Yu-Gi-Oh: A Past and Future Pharaoh
Written By: Lady Lunar Phoenix
A/N: I... don't recall if I made note of this before so I'll make it here. This chapter was written months ago, but as of me editing it (As I explained to Red Wings) I'm... in a bad situation, full time unemployed caretaker to my dad who has ALZ and I'm in a serious medical condition on my own. Over time don't be surprised if some of the chapters feel a little off balance from what I read my condition can cause difficulty in focusing and stuff. I'm trying though and if you see anything major please let me know so I can try to fix it. Anyway... On to the chapter.
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Florida was strange.
It held the heat that Malik was used to from being in Japan, that sweltering humidity that was part of the closeness to the ocean. Yet somehow California didn't have such humidity, though he had been near the elevation of mountains. Perhaps that was why it didn't feel the same despite the ocean being a border of the state. The park here was filled with trees and grass without all the shrines that he was used to seeing around such verdant areas.
There were multiple paths, paved roads wide enough for carts to rumble past, mostly straight but the turns were curved around. While Ryou stood there with his nose in a map, dressed in a pair of jeans and sneakers with a cotton tshirt and a loose button on over that. The colors were of grays and silvers, blues in the jeans and typical of kids his age. He glanced up at the sign that was perched on a black pole off to the side of the road. "Well these roads branch out to regular dueling fields where you use duel disks, along with arcade and other type games. That one leads to the rides, and that leads to the food courts... ah from that path there's a path that leads to stage shows..."
Anzu was just as busy, but her eyes were scanning an itinerary. She was dressed lightly, with a light maroon skirt, a bright yellow top, socks and sneakers on her feet as she read down the list. "Ok, it seems there are dueling areas active, but where seems to be part of the 'game' that Kaiba came up with."
"Makes sense with Yugi unable to take part like planned," Malik acknowledged as he turned his attention back to his friends.
"So right now the duelists will be trying to locate one of the active dueling areas," with that Anzu began to explain how the tournament was apparently going to work this time.
The pair listened attentively while Malik eased onto his back foot, "well I bet there's a way we can help Mai find a station."
"No," Ryou didn't even look up from the map as he answered in a short, crisp, bunny ear slap.
"Look grandpa, you need to learn to lighten up and have fun," Malik drawled out as he gave Ryou an irritated look. He was in his typical sleeveless hoodie and baggy black pants. While he and Ryou were gathering no few startled looks from the staff as they moved through out the park.
The time indicated that the park 'was' open, but it was early and the group was already in the hotel. So unlike the attendees who had to enter from the front the gates the trio were already well in the park at this hour. They walked along the streets, clean of trash and the occasional costumed staff member would be seen walking by.
"You think Mahaado is ok with this?" Anzu asked as she watched a 'Dark Magician' cross their path. The costume wasn't 'bad', but it was clearly designed for multiple wears.
"Ok with what Lady An-," Mahaado began when Anzu bit down on a shriek and jumped into Bakura's arms. The map was ripped in two while the days' itinerary drifted to the ground as Anzu tried to catch her breath...
Ryou was pretty ok with it, shocked but ok, but all three looked at the magician. Mahaado had manifested in modern clothes again, slacks, and a button on, his hair was clipped back behind him in a very loose ponytail. Comically stuck staring at the trio before semi deflating.
"I see Jounouchi is contagious..."
"Hey I didn't jump!" Malik retorted stubbornly as Anzu settled back onto the ground and went for the dropped itinerary. All the while glancing around to make sure no one else saw Mahaado just manifest in the area.
"Pharaoh said that I could step outside and see the grounds, and I heard my name..." Mahaado began slowly, eyeing the trio before using a spell to weave the map back into a solid whole again. It floated easily in the air, the fibers stitching back together and pulling into their map.
"I was just wondering what you thought of the people dressed up as you," Anzu explained as she straightened out her clothes.
Mahaado looked a little better in the light of day, there was still this sense of a frightened prey that was difficult to not see. She could see it in the way his eyes scanned the area, but at least there was a touch more life to his eyes as he looked around. 'I just wish it wasn't a fearful look, what could cause him to behave like this?' Anzu pondered.
"Oh well... its... interesting. I do not really understand why people want to wear clothes so tight against their skin." he admitted as he stood there.
The trio were left a little lost over Mahaados' confusion... and confused... and then Anzu started letting her eyes drift down replacing Mahaado's modern clothes with his Dark Magician form and oh... oh there...
"Oh that's right, your true form appears to wear a skin suit under a tunic..." Anzu began causing Mahaado to repeat the word slowly his brow furrowing.
"So?" Mahaado asked, 'I realize that people do not just take all their clothes off as they would back home. Partly because the elements and they've become very reserved but... They know what a body looks like...'
[Kind of... but if I explained you would be mortified and disappointed in the modern world. More over I can't explain or help you without falling over laughing and I don't want to hurt your feelings Maha.]
"Well, decency laws... and there's probably people who want to see what's under the tunic..."
Now Anzu was the one to explain it. But the more she explained the more awkward she felt until she rushed the rest of the sentence out. Kind of like a chipmunk on crack. Fast enough that Mahaado wasn't sure exactly what the anyone wanted to 'see'.
"You wearing nothing," Malik answered and got shoved by Ryou as punishment.
"But my back is covered in scars..." Mahaado answered, only to clamp his mouth shut, lower his eyes and suddenly feel an intense need to hide.
'Scars?' It was a shared thought, while Malik was left feeling the ghosts of the knife carvings on his back, the other two were just taken aback by that admission. Hot blood dripping down his numbing skin came back to him as a sudden wave of empathy and compassion warmed in him that Mahaado may have suffered something similar.
"Mahaado?" Anzu began before slowly taking a step forward, maybe he didn't notice. But Mahaado had the look of a spooked deer at that moment. He had stiffened, and his eyes kept scanning the area in a way that made her worry he would run. 'Scars? His back is covered in scars? Like Malik?' she pondered as Mahaado turned his gaze and focused on Anzu. "Did someone hurt you?" She asked, perhaps it was forward to ask in Japan. And she wasn't super knowledgeable about Ancient Egypt customs, but... It was clear 'something happened'.
"I'm fine, pray forgive me for causing you distress." Stiff and formal, his Japanese was clipped sharp and his accent was thicker than expected.
"You know Anzu only gets distressed because she cares." Malik began while glancing at Ryou, it was curious for the snowbunny to say nothing. But then he recalled their meeting at Bakura's apartment and remembered. Ryou's past life possessed self killed Mahaado. 'Even if you want to say something, you're not brave enough to do so huh?'
"I am sorry..." Mahaado slowly began before shrugging. "I was whipped growing up... that is all..." he explained.
"There's nothing to apologize for stuff like that doesn't fade away like stubbing a toe," Malik admitted as he shrugged his shoulders. "I didn't get whipped though, I had a full message carved into my back."
"Ah yes, Seto was not thrilled over that. When he instructed his Priest to 'find a way to preserve this message'. He didn't anticipate the man would carve it into his very flesh." Mahaado recalled earning a startled look from Malik.
"Wait, that wasn't required?!" Malik asked, sputtering slightly in surprise. 'I was forced to have this stupid thing carved into me because some fanatical priest in Kaiba's time?!' Malik thought in growing outrage.
"Yes, Seto never summoned me, but he missed us and I was the only one 'close' enough if you will. So I would hear and notice the world a bit around him back when he would will it." Mahaado recited everything methodically, much like a modern computer.
No one said anything though, they wore these sympathetic expressions on their faces that outside of Anzu seemed rather odd to Mahaado. "Well what a do or do not wear matters little for the sake of this place I would think. Regarding the living who are making... a living dressing as me? I find it a touch amusing," he answered turning to glance towards where that one employee had disappeared to. "I saw a young woman wearing Mana's Ka's attire, though she had an extended skirt down to her knees. But I suppose that it because the parents would be upset if they saw such a small skirt on a girl."
"Well come with us Mahaado! Let's look around and see what the park has to offer!" Anzu offered in desperation to get him back to a safe mental space, earning a small nod from Mahaado.
Now a party of four, with one party member feeling a bit anxious about the new member, the new member feeling anxious about something completely not related to the three he was with. A soft murmur in the distance heralded the approach of the families visiting the park. While Anzu and Ryou found themselves in charge of explaining all manner of things...
"So the machine makes cotton candy, but they don't do anything special with it?" Malik asked, observing as the person spun the heated threads of sugar onto a paper cone. "I feel spoiled going out at night," he pouted.
Anzu opened her mouth, then clamped it shut, it... was a bit dull to watch, yet it felt terrible to just be so scornful about it at the same time. "Well Asian flare I guess..."
"What does it taste like?" Mahaado asked, his tone thoughtful as he watched. "Pharaoh offered to bring me back to life, so I could have tasted it."
"He what? Why are you still dead then?!" Anzu blurted out in disbelief as she stood there, rounding on the magician in an instant. To live? To breath? Feel the winds across his skin? Yugi would undoubtedly be elated to have Mahaado a living person again! Instead of being bound to this state of eternal servitude. So while Ryou was sent to the stratosphere in surprise at her sudden forceful question Mahaado seemed also taken a bit back. Perhaps he understood she had just committed a very big cultural mistake.
'But I'm curious as to why as well. If he's trying to stay as a eternal servant Yugi could accommodate that.' Ryou thought as Mahaado settled down.
"I prefer to be able to assist the Pharaoh when he needs me," Mahaado pointed out, but Anzu shook her head.
Thoughts of magical girl shows running through her head, Anzu continued to try to think of a way to help both guys. "You could live though, or have the ability to shift between the two states, or turn on senses at your desire. Mahaado you don't deserve to be like this! I get that you're doing this out of loyalty, but you know Yugi better than us! You deserve better that being the servant to anyone who knows about you!"
Malik and Ryou were quiet though both nodded.
"Just think what would happen if these monsters who are trying to get the demon into the world, summoned you! What happens then?" Anzu demanded, almost imperiously, but the idea was enough to alarm and get the guys to exchange glances...
"Someone summon Mahaado against us?" Ryou repeated, while recalling a bit of the previous conversations they had. How there was a copy of Mahaado's loyalty for every Dark Magician card that existed... They were copies, this was the original true Mahaado soooo...
"It would require them stealing my card from the Pharaoh." Mahaado replied easily enough before turning his head to give Ryou a look. "And who would be able to, and insanely foolish enough, to steal my card or tablet from God?"
"Do I look like I can lift a tab... wait 'your tablet'?" Ryou balked as something bothered him. "so if someone broke into the Gravekeeper tribe and stole your tablet, you'd have to obey them?" He asked needing some confirmation. When Mahaado began nodding, Ryou turned a shade more paler than he normally was. "Is the demon strong enough to steal your tablet at this point?!"
Mahaado was quiet for a moment, the Pharaoh had not summoned him when the demon manifested true... "Given how large his power base is I would suspect that he can now. But only if he is summoned..."
"So if we pray to Yugi he can make sure the demon doesn't take your tablet away?" Anzu asked with confidence as she looked over at where the hotel stood. Towering high enough that the quartet could easily see it above everything. While at the top was Yugi doing who knew what at this hours.
"Yes," Mahaado replied, a little amused at how easily Anzu was willing to pray to the Pharaoh, though of course. They had been friends and more than that, they probably prayed to him often the previous years during those duels. "Though that is Set's duty as per the Pharaoh's wishes."
"Kaiba?" Malik asked. "But he's the Gener... oh"
"But Kaiba can't be asked for this," Anzu replied with a slight frown. "He's been through a lot lately, sure Yugi has too. But watching Yugi get 'shot' while having to still run a company 'has' to take a lot out of him. You saw him when the demon showed up at the hospital!" Anzu pointed out causing the other two living teens to shrug.
"He's still a god Anzu. Mortal physical strength is one thing, divine strength is another." Bakura pointed out with a faint shrug. "But remember that Yugi and Kaiba are both gods now, and while they're willing to listen to us because they know us. We really shouldn't..." Bakura shrugged uncomfortably, "use them like..." he tilted his head towards Mahaado.
"Gods choose when they wish to hear mortals..." Mahaado pointed out when the first families began to filter into the area.
"Well they see you now, Mahaado. So you're going to have to stay with us until we're alone enough for you to teleport if you opt to leave." Malik pointed out as a family of five walked along the laid out path. Well the parents walked, the kids were already ahead of them looking about in excitement.
"Well it would be good to learn more things... Mokuba has been quite helpful, though I'm sure he would prefer to spend time with his brother. They've been apart for a bit," Mahaado admitted as he looked about.
"Any idea where Mai might be?" Malik asked, he looked about and tried to figure out where Mai could be.
"Well its a first come first serve for dueling areas," Anzu pointed out.
"Yes, Seto mentioned that this way it keeps anyone from bribing staff to try and fine the locations first." Mahaado recounted before shrugging slightly. "Pharaoh also asked that I look after Lady Mai. Due to possible outside interference by some rather unpleasant types."
"Someone's after Mai? But Yugi said the group isn't going to bother this event," Anzus' eyes were wide with alarm and fear as she grew concerned for the woman.
"Yes, though you need not worry about the group. This is merely common rabble that is displeased about a woman holding her position." Mahaado explained politely as his gaze shifted to observe the scrying spell he was using. It hung in space, though knowing the living didn't use magic, he refrained from letting others see it. Instead he just appeared to everyone else as staring just above the distant tree line.
"oh..." Anzu began before she got annoyed. "OH REALLY? What's wrong with her being a duelist?!"
Mahaado literally shrank in on himself as Ryou and Malik cowered away from Anzu's outburst in answer.
"Nothing?" Ryou began meekly as he tried to appease the angry Anzu. "But people can be stupid?"
"Mahaado help me find where Mai is!" Anzu demanded as she squared herself up to Mahaado imperiously.
"Yes, my lady..." Mahaado answered...