"Oh. Well, I apologize then. I've just never been that close to my advisor where he'd speak when he wasn't spoken to plus to know so many things about my personal private life and to go tell other people. I've also never heard of an advisor being one's own brother. Cousin or other affiliations like that, sure."

Seto glared at him. "Master Atemu and I are half brothers and were raised together. My mother always felt we'd make a stronger team by being raised together." Seto stated firmly. He was still at the moment reluctant to tell everyone the truth about Mokuba. A part of him wanted to, but then people like Mahaado show up and makes him question whether or not it was really a good idea.

"Interesting. Well, I shall take my leave. Good day. Come Diana."

Diana followed without question.

Jasmine simply glared off at them. "Maura, I have a few things I've wanted to give you and talk to you about. Why don't we go to my room and talk."

"Okay, big sister." Maura said and started to follow her sister. She didn't want to; she feared her sister was going to push her into answering the question of where she was going to live. She loved her sisters and didn't want to disappoint them, but she was happy here and really didn't want to leave. Still, she couldn't tell her sister that she herself refused to spend time with her, even when her sister hadn't had to do that very much. She couldn't help but think that her sisters just didn't want her to be happy. They never got to be kids and she was finally getting that chance. Yeah, they said they only wanted her to be happy, but if that was really true, then why out of the blue after all these years do they suddenly want her to go with them? She still suspected that Diana wanted a live-in babysitter. Even though she didn't know Mahaado, just from the few minutes she'd spent with him, she had a strong suspicion that someday he'd marry her off to a person of his choosing and not hers!

x-x-x-x-x-x-xx-x-x-x-x-x

Yami could tell Seto was still fuming. "Come on Seto, calm down. Look, let's just go back to the family room and sit down and let Mokuba pick out a book for us to read to him."

"Fine, let's go." Seto said, then turned around and stormed off.

Mokuba could see Seto was still upset over Mahaado. "W-we don't have to b-big brother."

Seto stopped and smiled down at the little boy. Then he kissed his head. "No, Yami's right. I need to cool down. I can't think of a better way to do that. Why don't you go run along and find one of the libraries and pick out a book you want us to read? Then meet us upstairs in the family room."

"A-any book?"

"Why don't you see if you can find Mai or Isis and maybe they can help you find a good one." Yami said.

Mokuba smiled brightly. "Okay." Then he ran off.

Seto shook his head. "If you had told me a few months back that we'd have that kid here to have and hold, I'd never believed it."

"Not to mention how far he's come. At one time he wouldn't leave like that without one of us right there with him." Yami said.

Seto smiled. "Yeah, you're right. I just wish we could find a way to make him that bright and shiny when it comes to strangers. Especially royal ones."

Yami sighed. "I don't think that we're ever going to be that lucky, Seto."

Seto also sighed. "I know you're right. Thanks to Noah, the big five, and all those other bastards that have tried to kill him, he's very easily spooked by strangers."

"He may come out of it more as he gets older, but I wouldn't count on it too much. Especially the way we baby him."

Seto glared at him. "So, what do you suggest we do to resolve the problem? Start beating on him like his old family did? Or maybe we should do what my father did to me: stick him in a room and force him to do nothing but study and learn the ins and outs of royalty!"

"That's not what I meant, Seto."

"What did you mean?"

"Look, I said we baby him, not just you. I would never suggest that we do anything to hurt him. I just think maybe that we should bring him to more royal events like royal court and grievances and things like that. This way, he'll be surrounded by more people. Maybe over time it'll help him be less afraid of strangers."

"We can try it, but I wouldn't count on it. I think it will only tend to frighten him that much more. Especially the way you're putting it. You want him out in the middle of all the action and I don't believe he can handle it." Seto said, walking away.

Yami sighed. Why did it always seem like lately all they ever did was fight? Mostly, it's over Mokuba or usually Maura. Seto often felt that he neglected Mokuba too much in favor of Maura.

x-x-x-x-x-x-xx-x-x-x-x-x

Yami took a step and it was once again like lightning struck him. He blinked and looked around, and then he heard what sounded like something being hit on the desk. He opened a door and overheard someone talking.

"Do it the way Rocko showed you again, Mokuba."

Yami blinked. 'Mokuba?!'

He peeked in and saw a man walking across the room, holding his head high and holding his arm up with what looked like a robe on it and a staff that Yami could only assume was supposed to be a substitution for the millennium rod.

Then he noticed High Priest Seth. He was instructing Mokuba on how to do things right. Mokuba looked like he was a couple of years older than he was now, but not the 15 year old he'd been seeing. Then he jumped as the ruler came down on the desk again.

"No, no. Didn't you watch Rocko? You've been at this for months now. I can't understand why you can't get that right."

"I'm s-sorry."

"All right, now try the speech again." Seth said.

"P-pleased to m-meet y-you." Mokuba said nervously.

Seth sighed. "What did we discuss about your stuttering?"

"T-to slow down."

"Exactly. Relax; you hardly stutter much anymore except when you're nervous." Seth said.

"I'm s-sorry."

"It's fine; try it again, slowly."

Just then Yami was pulled away from the door and slammed against the wall.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"Seto?"

"I asked you: what do you think you're doing?"

"I-I heard a noise and went to check it out and saw Seth training Mokuba."

"So, what's your point? It was your idea."

"M-my idea?"

"Yes, or have you conveniently forgotten that you were the one to suggest we not baby him anymore? You said that, if we wanted him to grow up strong, we'd have to do tough love. I told you I didn't want to; I wanted him to be normal! But of course you had to throw that brat of yours in my face again. This was her fault to begin with; I was stupid to agree to allow you to take her in, but no. I let you have your way and adopt her."

"How does Maura fit into this?"

"Simple: you told me that Mokuba should be like her so that he'll be better at royal engagements; that we couldn't or shouldn't keep him a secret forever, that someday the truth would come out one way or another. Then you talked to Seth behind my back and set up lessons. I didn't like it, but by this time I backed down and just let you have your way."

Then Mokuba walked out and Yami got a better look at the boy. He could only assume that he was probably about 13, give or take.

Seto turned and looked at the boy. "Session over?" he asked him.

"Yes, Seto."

"Good."

Mokuba looked at Yami. "W-what are you doing here,

Yami?"

Yami was surprised that he didn't call him big brother. "Well I was in the area and decided I'd stay and wait till your session was over."

"W-why?"

"What do you mean, why?" Yami asked.

Seto interrupted. "I was wondering the same thing. You're always helping Maura with her homework or with her and her boyfriend."

Yami blinked. "Boyfriend?"