?"
"Very good." He chuckled before his eyes narrowed, holding a hand out to Yugi as wisps of gold magic shot upward. "The magic of the past is alive and well."
Yugi's eyes widened, leaning closer.
He looked up at Mahad stunned.
"You never told us."
"It was not my place to interfere but I can speak my truth now. As the master of the puzzle, you will make many allies but unfortunately, just as many enemies. Those like myself will happily rally behind you and fight alongside you as I did during that game." Mahad explained. "I sensed something was wrong when I arrived at the library. It was locked shut but I could hear you inside… So, I made a way in."
"The card!" Yugi's eyes widened.
"NO!"
No way… He didn't…
"Then… you…?" Yugi shook his head. "No! Don't do that again! What if something worse happens!?"
"Oh, Yugi…" Mahad knelt to his level. "I didn't mean to scare you. Never my intention."
Yugi shook his head.
"I'm not scared! I'm worried! What if it hadn't been a duel?"
"I would do what it took to protect you. Yugi, the short end of the matter is, I will do whatever it takes to protect those I care for." Mahad stroked his hair. "Especially my godson. You're like my own and I hope you realize that."
Yugi nodded, his shoulders trembling, lowering his head.
"Yugi…?" Mahad frowned. "Do you need a moment?"
He threw his arms around him, nearly knocking Mahad over.
"Yugi…"
"Sorry… I…"
Mahad brought his arms around him, stroking his hair.
"Shh…" He hummed softly. "It's alright."
Yugi took a shaky breath.
Calm down… Come on, calm down...
Mahad shook his head.
"You don't have to hide how you're feeling. This is a lot to take in at your age. If you were older, this would be easier-"
"No, it wouldn't!" Yugi looked up at him, his eyes shiny. "I don't wanna lose anyone else!"
Grandma… Mom… Uncle Kazuma and Aunt Mirai…
I'm not losing anyone else… No!
Mahad frowned, hugging him tighter.
"I'm sorry." He whispered. "You're right. That's…" He sighed. "That was completely unfair to put that on you."
"I'm grateful you saved us but I'm done losing people." He hiccuped a little. "So, please, be careful… Please, tell us when you're there so we know."
"I'll make the effort." He stroked his hair. "I promise. But I am going to keep my prior word as well. I won't hesitate to protect you or your sister."
"Okay…" He sniffled a little. "Sorry I…"
Mahad rested his head against Yugi's.
"Deep breath in…"
Yugi inhaled slowly, mimicking Mahad.
"Now out…"
"Whew…" Yugi looked up at him. "We're okay?"
"You're okay." He smiled gently.
"Who else knows?"
"My wife… and your father, grandfather and a few other people."
Yugi's eyes widened.
"Dad knows!?" He lowered his voice. "Seriously? And he-he never….?"
"Called you on it? Not yet but he's known for awhile. It's a bit hard to miss it when your father and grandfather both have similar gifts."
Yugi let out a small sigh, rubbing the back of his neck as he moved back to his chair.
"Alright, well that explains… a lot. Like, Grandpa and Dad not freaking out on me for going to the museum that night… and Nat cooling down a lot when talking to Ishizu-san…"
Mahad grimaced, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"I swear if that little Jackal Pup hadn't calmed down I would've had a word with her."
"She's gonna freak out about this… and Yami?"
"We wanted to wait to see if you two would realize your differences. I should've stepped in when I noticed the puzzle the first time."
"No, no, I think it's a lot better that we talked it out ourselves." He hugged the puzzle close to his chest. "He's my friend… One of my first."
Mahad nodded, ruffling his hair up.
"And you're proving yourself quite the powerful little one."
"Not that short!" Yugi huffed before sighing. "And not powerful either…"
Mahad frowned.
I know that look anywhere…
"I'm never gonna get it! Why can't I get this right!?"
"Little One, please, it's going to be alright, but it takes time."
"I just want to be like you…"
No matter how long, I know MY little one anywhere.
Mahad tilted his chin up, so their gaze met.
"You hold energy within you that no one else can. Not anyone could wield the power the Nameless Pharaoh's granted you. You just need time to hone it."
Yugi smiled faintly.
"You think so?"
He gave him a gentle smile.
"I know it."
Yugi wiped at his eyes before giving Mahad another hug.
"Thank you, Mahad-sensei. You… You really helped a lot today."
Mahad hugged him tightly.
"I'll do what I can. Anytime you need help, you know who to call. I'll cover for you too if you need to get away to take care of things."
Yugi chuckled.
"Even just meditation help?"
"Of course."
"... And what about Nat?"
"... I'm not a miracle worker."
Yugi covered his mouth, trying not to laugh, Mahad ruffling up his hair.
"Seriously though, she'll need similar guidance. She may not be able to house a spirit, but goodness that little one is… tough."
"You remember that time our family joined Dad on that one dig?"
Mahad rolled his eyes.
"How could I forget?"
"RAH!"
CHOMP!
"YOWCH! AKIRA, YOUR JACKAL PUP IS BITING ME!"
"NAT, NO!"
"That child had a case of the terrible twos that lasted until she was five…"
Yugi nodded, grimacing.
"Yeeep." He looked to where Seto was laying, frowning a bit. "And what about him? How's he fit into all this?"
Mahad sighed, propping his chin up.
"I sense something… but I'm concerned about what might've happened with Zorc messing with his mind. That boy's had… quite the past. It is not my place to tell you what his file says either."
Yugi grimaced, holding up his hands.
"It's okay. That's Seto's business."
Mahad smiled.
"However… I think I know a small cure."
"Oh?"
He winked.
"I'll take care of the arrangements on that."
Y'know, that look always says trouble…
Yugi raised an eyebrow.
"Oh?"
Mahad shrugged… before waving his hand as a card appeared in it, handing it back to Yugi.
"Now, make sure to return this to Solomon, alright?"
Yugi's jaw dropped as he looked it over, the Blue-Eyes White Dragon staring back at him.
"You… holy crap…" He looked up. "Can I learn that!?"
"If you put in enough practice."
At that moment, Yugi's phone buzzed as he checked… groaning in dismay at seeing roughly twenty separate messages.
"Speak of the Jackal."
"Hand it over."
Yugi did so, as Mahad called Natsuki.
"YUGI, WHAT THE HECK-"
"Why, hello dear niece it's good to hear from you too."
"M-Mahad?! Where's-"
"Now, I know you did not just leave your own campus to come here. Yugi is fine as is Yami."
Natsuki sputtered on the other end of the phone line.
How? How did he know?
"No way you knew about that."
"You'll find, Little Jackal Pup, I know a lot more than you think." He walked over to the window, peering out. "Also, I can see you from the window. Go back to your school. Yugi will come get you as usual."
"That is… really freaky how you knew that."
"And… tell Mokuba his brother might be coming home singing a different tune."
"I want answers."
"And you will receive them. Ask Ishizu what she knows about The Nameless Pharaoh. Sera too."
Natsuki sighed, looking up, noting she could in fact see Mahad giving her a warning look.
She quickly hurried back down the sidewalk to her own school.
"Stupid godfather, knows everything…"
Mahad chuckled, handing the phone back to Yugi.
"Now, how about we head back to the classroom? The nurse will be off break in a few minutes and I need to make a few phone calls."
"S-Sure… You know… I think you scared her." Yugi chuckled.
Mahad gave an innocent look.
"What? Scared of me? I don't know what you're talking about." He smirked.
Still…
I failed you once… I won't make that error again.
He led Yugi out, looking over his shoulder, to Seto's sleeping form.
This time… We all get out alive.