Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Hostile Takeover ❯ Show and Tell ( Chapter 13 )

Dragondreamer: *Aria learns the bum song* SQUEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!! I have to sing this to Unkie Togi!

Lady Elfskye: You're right about big things coming in small packages. Steven basically lives in a remote part of the shadow realm. Steven goes into that later. Right now, only certain cards of Bakura's follow Steven.

IYYASHI: Aten will always have a bad heart. There's no doubt about that. He should be ok in school. He actually jokes about his condition to Robbie when they get older, so all is well there.

Ryou's Mistress: Remember in watch over me? Steven was dug up by Marik and Bakura. They stripped him, returned his soul back to his body, impaled him on a spike, carved curses in his back, and bound his hands with razor wire, then sent him to the shadow realm for eternity as punishment for abusing Aten.

Shadow of Light: I think there's a card like that out there. It's something guardian.

Show and Tell

Cullen approached the gate waiting for Aten and his parents to arrive at school. He had finally made an appointment for Aten after school to see the school psychologist, Mrs. Callisto. Robbie was shifting on his feet from one leg to another.

"What are you waiting for, Robbie?"

Robbie looked up at Cullen. "I always wait for Aten to arrive here, but it hurts to stand for so long!"

Cullen scratched his chin. "Do you need a chair here?"

Robbie shook his head and bit his lip shifting again. "I don't want to be a bother."

"It's no bother, Robbie."

Robbie shook his head. "No, Aten should be here soon."

"Is your dad still at sea, Robbie?"

"My dad sent me a letter from Scand…Scand…I can't say it. It's hard."

Cullen grinned. "Scandinavia?"

Robbie nodded. "That's the one! My daddy sent me a letter. I miss him a lot. But, my mommy says he'll be home in four months! That's the month of my birthday! He's just going to miss Christmas!"

Cullen leaned against the gate. "My father was away a lot, too. It feels like I never saw him."

"I can't wait for my daddy to meet Aten!"

"Thank you for helping him out yesterday. You both were a big help!"

Robbie smiled and blushed. He looked up at Cullen with his large, blue eyes. "I liked helping you!"

Aten's family arrived and Aten ran to Robbie. "WOBBIE!!!"

Seto's limo pulled up and Seto Kaiba emerged from the limo. "UNKIE SETO!" Aria ran and hugged Seto's legs.

"You came like you said you would!"

Seto picked up the chibi girl. "I can't deny my little princess could I?"

Ryou and the family walked Aria to the gate. Ryou smiled. "Hello. I never see you out here, Mr. Cullen."

"Aten, I need to speak to you for a few minutes before you can play with Robbie, ok? I won't be long. Ryou and Mr. Ishtar, you may come too. Robbie, you can leave that chair outside here so you can sit and wait for Aten."

"I can? What if someone gets mad at me?"

"Tell them I said you could leave the chair out here."

Ryou and Marik followed Aten and Cullen to the privacy of the classroom. "Aten, I made a time for you to meet Mrs. Callisto, a special doctor here. She just wants to talk to you about how you are feeling."

"But I feel fine."

"We know you feel fine, Aten, but can you give this a chance?" Marik asked his son. "She wants to talk to you about how you are doing. That is it. She won't hurt you."

Aten wrapped his arms around his father's leg. "Will you come with me?"

Ryou looked up at Marik. "I'll go in with you this time, Aten."

Aten nodded and Cullen kneeled down to Aten. "Aten, I have something to ask you."

Aten turned around to see his teacher. Cullen was able to see Aten closer. The boy was beautiful…brown and purple eyes. His body was small and almost looked like a strong wind could carry him into the air.

"Aten, I need your help. Today we are doing the letter "E" and I need you to teach the class some Arabic. Can you do that?"

Aten blushed and inched backwards. "I no know if I tan."

"Aten, this is good for you to teach the other kids something," Marik said calmly.

"Can you talk about Egypt for me? I know you know lots about that!"

Aten took a deep breath and smiled. "I tan do dat."

"Did you bring anything for "Show and Tell" today?"

Aten covered his mouth and his eyes widened. "I ferdot! I can bowwow my tisser's neckace."

"Thank you, Aten. Go play with Robbie for a little bit."

Aten scampered off. Cullen stood up and crossed his arms.

"I hope this works for Aten."

Marik nodded. "So do we. We helped Aten with his letters last night and he became so frustrated he cried."

Cullen scratched his hair. "Try something else. Maybe reading an alphabet book would help. Have the alphabet open while you are forming the letters. That may help him."

Ryou and Marik nodded.

The kids entered the room with Aria dragging Seto into the room. Cullen walked up to Seto.

"Mr. Kaiba? What are you doing here?"

"I am here for her…..Show and Tell."

"I see. Children, put your things that begin with the letter "E" in the corner."

Bruce ran up to Seto. "You're THE Mr. Kaiba??? WOW! I really love your new duel disks! I think they are really cool! How do I become a great duelist like you?"

Seto grinned. "Think one step ahead of your opponent. That's always a good place to start."

"I want to be a duelist like you! Maybe we can duel someday!"

Seto shrugged. "Maybe. But you have to get good really fast to keep up with me."

The kids put their things in the corner and Aria slowly backed Seto into the corner with the other objects that began with "E".

"Stay there, Unkie Seto!"

Seto leaned against the walls with his arms crossed and constantly looked at his watch. "Mr. Cullen, I have a company to run and I have a meeting in one hour. Make it quick."

The kids did the coloring activity with "E". They colored Aten's drawings from the day before. Cullen smiled as he and Umi handed Umi handed out the pictures. "Class, Aten did the coloring page for today. Don't forget to draw what else begins with the letter "E." We're going to be placing these outside the classroom for the other classes to see."

Mallary squealed. "That elephant looks so cute! Aten, that is really good!"

Eric, Rhonda, and Jason laughed at the drawings. "Figures Aten can draw an elephant! It takes one to know one, Aten!"

Seto narrowed his eyes as he saw Aten cower in his chair from the ridicule. Seto growled and walked up to Eric, his long jacket flowing behind him. Eric looked up at the towering teen, who grabbed him by the collar and picked him up. Eric's body quaked in fear and his eyes began to water. Seto held the boy in mid-air. "I suggest you say you say you are sorry."

"Or…Or…Or else….what?"

"Or else, you won't be coloring for a long time. Your fingers will be broken…one…by….one. Now say you are sorry before I really lose my temper."

Eric began to cry. "I'm sorry! Put me down! WAH!! I WANT MY MOMMY!"

Seto put the crying bully down. "Anyone else want me to give them a reason to leave Aten alone?"

Umi smiled. "I've seen eagles like this! They dive for fish in the water!

Bruce gasped. "My aunt lives on a farm and grows eggplant!"

"Tomorrow, we're going to be singing "Farmer in the Dell", Bruce. Maybe you can lead us in the song if you know it."

Bruce nodded excitedly. "Yeah, I know the song!"

Cullen went around the room asking what other letters began with "E" and picked Aten last. Aten drew a map of Egypt. But, his drawing revealed the deserts, valleys, and rivers of Egypt.

"Aten, tell us a little about Egypt."

Aten smiled and turned around to face the class. "Eshipt is ere my daddy and Daddy Bakura tum fum. It hot dere and it is cowered in sand. De woo-er of Eshipt wass a pharaoh. Dere's lots of spinx dere and dass ere de dead pharaohs are sweeping."

"Great job! Now, I know, Aten, that you know the language that they speak. Could you say a few words for us in Arabic?"

Aten nodded. "Ok. To tay 'Hewwo', you tay Marhaba."

"Let's say it together class: Marhaba." The class repeated.

"To ass tomwone what dere mame is, you tay, 'Ma Ismika.'

The class repeated

"To tay my mame, I tay 'Ana Ismi Aten Bakari Ishar Ibn Mawik. Dat tays 'I am Aten Bakari Ishtar, tun of Mawik."

"Goodbye is 'Ma'assalama.'"

The class repeated.

"Now you can all go home and tell your moms and dads that you can speak Arabic!"

Cullen gave the kids their snack and let them have playtime.

The kids used their fingers to pretend a spider was crawling up their arms.

The eensy weensy spider
Climbed up the waterspout

Down came the rain
And washed the spider out

The kids spread their arms as far apart as they could.

Out came the sun
And dried up all the rain

The kids' fingers climbed up their arms again to mimic the spider going up their arms.

And the eensy weensy spider
Climbed up the spout again

The kids used their fingers to pretend a spider was crawling up their arms.

The eensy weensy spider
Climbed up the kitchen wall

They made a sweeping motion with their hands.
Swoosh! went the fan
And made the spider fall

The kids flipped an imaginary switch.
Off went the fan
No longer did it blow

So the eensy weensy spider
Back up the wall did go

The kids mimicked a spider climbing up their arms.

Aria and Gabby jumped up and down. "That song is so much fun!"

Seto stood in the corner biting his fist. 'Oh my god…I am going to squish Aten and Aria until they can't breathe…must…not…squish…chibis…,' Seto thought to himself. After that it was time for "Show and Tell."

Aten borrowed Aria's necklace.

The other kids came to the corner to get their toys. Most of them approached cautiously as they looked at Seto. Umi approached sheepishly hunched over to grab his toy. His little lip trembled and his legs went weak and shaky.

Aria grabbed Seto's hand and pulled him to her seat. "This is my Unkie Seto! He's an exec…execu-cative. He tells people what to do because he has a lot of money! He buys me lots and lots and lots and lots of M&M's. But we boaf eat the same color! And Unkie Seto has a friend, too! My Unkie Puppy! My Unkie Seto likes bracelets made of leader and he has lots of neat toys."

"Umm….Aria?" Seto said turning every shade of red possible.

"And he has this shaking sword that he plays with Unkie Puppy!"

Cullen snickered at the color of red that Seto's face was turning.

"Umm…Aria, that is not appropriate…"

"And my Unkie Seto has this dancing egg that you press a button and it dances! And one time I found some tasty stuff and it turned Aten's hair pink! It tassed like strawberries!"

"Aria…umm….I think they heard enough."

"In short, I LOVE MY UNKIE SETO! SQUEEEE!" Aria wrapped her arms around Seto's legs.

Cullen snickered as he approached Seto.

Seto whipped out his checkbook. "How much money will it cost me to get you to forget everything you heard?"

Cullen shook his head. "As tempting as it seems, I can't accept your money."

Seto looked at his watch. He had to leave. He kissed Aten and Aria goodbye. Seto left and Eric let out a growl. "HOW DARE HE TOUCH ME! I'M TELLING MY MOMMY!"

"Dis is my tisser's neckace, de Eye of Whores."

"It's the 'Eye of Horus,' Aten!" Aria shouted.

Mallary, Gabby, Bruce, and Arthur giggled. Jason, Eric, and Rhonda pointed at him and laughed. "HA! He can't say anything right! What an oddball!" Eric sneered.

Cullen stood beside Aten. "This is not funny, children! Stop it this instant!"

Robbie stood up angrily. "He's not an oddball!"

"What an idiot!" Rhonda laughed.

Robbie clenched his fists. "Aten is no idiot!"

"Rhonda! Stop it!" Cullen growled.

"Is there anything you CAN say right, Ishtar?" Jason asked sarcastically.

Aten's body began to shake and he backed away slowly, every laugh and finger pointed at him.

"How come Aten doesn't get in trouble for saying 'whores?' He should be punished! PUNISH! PUNISH! PUNISH!"

Jason and Rhonda joined in the chorus. "PUNISH! PUNISH! PUNISH!"

Umi and Justine ran to Aten.

"Aten? What's wrong?" Umi asked.

Justine rubbed Aten's hair.

"Now! Sit down! Everyone! Eric, Jason, Rhonda! Justine, Umi, sit down now! This is not the way to treat a fellow classmate!"

Aria ran for Aten who had curled back into the corner, clutching the Eye of Horus to his chest. His eyes were wide and he began rocking himself in the corner. Robbie kneeled beside Aria and looked into Aten's panic-stricken eyes.

"Aten? Talk to me," Robbie said softly.

Aria sat on the ground beside Aten and she pulled her brother's thin, light body onto her lap. Her eyes narrowed as she looked at the bullies. Her hair grew more spiky and twitched in fury.

"Aten?"

"My…daddy's daddy…….punished me…….." Aten's eyes were fixed in horror in front of him as if he were watching someone being brutally murdered before him. "My mommy was punished betaws of me…………" A small whimper came from Aten's throat. "He punished me……..She punished me……….Dey all punished me……….all tree of dem. Dey ted I was a bad boy…."

Robbie looked up at Aria. "What is he talking about?"

"You will all sit quietly!" Cullen ordered as he kneeled down to Aten and Aria. "Robert, go back to your seat."

Robbie slowly limped to his seat.

Cullen whispered. "Aten? Are you ok?"

Aten looked up at Cullen with tear-filled eyes. "Peas……no punish me……I'm towwy, Cheska…..no punish me aden…….I'm towwy I pill my dwink….."

Cullen bit his lip. "Aten, you are not back there. You are in school. I'm Mr. Cullen. Do you know me?"

"I pill my dwink and dey ted I wass a bad boy…..all tree of dem punish me….I'm towwy."

"Aria, does he ever act like this?"

Aria nodded. "In our room sometimes he does this. He holds onto his monkey toy when he does this."

"Aten? Can you hear me?"

Robbie watched the scene trying to control his emotions. He wiped the tears away from his eyes. Aten blinked and Cullen put his fingers on Aten's neck to feel his pulse. It was quick and uneven. "Aten, take a deep breath for me."

"I'm towwy….do you forgiff me?"

"Yes, Aten, I forgive you. We can wipe up the spill later. It wasn't bad."

Aten let out a sob and he reached his arms out for Cullen. His eyes clenched shut.

"He wants you to pick him up, Mr. Cullen."

Cullen picked up Aten who was sobbing. "Children, I do not approve of you tormenting Aten. I will not tolerate this type of behavior. I am not at liberty to tell you about Aten's problems, but I will say that this is unacceptable behavior! Aten has a difficult time speaking for a reason. And I will not let you make fun of him!"

"MR. CULLEN!"

Cullen turned around to see Mrs. Barnes standing there with her mouth agape and her eyes wide. "What is the meaning of this?!"

Aten gave a wailing cry. His body tensed and his grip on Cullen tightened. "I'm towwy! No punish me, Cheska!"

"What are you doing holding that child?"

"Mrs. Barnes, this child asked me…"

"But you are touching a child! That is not permitted!"

Cullen narrowed his eyes. "I am holding him because he has gone into shock! I'm only holding him to calm him down."

"He doesn't look too calm to me, Cullen! You know it is against school policy to touch a child in any way, shape, and form!"

Aten cried. "No punish me! No touch! No touch!"

Mrs. Barnes grabbed Eric. "If you put one finger on my son, I will sue you for every penny you have! I'll have your job!"

Cullen rubbed Aten's back trying to calm the baby. "I am trying to help this boy."

"You know the rules! And if it will take a suspension without pay for you to learn the rules, so be it!" Mrs. Barnes left.

Marik, Bakura, and Ryou walked into the room. Aten tensed and wrapped his legs and arms around Cullen.

Aten's body went into a spasm as his hips began to shift uncomfortably. A loud wail of pain came from him.

Ryou brought Aten into his arms and rocked him in his arms. Aria ran to her father and wrapped her arms around him. "Daddy, Aten's doing it again, isn't he?"

"Aten, baby, what's wrong?"

Marik and Bakura exchanged glances. Marik felt his heart sink. Aten was having another "episode," as he called them. He hoped the psychologist would be able to talk to Aten.

"Daddy…."

Marik kissed Aten's forehead as his body stopped trembling. "I'm here, baby boy."

Aten's breathing slowed down. Bakura turned to Cullen snarling. "What started this?"

"Aten said "Eye of Whores" and not the "Eye of Horus," Aria said.

Ryou kissed Aten's hair as the baby started to calm down in the arms of his mother and from the gentle petting of his father. Robbie's mother walked in and saw Aten crying. "Aten? What's wrong?"

"Daddy's daddy was gonna punish me aden….."

Ryou closed his eyes and whimpered. "It's ok, baby boy. He won't hurt you anymore."

"Mommy, can I stay with Aten until he's ok?"

Aten took deep breaths and he felt his body go almost limp.

"Mr. Cullen, do you think it's wise for us to go to Callisto today?"

"Ryou, I think it will hurt Aten more if we delay this. Besides, she's booked for a while. I hesitate to wait."

Aria ran to her parents and jumped up and down excitedly. "We did the "Eensy Weensy Spider" today, daddy! Wanna see?"

Ryou leaned down to kiss Aria. "I'll be back with Aten in a little while."

Bakura gathered his daughter in his arms and growled against her neck. "You can show me outside, chibi yami."

Aria wrapped her arms around Bakura's neck and squealed happily as he carried her out.

Ryou sat down on Cullen's chair cuddling Aten against him. When all of the parents claimed their children, Robbie left with his mother.

*****************************

Aten, Ryou, and Cullen entered the small, windowless office. The psychologist stood up from behind her desk. Aten clutched onto Ryou's hand tightly as he looked at the brown hair and the slender fingers.

"Aten, this is Mrs. Callisto, he wants to talk to you. Mrs. Callisto is a doctor…a special doctor. She's going to talk to you about what's been bothering you," Cullen said taking Aten's hand gently.

Aten looked up at Ryou. "Mommy, I no wan be ear."

Ryou kneeled down to Aten's level. "Sweetheart, Mrs. Callisto wants to talk to you for a little bit. I'll be right here. She won't hurt you." Ryou stood up and shook Callisto's hand. "I'm Aten's mother, Ryou."

The woman raised an eyebrow. "Oh….really?"

"I get that all the time. Yes, really. Aten's a little nervous understandably."

Callisto shrugged. "Lots of kids are nervous their first time. He'll be fine. I just want to know where to start with him."

Ryou put Aten on the couch and sat beside him.

Callisto held out her hand to Aten. "Hello, son." Aten's brown eye flinched and his purple eye widened at the hands…at those long fingers…long, thin….fingers. Aten cuddled close to his mother burying his face in Ryou's side.

"No touch," Aten whimpered.

Ryou bit his lip and looked at Callisto. "He's a little nervous about people touching him."

Callisto returned behind her desk. "What's your name, son?"

Ryou shifted and Aten looked over at Callisto. "My mame is Aten Bakari Ishtar. Mawik Ishtar is my daddy."

"Well, my name is Adriana Callisto. You can just call me Adriana, Aten. Would you like to call me Adriana?"

Aten's skinny feet dangled a little over the couch. He looked up at Callisto with large, chibi eyes.

"Aten, is there anything that has been making you feel sad lately?"

Aten's eyes remained fixed on the woman. His sneakers tapped against each other nervously. Aten shifted closer to his mother and shook his head.

"Sweetheart, Mrs. Callisto wants to help you. You can talk to her."

Adriana opened Aten's folder and looked at the Cullen's notes. "It says you were taken away from your daddy, Aten. How did that make you feel? I bet you were sad."

Aten sniffled and shook his head. "My daddy no tiss me en I ent to beddie-bye."

"Have you been having bad dreams?"

Aten nodded slowly looking up at the woman.

"Would you like to talk about them?"

"It's dark. De woom is dark. My mommy cwying and I no can tee him."

Callisto wrote this down. Aten watched the woman grip her pen with her slender fingers. His eyes watched the fingers wiggle as she wrote. Aten shifted closer to his mother.

"A room? What's in the room wehre you are? Anything?"

"A bed, I know. I no sore what udder tuff in de woom."

"How did that make you feel?"

"De woom is scawy. I no wike dat woom. And…I no wike it when tomeone tums in de woom when iss dark. Bad tings appen in de dark."

Ryou bit his lip and cuddled Aten close to his body.

"Like what, Aten?" Callisto asked.

"I no tan tay," Aten said beginning to shake.

"Aten, the doctor wants to help you," Ryou said bringing the baby onto his lap.

Aten shook his head. "I no tan tay."

"Talk to me, Aten."

Aten shook his head.

Callisto stood and approached Aten slowly. Aten's body quivered as the woman loomed over him. She put a hand on the armrest of the chair and kneeled before him. Aten's eyes opened wide. //The louder you scream, Aten, the better my pleasure// An older male voice resonated in his head. //Now, cutie, calm down. It's time to play with your new mommy and your granddaddy.//

Aten let out a wail. "I wan doe ome! I wan my daddy! I wan my money! I nee my money!" Aten pulled on Ryou's shirt desperately.

Ryou stood up and gathered Aten into his arms. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Callisto."

"It's ok, Ryou. Aten, you can come back tomorrow for a little while. It will be just you and me for a while, ok? I promise I won't hurt you. I tell you what," Mrs. Callisto grabbed a grape lollipop and handed it to Aten. "When you calm down, sweetheart, maybe your mommy can give you this."

Aten opened up his teary eyes and looked at the treat.

"He has the most beautiful eyes, Ryou! Two different colors!"

"His father has purple eyes and I have brown, so that explains that." Ryou stroked Aten's white and blond hair gently. "Take the lollipop, baby."

Aten sheepishly took the candy from Callisto's hand. "Tankoo, Mrs. Casso."

Ryou and Aten left the room as Mrs. Callisto sat down and reviewed Aten's file with a grin. "Perfect."

Updates: Friday