Greetings! Here is the latest chapter in this epic tale. This has got to be one of the hardest chapters I've written in this story so far, and I'm somewhat anxious about how it turned out. The wonderful Nenya85 has already taken a peak, and thanks to her, this final version is much better than what I started off with. I was tempted to sit on the chapter for another couple of days and re-read it a few more times, but figured that it was way past time to post it. I completely re-wrote the second half of the chapter after it was edited, so any errors are entirely my own.
Warnings: Egypt flashbacks, blood, Gozaburo's bad language
Reviews: I've replied to all signed reviews through the review feature. I'm unfortunately not at home, so I don't have access to my webpage files to reply to unsigned reviews. I do appreciate them! Thanks for the support guys; the story is finally coming to an end.
Posted: 2/12/07
Enjoy!
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Chapter 36: Sins of the Father
Nightfall was fast approaching, and Gozaburo found himself looking forward to the 'game' ahead. While this particular outing hadn't been his idea, he could still make it work to his advantage.
Seto's betrayal hadn't surprised him, not after the betrayal that had cost Gozaburo his life. Gozaburo would have been a fool to believe that this older, colder Seto would have done anything differently and had acted accordingly. Seto's proposal, however, had rendered his own planning unnecessary. Gozaburo no longer had to lure Seto into giving up his life, because the boy had just handed himself over with little effort on Gozaburo's part.
Gozaburo didn't want Seto dead. Instead, Gozaburo wanted Seto's mind destroyed and his body alive so that he could use it as a container for his own mind. He could still remember how young and energetic he'd felt during the short time he'd inhabited Seto's body, and he wanted that feeling again. Besides, there could not be two Kaiba Corporation CEOs in a world that knew of only one. Removing Seto from the equation would ensure that Gozaburo could continue to run his company, his home, and his possessions without challenge. Inhabiting Seto's body would ensure that no one would ever know that anything had changed.
This desire to control Seto's body was why he sought the Millennium Puzzle. Only a Millennium Item like the puzzle contained enough dark magic to fuel the process of destroying one mind and transferring another. Although the puzzle itself couldn't grant him the body, the puzzle, when combined with a couple of spells he'd found in the Egyptian book, would do the trick.
Acquiring the body, even with this opportunity Seto had given him, was not going to be easy. Seto was a strong young man who would not be defeated quickly. Seto's mind was agile and sharp, and even though Gozaburo had found it easy to manipulate, he had yet to be able to break it. This time around, Seto had proven to be stronger, more devious, and more resilient than Gozaburo remembered. Seeing the young man now made Gozaburo think of what could have been if only he'd succeeded in breaking Seto and molding him into what Gozaburo had wanted. He'd made one major mistake early on, a mistake that had cost him everything.
The younger brother had made all the difference. When he'd first adopted the boys, Gozaburo had thought of Mokuba as inconsequential. Seto had made his terms clear, so refusing to adopt Mokuba had not been an option. Gozaburo hadn't minded the condition, because he'd realized that he could use the boy to control Seto. That plan had worked, up to a point. What Gozaburo hadn't realized until it was too late was that Mokuba had given Seto the drive to endure and, ultimately, defeat Gozaburo. All of the brainwashing, the abuse, and the neglect he'd put Seto through would have done their intended purpose of stripping the humanity from Seto, if it hadn't been for that skinny, little boy who kept reminding his brother that there was something worth living for.
Now that Gozaburo thought about it, he could almost pinpoint the exact moment Mokuba became Seto's anchor. When the boys had come home with him, he'd immediately separated them. He wanted Seto to think about nothing except what Gozaburo wanted him to think, and Mokuba would be a distraction. Gozaburo had underestimated the level of responsibility Seto felt for Mokuba, however, and the separation he had imposed on them only served to heighten Seto's paternal instincts to the point where Seto would find ways to sneak out of his lessons to go look for his brother.
It was during one of these visits, six months into their stay at the mansion, that Gozaburo had caught them. The events that followed had seemed inconsequential at the time, but looking back now, Gozaburo knew that the confrontation between him and Seto that night had taken away what little chance he'd had to completely own Seto and mold him into the perfect heir.
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"Where is the little bastard?" Gozaburo asked the empty room.
It was Wednesday night, and he'd come into the study to supervise the last half of Seto's lesson. Instead of finding his newly adopted son sitting at his desk studying diligently, he'd found an empty desk and an equally empty room. Seto should have learned by now not to skip out on his lessons. Gozaburo had made the punishment clear the first time the boy had chosen not to attend, but it had apparently not had the effect he'd intended. He would just have to find his wayward, adoptive son and remind him of the consequences of skipping his lessons.
Gozaburo left the study and headed upstairs to look for Seto in the most obvious place: his room. The mansion was substantial, but Seto hadn't been living in it long enough to have figured out where the secret passages and hidden rooms were. Gozaburo doubted that Seto had gotten to do much exploring around the house, so if the boy was not in his room, there were few other places he could have gone.
Before he could arrive at his destination, however, a squeal from the other end of the hallway caught his attention. Gozaburo's lips curved up in a half smile when he realized what room the noise had come from. He changed direction and headed towards the second most obvious place Seto could have gone: Mokuba's room. When he reached it, he put his ear against the door and listened. He wasn't going to waste his time going into the room if Mokuba was the only one in there.
"Big brother!"
The outburst was immediately followed by a shushing sound, which had no doubt come from Seto. The boy had apparently found the secret passage that led to Mokuba's room. Gozaburo's simmering anger spiked, and it took everything he had to stand still and simply listen.
"Hush, Mokuba," Seto whispered, "we don't want to get caught."
"I'm sorry, big brother, but I haven't seen you in so long," Mokuba said, his voice much softer this time.
"I know, but I have a lot of other things that father wants me to do," Seto said.
"What kind of things?" Mokuba asked.
"It doesn't matter, Mokuba," Seto replied.
The boys were silent for a moment, until Mokuba spoke. "I don't like him, brother."
Gozaburo wasn't surprised by the comment in the least. Mokuba always tried to make himself unnoticeable when he was in the same room with Gozaburo, and Gozaburo, for his part, hadn't done anything to gain Mokuba's favor.
"He's our father now, Mokuba," Seto explained. "You need to respect that. Do what he says and don't get in trouble, okay? You don't want him to get mad at you."
The boys were silent again and Gozaburo heard some movement in the room.
"Does he treat you well, brother?"
Seto didn't have an answer to that. "Are you okay, Mokuba? Are you sleeping okay, eating okay?" Seto asked instead.
"I'm fine, brother; I just don't get to spend any time with you."
He'd thought that the separation he'd imposed on the brothers had the desired effect, but, as Gozaburo had found out tonight, Mokuba had become too much of a distraction for Seto. A line had to be drawn, and he was about to do it in the most effective way possible. Gozaburo pushed open the door and had to smother a look of triumph at the look of horror on both boys' faces. Mokuba immediately moved away from Gozaburo while Seto stepped in Gozaburo's path. Gozaburo grabbed Seto's arm and dragged him out of the room.
"Mokuba, come with us," Gozaburo commanded.
When the boy didn't move, Gozaburo squeezed Seto's arm hard enough to make him scream. Mokuba immediately followed. Gozaburo didn't bother to slow his pace and neither boy could keep up. Seto was being dragged along and Mokuba was running behind them. Gozaburo headed for the room where Seto was supposed to have been studying. When he reached it, he locked the door behind them. Mokuba stood by the door, tears running down his cheeks. Gozaburo turned away from the younger brother to look upon the face of the older brother, which was now schooled into a blank mask.
"What do you have to say for yourself?" Gozaburo asked as he held Seto up by the arm.
Seto didn't reply. He simply held Gozaburo's gaze, his blue eyes shimmering with pain and fear, and something else: defiance. It was what Gozaburo wanted in the boy; he wanted fear and defiance, hate and contempt. He needed Seto to be ruthless and fearless, or else the boy would crumble under the pressure of his type of business.
"Fine," Gozaburo said and released Seto. "If you're not going to hold yourself accountable for your actions, I'll make someone else accountable."
Gozaburo headed for Mokuba and kneeled beside the boy so that Seto could still see his brother's face. He patted Mokuba on the head, and then ran his hands over Mokuba's hair. He didn't look at Seto, but could feel the boy's eyes boring into him. He caressed Mokuba's neck with one hand, while holding the boy's head steady with the other. Finally, his hand closed around the small neck and began to squeeze. Mokuba's eyes grew wide and his mouth opened in a futile attempt to draw in more oxygen.
"Since you won't take responsibility for your actions tonight, Seto, I'll have your brother do it for you. Is that what you want?" Gozaburo asked.
Gozaburo didn't get a verbal response. Instead, Seto threw himself at Gozaburo, his small arms pulling at Gozaburo's much bigger arms. The attempt was futile, of course, but Gozaburo gave him credit for it anyway. He let go of Mokuba's neck and then used the same hand to land a punch in Seto's side, hard enough to send the boy tumbling halfway to the other end of the room. Mokuba fell onto the carpeted floor, gasping for breath and sobbing. Gozaburo ignored him and headed for Seto, who had curled in on himself with his hands holding the side where Gozaburo had hit him.
"You dare raise your hand to me, you ungrateful little brat?" Gozaburo asked. "You should be thankful that I've given you and your brother a home."
Seto picked himself up and stood in front of Gozaburo. His eyes shone with unshed tears, and Gozaburo was gratified that Seto hadn't let them fall. The blow had to have hurt, it was intended to cause damage, but Seto was not wincing or whimpering in pain. Instead, he met Gozaburo's eyes.
"Don't lay a hand on my brother," he said. "I'm the one you want to 'train', so concentrate your efforts on me."
Gozaburo gave himself an imaginary pat on the back. Yes, using the younger brother to manipulate the older brother had definitely been a good idea.
"You agree that I should punish you for skipping your lesson tonight, then?" Gozaburo asked.
Seto nodded.
"Fine. Take off your clothes."
Seto frowned at the unexpected command and confusion flittered through his eyes.
"I said take your clothes off."
Gozaburo turned towards the bookcase and came face to face with Mokuba.
"What are you going to do to my big brother?" Mokuba asked. "It was my fault, too." The boy's face was stained with tears, and his neck bore finger shaped marks that would undoubtedly turn into bruises.
"He's paying for both of your sins," Gozaburo said.
He pushed Mokuba out of his way and retrieved the riding crop he kept on the second shelf of the bookcase. He didn't ride anymore, so he had no use for the thing in the traditional sense. He could make some use out of it now, though. When he returned to Seto, the boy was standing in his underwear where Gozaburo had left him.
"Put your hands on the edge of the desk," Gozaburo instructed.
Seto did as he was told, so that he was leaning slightly over the desk, leaving his back and legs exposed.
"Remember the price for disobedience," Gozaburo said and brought down the riding crop.
Seto managed to smother the whimper of pain during the first few blows, but by the time Gozaburo finished, the boy was screaming. Mokuba was screaming as well, until both voices melded into one. He let the riding crop drop when he was finished and winced in distaste when he saw that drops of blood had stained his white shirt.
"Mokuba, take your brother to his room."
It took a couple of minutes, but Mokuba finally made his way towards them. His eyes were wide and he was hesitant about getting close to his brother, who had remained on his feet throughout the entire ordeal even though his back was bleeding from the blows. Mokuba reached out a hesitant hand and placed it on top of his brother's clean, right hand.
"Big brother," Mokuba said.
Seto's response was automatic. He jerked his hand out of Mokuba's grip.
"Mokuba, go to your room," Seto said, his voice hoarse and almost inaudible.
Mokuba looked from Seto to Gozaburo, confusion clearly on his face.
"But Seto…"
"I said go to your room," Seto insisted.
Mokuba looked at Gozaburo for permission to do as his brother asked, and Gozaburo shrugged. If Seto was refusing the help, that was his problem. With one last look at his older brother, Mokuba left the room. Gozaburo sat on one of the chairs in the study and watched as Seto slowly straightened. Tears had left tracks down his cheeks, and his eyes were red and swollen. Once he'd straightened to his full height, he turned to Gozaburo.
"You've made your point, Father," Seto said. "I will not be that weak again."
Without another word, Seto picked up the discarded clothing and then made his way out of the study. He held his head high and walked out of the study on steady legs. Gozaburo watched the spot where Seto had been for a long time and thought that he'd finally found someone worthy of his fortune. Seto would indeed turn into a magnificent heir someday.
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That was the one and only time that Mokuba had witnessed one of Seto's punishments. The boy had been young and had probably forgotten the incident shortly after it happened, but it had left enough of an impression on him that, after that night, he no longer actively sought out his brother.
Gozaburo thought that he'd won that night by managing to sever the link between the brothers, when all he'd really done was to strengthen it. In the years that followed, Seto had done an admirable job of pretending that Mokuba was unimportant to him, and Gozaburo had believed him. At the same time, Mokuba had learned to distance himself from his brother, and the boys had grown seemingly apart. What Gozaburo hadn't realized until long after he'd deposited his mind into the mainframe was that it had all been an act, and like a fool he'd fallen for it.
Revenge is a dish best served cold, and Gozaburo had been given many years in which to think about the wrongs done to him and what he'd do to right those wrongs. Destroying Seto's mind and taking over his body was the best way to get back at the boy that gave him so much hope for an heir, and then betrayed him. All he had to do now was incapacitate Seto enough to take him into the house and perform the spells, and then it would all be over. Gozaburo knew this forest like the back of his hand, and he had something with him that could almost guarantee a quick and efficient end to this whole ordeal. He also had a doctor friend standing by who could patch the body back together from the damage he was going to do to it. All he had to do now was lure his prey into the trap.
Gozaburo had no doubt that Seto wanted this confrontation over as much as he did, so there would be no cat and mouse game tonight. Seto would undoubtedly be waiting for him at his favorite spot on the edge of the cliff overlooking the river, so Gozaburo quickened his pace. The sooner they got this started, the sooner it would end.
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Kaiba sat at the edge of the cliff Yugi had fallen off of earlier that day and looked down at the river below. When he'd been younger and Gozaburo wasn't around, he'd spent hours sitting on this same edge, wondering what it would feel like to fall into the water below. He'd have to ask Yugi about it, though Kaiba doubted that Yugi would want to remember any part of the experience.
Sighing, Kaiba looked away from the water below and studied his surroundings. Darkness had fallen hours ago, and Gozaburo hadn't made an appearance. A part of Kaiba wondered if the man was out setting traps for him, but as soon as the thought entered his mind Kaiba dismissed it. Gozaburo could try all he wanted, but Kaiba was confident that he'd win in the end. He'd defeated his adoptive father once before, and tonight would be no different.
"I want you to stay out of this, Yami," Kaiba said once he was satisfied that Gozaburo was not lurking in the surrounding trees.
He felt the spirit's presence like a cloak around him, which was both unnerving and oddly soothing. This particular experience had always been his alone, and it felt wrong to have someone else share it. At the same time, a small part of him that still remembered the loneliness that came from years living with Gozaburo liked the fact that he didn't have to face his adoptive father alone this time.
"What makes you think I'm going to interfere?" Yami replied without making himself visible.
The voice startled Kaiba, because even though he'd addressed the spirit, he hadn't expected Yami to respond.
"There was a reason neither Yugi nor Mr. Moto fought harder to keep the puzzle. I'm not stupid or blind enough not to see it," Kaiba responded.
Yami's reply wasn't immediate. "Why do you resist so much Kaiba? Why is it so hard for you to believe that someone other than Mokuba might give a damn whether you live or die?"
Why indeed, Kaiba thought to himself. Unnecessary baggage was the automatic response.
He couldn't afford to care about anyone other than Mokuba, and he'd stopped actively seeking attachments to other people when his mother had died bringing Mokuba into the world and left him with a distant and unapproachable father. The small part of him that still longed for a family after his father died was effectively killed at the orphanage, cementing once and for all that Mokuba was the only person he needed a bond with. Besides, bonds carried responsibility, and Kaiba had enough promises to keep without indebting himself to someone else.
"I repaid my debt to Mr. Moto, I've repaid my debt to you, and I've repaid my debt to Yugi," Kaiba replied. "There are no longer any ties binding us."
Yami chuckled. "It's too bad that we don't simply see promises or debts," Yami said. "Mr. Moto is already attached to you and he will continue to be, whether you owe him something or not. Yugi shared a horrifying experience with you, one that he will more than likely never forget. That alone has bound the two of you together, whether you want to admit it or not. As for me…"
Yami trailed off, and Kaiba found himself actually wanting to know Yami's answer.
"You and I are more alike than either of us likes to acknowledge. That is our bond, Kaiba. Losing that would be unacceptable."
Kaiba's eyes widened at the unexpected admission from the spirit. In his own way, Yami had just said that he would miss Kaiba, which Kaiba found hard to believe.
"Now I really know you're full of it, Yami," Kaiba said. "Wouldn't you prefer that I was no longer around to get in your way?"
"What good is a life lived in obscurity?" Yami countered, "You've always acknowledged me for me, and not just because I live through Yugi. For that, you will always have my outmost respect."
Before he could fully digest what Yami had said, Kaiba was thrown back to his encounter with Yami in the Moto's backyard after his mini breakdown in the bathroom. What Kaiba had viewed as pity and manipulation then suddenly didn't seem like it at all, and Yami's words at the time brought him the comfort they should have then.
"I overreacted back then," Kaiba said.
"What?" Yami asked, clearly confused with the change of subject.
"After you found out about what happened in Egypt, you tried to help, but I threw your words in your face and ran away. I overreacted."
Kaiba half expected Yami to start celebrating the fact that Kaiba had just admitted he had been wrong, and was pleasantly surprised when that didn't happen.
"My pledge to help you and Yugi still stands, Kaiba. Like you, I don't go back on my promises."
Kaiba's lips curved up into a small smile. That mind set he could definitely understand.
The sound of a branch breaking somewhere behind him interrupted the conversation and Kaiba turned in the direction of the sound, but saw nothing but trees swaying slightly in the wind.
He's here, Kaiba thought as the adrenaline rushed through him.
He got to his feet and put some distance between himself and the cliff. He strained his ears for any sign that would tell him where Gozaburo was, but heard only the sounds of nature. If Gozaburo played the game as expected, he would stay in the shadows for a while and every now and then give a Kaiba a clue to his whereabouts by breaking a branch or throwing a rock out of his hiding place. When Kaiba had first been forced to participate in this game, it had terrified him know that he was being watched and hunted like an animal. It had also frustrated him that no matter how hard he tried, he'd never been able to find Gozaburo. Now, Gozaburo's tactic only annoyed him and delayed the end of this exercise.
"Come on out, Gozaburo," Kaiba finally said. "I know you're watching. Wouldn't you rather we just get this over with?"
There was no response. Kaiba slowly circled the clearing and wished that the moon was just a little brighter so that he could see into the shadows between the trees. Something moved in front of him, and Kaiba immediately reacted by stepping away from the offending object, which turned out to be a small rabbit. Kaiba glared at the creature until it scurried away, and attempted to calm his racing heart. Memories of previous outings in this forest tried to claw to the surface of Kaiba's mind, but he forcefully shoved them away. He couldn't afford to be distracted by his childhood fears. He didn't have time for it.
The snap of another branch breaking came at the same time that a body collided against him. The momentum sent Kaiba to the ground, and he landed on his side, with his left shoulder and hip taking the brunt of the fall. The Millennium Puzzle crashed to the ground with him, and Kaiba half expected it to shatter into pieces, but was surprised when it only glowed softly.
'Sorry, Yami,' Kaiba thought to the spirit.
Gozaburo was heavy and was using the superior weight to pin Kaiba to the ground. The feel of someone else's body on top of his, of hands holding him down, brought panic rushing through Kaiba. He fought blindly, desperately, to get away, but he was having no success.
It's Gozaburo, it's not them, Kaiba told himself as he tried to calm down. Get a grip!
Gozaburo managed to turn Kaiba onto his back and pin his arms to his side, but hadn't been able to secure Kaiba's legs. Finally remembering his training, Kaiba kneed Gozaburo in the back, which caused the man to momentarily loose his grip. That was enough for Kaiba to get to his hands and knees and move away from the attack. Gozaburo recovered quicker than Kaiba would have imagined, however, and threw himself at Kaiba before Kaiba had managed to get to his feet. Gozaburo landed awkwardly across Kaiba's lower back and sent him sprawling to the ground once again. Kaiba's chin impacted with the ground, and the pain from the impact froze him for a moment. The smell of blood reached his nose at the same time he felt something trickling down his chin and neck.
No matter how much he told himself that this was Gozaburo and that his adoptive father wasn't trying to do to him what the men back in Egypt had done, Kaiba couldn't separate the two. Gozaburo's body became theirs, and whatever Gozaburo was saying now became taunts and grunts of pleasure.
The Millennium Rod, which Kaiba had secured into the waistband of his slacks, dug painfully into his lower back from Gozaburo's weight pushing down on it. The Millennium Puzzle, which rested next to Kaiba's face, suddenly began to glow. Kaiba couldn't see it, but he could feel the Millennium Rod glowing at his back as well. A burst of magic rushed through him, and before Kaiba knew it, he was no longer in the forest in the middle of the night, but was instead in the desert with the sun shinning mercilessly down on him.
Panic rushed through Kaiba for a second time as he recognized his surroundings. Gozaburo's weight on top of him disappeared, only to be replaced by the weight of many others. Kaiba was once again lying on his back in the sand with the blue sky above him, struggling to escape the grip of the men that had taken so much from him. Pain overwhelmed him and made his eyes fill with tears, and all he could do was scream for a mercy that would not come.
This isn't right; I wasn't here a minute ago a small part of Kaiba's mind reminded him.
Something was different, because as the men shifted so that someone else could take their turn, Kaiba saw Gozaburo standing off to one side, watching. The expression on his face was unreadable, until their eyes met. When they did, Gozaburo grinned.
"This is no more than you deserve," Gozaburo said and Kaiba heard it clearly, even through the screams and the grunts of the men.
Shame flooded through Kaiba and he had to look away. He hadn't been strong enough to fight and keep this from happening, so Gozaburo must be right. If he couldn't defend himself, then he deserved what was being done to him, and more. What was the use fighting anyway? Wasn't he better off if he just accepted his fate? Maybe they'd kill him this time and do everyone a favor.
"Remember, Kaiba."
The voice was not immediately recognizable, but there was something about it that made Kaiba pay attention. It sounded familiar, and yet totally alien at the same time. The blinding blue of the sky dimmed a little, and for a second, Kaiba thought that he could see stars.
"Your fear triggered the Millennium Puzzle's magic because of it's spirit's desire to protect you. However, the Millennium Rod reacted as well and threw you back to the source of that fear. This isn't real in the physical sense, Kaiba, but it is as real as the magic of the items can make it. You can conquer it or you can let it destroy you," the voice said again, and this time Kaiba recognized it as the high priest's voice.
This can't be conquered, Kaiba thought through the haze of pain. I've already lost this fight.
"You can conquer it," the high priest said, his voice getting softer each time he spoke. "This is a world of your making, Kaiba; just as you triggered being brought here you can trigger an escape. Just remember where you were."
How can I remember where I was when it hurts so much to be where I am now?
Kaiba's head lolled to the side, and his eyes landed on the figure of his adoptive father, who was still watching intently.
That's right; I was with him in the forest, wasn't I? Kaiba thought. Didn't the priest say to remember where I was?
Kaiba closed his eyes and pictured the river he'd been looking at earlier. He didn't belong in this nightmare, not anymore. He needed to go back to the forest and finish what he and Gozaburo had started. The sand faded and was replaced by hard ground. When Kaiba opened his eyes, he found himself facing Gozaburo's grinning face. The man had taken advantage of Kaiba's inattention and had pinned Kaiba's arms to his sides, while his knees held Kaiba's legs down.
"What do you know?" Gozaburo said. "If I had known that's all it took to break you, I would have done it years ago."
The Millennium Puzzle glowed brightly and Yami's voice exploded in his head.
"Now, Kaiba!"
Gozaburo's grip on him had loosened, and Kaiba managed to twist free of the man's grip. He scrambled to his feet, tripped once and almost fell down again, but finally managed to remain upright. He was shaking badly and his teeth were chattering. Even though he was no longer in the world the Millennium Rod had created for him, his memories of the experience that had triggered it were fresh in his mind. His body ached with remembered pain and his eyes filled with treacherous tears that he refused to allow to fall. He was out of breath, but worse of all, he'd lost all of his focus and was instead stuck in his memories, helpless, lost, confused, and in pain.
"They sure had their way with you," Gozaburo said. "I wish I'd been there to see them do first hand what I could never manage to do."
Kaiba retreated one shaky step at a time. His mind was jumbled; full of fragments of a nightmare that was all too real, and he couldn't bring himself out of it. He was hyperventilating and he felt cold, almost numb.
"So when did it happen, Seto? From what I saw, it wasn't too long ago," Gozaburo said as he came closer to Kaiba. "I always wondered what it would take to get that look of utter hopelessness on your face. It was quite a treat to see your composure completely broken as you screamed for mercy. How did it feel when the control you lived your life for was so easily taken from you? Someone finally put you in your place, Seto. All stray dogs deserve no less."
Kaiba shook his head. This wasn't right, Gozaburo wasn't right. What they'd done to him wasn't right. The way they'd made him feel wasn't right. Or was it?
"If you had allowed me to properly train you, that incident would have never happened. You're weak, Seto, no matter how you like to pretend otherwise. A stronger man would never have allowed himself to be taken in such a disgusting manner."
Kaiba had no argument, because Gozaburo wasn't telling him anything that he hadn't already told himself. He was weak for not being able to stop them from hurting him.
"Aren't you going to say anything Seto or have you finally learned to listen to your father?"
Kaiba couldn't meet Gozaburo's eyes, because he didn't want to see the triumph he was sure he'd see there. Kaiba had never shown Gozaburo any weakness in all the years he'd lived with the man, no matter what Gozaburo had done to him. Now, in one short moment, Gozaburo had seen him helpless and afraid.
"Under any other circumstances, would you believe anything your adoptive father said?"
Yami's soft voice echoed in Kaiba's head, and it took him a while to understand what Yami had said. Kaiba shook his head in reply, even though Yami probably couldn't see it. What was the point, anyway? Gozaburo was right this time, wasn't he?
"Then why would you believe him now?" Yami continued. "A man that can watch those men brutally rape you and agree with what they did deserves nothing but a quick death."
Yami's words touched a crack in Kaiba's heart and slowly mended it. Warmth flowed through him from both Millennium items and their magic dispelled the numbness and cleared his mind. Kaiba stopped retreating and finally met his adoptive father's eyes.
"You're wrong," Kaiba said, his voice soft, but firm. "The sin lies in the perpetrator, not the victim."
"Victims are weak, that's why they're victims. You loose, you die, Seto. Didn't I at least teach you that?"
Kaiba took a small measure of comfort from the two presences he could feel with him and took several steps closer to Gozaburo.
"You think you're strong because you prey on those weaker or less fortunate than you?" Kaiba asked, his voice gaining volume as he spoke. "You're right Gozaburo, you loose and you die. That's why you died the first time, remember? You lost the game we played."
"I'm not dead now," Gozaburo said, "and you won't be around much longer to care anyway."
Kaiba chuckled, and before he knew it, the chuckle had turned into full fledged laughter. He couldn't remember the last time he'd laughed, but it felt damn good to do it right now.
"What's so funny?" Gozaburo asked when Kaiba's laughter had died down.
"You're only here because of a fluke, Gozaburo, a mistake one priest thousands of years ago made."
Gozaburo frowned at the comment. "Have you lost your mind, Seto?"
Instead of a reply, Kaiba reached behind him and pulled out the Millennium Rod. The item glowed softly in the moonlight, and Kaiba could feel its magic tingle his hand and arm.
"What is that? Is that another Millennium Item?" Gozaburo asked.
Kaiba could see the desire for the item clearly in Gozaburo's face and his theory of why the man wanted the puzzle suddenly became a little more than a theory.
"You're not thinking that you can use this item to destroy my mind and take my body, are you?" Kaiba asked.
Gozaburo seemed genuinely surprised by the question.
"Do you think I'm dense, Gozaburo? Why else would you agree to come out here and "fight" me? I know a little of what these items can do. What makes you think I'm going to give either one to you?"
Gozaburo's surprise turned to anger. "You don't have to give me anything, Seto. I plan on taking those items from you by force."
Kaiba smirked. "Yes, but you can't use too much force, can you Gozaburo? You don't want to damage your future body, do you?"
Making Gozaburo angry had always worked to Kaiba's advantage, because the man was easier to manipulate when he wasn't thinking clearly. Kaiba needed Gozaburo to make a mistake now; he needed Gozaburo to want to take the Millennium Rod, or else he wouldn't be able to destroy the soul that was giving Gozaburo's body life.
"I have someone standing by to heal the body if I damage it too much," Gozaburo said. "You don't have to worry about it, Seto, because you won't be using it for too much longer."
As if to prove his point, Gozaburo reached behind him and pulled out a handgun. Kaiba froze at the sight, because he had not expected his adoptive father to bring a weapon. The man never had before, choosing instead to prolong these exercises for as long as he could. The fact that he had a weapon now proved to Kaiba that Gozaburo was in a hurry and was willing to damage Kaiba's body enough simply to get this over with quickly.
"Surprised, Seto?" Gozaburo said as he removed the safety.
The gun definitely changed Kaiba's plan. He couldn't afford to be incapacitated to the point where he couldn't get away, because it had become apparent that Gozaburo had already planned how he would take Kaiba's body and was simply waiting for the Millennium Puzzle to do it. He couldn't exactly outrun a bullet, however.
Kaiba looked away from Gozaburo, but not before he showed an appropriate amount of fear.
"The Millennium Rod is a lot more powerful than that Millennium Puzzle," Kaiba said softly as if talking to himself, but loud enough so that Gozaburo couldn't help but hear. He clutched the item in both hands for emphasis. "I can't let him have it."
Give the man what he wants, Kaiba thought, give him the promise of unlimited power and watch him follow.
With that, Kaiba took off running. He darted into the forest to his left, back in the direction of the house. If he was going to let himself get shot, he might as well be as close to his escape route as possible. Going back to the house was not an option, because whoever Gozaburo had brought to "heal" the body was probably there. There was a path behind the house, however, that led to the main road. That was how Kaiba would make his escape.
The first shot whizzed past his right arm and struck a tree. Kaiba turned right, deeper into the maze of tree trunks and hanging branches. The second shot grazed his left side, tearing through the fabric of his shirt but not touching his skin. This concerned Kaiba, because he'd thought that Gozaburo would aim at his legs to slow him down enough to catch. He was firing too high, which made Kaiba rethink the situation. Gozaburo was an excellent marksman and even the fact that Kaiba was taller and faster shouldn't be making the man miss by such a large margin. No, Gozaburo was intentionally aiming that high, which meant that the man intended to do serious damage.
The third shot reached its mark, hitting Kaiba on the left thigh. He hissed at the pain and then grunted as the leg collapsed underneath him and he fell. Before he hit the ground, a fourth shot rang out. Kaiba twisted in mid fall and managed to hide most of his body behind the closest tree trunk, but couldn't avoid the bits of bark that peppered his neck and face as the bullet struck the tree he was hiding behind. He hit the ground hard and couldn't keep his grip on Millennium Rod. The item landed with a soft thud somewhere out of his view.
Kaiba cursed at his stupidity. Gozaburo had been toying with him by aiming high and had managed to distract him. He'd gotten hit sooner than he'd intended, but there was nothing he could do about it now. Kaiba lay where he'd landed on his back, out of breath, his jaw clenched against the fiery pain in his leg.
"Just as I thought, you put up a good fight, Seto," Gozaburo said as he came within range of Kaiba. "In the end, it was not enough. I'll be taking the puzzle from you now."
Gozaburo stepped closer to Kaiba, and his foot hit the Millennium Rod Kaiba had dropped. The item glowed softly in the moonlight as if beckoning Gozaburo to pick it up. Kaiba remained still and kept his mouth shut as he watched his adoptive father's face in the moonlight. The man seemed torn between his distrust of Kaiba and his desire for the power Kaiba had said the item possessed. After what seemed like an eternity, Gozaburo dropped the gun and picked up the Millennium Rod. He stared at it, seemingly enchanted by it.
"You said this had more power than the puzzle, didn't you, Seto?" Gozaburo asked, still looking at the item in his hand
Kaiba shrugged. "I said that, but I don't think it's true."
Gozaburo turned to him then, his expression one of confusion, before it turned to rage when he realized what Kaiba had done.
"Did you really think I'd tell you the truth?" Kaiba asked. "Say goodbye, Gozaburo. Your second shot at life will meet the same end as your first attempt. I win again."
Kaiba recited the unbinding spell the priest had taught him and had just managed to finish it when Gozaburo dropped the item as if he'd been burned.
"What did you do?" his adoptive father asked.
The man reached Kaiba and kicked the teenager's injured leg. Kaiba's scream of pain was cut off as Gozaburo grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him halfway to a sitting position.
"You insolent, ungrateful brat, what did you do?"
"You were on borrowed time, and it's now up," Kaiba replied. "That body was given to you because of a mistake someone made thousands of years ago. Through me, he's finally able to rectify that mistake."
Gozaburo's face was very close to Kaiba's, and Kaiba couldn't remember ever seeing the man as angry as he was now. Nothing was happening, though, which made Kaiba wonder if the spell he'd recited had done anything at all. If the spell had failed, he wasn't going to be able to do anything in his current condition to stop Gozaburo from taking the puzzle and doing what he planned to do.
Suddenly, Gozaburo's eyes widened. He let go of Kaiba's shirt and got to his feet. There was a bright flash of light, and when Kaiba was able to see once again, Gozaburo was gone. Kaiba stared at the spot for quite a while, before letting his upper body fall back to the ground. He lay on his back and stared at the moon for a long while as the adrenaline drained out of his body, leaving him cold, hollow, and in a lot of pain.
"Are you seriously hurt, Kaiba?" Yami asked, suddenly visible beside Kaiba.
"The bullet just grazed my thigh, I think. It's not serious," Kaiba said.
The fabric above the wound was wet, and he was starting to feel lightheaded from the blood loss, but it wasn't as bad as it would be had the bullet actually penetrated. He just needed a moment to get used to the pain and then he'd be fine.
"You did it," Yami said. "He's gone."
Kaiba didn't reply. Instead, he took a deep breath and got himself to a sitting position. Yami kneeled beside him, but Kaiba refused to look at the spirit. They remained like that for a while, until Kaiba broke the silence.
"I finally get it," he said.
"You get what?" Yami asked.
"I finally understand what Mr. Moto and Yugi were trying to tell me about Egypt," Kaiba said. "What Gozaburo did to me, the way he raised me, is no different than what those men did to me. I didn't let what Gozaburo did to me define who I am or determine what I'm worth, and I won't let the bandits do it either."
Kaiba finally looked at Yami and was rewarded by a rare smile from the spirit.
"It's going to haunt me for the rest of my life, but it doesn't have to define me."
Yami's smile widened. "Small steps, Kaiba, that's all you can take."
Kaiba nodded and, with a little work, managed to get to his feet. He picked up the Millennium Rod and tucked in into his slacks.
"Come on, Yami, let's go. It's freezing out here."
&&&&
An hour and a half later found Kaiba outside of Yugi's hospital room. He'd managed to limp to the main road and to a streetlight, where he'd examined the wound to make sure that it was just a graze, even though it was bleeding quite a bit. After that, he'd called a cab, and when the cab had shown up, the driver hadn't been too happy to find out that his client was injured and would more than likely stain his backseat with blood. Luckily, Kaiba had several large bills on him and the cabbie had been more than willing to do as Kaiba asked once he'd been given the money.
After everything that had happened that night, Kaiba's first instinct had been to go home and shut himself in his room for a few days to recover, but he had two Millennium Items to return to their rightful owner. Furthermore, Mokuba was with the Motos and Kaiba couldn't go home without him.
He knocked on the door and pushed it open when he heard a tired "come in". Inside, he found Yugi asleep on the bed, and Mr. Moto rubbing his eyes from a chair next to the bed. When he saw Kaiba, the sleepiness cleared from his face and he immediately made his way to Kaiba. Before the teenager realized what was happening, Mr. Moto had wrapped his arms around Kaiba.
"I'm so glad you're okay, Seto, I was so worried."
Kaiba was caught off guard and didn't know what he should do. His first instinct was to push the man away, but he couldn't do that. He settled instead for resting his hands on Mr. Moto's back and patting it gently.
"I'm fine, Mr. Moto, it's all over," Kaiba said.
Mr. Moto released him and examined his face carefully. The man's hands touched the cuts on his face, chin, and neck, and Kaiba could see Mr. Moto's eyes harden as he looked at each new wound. Mr. Moto pulled him over to one of the other chairs in the room, but Kaiba's leg decided it didn't want to work at that moment. He would have fallen, if not for Mr. Moto's strong arm around his waist.
"What happened?" the elder man asked looking at the bloodstained pant leg.
"Gozaburo had a gun," Kaiba said.
Mr. Moto's eyes widened. "You've been shot?"
Before Kaiba could react, Mr. Moto had led Kaiba over to Yugi's bed, nudged Yugi awake, and had made the teenager scoot over so that Kaiba could sit beside him on the bed. Yugi blinked at both of them as he pulled himself out of sleep.
"Kaiba, you're back!" Yugi said and then his eyes fell to the tear in Kaiba's slacks and the blood surrounding it. "I thought I heard something about you being shot. Are you okay? Should we go get a doctor?"
"I'm going to go get one right now," Mr. Moto said.
"No," Kaiba replied and grabbed the man's arm. "You can't get a doctor involved, Mr. Moto. He'll ask questions that I can't answer and he'll want to involve the police. What am I supposed to tell them when they ask? Somehow, I don't think 'my adoptive father came back from the dead and tried to take over my body, so he shot me to incapacitate me' will be very convincing."
"You need to be treated, young man," Mr. Moto insisted, ignoring Kaiba's sarcasm.
"The wound isn't deep. I can clean and dress it when I get home," Kaiba said. "Don't worry, I'll be fine."
Mr. Moto shook his head. "I don't think so. Sit right there while I go get some supplies. You're not going to leave this hospital bleeding."
Kaiba opened his mouth to argue further, but Yugi's hand on his arm stopped him.
"I wouldn't argue with him when he gets like this," Yugi said. "He's hard-headed and you can't talk him out of something once he's made up his mind."
Kaiba looked from grandson to grandfather and sighed. Mr. Moto took the response as agreement and quickly left the room.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Yugi asked. "That looks nasty."
"I'm fine, Yugi," he said.
Kaiba examined Yugi and was glad to note that the young man didn't look as pale as he had by the river earlier that day. Kaiba also noticed that Yugi looked as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. The teenager's eyes still looked haunted, but not as hopeless as they had earlier. Suddenly remembering the reason he'd come to the hospital, Kaiba slipped the puzzle off his neck.
"Here, Yugi, this belongs to you." Kaiba said.
Yugi took the puzzle, ran his hands lovingly over it, and then put it on.
"Did the puzzle help?" Yugi asked once the puzzle rested comfortably against his chest.
Kaiba couldn't help the small twitch of his lips. "Yes, it did. Yami and I even managed to come to a mutual understanding," Kaiba said.
Yugi smiled. "I'm glad."
"Are the two of you going to be okay?" Kaiba asked, referring to the fact that Yami had found out about what happened in Egypt against Yugi's wishes.
Yugi's eyes clouded over momentarily and his smile slipped a little.
"I think so. We just have some things to talk about."
Further conversation was interrupted as Mr. Moto returned with his hands full of gauze, medical tape, a bottle of alcohol, a bottle of pain medication, and a bottle of water.
"What did you do, Grandpa, raid the supply closet?" Yugi asked.
"No, I just talked the pretty nurse into letting me have these. I told her that my other grandson was a klutz and had gashed his thigh. Yugi, could you…"
The man trailed off and Kaiba wondered what he was going to ask, when he felt the bed shift beside him. Kaiba turned to see that Yugi was now lying on his side, facing away from them, giving Kaiba as much privacy as the small room allowed.
"I need you to take off your pants and lay on your side so I can clean the wound, Kaiba."
Kaiba did as asked and watched in fascination as Mr. Moto expertly cleaned the wound with the alcohol and then carefully covered it with gauze and medical tape.
"You'll need to clean it again tomorrow and make sure it doesn't get infected," Mr. Moto said as Kaiba put his pants back on. "Here, something for the pain."
Kaiba took the offered painkillers and downed them with the water. When Mr. Moto was satisfied that he'd done everything he could, he motioned towards the door.
"Can I talk to you outside?" Mr. Moto asked.
"Sure," Kaiba said. He glanced at Yugi, who had settled into bed again and was already drifting off to sleep. "Get a good night's sleep, Yugi," Kaiba said to the younger teen. "You look healthier already."
"I will," Yugi replied. "I'm glad you're okay, Kaiba."
They left the room and walked to an empty waiting room.
"How was it?" Mr. Moto asked as he sat on one of the plastic chairs.
"Enlightening," Kaiba said as he took the chair next to Mr. Moto.
"What do you mean?" Mr. Moto asked.
Kaiba battled with himself for several minutes, before deciding that tonight was a night of revelations and Mr. Moto deserved the truth.
"Gozaburo made me realize a few things," Kaiba finally said. "I finally understand what you said to me that night."
Kaiba was relieved to see that he didn't have to elaborate about which night he meant. Mr. Moto studied him carefully for a few moments, and then nodded.
"I can see it, Seto," he said. "Your eyes are a little less clouded."
Kaiba nodded in agreement. He felt a little less heavy, a little less desperate. The incident was still there, and it would always be there, but hopefully he could learn to live with the memories.
"What about Gozaburo?" Mr. Moto asked.
"He had everything perfectly planned," Kaiba said, "but in the end, his desire for power was his downfall."
The two men lapsed into silence as a nurse walked by.
"Where is Mokuba?" Kaiba asked when the nurse was far enough away.
"I sent him home with Tristan and Joey. They should be sleeping soundly by now, or destroying my house," Mr. Moto answered. "Yugi has to stay here overnight, but you're welcome to go to the house and spend the night there."
Kaiba considered the proposal, and as tempting as it was, he had other things to take care of.
"I appreciate the offer, Mr. Moto, but now that Gozaburo is out of our lives again, Mokuba and I need to go back home."
Mr. Moto regarded Kaiba for a long while, and then nodded.
"Very well. Mokuba will be very happy to see you."
Kaiba stood and regarded Mr. Moto carefully.
"Thank you, Mr. Moto."
The elder man smiled gently. "It was my pleasure."
Kaiba accepted this for what it was, a gift, and slowly made his way out of the hospital. It was time to go home.
&&&&
Whew! I'm glad that's over with. Don't forget to leave a comment on the way out!