Although Ryo didn't like Shizuka calling Nosaka names he didn't feel up to arguing. "No, my life was still unstable at the time. I wasn't really sure where I belonged. I thought this was it. I had a roof over my head, although I didn't graduate I thought I had all I needed, I thought Mokuba had a stable home and I could make it work with Bakura."

"So what changed?"

"Your apparent cheating on me, the fact that at the time Seto and Master Yami didn't seem to care about Mokuba. A fight with Bakura and I couldn't take it anymore. So I ran."

"For the last time I didn't cheat on you. You also didn't have to take the kid."

"No, but I knew he was as unhappy as I was. So I took him with me. We were, I think, happy until the tragedy and then I had to make a choice."

"You choose to return to me?"

"I chose to return yes. But it wasn't for you. I was short on cash and I felt it was too far to the next kingdom. I had my parents' place to live in here. So that was one deciding factor. Even if I couldn't return to the castle I had a place to stay and could find work. So if I decided to leave again I could save up. I also felt that I couldn't give Mokuba the life he deserved. I felt that Seto and Master Yami deserved a second chance. I just didn't expect to run into trouble coming back."

"But you did choose to stay for me, for us right?"

"No, coming back after everything that happened in the other kingdom was scary. But I realize now that I didn't try to solve my issues and make this home. Instead I ran away. Now I know Mokuba has a stable forever safe home, Bakura and I are getting along. I've made friends and although I'm not a knight yet, I know that with practice I will someday. The only thing out of place is you. You came back into my life when I'd just returned from the other kingdom. I was still that lost soul. If anything I was more lost because of the tragedy and intentionally or not you took advantage of that. But I've grown and changed since then. I'm not lost anymore. I finally realized this is my home. Your future husband is out there. It's just not me. Goodbye Shizuka."

"No Ryo, please don't do this! Let's talk about this more and have some tea." she realized she should have called the potion into something to keep him from slowly remembering.

Ryo simply got on his horse and rode away. He actually finally felt free. He realized she was only holding him down. He needed someone who would accept him and accept Mokuba's role in his life. That is if he could convince the boy to give him a second chance.

"This is that brat's fault, maybe with him out of the picture I can finally get Ryo to see me. I will make you mine, Ryo mark my words!"

X-x-x-x-x-x-xx-x-x-x-x-x

Sugoroku made it to the castle and requested a meeting with Seto and Yami. They had him escorted to the diplomat room.

"Sugoroku, what brings you here? Nothing bad I hope." Yami asked.

"On the contrary, something good. Something I hope you will approve and help me with."

"What did you have in mind?" Seto asked.

"Well Ryo came by and told me some of your guards were talking and suggested that we ask if I can give out toys to the royal children attending the ball and advertise my shop."

"How would that work? They all are from far away kingdoms." Yami asked.

"That's something I was hoping you could possibly help with. Some kind of magical delivery system."

Yami frowned, "I'd have to get with Yugi and see what we can come up with."

"You do that. Then if you find a solution get with Mahaado's assistant Dylan and contact the confirmed kingdoms coming. See if they approve and get some ideas on what the children might want. Then get in touch with Sugoroku and give him the information you just gathered. Kingdoms that reject the idea ask how many children they have, the sex and age of the child." Seto said.

Sugoroku was confused, "Why do that? If they reject the idea…"

"He's right. Why should he make extras if they already rejected the idea?"

"In case any of their children complain that all the other kids got gifts and they didn't. Then they might, no guarantee but just might cave as to not look bad or looked down upon by the other kingdoms or want their children to feel that they are lesser or not as important as other kingdom's children."

"I didn't think about that. There might be some kingdoms that reject it but change their minds seeing other kingdoms kids receiving gifts." Yami said.

"I'll go and have cards printed then. I appreciate this opportunity." Sugoroku said happily.

X-x-x-x-x-x-xx-x-x-x-x-x

While Yami was busy with Yugi trying to help Sugoroku. Zariah came to visit Seto. She produced a knocking sound.

"Enter."

"King Kaiba."

"Zariah wasn't it?"

"Yes, I am sorry I haven't had much luck yet in getting your brother to take my visions seriously yet. I'm still working on it."

"I appreciate the update. Who's your friend?"

"That's something I wanted to discuss."

"Greetings King Kaiba my name is Raina Amaris."

"Mokuba told me a lot about his life. He did tell me he liked his school teacher but sometimes felt like she wanted to work with his sister more than him. I did question if she neglected him or anything. He said she didn't. But if he's already questioning if she's fully invested, how will he grow? He understands his sister has had more schooling but it doesn't stop him wanting to push himself." Zariah said.

"Yes, she mentioned wanting to separate them." Seto said, remembering Samantha saying she wanted the kids on different days.

"That's why I came to introduce you to Raina. You or someone else can stay and monitor her until you're assured of her trust. You'll see she's an excellent teacher. I have not introduced her to Mokuba yet. I wanted your consent first."

Seto wasn't exactly thrilled that this magic woman would be Mokuba's teacher. But it was hard enough time finding someone the first time, much less the second. But he couldn't exactly turn down the opportunity for a second teacher. He hadn't been thrilled when Samantha had told him she was going to start only teaching Mokuba every other day and Maura on the others. That alone had made him question if she was doing this for Mokuba or for Maura. If what Zariah claims Mokuba told her was true he suspects it was so she'd have more time for Maura.

"I assure you I only want him to learn. I have in the past tutored royal children. Some that genuinely want to learn some that don't. Some people don't see that teaching ones like Mokuba to read and learn can be just as rewarding if not more than teaching well educated kids more complicated stuff. I was never good at teaching the more advanced stuff. Maybe it was from my lack of passion for the subjects. I did pass super advanced classes. I was dubbed a genius." Raina said.

"If you're a genius, why do you want to teach? Especially to a child with so little schooling?"

"Because people wanted me to do lots of things. But see I had a younger brother. He was treated poorly by our parents because he didn't match up to my level. I did what I could to help him learn. He was actually smart. Not the same level as me of course but that didn't mean he wasn't smart. I always tried to encourage him. I was the only one that saw that he was smart and had the potential to do great things. But between my parents and other people telling him he was worthless and would always be second behind me. That he was worthless because he wasn't a genius like me. He committed suicide."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"That's why I brought Raina here. After Mokuba told me that although he liked his teacher he still felt like he had to compete with his sister. I thought I'd ask if you would consider hiring her as Mokuba's teacher." Zariah said.

After hearing her story Seto couldn't argue that having someone dedicated to helping Mokuba learn and grow and not wanting to be like the first teacher he hired or rather Yami hired and wanted him to be super advanced or Samantha who while not neglecting him is more interested in doing advanced studies with Maura. Thinking about it more he questions how long before Samantha international or not starts trying to pressure Mokuba into stuff he's not ready for.

"Do you have any kind of credentials?"

"Yes, here you are. Feel free to call any or all." Raina said, handing him her resume. She and Zariah were kicking themselves that they didn't do that in the first place.

"Let me think about it some more and get back to you later."

"Take this feather and throw it in the air when you're ready to give us your answer." Zariah said, laying the feather on his desk before opening a portal and they left.