They left and were soon riding up in front of a house where two kids, a boy and a girl a little younger than he was, were running and playing.
Then they looked up and started running towards them and yelling, "Varon!! You're home!"
Varon smiled, got off the horse and hugged the two kids tightly. "Have you both been good?"
"YES" "NO" they both said at the same time.
"Well you'd better start behaving. You do know in another month or so Santa Claus will be here and if you've been bad you won't get anything don't you."
'Who or what is Santa Claus?' Mokuba wondered.
After Varon said that both kids started to cry and ran back in the house.
"Mommy, Varon's being mean to us!" The little yelled.
'I remember now, Noah often yelled that there was no such thing as Santa Claus and anyone who believed in it was a fool. I know he asked me once if I believed. I shook my head no cause they never told me who or what Santa Claus was. I remember though Asana was often mad at Noah cause she always said there was such a thing. I don't think, Marine believed but it looked like she was saying it to keep Asana from crying. I know Noah would often yell at my stepmother when she'd ask him if he'd been good and he'd say he didn't believe in Santa Claus. He always said and never would change, not even for Asana's sake, to admit there was such a thing as a Santa Claus. Maybe I should ask Seto and he'll tell me. I wonder what difference it makes if you've been good or bad.'
"Varon what have I told you about teasing them."
"Cool your jets, Talana. I was only asking if they'd been good."
"What else did you say?"
"I told them that if they weren't good they wouldn't get anything from Santa."
"Now they'll be crying the rest of the day!"
Varon rolled his eyes, "Who are you kidding? They'll forget it in about 5 minutes or less."
"Who's your friend?"
Varon turned, smiled, pulled Mokuba off the horse and took him to the house. "This is Mokuba. The king's little brother."
"I thought Master Atemu was your assignment."
"He was but he had to leave town for personal reasons and he never wants me with him when it's personal, not business related. He asked me to stay and look after his brother."
"You just said he was the king's brother."
"It's a long story, I'll explain later."
"All right, well it's nice to meet you Mokuba. I'm Talana. I'm Varon's sister."
"Hi." Mokuba said staying close to Varon.
"He's very shy." Varon explained.
Just then, another woman walked in.
"Varon, it's nice of you to come home."
"Sorry mother, I haven't had much time to get back. This is Mokuba, he's my temporary reassignment."
"Oh, really, well what happened to…"
"If you let us stay for lunch I'll tell you all I know then."
"You're both more than welcome to stay. Hello Mokuba, I'm Megan, Varon's mother."
"N-nice to m-meet you." Mokuba said staying as close to Varon as possible.
"The stuttering is normal, the kings trying to locate someone to help with it. "
"I would after all I have a degree in education and therapy. But with Sami and Rune I can't do it." Talana said.
"Why are you looking after Rune?"
"Mother's been wanting some downtime and Sami gets lonely and depressed so, I agreed to look after Rune too."
"Maybe Varon could convince the king to let them go over there. This way they could spend more time with him and you could work with the boy."
"NO, you know when those two wholly terrors get together nothing is safe! They would tear down the castle and probably scare this one to death." Varon said, squeezing Mokuba's shoulders.
Mokuba didn't much like the way he put that.
"Varon, that's not a nice thing to say about your little brother and your niece." Talana said.
Just then, the two kids came running into the room. Having gotten over Varon's comments about Santa.
"Who's your friend Varon?" Rune asked.
"This is Mokuba. Mokuba, this is my little brother Rune and my niece Sami."
"Hi, come play with us!" Sami said, grabbing Mokuba's hand.
"Yeah, come on." Rune said, grabbing the other.
As the two kid's ages 7 and 8 start to drag Mokuba away he looks back pleadingly at Varon.
"It's okay kid, they won't hurt you." Varon said. After they were after sight he sighed, "I don't think."
The kid's dragged Mokuba outside and just as Varon predicted they did start tearing apart a wagon that was parked on their property. Mokuba couldn't believe they did it. They didn't even get into trouble, surprising Mokuba even more. After lunch, they returned home.
x-x-x-x-x-x-xx-x-x-x-x-x
Mokuba spotted Bakura standing, talking to someone as Varon was putting the horses away. He walked over to him and tugged on his jacket lightly.
Bakura looked down and dismissed the person he had been talking to. "Can I help you with something, kid?"
"I w-wanted to thank you."
Bakura frowned, "Thank me, for what?"
Mokuba held up his angel. "F-for helping me and Ryo."
"You're obviously important to him. I saw no reason that should change."
"Thanks again." Mokuba said, turning to leave.
"Wait."
Mokuba turned around to look at him.
"If you ever need someone to talk to about something you don't want to discuss with your brothers or Ryo. Tell me and I'll help you out."
"R-really?"
"Sure thing kid."
"Can you t-tell me what a m-Martian is?"
"Where did you hear that?"
"A friend s-said my s-stepfamily might have been Martians."
Bakura grinned amused. "Well you see the stars at night."
"Yeah."
"Some believe those are planets and little green men live on them."
"D-do you believe?"
"Other plants, maybe. I won't deny that is possible. But little green men, no!"
"What's a c-comic book?"
"Ask Ryo. He's got more than one unless he threw them out."
"Mokuba let's go." Varon called.
Mokuba quickly shook Bakura's hand. "T-thanks B-Bakura." Then ran towards Varon.
"Kid."
Mokuba stopped and looked back at him.
"Call me Uncle Bakura."
Mokuba's eyes went wide. "Y-you r-really mean that?"
"Yeah, Ryo's your brother so technically that makes me your uncle."
"Thanks!" Mokuba said, running over and giving him a quick hug much to Bakura's surprise. Then ran off and grabbed Varon's hand and they went inside.
"So, I see the kid got to you too."
Bakura turned around and saw Ryo standing there. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"And you know the kid would have to be my son, in order for you to be his uncle. Technically speaking as you put it you would be his big brother too."
"Forget it. I don't need another little brother. I have enough trouble with the one I have now."
"Really, I'd say that kid's broke through that icy exterior you call a heart and wormed his way into it."
"You're imagining things."
"Am I? Then why is it when he asks you a question you answered instead of blowing him off and telling him to ask me or Seto; seems to me growing up that's what you did to me, always told me to go ask mom or dad. Rarely did you answer me like that."
"You're delusional." Bakura said walking off.
"Yeah, that kid definitely has a way with people if he can break the heart of the iceman." Ryo said to himself.
x-x-x-x-x-x-xx-x-x-x-x-x
That night Yami was sitting outside after a new vision.
"Hi, Yami, what's wrong?" Krystyn asked.
"A new vision different from the others."
"What was wrong with this one?"
"My brother Seto was killed before I could get to him."
"And the little one?"
"That was the only upside to that vision. He came running to me when I got to Seto. He was okay."
"Well at least you saved him."
"Yes, but I can't do it. I can't let either one die! Mokuba needs Seto more than he needs me!"
"I don't believe that. I saw the look of adoration in that kid's eyes when he looked at you."
"Yes, but he's still closer to Seto."
"That doesn't mean he doesn't need you too. Was there anything else that's troubling you about that vision?"
"Yes, it was strange, there was a dragon there."
"What did it want?"
"I don't know. It was almost like it was calling out to me. Trying to tell me something, like…"
"Like what?" Krystyn asked.
"Like I'm supposed to let that happen but then again not let Seto die. It makes no sense. How can I let Seto die but not let him die at the same time?"
"Only time will tell. Grandfather told me that your visions coming more rapidly now means that the attack could happen sooner than expected."
"How much sooner?"
"He can't or won't say. As he said, time will tell."