Chapter 7: - A Familiar GLOW
There was silence in the living room of the Muto Household as Muto Kaiya tried to absorb everything she had been told and the children looked at each other nervously.
It was a lot to take in and she found herself unable to decide how to react.
In front of her sat her son, who had completed the Millennium Puzzle and inherited the wisdom and the powers of darkness from it and apparently was now host to some ancient Pharaoh who was trapped inside the Puzzle but didn't know why, but he hadn't come out to explain himself because apparently he slept a lot when Yugi didn't need him and the last time someone had woken him up without a good reason, it had given Yugi a headache…
That explained the headache on Monday night and all of Tuesday…
To his left was Kinomoto Sakura, who she already knew from before tonight. However she hadn't known that Kinomoto was 'the Cardcaptor' who apparently had accidently released all the 'Clow cards' from their book and now had to capture them. Yugi and… Yami, she thought they had called the ghost possessing Yugi… had apparently been helping Sakura since day one.
Sakura had demonstrated her magic, using The FLOWER to create the bouquet that was now sat on the table between them.
On her shoulder sat Kerberos, or as the children called him, Kero, was Sakura's guardian and the guardian of the Clow Cards (and Kaiya had made her views on him sleeping for thirty years, allowing Sakura to open the book, very clear), as well as currently acting as Yugi's mentor in place of someone who actually knew how to control 'Shadow Magic' as they didn't know anyone who could teach Yugi properly and it was apparently dangerous for him not to have someone who could at least teach him the basics.
Daidoji Tomoyo was supposedly their costume designer and camera woman. She enjoyed filming their battles but had no magic of her own, so she designed the costumes that Yugi and Sakura went into battle in, in order to allow the pair to make a good impression on the Clow Cards.
Kero had tried to explain how you had to look like you deserved to be their master before the Clow Cards really accepted you but Kaiya had just accepted it as something that she wouldn't quite understand… at least for now.
And apparently Gardener Tea was the most normal of the group. She had no magic and her dream was to be a dancer, but other then that she seemed to be in on this whole mess only by dint of being Yugi's friend. She seemed to be the one that grounded the group when things got really weird…
This didn't help her decision.
Part of her had decided that she should never have brought Yugi here to Tomoeda. Then he would never have gotten caught up in Sakura's Clow Card problems and he wouldn't have nearly drowned…
But that didn't solve the problem of the Millennium Puzzle. Yugi had been working on that for four years already, it wouldn't have been much longer before he had solved it even if she had left Yugi with his Grandfather in Domino, and then he'd be a 'Shadow Mage' anyway and he wouldn't have Kero to teach him…
"Okaa-san…" Yugi started but trailed off and looked at the floor at the look his mother gave him. She wasn't sure whether to be pleased that her son would help his friends out, no matter what the situation, angry at him for keeping this a secret or afraid that he'd get in too far over his head and there wouldn't be someone to rescue him next time…
She was kind of feeling all three at once at the moment and she didn't really know what to say.
"Muto-Sama," Kero spoke up, landing on the table between the children and Yugi's mother, "Please do not be mad at Yugi. As you mentioned before, the Clow Cards being on the loose is my fault. If I had not been sleeping, Sakura would not have been drawn to the book of Clow and the Clow Cards would not have been released."
"I have a problem Kero-San." Kaiya admitted, "In that I'm not sure how to react to what I have been told. Half of me wants to take Yugi and move back to Domino," She tried not to react as the girls' eyes widened and turned to Yugi, whose head had sunk even lower at that statement, "However doing so would mean I would have to leave him with his Grandfather or give up work and remove Yugi from the only person we know who can train him to use his magic safely."
"There may be other mages like Yugi out there who would be able to teach him better then I could." Kero admitted, making Sakura look at her guardian askance, "However with the amount of power he has, I wouldn't recommend getting any old magician to teach him as Yugi's magic is new to him and he does have a lot of it. You would have to know that any magician that trains him is trustworthy and doesn't wish harm on your son in any way."
"What do you mean?"
"Yugi's powers are very old, so old that even my former master, Clow Reed, didn't know about them, and are incredibly powerful. I believe that when he's fully trained, Yugi will be one of the most powerful magicians of the current age. A lot of mages will see this as a threat, and want to stop him getting that strong." Kero sighed, "For the time being, he's safer with another mage, like Sakura, who is in training and knows him well, as opposed to finding another magician like him, who may see him as a threat."
"In other words, you want me to pretend nothing's happening…"
"That would be the easiest route, admittedly." Kero nodded, "However, I don't believe that you would do so. Yugi is your son after all, and it is natural for you to worry about him."
"So what do you suggest?"
"Let me train Yugi as far as I can and let him help Sakura. In exchange, Yugi keeps you informed as to what's happening and we will warn you if something like Wednesday happens again."
"It won't." Sakura said firmly, causing Kaiya to give the girl an appraising look.
It was one thing to look at Sakura and consider how things would turn out a few years down the line, if Sakura and Yugi were still friends by then, it was another to look at the girl and see the Star Mage and Cardcaptor, who apparently had been praised by Yugi's pet ghost as someone who was very powerful considering how young she was.
"And you're sure you don't know of any other Shadow Magicians who could teach Yugi everything he needs to know?"
"There aren't any that I can sense in the local area." Kero answered.
Kaiya sighed and looked at her son. "Then I don't have much choice do I?" Kaiya sighed. "Muto Yugi," Yugi's head shot up at the tone of her voice and he watched her like a convict watches a judge about to pronounce a sentence, "You may go to the party tomorrow night, but you are grounded for a week for sneaking out of the house. This means no games and no TV, however you may do your homework and you may have your friends around to practise your magic."
"Okaa-san?" Yugi breathed, having feared a much worse judgement.
"After the week is up, I will expect you to wake me if you need to leave the house on a night time to assist Sakura, and I will expect you to tell me what happened upon your return." Kaiya continued, "From now on, I want to know when you fight Clow Cards and if you face them while I'm in work, I expect you to inform me when I get home. You have a mobile phone; leave a message on the answer machine for me."
"Yes Okaa-san." Yugi nodded.
"Kerberos, you'd better train Yugi and Sakura well and keep these children safe…"
"I will, Muto-Sama." Kero nodded, "I do not wish to incur the wrath of you or Sakura's older brother."
Kaiya had to force back her amusement at that in her attempts to maintain a serious expression, "What about you Tomoyo? Do you have anyone who knows what you are up to?"
"My bodyguards are normally just around the corner should I need them."
"But your family are unaware?"
"It's just me and my mother in the house." Tomoyo shook her head, "And my mother isn't around much, she's the CEO of an electronics' company, so she's always working. My bodyguards look after me though."
"And you Tea?"
"Um… they're… busy…"
Kaiya sighed, wondering what it was about this group that all their parents were all busy and not around much. Had events been arranged so that the children involved would be unable to get assistance from their parents …? And if so she'd like a word with the organiser…
There was a knock on the door and Kaiya left the room to answer the front door.
The children all breathed a sigh of relief and Kero sat down on the table and gave Yugi a relieved smile. "That went better then we thought it would."
"You have to be more careful." Tea frowned at him.
"It was Yami that gave us away to Toya!" Kero protested.
"Tomoyo, your bodyguards have come to the door." Kaiya popped her head around the door, "Apparently it's time to go."
"See you tomorrow guys." Tomoyo picked her bag up, checked Yugi had all the costume pieces and left with a wave.
"I should be going too." Tea stood up, "My parents will be home soon."
"I told Toya I'd cook tea." Sakura stood up, as Kero flew into her bag, "I'll walk home with you."
"See you guys tomorrow?" Yugi asked wistfully, well aware that an entire weekend without games was going to be less then fun, yet alone an entire week.
"I'll meet you at the party." Tea nodded.
"We'll be over for a couple of hours at lunch time." Sakura promised.
"Thanks Sakura."
"No problem." She grinned, "See you tomorrow Yugi."
"Have a good night."
"Think of it this way. At least we shouldn't have to remind you to do your homework."
"Don't say it out loud!" Kero protested, poking his head out of the bag, "Yugi's grounded for long enough as it is. He'll miss the tournament if he's grounded for any longer!"
"Oops, sorry Yugi." Tea blushed. "See you tomorrow."
"See you…" Yugi saw his two friends to the door and then followed his mum into the kitchen.
"Yugi, I want you to know that I'm more concerned then angry. I will be talking to my father about this, you realise, and if he feels that we'd be better of finding a Shadow Magician to train you, I'll find one…some how."
"Okaa-san…" Yugi sighed, "I'll be fine."
"We'll see…" She sighed, just knowing that Yugi would want to try to convince her to let Kero train him, well she knew how to turn the conversation down another path, "What do you want for tea."
"Uhhh…"
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It had to be said that Yugi felt completely and utterly out of place.
He had to wonder if his mother had known he would feel awkward at this party and that had been the reason that he had still been allowed to go…
It was the sort of party where adults gathered in small groups to talk business, waiters and waitresses took snacks around on small plates to compliment the buffet table and children should be seen and not heard.
As far as Yugi could work out, the business men had only brought their children in order to have a 'my child is better looking and better behaved then your child' competition, which, personally, he found rather silly.
A couple of the children had come over to talk to him and rapidly lost interest when he hadn't been the son of a really rich business man, so all in all he'd mostly been just hanging around with Tomoyo, Sakura and Tea, since they were the only ones he knew and the only ones that he really felt comfortable around.
"Want some more snacks?" He asked the girls, two of whom nodded. "I'll be right back." He edged towards the buffet table, stacking a plate with a few things, like sausage rolls and sandwiches, before reaching for the last of the chocolate logs.
At exactly the same time as an older, taller, boy with brunette hair reached for it.
Sharp blue eyes turned to look at him, considering him.
"I was here first." Yami said, taking control the moment Yugi's hand and the boy's hand had connected, sensing something, and now as he looked at the child, something within him cried out that he knew the boy somehow, but he couldn't remember how.
"You're only here because you're friends with Daidoji Tomoyo." The boy felt the urge to point out.
"I'll play you for it." Yami smirked.
"A game?" The boy looked amused. Yami nodded, "What game shall we play?"
"There are a few games in the next room over, chess, checkers, cards, I'm sure we can find one that you can play."
"I'll warn you now, I never lose." The boy warned confidently.
"Really?" Yami was instantly very interested.
"That's right."
Yami put the last chocolate roll on a plate and smirked at the boy. "Coming?"
"You should introduce yourself first." The boy scowled.
"My apologies," Yami replied well aware that the boy hadn't given his name either, "I'm Muto Yugi."
"My name is Kaiba Seto."
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"Where did Yugi go?" Sakura asked, looking over to the buffet table, where the plate of food was still stood, but there was no sign of their friend.
"Uhhh…" Tomoyo looked around, frowning, "He was there a minute ago…"
"He was heading into the study with… oh what was his name, your mum did tell us…" Tea sighed, trying to remember, "Tall brown haired guy…"
Tomoyo sighed, "I could name at least three boys with brown hair, so that's not every helpful."
"Sorry."
"Let's go bug them." Tomoyo grabbed Sakura and Tea's arms and pulled them over to the study, where they slipped inside the door, only to find Yami and the boy sat down at the table in the middle of the room, playing chess.
"Yugi!" Tea scolded, well aware from red eyes and the way he was sat that she was in fact talking to Yami, "I thought you were getting some food."
"I am." Yami replied, completely unruffled, "Knight to E5," He moved the piece and looked at his opponent; "Kaiba and I are just settling who gets the last chocolate roll."
"Yugi, you're not supposed to be playing games, remember?" Tea scowled, wondering if Yami was trying to get Yugi into trouble. "You're grounded."
"Queen to F5." Kaiba said, moving his piece, listening with interest.
"Just don't tell my mum." Yami replied.
"Yugi!" Tea sighed while Tomoyo wondered how on earth they could ever tell Yami's mother… they'd need a time machine.
"If no one says anything, he won't get into trouble." Kaiba looked at the girls.
Tomoyo considered for a moment and then ushered the others away to a place where they could watch from but wouldn't be a distraction.
"Hello." A small child with long black hair nodded to them from his seat on the window ledge.
"Hi, are you watching too?" Sakura asked quietly, though now that they weren't talking to either player, the pair seemed lost in their game.
"Uh huh. Seto's my big brother. He never loses!" The boy said with a grin.
"I'm Daidoji Tomoyo," Tomoyo took on role of hostess, "These are my friends, Kinomoto Sakura and Gardener Tea. The one playing your brother is my friend Muto Yugi."
"I'm Kaiba Mokuba and my brother's name is Kaiba Seto." The boy replied.
"Nice to meet you." Sakura half bowed, Tea following suit.
"Same." Mokuba jumped down from the ledge and bowed back.
"This should be really good." Tea told them as they settled down, "I've never known Yugi to lose a game either."
"Really?" Mokuba asked.
"Uh huh." Tea nodded, "Yugi normally beats everyone in almost every game he plays… except sports, he's too small…"
Mokuba giggled.
"I heard that Tea." Yami jokingly warned as he moved his King into a safe place.
"You know it's true." Tea prodded back, still a little irritated that Yami had decided to break a rule.
"Check." Seto said with a grin as he moved a piece.
"Checkmate." Yami replied, moving his king aside to capture a piece and reveal the trap that Kaiba had walked straight into.
"What?" Mokuba yelped, going over to his brother's side to check if that was correct.
"He beat me fair and square, Mokie." Seto admitted.
Yami considered the chocolate roll, "Was this for you?" He asked Mokuba.
"Uh huh." Mokuba looked upset, making Yami wonder how much of it was because he wouldn't have the roll now and how much was because Seto had lost.
"Don't be mean Yugi." Tomoyo poked him, "Let Mokuba have it."
"Well I was picking it up for Sakura, so…" Yami looked over to Sakura, who was looking out the window. "Sakura?"
"Mokuba can have it." She replied quickly.
"Here you go." Yami handed it over.
"Thank you Yugi, thank you Sakura." Mokuba bowed.
"You're very good." Seto said grudgingly, shaking Yami's hand.
"So are you. I nearly lost that a couple of times." Yami replied honestly.
"Coming Mokie?" Seto asked his brother, indicating the door.
"Uh huh. See you later." Mokuba followed his brother out.
"What's wrong Sakura?" Yami asked, coming over to her side and sighing as he looked out the window. "Tomoyo, please tell me that your mother deliberately put up lights in the back garden and that they can somehow float in mid air."
"You're kidding me."
"I wish." Yami growled. "I'd also like to be joking when I mention the dragon that seems to be curled up on your back lawn in a mountain of treasure."
"Dragon?" Now Tomoyo was convinced he was making things up and came over to look herself. "Oh… Clow Card?"
"Has to be." Yami nodded.
"Feels like more then one." Sakura frowned.
Tea was already phoning Kero and was explaining the situation a few seconds later.
"GLOW and… you have no idea… well that's useful…" Tea sounded sarcastic, "Oh… you want Yugi and Sakura to what?"
"Fight it probably." Yami groaned.
Tea wished Yami was wrong as the dragon was woken by…
"Okay Kero, new question," Yami took the phone from her, "What card can create winged animals that float around the sky and… Ra damn it!" Yami shoved the phone back at Tea and he and Sakura ran outside, as a pink flying hippo crashed into the dragon and woke it up.
"That has to be The CREATE!" Kero was saying, "What's going on?"
"Something just woke the dragon up." Tea scowled as Yami and Sakura stood face to face with the dragon, "Is the dragon the CREATE card?"
"No, it only works when someone is writing in it, the dragon is something that The CREATE created." Kero said and then let Tea relay the information.
Yami had thrown up one of his Shadow barriers, since the dragon seemed intent on burning down the house now it had been woken up, and Sakura was trying to subdue it with The WATERY, while Yami did something they hadn't seen him do before.
From the deck that Yugi had shoved into his pocket without thinking, Yami drew a card and summoned the monster that he'd drawn.
Tomoyo wished she had her camera to hand as Yami's huge electric based demon battled the dragon, allowing Sakura the chance to capture The GLOW, which caused all the little lights to go out.
"What the…?" She heard someone breath as Yami's demon's lightening brought the dragon crashing to the ground.
"Seto!" She recognised the second voice as Seto somehow pushed his way through Yami's shadow barrier and walked straight up to the dragon, putting his hand on its nose.
"Kaiba!" Yami yelped, his Summoned Skull having to grab the boy before the dragon tried to take a bite out him. "How did you get through the barrier?"
"This… is a Summoned Skull…" Kaiba looked ecstatic. "A real Summoned Skull…and a real dragon…"
"Sakura, Kero says that you just have to hold on until whoever is using the CREATE stops." Tea called, wondering how they had managed to attract the attention of Seto and Mokuba, and yet none of the adults had the slightest clue that there was something going on out here.
"Easier said then done." Yami grumbled as he rolled out from under the dragon's fiery breath. "Summoned Skull, lightening strike!" He ordered.
The fiend put Seto down and blasted the dragon, who decided that enough was enough and attempted to take to the air.
"Blackland Fire Dragon!" Yami called, summoning the green dragon in front of Kaiba, who watched with unbridled enthusiasm as Blackland Fire Dragon and the dragon fought in mid air.
"It's fading!" Tomoyo finally called after what seemed like hours, but was only around twenty minutes.
"Return to the guise that you were meant to be in!" Sakura bellowed, well aware of just how tired Yami was, "CLOW CARD!"
At the end of her staff, the second of the two cards formed, allowing Yami to dismiss his monsters and dissolve his shield.
The next thing he knew, Kaiba had caught him and he was being sat down on the steps into the main hall.
"Yugi, are you alright?" Sakura asked, concerned but holding The CREATE tightly.
"Haven't done that for a while." Yami frowned. "I'll get used to it again."
"How did you do that?" Kaiba asked.
"Oh no, not again." Yami heard Tea groan in the background.
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"That's it." Kero growled, when Sakura explained what had happened, "We need to get the ERASE and soon, we can't have anyone else walking around who knows about the Clow Cards. This could get dangerous if that kids lets slip…"
"He won't." Sakura said, "At least Yami doesn't think so. He thinks Kaiba has Shadow magic too."
"Really?" Kero looked thoughtful, "Did he sense it or…"
"Apparently that's why they switched over in the first place."
"Huh." Kero paced the cover of the book of Clow, "But he didn't seem to know anything about it?"
"Uh uh."
"Perhaps it's a power that's blocked until something unlocks it…" This was something Kero had never considered it before. "Contact with the Puzzle perhaps…" Kero was lost in thought for a while, giving Sakura the chance to write her name on her two new cards.
"Kero, how does the CREATE card work?" Sakura asked.
"Why?"
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That had been the longest Yami had been awake since the aquarium, so it hardly surprising that he'd gone back to sleep almost instantly.
Yugi had told his mum everything that had happened, explained that he was tired and headed upstairs, changing out of the, slightly muddy, costume and into his pyjamas, before settling on his bed to meditate, as he did every night.
He couldn't remember when this had become such a habit that he did it without thinking, but he slipped into the breathing pattern easily.
Kaiya poked her head in the door, amused to find that instead of mediating, Yugi had fallen asleep.
She rearranged him, settling him in for the night and took the Puzzle off of him, wondering just how many times he had fallen asleep wearing it. He'd injure his neck like that…
She couldn't do anything about the destiny that her son had walked into, not without separating Yugi from his friends and losing her job, but she could at least be a mother figure for the group when they didn't have anyone else to turn to.
This would mean being around as much as she could, and looking out for them.
The fact that she would get to spend more time with her son appealed too.
"Goodnight, my little one." She kissed Yugi on the forehead and slipped out of the room, turning the light off as she went and shutting the door behind her.
It was a lot to take in and she found herself unable to decide how to react.
In front of her sat her son, who had completed the Millennium Puzzle and inherited the wisdom and the powers of darkness from it and apparently was now host to some ancient Pharaoh who was trapped inside the Puzzle but didn't know why, but he hadn't come out to explain himself because apparently he slept a lot when Yugi didn't need him and the last time someone had woken him up without a good reason, it had given Yugi a headache…
That explained the headache on Monday night and all of Tuesday…
To his left was Kinomoto Sakura, who she already knew from before tonight. However she hadn't known that Kinomoto was 'the Cardcaptor' who apparently had accidently released all the 'Clow cards' from their book and now had to capture them. Yugi and… Yami, she thought they had called the ghost possessing Yugi… had apparently been helping Sakura since day one.
Sakura had demonstrated her magic, using The FLOWER to create the bouquet that was now sat on the table between them.
On her shoulder sat Kerberos, or as the children called him, Kero, was Sakura's guardian and the guardian of the Clow Cards (and Kaiya had made her views on him sleeping for thirty years, allowing Sakura to open the book, very clear), as well as currently acting as Yugi's mentor in place of someone who actually knew how to control 'Shadow Magic' as they didn't know anyone who could teach Yugi properly and it was apparently dangerous for him not to have someone who could at least teach him the basics.
Daidoji Tomoyo was supposedly their costume designer and camera woman. She enjoyed filming their battles but had no magic of her own, so she designed the costumes that Yugi and Sakura went into battle in, in order to allow the pair to make a good impression on the Clow Cards.
Kero had tried to explain how you had to look like you deserved to be their master before the Clow Cards really accepted you but Kaiya had just accepted it as something that she wouldn't quite understand… at least for now.
And apparently Gardener Tea was the most normal of the group. She had no magic and her dream was to be a dancer, but other then that she seemed to be in on this whole mess only by dint of being Yugi's friend. She seemed to be the one that grounded the group when things got really weird…
This didn't help her decision.
Part of her had decided that she should never have brought Yugi here to Tomoeda. Then he would never have gotten caught up in Sakura's Clow Card problems and he wouldn't have nearly drowned…
But that didn't solve the problem of the Millennium Puzzle. Yugi had been working on that for four years already, it wouldn't have been much longer before he had solved it even if she had left Yugi with his Grandfather in Domino, and then he'd be a 'Shadow Mage' anyway and he wouldn't have Kero to teach him…
"Okaa-san…" Yugi started but trailed off and looked at the floor at the look his mother gave him. She wasn't sure whether to be pleased that her son would help his friends out, no matter what the situation, angry at him for keeping this a secret or afraid that he'd get in too far over his head and there wouldn't be someone to rescue him next time…
She was kind of feeling all three at once at the moment and she didn't really know what to say.
"Muto-Sama," Kero spoke up, landing on the table between the children and Yugi's mother, "Please do not be mad at Yugi. As you mentioned before, the Clow Cards being on the loose is my fault. If I had not been sleeping, Sakura would not have been drawn to the book of Clow and the Clow Cards would not have been released."
"I have a problem Kero-San." Kaiya admitted, "In that I'm not sure how to react to what I have been told. Half of me wants to take Yugi and move back to Domino," She tried not to react as the girls' eyes widened and turned to Yugi, whose head had sunk even lower at that statement, "However doing so would mean I would have to leave him with his Grandfather or give up work and remove Yugi from the only person we know who can train him to use his magic safely."
"There may be other mages like Yugi out there who would be able to teach him better then I could." Kero admitted, making Sakura look at her guardian askance, "However with the amount of power he has, I wouldn't recommend getting any old magician to teach him as Yugi's magic is new to him and he does have a lot of it. You would have to know that any magician that trains him is trustworthy and doesn't wish harm on your son in any way."
"What do you mean?"
"Yugi's powers are very old, so old that even my former master, Clow Reed, didn't know about them, and are incredibly powerful. I believe that when he's fully trained, Yugi will be one of the most powerful magicians of the current age. A lot of mages will see this as a threat, and want to stop him getting that strong." Kero sighed, "For the time being, he's safer with another mage, like Sakura, who is in training and knows him well, as opposed to finding another magician like him, who may see him as a threat."
"In other words, you want me to pretend nothing's happening…"
"That would be the easiest route, admittedly." Kero nodded, "However, I don't believe that you would do so. Yugi is your son after all, and it is natural for you to worry about him."
"So what do you suggest?"
"Let me train Yugi as far as I can and let him help Sakura. In exchange, Yugi keeps you informed as to what's happening and we will warn you if something like Wednesday happens again."
"It won't." Sakura said firmly, causing Kaiya to give the girl an appraising look.
It was one thing to look at Sakura and consider how things would turn out a few years down the line, if Sakura and Yugi were still friends by then, it was another to look at the girl and see the Star Mage and Cardcaptor, who apparently had been praised by Yugi's pet ghost as someone who was very powerful considering how young she was.
"And you're sure you don't know of any other Shadow Magicians who could teach Yugi everything he needs to know?"
"There aren't any that I can sense in the local area." Kero answered.
Kaiya sighed and looked at her son. "Then I don't have much choice do I?" Kaiya sighed. "Muto Yugi," Yugi's head shot up at the tone of her voice and he watched her like a convict watches a judge about to pronounce a sentence, "You may go to the party tomorrow night, but you are grounded for a week for sneaking out of the house. This means no games and no TV, however you may do your homework and you may have your friends around to practise your magic."
"Okaa-san?" Yugi breathed, having feared a much worse judgement.
"After the week is up, I will expect you to wake me if you need to leave the house on a night time to assist Sakura, and I will expect you to tell me what happened upon your return." Kaiya continued, "From now on, I want to know when you fight Clow Cards and if you face them while I'm in work, I expect you to inform me when I get home. You have a mobile phone; leave a message on the answer machine for me."
"Yes Okaa-san." Yugi nodded.
"Kerberos, you'd better train Yugi and Sakura well and keep these children safe…"
"I will, Muto-Sama." Kero nodded, "I do not wish to incur the wrath of you or Sakura's older brother."
Kaiya had to force back her amusement at that in her attempts to maintain a serious expression, "What about you Tomoyo? Do you have anyone who knows what you are up to?"
"My bodyguards are normally just around the corner should I need them."
"But your family are unaware?"
"It's just me and my mother in the house." Tomoyo shook her head, "And my mother isn't around much, she's the CEO of an electronics' company, so she's always working. My bodyguards look after me though."
"And you Tea?"
"Um… they're… busy…"
Kaiya sighed, wondering what it was about this group that all their parents were all busy and not around much. Had events been arranged so that the children involved would be unable to get assistance from their parents …? And if so she'd like a word with the organiser…
There was a knock on the door and Kaiya left the room to answer the front door.
The children all breathed a sigh of relief and Kero sat down on the table and gave Yugi a relieved smile. "That went better then we thought it would."
"You have to be more careful." Tea frowned at him.
"It was Yami that gave us away to Toya!" Kero protested.
"Tomoyo, your bodyguards have come to the door." Kaiya popped her head around the door, "Apparently it's time to go."
"See you tomorrow guys." Tomoyo picked her bag up, checked Yugi had all the costume pieces and left with a wave.
"I should be going too." Tea stood up, "My parents will be home soon."
"I told Toya I'd cook tea." Sakura stood up, as Kero flew into her bag, "I'll walk home with you."
"See you guys tomorrow?" Yugi asked wistfully, well aware that an entire weekend without games was going to be less then fun, yet alone an entire week.
"I'll meet you at the party." Tea nodded.
"We'll be over for a couple of hours at lunch time." Sakura promised.
"Thanks Sakura."
"No problem." She grinned, "See you tomorrow Yugi."
"Have a good night."
"Think of it this way. At least we shouldn't have to remind you to do your homework."
"Don't say it out loud!" Kero protested, poking his head out of the bag, "Yugi's grounded for long enough as it is. He'll miss the tournament if he's grounded for any longer!"
"Oops, sorry Yugi." Tea blushed. "See you tomorrow."
"See you…" Yugi saw his two friends to the door and then followed his mum into the kitchen.
"Yugi, I want you to know that I'm more concerned then angry. I will be talking to my father about this, you realise, and if he feels that we'd be better of finding a Shadow Magician to train you, I'll find one…some how."
"Okaa-san…" Yugi sighed, "I'll be fine."
"We'll see…" She sighed, just knowing that Yugi would want to try to convince her to let Kero train him, well she knew how to turn the conversation down another path, "What do you want for tea."
"Uhhh…"
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It had to be said that Yugi felt completely and utterly out of place.
He had to wonder if his mother had known he would feel awkward at this party and that had been the reason that he had still been allowed to go…
It was the sort of party where adults gathered in small groups to talk business, waiters and waitresses took snacks around on small plates to compliment the buffet table and children should be seen and not heard.
As far as Yugi could work out, the business men had only brought their children in order to have a 'my child is better looking and better behaved then your child' competition, which, personally, he found rather silly.
A couple of the children had come over to talk to him and rapidly lost interest when he hadn't been the son of a really rich business man, so all in all he'd mostly been just hanging around with Tomoyo, Sakura and Tea, since they were the only ones he knew and the only ones that he really felt comfortable around.
"Want some more snacks?" He asked the girls, two of whom nodded. "I'll be right back." He edged towards the buffet table, stacking a plate with a few things, like sausage rolls and sandwiches, before reaching for the last of the chocolate logs.
At exactly the same time as an older, taller, boy with brunette hair reached for it.
Sharp blue eyes turned to look at him, considering him.
"I was here first." Yami said, taking control the moment Yugi's hand and the boy's hand had connected, sensing something, and now as he looked at the child, something within him cried out that he knew the boy somehow, but he couldn't remember how.
"You're only here because you're friends with Daidoji Tomoyo." The boy felt the urge to point out.
"I'll play you for it." Yami smirked.
"A game?" The boy looked amused. Yami nodded, "What game shall we play?"
"There are a few games in the next room over, chess, checkers, cards, I'm sure we can find one that you can play."
"I'll warn you now, I never lose." The boy warned confidently.
"Really?" Yami was instantly very interested.
"That's right."
Yami put the last chocolate roll on a plate and smirked at the boy. "Coming?"
"You should introduce yourself first." The boy scowled.
"My apologies," Yami replied well aware that the boy hadn't given his name either, "I'm Muto Yugi."
"My name is Kaiba Seto."
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"Where did Yugi go?" Sakura asked, looking over to the buffet table, where the plate of food was still stood, but there was no sign of their friend.
"Uhhh…" Tomoyo looked around, frowning, "He was there a minute ago…"
"He was heading into the study with… oh what was his name, your mum did tell us…" Tea sighed, trying to remember, "Tall brown haired guy…"
Tomoyo sighed, "I could name at least three boys with brown hair, so that's not every helpful."
"Sorry."
"Let's go bug them." Tomoyo grabbed Sakura and Tea's arms and pulled them over to the study, where they slipped inside the door, only to find Yami and the boy sat down at the table in the middle of the room, playing chess.
"Yugi!" Tea scolded, well aware from red eyes and the way he was sat that she was in fact talking to Yami, "I thought you were getting some food."
"I am." Yami replied, completely unruffled, "Knight to E5," He moved the piece and looked at his opponent; "Kaiba and I are just settling who gets the last chocolate roll."
"Yugi, you're not supposed to be playing games, remember?" Tea scowled, wondering if Yami was trying to get Yugi into trouble. "You're grounded."
"Queen to F5." Kaiba said, moving his piece, listening with interest.
"Just don't tell my mum." Yami replied.
"Yugi!" Tea sighed while Tomoyo wondered how on earth they could ever tell Yami's mother… they'd need a time machine.
"If no one says anything, he won't get into trouble." Kaiba looked at the girls.
Tomoyo considered for a moment and then ushered the others away to a place where they could watch from but wouldn't be a distraction.
"Hello." A small child with long black hair nodded to them from his seat on the window ledge.
"Hi, are you watching too?" Sakura asked quietly, though now that they weren't talking to either player, the pair seemed lost in their game.
"Uh huh. Seto's my big brother. He never loses!" The boy said with a grin.
"I'm Daidoji Tomoyo," Tomoyo took on role of hostess, "These are my friends, Kinomoto Sakura and Gardener Tea. The one playing your brother is my friend Muto Yugi."
"I'm Kaiba Mokuba and my brother's name is Kaiba Seto." The boy replied.
"Nice to meet you." Sakura half bowed, Tea following suit.
"Same." Mokuba jumped down from the ledge and bowed back.
"This should be really good." Tea told them as they settled down, "I've never known Yugi to lose a game either."
"Really?" Mokuba asked.
"Uh huh." Tea nodded, "Yugi normally beats everyone in almost every game he plays… except sports, he's too small…"
Mokuba giggled.
"I heard that Tea." Yami jokingly warned as he moved his King into a safe place.
"You know it's true." Tea prodded back, still a little irritated that Yami had decided to break a rule.
"Check." Seto said with a grin as he moved a piece.
"Checkmate." Yami replied, moving his king aside to capture a piece and reveal the trap that Kaiba had walked straight into.
"What?" Mokuba yelped, going over to his brother's side to check if that was correct.
"He beat me fair and square, Mokie." Seto admitted.
Yami considered the chocolate roll, "Was this for you?" He asked Mokuba.
"Uh huh." Mokuba looked upset, making Yami wonder how much of it was because he wouldn't have the roll now and how much was because Seto had lost.
"Don't be mean Yugi." Tomoyo poked him, "Let Mokuba have it."
"Well I was picking it up for Sakura, so…" Yami looked over to Sakura, who was looking out the window. "Sakura?"
"Mokuba can have it." She replied quickly.
"Here you go." Yami handed it over.
"Thank you Yugi, thank you Sakura." Mokuba bowed.
"You're very good." Seto said grudgingly, shaking Yami's hand.
"So are you. I nearly lost that a couple of times." Yami replied honestly.
"Coming Mokie?" Seto asked his brother, indicating the door.
"Uh huh. See you later." Mokuba followed his brother out.
"What's wrong Sakura?" Yami asked, coming over to her side and sighing as he looked out the window. "Tomoyo, please tell me that your mother deliberately put up lights in the back garden and that they can somehow float in mid air."
"You're kidding me."
"I wish." Yami growled. "I'd also like to be joking when I mention the dragon that seems to be curled up on your back lawn in a mountain of treasure."
"Dragon?" Now Tomoyo was convinced he was making things up and came over to look herself. "Oh… Clow Card?"
"Has to be." Yami nodded.
"Feels like more then one." Sakura frowned.
Tea was already phoning Kero and was explaining the situation a few seconds later.
"GLOW and… you have no idea… well that's useful…" Tea sounded sarcastic, "Oh… you want Yugi and Sakura to what?"
"Fight it probably." Yami groaned.
Tea wished Yami was wrong as the dragon was woken by…
"Okay Kero, new question," Yami took the phone from her, "What card can create winged animals that float around the sky and… Ra damn it!" Yami shoved the phone back at Tea and he and Sakura ran outside, as a pink flying hippo crashed into the dragon and woke it up.
"That has to be The CREATE!" Kero was saying, "What's going on?"
"Something just woke the dragon up." Tea scowled as Yami and Sakura stood face to face with the dragon, "Is the dragon the CREATE card?"
"No, it only works when someone is writing in it, the dragon is something that The CREATE created." Kero said and then let Tea relay the information.
Yami had thrown up one of his Shadow barriers, since the dragon seemed intent on burning down the house now it had been woken up, and Sakura was trying to subdue it with The WATERY, while Yami did something they hadn't seen him do before.
From the deck that Yugi had shoved into his pocket without thinking, Yami drew a card and summoned the monster that he'd drawn.
Tomoyo wished she had her camera to hand as Yami's huge electric based demon battled the dragon, allowing Sakura the chance to capture The GLOW, which caused all the little lights to go out.
"What the…?" She heard someone breath as Yami's demon's lightening brought the dragon crashing to the ground.
"Seto!" She recognised the second voice as Seto somehow pushed his way through Yami's shadow barrier and walked straight up to the dragon, putting his hand on its nose.
"Kaiba!" Yami yelped, his Summoned Skull having to grab the boy before the dragon tried to take a bite out him. "How did you get through the barrier?"
"This… is a Summoned Skull…" Kaiba looked ecstatic. "A real Summoned Skull…and a real dragon…"
"Sakura, Kero says that you just have to hold on until whoever is using the CREATE stops." Tea called, wondering how they had managed to attract the attention of Seto and Mokuba, and yet none of the adults had the slightest clue that there was something going on out here.
"Easier said then done." Yami grumbled as he rolled out from under the dragon's fiery breath. "Summoned Skull, lightening strike!" He ordered.
The fiend put Seto down and blasted the dragon, who decided that enough was enough and attempted to take to the air.
"Blackland Fire Dragon!" Yami called, summoning the green dragon in front of Kaiba, who watched with unbridled enthusiasm as Blackland Fire Dragon and the dragon fought in mid air.
"It's fading!" Tomoyo finally called after what seemed like hours, but was only around twenty minutes.
"Return to the guise that you were meant to be in!" Sakura bellowed, well aware of just how tired Yami was, "CLOW CARD!"
At the end of her staff, the second of the two cards formed, allowing Yami to dismiss his monsters and dissolve his shield.
The next thing he knew, Kaiba had caught him and he was being sat down on the steps into the main hall.
"Yugi, are you alright?" Sakura asked, concerned but holding The CREATE tightly.
"Haven't done that for a while." Yami frowned. "I'll get used to it again."
"How did you do that?" Kaiba asked.
"Oh no, not again." Yami heard Tea groan in the background.
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"That's it." Kero growled, when Sakura explained what had happened, "We need to get the ERASE and soon, we can't have anyone else walking around who knows about the Clow Cards. This could get dangerous if that kids lets slip…"
"He won't." Sakura said, "At least Yami doesn't think so. He thinks Kaiba has Shadow magic too."
"Really?" Kero looked thoughtful, "Did he sense it or…"
"Apparently that's why they switched over in the first place."
"Huh." Kero paced the cover of the book of Clow, "But he didn't seem to know anything about it?"
"Uh uh."
"Perhaps it's a power that's blocked until something unlocks it…" This was something Kero had never considered it before. "Contact with the Puzzle perhaps…" Kero was lost in thought for a while, giving Sakura the chance to write her name on her two new cards.
"Kero, how does the CREATE card work?" Sakura asked.
"Why?"
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That had been the longest Yami had been awake since the aquarium, so it hardly surprising that he'd gone back to sleep almost instantly.
Yugi had told his mum everything that had happened, explained that he was tired and headed upstairs, changing out of the, slightly muddy, costume and into his pyjamas, before settling on his bed to meditate, as he did every night.
He couldn't remember when this had become such a habit that he did it without thinking, but he slipped into the breathing pattern easily.
Kaiya poked her head in the door, amused to find that instead of mediating, Yugi had fallen asleep.
She rearranged him, settling him in for the night and took the Puzzle off of him, wondering just how many times he had fallen asleep wearing it. He'd injure his neck like that…
She couldn't do anything about the destiny that her son had walked into, not without separating Yugi from his friends and losing her job, but she could at least be a mother figure for the group when they didn't have anyone else to turn to.
This would mean being around as much as she could, and looking out for them.
The fact that she would get to spend more time with her son appealed too.
"Goodnight, my little one." She kissed Yugi on the forehead and slipped out of the room, turning the light off as she went and shutting the door behind her.