Chapter 52

Studying his reflection in the mirror, he traced his fingers through the long brown left side fringe which had replaced his previous short gelled style. He wasn't sure he liked it and the blond streak down the front annoyed him somehow. Still the face and body were his own, that much he could be happy with. And, even if he lacked the irresistible allure of the original Win, he still had the undying affection of the one person who mattered most.

'It doesn't feel real, does it?' Kaiba voice sounded from behind him.

'I'm the new face of Win,' he gave a half laugh, 'and you're the Pure Master,' he glanced towards his lover, whose image had remained relatively unchanged apart from the fact his left eye was now brown.

'No,' he shook his head, 'I'm not the Pure Master. I… I'm the Pure Mistress, I'm just not…'

'Not what?' Tristan frowned.

'I… I'm not sure how to put it exactly. I just know, despite whatever it was that just happened, I'm still a Mistress,' he half shrugged and shook his head. 'But if you tell the others I said that…'

'As if I would,' he pulled him into a kiss. 'I don't care who you are or how you feel, as long as you love me.'

'Always,' he kissed him back. 'I wish I could see you properly right now.'

'Evolving into the Pure was never going to restore your vision Seto, you knew that,' Tristan light ran his fingers through Kaiba's hair. 'Your visual problems are to do with you physical body, not with your soul.'

'What about your memory problems? That was to do with a part of your soul being missing so…'

'Honestly, I'm reluctant to find out, but…' he hesitated for a moment. 'I might have had the majority of Win, but I didn't have all of him, so it's possible that piece will remain missing.'

'It doesn't matter if it does though, right?'

'Of course not,' he kissed him again. 'So is Taylor talking yet?'

'No,' Kaiba sighed, 'and from what I can tell he has some pretty nasty wounds on him too.'

'I wish I knew what happened there, but Joey's got enough to deal with without us badgering him about it.'

'Why would we need to go to Wheeler?' Kaiba folded his arms. 'I just asked Drake.'

'And?'

'Arados happened.'

'What?'

'It doesn't matter,' he shook his head, 'I'm sure Taylor will be fine in a day or two. Right now I just want to get the rest of our family back under this roof.'

'I thought we were going to leave Damon and CiCi with Cat till we got a little more used to… this,' he indicated towards himself. 'I don't know about you Seto, but I'm still feeling…'

'Strange.'

'That doesn't cover the half of it.'

'We can't leave them there indefinitely.'

'I know, but another half hour might be nice,' he sighed. 'What time is it anyway?'

'I don't know, close to six maybe.'

He nodded in slow thought for a few moments, before heading towards the door.

'I think I'm going to go for a ride.'

'What, now?'

'Yeah.'

'I'm coming too.'

'Why?' Tristan suddenly felt defensive.

'Because I said I would, remember?'


A few hours previous Hazelnut had been left in charge of her, Damon, Kasey and Lilac and so far no one had been back to check on them. But CiCi didn't care, because she had spent most of the day bonding with her brother. It was something she'd never thought she'd do, but it was something she'd found herself enjoying. Especially now she knew he was not the true cause of her misery.

If she never saw her parents again it would be too soon. She couldn't believe just how much hatred she bore towards them or how much pain she'd caused her brother by blaming him. A weary sigh half overcame her as she watched him play with the toy car she'd sneakily Jumped back home for. It was just the two of them in the main hall now. Lilac, Hazelnut and Kasey were all in the kitchen baking a cake. But Damon had agreed to stay with her on the promise she'd retrieve the car for him. She found herself sighing again as she wondered how she could ever have thought of him as something hateful.

'We couldn't give up on you,' the voice from behind her nearly made her jump out of her skin.

Whipping round she met her father's gaze.

'You're not knowing his name and you're not taking us.'

'We are taking you,' his voice was almost deadpan, 'because your uncles are dead.'

'LIAR!'

'I'm not lying CiCi and you will come with me and your mother. Both of you.'

'No,' she glared at him, standing protectively in front of Damon, 'my brother and I would rather live with Ulk Veronie. We'll never go with you.'

'Your legal guardians are dead and we are your parents. You have no choice.'

'There's always a choice.'

'Not if you're only seven there isn't.'

'I'm eight.'

'It makes no difference. Your brother and you are coming with me. You belong with your parents.'

'You mean Ulk Seto and Ulk Tristan?'

'You know that's not what I mean.'

'And you know that they're our parents.'

'Not by birth! You're mine by birth. Mine and your mother's. You belong with us. Especially when…'

'They are not dead!' She screamed at him. 'Una Catilin told me they woke up just before she left for the Southern Palace. You cannot lie to me.'

'So who cares if they're still alive; you will come with me.'

'Never.'

'You don't seem to be getting this CiCi, I'm not asking, I'm telling. The two of you will come with me because I'm not giving you a choice.'


Hazelnut could not have left them on their own for more than half an hour, but when she returned to check on them neither could be found. Her heart thudded hard in her chest. This wasn't the first time she'd been asked to look after the younger members of her rather unusual family, but it was the first time she'd ever left CiCi and Damon on their own together. And it was the one thing she'd always been told not to do, because the Kaiba siblings just could not get along. But they'd seemed fine all day. Better then fine. Hazelnut had never seen CiCi being so nice to anyone. Her stomach knotted. It was possible that had been all an act, but…

'Where's CiCi and Damon?' Her sister's voice half made her start.

'I… I don't know,' she stammered.

'I told you, you shouldn't have left them on their own. What if CiCi's done something to him? You know how spiteful she can be.'

'I thought you were supposed to be her friend.'

'I am her friend. But that doesn't mean I don't see her for what she is,' she paused for a moment as her eyes examined the room more closely. 'The air's moving funny, I don't like it.'

'Funny how?' Hazelnut studied her. 'What is it telling you?'

'I don't know, it's like… it's like it's trying to tell me two different things at once.'

'We have to find them,' Hazelnut sighed. 'Fetch Kasey will you? The sooner we get them back the better the chances are we won't have to tell anyone they're missing.'