A Past and Future Pharaoh

Written By: Lady Lunar Phoenix

Original Beta: White Swan

A/N: Wow I have been adjusting stuff. Kinda sad that it took 15 years to correct Character behavior...

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

Yugi turned his head and gazed quickly out of the window to stare out at the school before turning an interesting shade of red. He turned his attention back inside the limo with its only other occupant, Kaiba. The limo was of black leather with actual crystal glasses resting over the small bar inside with a wine red carpet underfoot. There had been a time when Yugi would have meekly sat in his seat and been in awe of Kaiba's wealth, of the sheer mass of things Kaiba could afford on his own.

That was before Duelist Tower, before Kaiba showed him his true heart and the pain that resided in there. Yugi had hoped that after losing the World Champion title, after having his heart shattered and having to rebuild it himself, that Kaiba would have recovered. He'd hoped that Kaiba would have come to see the beauty in the world; instead Kaiba saw a whole new level of pain. Without the darkness in his soul Kaiba had seen all the pain he had suppressed and it only increased his hate and frustration. Perhaps he saw himself becoming Gozoboro in so many of his actions that it spurred his growing rage at the world. When that duel had taken place it might as well been a physical brawl. He had watched that duel take place, heard Kaiba's unspoken plea to be found right, that the path he took to succeed was the right one. But it wasn't. In a single turn the Other Yugi tore down his power and then wiped Kaiba so far off the field it wasn't even funny.

The white limo sped by down the road past the gutted out Game Shop, while a pair of elderly eyes watched. The old man smiled faintly, Yugi was good at that, befriending people. He'd get Kaiba to open up to him and hopefully those terrible wounds would finally begin to heal.

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

"You can do whatever you want until six o'clock, that's when Isono drives Mokuba back to the mansion and yourself as well. He'll come back to bring me back when my workday is over," Kaiba informed Yugi as they road along in the limo. He had already opened his coat, for when he when he reached the mansion to change clothes before going to work. But first, hairball bundle at three o'clock.

Mokuba dashed into the limo plopping himself down beside his brother while tossing his book bag to the side. "Hi Big Brother, hi Yugi how was school?" he asked looking between the two.

"Yugi's going to be tomorrow's main course for lunch," Kaiba replied with indifference before Yugi could say 'Hi Mokuba'.

Sinking his head into his hands Yugi gave a forlorn sigh while Mokuba grinned in response. "That bad huh?"

"You'd think no one has seen a guy before, is a height increase and my hair not being so down deserve 'this' kind of reaction?" Yugi bemoaned as he sat in the limo.

"Are you going to stay in the city while Big Brother works?" Mokuba asked settling back into his seat while Yugi turned to look at the pair. His fingers pushing back his long hair so he could see them clearly.

"No, I'm going to stay in the mansion, I'm not really in the mood to be stared at," Yugi replied quietly.

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

Up went Maha, down went Maha, up went Maha, down with Maha again… Mahaado was proving to be a very curious Magician at that moment. He was hovering in the air the toy in his hands as he thought back to yesterday, remembering how when they had returned Yugi had taken him aside to talk.

"Mahaado what really happened that night you rescued me from my kidnappers?" The Pharaoh looked over at him as he sat upon the bed, the Mage standing before him.

"Master and his followers set camp, when Master went to bed later that night I came and cut his throat. He woke up even as he was dying and we struggled; yet he couldn't talk anymore. When he grew still I came to your small bed and carried you away. I was grateful for your silence since if you had cried I would have been discovered sooner. I ran until my Master's followers discovered what had happened and came after me, chasing me down on horseback.

The stars were out in full that night; the moon was not full so even with all the stars dark lent me aid until the flames of torches over took me. I had only a single water skin at my side with you in my arms when I turned to face them. So I called forth my Ka and made ready to face all of them so that I may defend you, though in honesty I expected to die quickly. Children my age were not expected to call forth their Ka as it cost too much inner strength to manage it, but you smiled at me.

All my life I had been frowned upon, beaten and reminded of my uselessness, never once having accomplished anything to anyone's satisfaction. Yet for once I succeeded, you smiled up at me that day…" Mahaado verbally recalled for Yugi, his thoughts lost in the moment only to snap back when Yugi broke his focus.

"For a smile?" Yugi tilted his head some as he looked up at Mahaado. "For a smile you would sacrifice your life? You were so starved for approval that the smile of a baby was worth risking your own life?"

"Yes, I will do anything to please Pharaoh," he had replied; yet Yugi had looked so sad at that.

"But I don't want you to be hurt or killed because of me," Yugi replied looking up at him, his hands held out entreating him for something he didn't know. Because in the end, Mahaado 'had' died, died and became the Dark Magician. Despite not yet knowing how, to know that this degree of loyalty was for him. Well, it was humbling as it was terrifying.

"To die for Pharaoh, for what he represents is an honor, why… Does Pharaoh not believe I should have an honorable death?" Mahaado asked in concern as he hovered before his ruler.

"I don't want to believe that such a sacrifice would ever be necessary, though I know it is. But I would rather an adult who has lived their life to die rather than a child who has yet been given a chance to live a life. I can not imagine a life so lonely as the one you described," Yugi replied softly, grabbing Maha and beginning to hug the kitty mage.

"Does Pharaoh wish for me to continue?" Mahaado asked in uncertainty as he got down to his knees before his Pharaoh. He recalled those looks, whenever Set would bring the prince to visit him. After a particularly strong punishment, the Prince always held that sad, helpless expression.

"Yes."

"I tried to fight them off but it was my first battle with my Ka, though I could summon it I had never had it do anything other than appear. I pulled your blanket over your head as I got to my knees, after just the first spell I was forced to call it back into my being as it drained me so terribly. When they realized I was beaten they approached, only to have the High Priests who served your father appear. They caught the group, but at that moment I was so tired I just knelt there hunched over you in fear that someone would try to take you from me.

The High Priests did take you, but brought me along to the royal palace, before your father in fact. I didn't get the chance to look around; I had walked from the battlefield all the way to the palace so I was tired. Yet your father graced me a place among his High Magician's students to learn magic so that I could serve you. After my new master removed my Ka in a ritual and placed it in a tablet for his own use I was then assigned… Pharaoh?" Mahaado's head tilted to the side as he noted a look on Yugi's face.

Pharaoh had not been pleased to say the least…

"He took your Ka? How can you be so calm about that? Didn't you say that a person…" The fire that was being stoked in Yugi's voice suddenly dropped as though a bucket of water had turned it to a wisp of smoke. "loses hope… That a person loses the ability to strive for anything…"

Kuriboh floated into the room, a Duel Monster card clutched in its small green paws, distracting the mage from his thoughts. The small furry fiend placed the card on the desk then disappeared only to return with yet another card in its paws that was placed on the desk as well. This continued until Kuriboh came with a small box in its paws, a box that fell over spilling a series of spell cards.

'Is that not the Multiple Card that Pharoah uses on Kuriboh?' was the last thought Mahaado had before Kuriboh picked up said card…

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

Yugi waved to the departing Kaiba's while he planned on spending the rest of the day figuring out how to wear a burqua for school. Yugi picked up his school bag before walking up to his new room, nothing further on his mind. But when he opened the door a flood of Kuribohs poured out with enough force that it slammed Yugi into the second floor railing like a stunned boxer.

"What's going on?!" he exclaimed as he leaned back, while the Kuribohs began floating about the hallway. He had to do something and fast, he didn't want to scare the hired help after all! The Kuriboh's moved aside for a single one that emerged with the Multiple card held in its small paws.

"Kuriboh wished to return your things, it was bringing the cards, but found that one and has proceeded to bring more things back to you," Mahaado explained softly next to Yugi though he didn't make himself visible, while Yugi took the card from the fiend, causing the others to disappear.

"My stuff?" Yugi asked as he got up and entered his room, Kuriboh following close behind. His room was a disaster area, his stuff from his original bedroom was scatted everywhere without rhyme or reason. Toys, games, clothes, cards… everything that wasn't furniture was now resting in his room.

"I could not work in the room as it was filled to capacity with the Kuriboh, but now I can clean up Pharaoh's private room without trouble." Mahaado still didn't appear but his voice was close to Yugi's ear.

"No, it's ok I'm a big boy, I can clean my own room. But you can help me, you both can," he offered the pair as Kuriboh hovered in the air, proud of its ability to bring things that Yugi owned to him.

Putting down his book bag, Yugi set to cleaning his room, gathering up his old games, and sorting through those that had been damaged and could no longer be played from those that could still be. Kuriboh was going through his cards and piling them up for him while Mahaado was folding the clothes that Kuriboh brought. It was a pity that Kuriboh didn't realize all of those clothes was too small for Yugi now. Before long the trio had got the room in a semi-decent condition so Yugi was now free to do his homework, then decide what he was going to do with all that stuff. But first…

Opening his bag, he gently pulled out the Puzzle and games he got from his old classmates, placing them on a cabinet out of harms way. Once they were safe he settled in to do his homework while Kuriboh took a nap on the bed and Mahaado, well having not seen the magician Yugi couldn't say what Mahaado was doing.

After what seemed like eternity Yugi finally was able to put down the pen and push away his now completed homework. As it turned out, just in time in fact when he stepped out of his room and watched as Mokuba walked through the front doors.

"Hey Yugi, you haven't been lonely by yourself have you?" Mokuba asked as he climbed up the stairs.

"I've had company, Kuriboh and Mahaado have been here," Yugi replied as he met with Mokuba, only to have Mokuba walk right on by him with a 'this I gotta see' look on his face. The boy opened the door to Yugi's room, gaped for a moment then dashed in with a huge smile on his face. Yugi looked back at the front door then returned to his room. "Mokuba where's your brother?"

"Big Brother won't be returning home until later tonight, it happens from time to time because of his work," Mokuba explained as he stroked Kuriboh's fur, earning a soft purr of pleasure from the little fiend.

"But what about school tomorrow?" Yugi asked as he sat down on the other side of the bed and joined in petting Kuriboh.

"That's why Big Brother drinks coffee," Mokuba replied easily, like this was normal. "Don't worry, he has food brought to his office so he won't get hungry."

"I see," Yugi replied but his thoughts were lost for a moment. Kaiba was no older than himself, why should Kaiba be forced to have to work so hard and alone no less? Granted, Mokuba was too young to work, and Kaiba being the prideful man that he was probably didn't want any help. But Yugi began to feel bad with how he was essentially freeloading on the Kaiba brothers.

"I gotta go wash up before dinner, I'll see you in the dinning room!" Mokuba scooted out of the room with that, leaving for a bath.

'Then again until now Mokuba must have had some meals alone in this large house,' Yugi thought sadly as he sat there. Kuriboh walked over and crawled onto his lap, letting Yugi find comfort in stroking the furball.

When dinner came Yugi went down and joined Mokuba, noting the loneliness that must have infested the mansion when Kaiba was away. They talked about school, about plans for things to do the next day, all the while leaving Yugi to wonder what would happen to him. His father had the paperwork completed on the game shop, the state of the shop was now up in the air. It had been heavily damaged and it would take time to repair it and restock with the supplies it needed. Then there was the problem of who would run it. Yugi couldn't run the store and go to school at the same time even if he did run it as an after school job. While Yugi's dad still wanted him to come live with him, the Game Shop was not considered a priority.

Yugi needed new clothes; again, he couldn't just walk around in his school uniform. Well he 'could', but that really wasn't who he was, and his tastes were decidedly different. He couldn't just wear the same straight up leather and black that he often wore so that he could get his Other Self to look good. He couldn't risk doing something that brought down the CEO's position among other companies, especially the rival ones. Taking in a stray could already have a negative impact on Kaiba's business standing, having the current world champion. He could see the suggestions of things being rigged in tournaments. While at the same time Yugi didn't want to dress like a clone... not that he could be anyone's clone with his wild colored hair, either Kaiba's or an underling.

Yugi pondered that, as well as the money issue as he had no access to a bank account, all his money having come straight from his grandfather. How was he going to pay for clothes? He couldn't just ask Kaiba for it! Not after everything Kaiba had done for him to date. It was thoughts like that which stayed with him while he entertained Mokuba by playing video games and going through gaming magazines till the kid's bedtime. Then he made himself a place at the dinning room table, determined to stay up until Kaiba came home. He had a few schoolbooks that he could apply himself more to anyways, so with that in mind he began reading. Except all the insanity from earlier finally took its toll and he fell asleep, his head resting on the table with his science book as a pillow.

The soft sound of pages turning, pens trailing ink into paper were what finally woke Yugi up. Blinking he felt something warm over his back, while his body scolded him for such an improper way of sleeping. Sitting up, Yugi found Kaiba's coat resting on his back and the CEO was at the other end of the table, working through what appeared to be homework. Wait homework? At this hour? Whatever hour this turned out to be.

"What time is it?" Yugi asked yawning as he sat up straighter.

"A little past two am, and you should be in bed." Kaiba replied as though he didn't just say that there was four hours left before he had to get up for school. Which Yugi let the time be known with little fan fare as he stared in shock at the CEO.

"Yugi I run a company, I can do basic math thank you," Kaiba replied as he pulled off his reading glasses so he could rub the bridge of his nose. "I don't have that kind of time to do homework at work, ok? I come back, do the assignments here, then go to bed. Normally I'm back from the office around 11'oclock but I still have work to catch up on so I can't." Kaiba pulled out his suitcase, opened it and took out a thick envelope while Yugi walked over to him. "I set up a 4:30 appointment for you after school today. You're going to need a few dinner suits just in case, beyond that go get yourself a wardrobe."

Yugi took the envelope, curious about what it held, but when he opened it he nearly dropped the whole thing to the ground in shock. It was filled with money, just a cursor glance told him it was enough to fill out his whole wardrobe in one spree. Yugi looked at Kaiba, humbled, amazed and shaken all at the same time. "Kaiba… this is too much… I… I can not accept such generosity…"

"I'm not going to have you walking around in nothing but your school uniform. I don't entertain guests here, however when you're out on the street? How you look, until situations change, is a reflection on me." Kaiba explained as he turned a page of the book in front of him.

"It is…" Yugi stood there still amazed at the amount of money. They had never discussed Yugi's financial situation, as far as Kaiba would have been free to believe, Yugi could still get money through his dad. Or have a bank account of his own, there was no reason to believe he should take it upon himself to buy Yugi something to wear, "Is there any type of style you want me to go for?"

"You're the 'King of Games' whatever image you think fits that title, just try not to go over board." Kaiba suggested. "If it makes you that unnerved to have that much money in your hands. I assure you I make enough to cover that, in fact I do… have a project you can do for me, this coming weekend. Normally I would do those jobs myself, but with you here its one less thing on the list for me."

"Ye… YES!" Yugi blurted out, sounding breathless despite having been standing in one spot. Mentally numbed he tried to leave, only to have Kaiba remind him about his textbooks. Stammering he returned for them then went up to bed, his mind swimming at the amount of money he had in his arms and the unspoken, subtext of family duty to help Kaiba. 'I won't let you down Kaiba…'