Whee! Chapter 5!

I’m too lazy to put in disclaimers after chapter 1, or I’m too psyched up to! Yay for no writer’s block!
Chapter 5

Yami stayed silent for the rest of the lesson, which lasted three or four hours, in which Mana managed to blow up a statue of Hathor and turn her hair blue. Mahaado looked quite disappointed at the end, but Yami was quite interested.

Perhaps he should peruse some of the magic books in the library the next time he went there…

Still, he waited until Mana packed up her bag and left – this was obviously not her room, then… it reminded him of Mahaado.

“Mahaado.”

There. That confirmed it. Interesting. The monster was fine if he was referred to as Dark Magician, but every time Yami said his name, he would tense up. It wasn’t obvious, but it was there…

How interesting…

“I feel tired, Mahaado. Could you escort me back to my quarters?”

“Of course, my Pharaoh.”

He followed the taller man – well, all right, he didn’t’ look that old, in fact, if he weren’t a monster, Yami would guess the teen to be around his age, maybe a little older. Of course, that could just be because monsters looked young but… he doubted it.

There were those nagging feelings he couldn’t quite ignore.

What was wrong? Was he mispronouncing the name so badly his monster couldn’t’ stand it? Impossible!

Besides, his monsters were obedient and even if they were unhappy, they wouldn’t complain, right?

He hoped so.

Of course, the sudden feeling of uncertainty did nothing for his mood, at least not positively. Negatively, it can be argued that it did quite a bit.

Yami watched as Mahaado brought him tea sweetened with honey and pastries and tried to get him to eat more. It was almost endearing, in a way.

Wait…

Yami suddenly felt the pit drop out of his stomach. Maybe… maybe Mahaado was doing this because… the way he acted reminded Yami of…

No! It couldn’t be!
Oh Ra, that was… inappropriate and wrong on so many levels, not the least of which Yuugi’s thoughts on modern society had proved.

He couldn’t be…!

“My Pharaoh?”

“Mahaado…” Yami took a deep breath, steeling his nerves. “Are you my father?”

The Dark Magician hit the floor.

Well, on second thought, Yami hadn’t thought duel monsters could faint. They could be destroyed in battle and put in all sorts of odd bondage situations thank to magic and trap cards, but this was something wholly unexpected.

Well, perhaps he had guessed wrong then...

Yami found a pitcher of water close by, filled it, and dumped the contents over the unconscious figure sprawled on the floor.

Mahaado spluttered as he was jerked back into consciousness. “P-Pharaoh!”

“I’m going to assume that by that reaction you are not my father.” Yami said. Mahaado shook his head so fast that his hair was like a purple blur. No, it was blonde.

Hmm. That was interesting. Hadn’t his dark magician had purple hair?

These things just kept changing and confusing him…

“Mahaado, tell me the truth. Who are you?”

“I am your Dark Magician, my Pharaoh.”

The answer wasn’t wrong… Yami was sure he would be able to tell if Mahaado were lying – it was a Shadow Game of a sort they were now playing, after all.

The air around them got slightly heavier, darkly tinted with shadow….

“Let’s play a game.” Yami said. “Shall we play for information, then, my Dark Magician?”

What? Why did his Pharaoh want this? It made no sense…

“Have I displeased you, my Pharaoh?”
“I don’t understand.” Yami sighed. “I know that you’re one of my monsters and the monsters have to obey the duelist but why are you acting so human?”

This time, he was sure he caught the flinch. “P-Pharaoh…”

“I don’t understand. This place is so familiar, and yet I can’t remember.”

“Pharaoh.”

“Who are you, that you torment me so with what I cannot have? You are no sending of Marik’s, and yet-!”

Mahaado gave a pained cry as Yami gripped his wrists in a tight hold.

“And yet, you somehow hurt me more!”

“P-Pharaoh!”

Yami straddled Mahaado’s hips, surprised when the man made no move to get free. He would have gone farther, but then his brain caught up with him again.

What was he doing?

Just because he was angry was no reason to take it out on his defenseless monsters! Besides, it wasn’t as if they would move to defend themselves.

It was like kicking a child, or a puppy.

He wasn’t that kind of a person!

He carefully let go and climbed off, blushing with shame and a hint of guilty desire. Perhaps… he did have feelings for this monster, but he certainly was not going to act on them!

Still, he did need to know. He couldn’t stand not knowing anything. It was enough to drive a spirit mad!

“Mahaado, tell me, please…”

“Pharaoh! I…”

“You know. You have to know! Why else would you call me Pharaoh, and not Master? Please, Mahaado…”

“But I cannot tell! There is a binding placed on myself and Mana, we could not tell you even if we wished!”

And then it was that Yami realized why Mahaado had been scrying.

He was trying to show me, but he can’t tell me… why?

“A binding?”

Mahaado coughed and then seemed to compose himself. “A binding laid down by the gods themselves. We cannot tell, Pharaoh… our voices are sealed and what remains of our souls would be forfeit if we attempted it… even if you order me, I cannot…”

“I…I apologize.” Yami finally managed to force out of his throat. Whatever it was didn’t sound good…

It was only a card… he shouldn’t feel so strongly, but as Mahaado met his eyes, he felt himself shiver in anticipation? He wasn’t sure.

“I would give my soul for you, Pharaoh, to bring you peace…” His Dark Magician whispered. “But I cannot…”

Yami felt inexplicably guilty again.

They were his duel monsters, he should be protecting them, not abusing him, but now, after all the lectures he’d given; he suddenly felt like a hypocrite.

At least Pandora never hurt his Duel Monsters like this… drained them, made slaves out of them yes, but…

I attacked my own monster and he wasn’t even – he was trying to help me! What… what kind of example am I?

End Chapter

Completed 10/13/05

Ah, yes, let’s make Yami guilt a little! ^^

Mahaado: …

Phantomness: I like psycho Yami.

And Yami may be an Ancient Egyptian Spirit, but he is a teenager and must have hormones somewhere…