Welcome back! We're about halfway through the story now guys, so buckle up because this is where shit gets real. Don't forget to leave me your thoughts, and I'll see you in the next chapter xx

"Seto! I did it!" Mokuba announced, presenting himself before his brother. "Well…sort of."

An amused smile tugged at the corners of Seto's mouth. "You did great. Why don't I just-?" He reached out and adjusted Mokuba's tie so it actually sat correctly, while the younger laughed.

"Well, I think you both look perfect!" Seto shot a look at his phone, knowing full well that Noah wouldn't see it.

"I'm so excited!" Mokuba said, practically bouncing in his dress shoes.

"I couldn't tell." Seto ran his fingers through his brother's unruly hair in a futile effort to tame it.

"Well, it's a big day," Noah said, sounding equally as pumped. "And I'm so proud of both of you."

Seto wasn't disposed to bouncing around or shouting when he was excited, but he'd barely slept the night before, and was grinning as he slipped on a long, white coat over his matching suit. He'd chosen a light blue shirt and darker blue tie, making his outfit for the day intentionally reminiscent of his favourite Duel Monsters card. And to match his brother, Mokuba also wore a white suit, with a light blue tie, and dark blue shirt and vest.

All in all, they both looked the part for the occasion that was taking place today: then grand opening of KaibaLand's new expansion. The past year or so had been filled with planning and work and so, so many sleepless nights. But today, all that would pay off, and Seto would be that much closer to fulfilling the dream he'd had since he was a child.

"Don't just be proud of us," Mokuba encouraged. "I'm sure we couldn't have done it all this fast or this well without you! Which is why Seto and I came up with a surprise for you!"

Seto averted his gaze, looking as uncaring as he could and acting like it was all no big deal. "I managed to get enough of your program to transfer you onto my laptop. You won't be able to do a great deal, but you'll be able to attend the ceremony along with everyone else."

"R-really?" Noah gasped. "My first real-world event! Thank you so much!"

Seto shrugged. "It was Mokuba's idea."

"And," Mokuba added, "It'll also be our first event as brothers. First of many!" As he spoke, he fiddled absently with the bracelet concealed under his sleeve.

Seto considered at first taking it away from him, given how it came into his possession. But, he decided, Mokuba had the right to keep something from their old lives, even if he was against the idea. Still, out of courtesy, Mokuba kept it out of sight under his clothing, not wanting to trigger any upsetting memories for his brother. It was, in Seto's opinion, overthinking on his brother's part, but he appreciated the gesture nonetheless and never said anything about it.

"Ready?" Seto asked, placing a hand on Mokuba's back to lead him towards the door.

"Am I? I've been ready since I was a kid!"

Seto resisted the urge to point out that he was still a kid, and picked up his briefcase. "In that case, here goes everything."

…

Something was terribly wrong.

The crowd had gathered, and it was larger than Seto initially expected. Everything was working fine, and the attendees seemed to really like all the decorations and ballyhoo. But still, there was this feeling in the pit of his stomach that something – he couldn't say what – was about to go horrendously askew.

He couldn't pinoint where this feeling had come from, or when it had started. Everything seemed all well and good when he left the house that morning. But now his intuition was practically screaming at him, only he didn't know what it was trying to say.

Seto tried to write it off as nerves – not that he'd ever been nervous about anything in his life – and was able to put on a triumphant act for the crowd, and for his brothers. Noah watched from the laptop screen, which was being carried around by one of Seto's most trusted security officers, and his eyes were wide and excited. He couldn't stop grinning – clearly he was having the time of his life.

But Mokuba…for a boy who usually had so much to say, he was being tremendously quiet. For most of the ceremony, he'd sat in his seat of honour quietly, with his hands in his lap and his eyes pointing at the ground. Come to think of it, he'd been this way since they got out of the car.

While the MC hyped up the crowd, Seto nudged him and tried to ask if he was okay, but he didn't get an answer. Nothing made sense. For a day that meant so much to the both of them (this was after all as much Mokuba's dream as it was Seto's), neither one was enjoying it much.

The time finally came for Seto's moment of glory. He plastered on his best smile, and took the stand when his name was announced.

Seto stood at the podium and stared into the crowd, waiting through the cheering until he could speak and be heard. "Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, and guests. This day is one I've been waiting for, for years. I'm sure I could talk for hours about how this theme park has long since been a dream of mine, but I know you're all eager to enjoy our new expansion. So instead, I'll simply-"

It was then he noticed that Mokuba was no longer in his seat. Seto looked around for him, and saw him walking slowly towards where he stood.

"Ah, yes," he announced, trying to not let confusion colour his voice. "Of course, I couldn't have done it without my younger brother Mokuba, whose imagination alone…"

Seto saw as Mokuba got closer, that the younger's eyes were completely blank, devoid of any kind of awareness. Cold and unfocused, like he was concentrating on something far, far away. He covered the microphone with his hand.

"Mokuba, what are you doing? Are you okay? You look ill."

Mokuba stopped dead a few feet away from Seto, so suddenly that he thought he might fall over. The crowd held its breath, expecting that this was all a part of the show – but Seto knew better. Something was terribly, horribly wrong.

"Mokuba? Mokuba, please speak to me!" He walked towards his brother; and while what transpired next happened so very quickly, to Seto, it all seemed to unfold before him in slow motion.

Mokuba withdrew something from his pocket. It was grey and metal and – where the hell did he get a gun? Seto wondered to himself.

But before he could react, before he could move or speak, Mokuba fired; and the bullet made contact with its target.

Seto fell backwards until his head hit the cold, hard pavement. Blood soaked his perfect white suit jacket, and pain tore through his body like a bushfire. He was vaguely aware of screaming, but for some reason lost on his addled brain, the crowd sounded as though it was underwater.

His vision blurred until his surroundings were little more than swirls of colour slowly fading out. Of all the people who'd threatened to put a bullet in him over the years, even his cynical self had never once thought that he'd look up to see his own baby brother pointing a gun at his chest.

The torment, the confusion, the sheer agony of it all was too much for Seto. So when the darkness swallowed him whole, he embraced it.

Next Chapter: The Boy Behind The Bars

The officer left and Mokuba didn't try to argue with him any further. In fact, he didn't try to say anything at all. Whether he remembered it or not, the proof was there. He'd killed his big brother. His confidant and protector and pseudo-father…was gone.