Honda had never been so miserable in his life! First his room was the size of a bread box and after looking around the castle a bit he had the distinct feeling that that punk had lied to him and given him the worst room in the place. Well soon he'd had more jokes and pranks played on him than he'd ever had in his life! Even when he was just a lowly page he didn't have this much trouble. But he wasn't, as they might think, stupid! The main reason he'd never had so many pranks pulled as it had always been the other way around. He'd always do it the pages before they even thought about doing it to him. He'd teach these punks who's in control. They may be right and due to not having magic he might not rise in rank, but he wasn't going to just sit around and wall-o in misery like it seemed everyone wanted him too. No they would either come to hate him or respect him and right now he didn't care which. Plus if they did use any of their magic on him he has the satisfaction of knowing that even if they kill or maim him with their magic they will get into major trouble.

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Back at the castle Seto had a feeling Mahaado was waiting for him to regret giving up Honda and begging him to reconsider that he hadn't meant their deal. Well that was too bad as Seto had no intention of doing so. Nope Honda was way too eager and never acknowledged him as his King before he left so as far as Seto was concerned this was fitting punishment. If he's not happy, too bad, so sad.

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Mokuba went to the family room to find Yami writing a spell down from his book.

He looked up and smiled, "Hey kiddo, what's up?"

"N-Nothing, Seto w-was trying to t-teach me about table m-manners and s-something to do w-with different f-forks and s-spoons."

Yami just smiled, he too remembered always hating having to learn that stuff.

"Wh-what are you doing?"

"Oh well you see we want to place a shield around the castle to protect it from the bad snow storm that's coming in. But it'll put too much strain on both me and Yugi if we try to maintain it ourselves. So I need these magic rocks to put the spell on and place them around the castle and those rocks will project a shield and protect the castle."

Mokuba cocked his head, he understood about half of that.

Yami didn't notice as he said, "I'm writing down this spell so that I can close the portal to that world safely and still reopen it without having to take the book."

"C-can I help?"

Yami smiled, "Sure you can help me collect the rocks."

Mokuba smiled, he couldn't wait.

But then Maura came running into the room. "Yami look, my sister Jasmine gave me this cool necklace and my sister Diana gave me this dress. They said they wanted me to wear them to dinner tonight."

"That's great Maura, but try not to get it too dirty so you can wear it to the ball."

"Oh no, they said they have a really pretty one that they won't show me to wear to the party."

"Oh well that's wonderful." Mostly because they had not gone shopping for anything in the way of clothes for her since Yami brought her home. Yami had made a special trip to town when it was clear she was staying permanently and since she had been wearing a sweater around the castle he just got her a couple of coats and another sweater or two but that was all. He never anticipated a party so soon and just hadn't gotten around to taking her shopping for anything fancy for a party.

"Yeah they said it comes from that high class country of Parie! So what are you doing?"

Yami explained to her the same thing he did with Mokuba. Mokuba was slightly jealous that it seemed she understood everything he said.

"Oh can I go and help collect them?"

"I don't know, I don't want you to get your dress dirty."

"Oh it'll be fine, if their magic rocks surely they want to be in mud or anything."

Well Yami couldn't argue with her there. The book seemed to indicate it was a simple rock garden with no mud or anything. "All right."

"Yeah!"

Mokuba wondered if that meant he wasn't going to get to go now since Yami always seemed to connect more with Maura than with him.

Yami chanted and soon a portal appeared. Before he could say anything Maura started in the portal, "Maura wait a minute."

Mokuba moved closer as Maura disappeared inside the portal, Yami sighed in relief when he could see her and she waved.

Yami turned and spotted Mokuba and said, "Oh Mokuba I'm sorry I forgot you were here. Would you do me a favor?"

Mokuba nodded but at the same time was sad and depressed seeing that Yami was only going to take Maura.

"Will you take this book down to Yugi? I promised he could borrow it for a while."

Mokuba simply nodded and took the book that was handed to him and he held it close to his chest. He wasn't going to cry because he knew the moment Maura asked to go he wouldn't be.

Yami frowned, "What's wrong? You look upset?"

Before Mokuba could say anything Maura poked her head out and said, "Yami, are you coming or not?"

At that Yami turned to look at her and Mokuba just turned to leave. Yami looked back and he could see Mokuba seemed upset but he didn't understand why.

"Yami!"

Maura once again knocked his thoughts out of his head. And he shook his head, deciding he'd find out the reason for Mokuba's depression later.

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As Mokuba left his only thoughts were how this only confirmed what he'd always believed. Yeah Yami told him that if they were both in trouble Yami'd always save him first. Well Mokuba was so happy just to hear him say that that it didn't really dawn on him till later that he said he wouldn't like it. That he cared for both and would do everything he could to save them both. Mokuba got to thinking about that and realized if they were both in trouble and Maura happened to be closer…ah hell who was he kidding he knew no matter what Yami would go to her first. No matter how many times Yami might try to tell him otherwise he knew that if they were both in trouble Seto would always save him and then maybe save Maura. Yami would always save Maura first and then try to save him.

He went to Yugi's room and knocked, when no one answered he carefully opened the door and looked around. He thought it strange that no one seemed to be around. He thought about maybe leaving the book and going. Even though he knew he shouldn't.

Just as he got the desk he saw a strange glow behind him.

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A/N: Yes Parie and Paris are the same but you always hear it pronounced Parie and since I didn't want to use Paris as this is an alternate universe I chose to use Parie.