Chapter 40, Piece 30 * * * * * * * *
Mokuba couldn't help smiling as he watched Seto. The Annual Children's Day event at KaibaLand was always fun, but this year Seto was off the chain.
Seto had created the event when the park opened. It was a massive outlay of transportation and housing for orphans, at-risk youth, and underprivileged kids that involved bringing the children to the park, feeding them, housing them overnight and returning them in the next day. Hell of an expense, but the tax deduction was impressive - and the annual boost in sales more than paid for the event.
Even before the accident Seto usually participated in the games and tried to meet some of the children. But generally he spent the day making sure the park was running smoothly and that the guardians who came with the children were satisfied.
Not so this year.
The day had started with Seto waking Mokuba at 4am - Seto's new KaibaLand t-shirt still creased from its packaging - wanting to go open the park. He'd behaved like Yugi on a sugar rush. When they did get to the park around 7am, Seto made sure that there were casually-dressed managers assigned to operations. From the minute the gates opened, Seto entire focus had been on the kids having fun.
He gave hugs, kissed boo-boos, wiped tears, started a water pistol fight, coaxed some kids to ride, and sat with some kids who didn't ride. He laughed out loud, and ran, and acted like a 10-year-old.
"That's what he used to be like, isn't it?" Yugi asked Mokuba.
"Yeah."
They stood in silence for a moment, watching Seto put a small girl on his shoulders so she could reach a balloon caught in a tree.
"I want him back, and I didn't even know him."
Mokuba smiled sadly. "I'm almost jealous. I used to be the only kid he picked up."
"You're too big to fit on his shoulders now."
"Yeah..."
Yugi looked at Mokuba, who turned away. "Mokie?"
"I'm cool." But there was a hitch in his voice. "I just... oh... damn it!" He sniffed and Yugi put his arm around Mokuba's shoulder.
"Mokuba?" Seto's voice made them both jump. "What's wrong? Did something happen?"
"Geez! Kaiba-kun, you scared the heck out of me!"
"Oh. Sorry. What's wrong, Mokie? Did something happen?"
"No, Nii-sama, everything's cool." But Mokuba did not turn around. "Yugi and I were just talking."
"Talking? You didn't look like you were talking."
Mokuba turned finally and faced Seto. His face was a bit puffy. "Uh, Yugi's still got an autograph session this afternoon, but I need his help over at the pavilion. We'll catch you later. You good?"
Seto frowned. "There's nothing scheduled at the pavilion until 2pm." Suddenly his eyes went wide. Then his cheeks turned bright red. "Oooooohhh! Uh, yes. I'm sure you two can resolve the pavilion issue. Take as long as you'd like. I'll -"
"Oh fer...!" Mokuba gasped as Yugi actually giggled. "Nii-sama, Yugi and I are not slipping away to fool around!"
"- make sure maintenance doesn't go over there until 1:30. Do you need anything? I heard that some of the security team always keep 'supplies' in their wallets."
"Seto!" Mokuba was also turning red. "We are not -"
"Kaiba-kun, I think those kids are looking for you again." Yugi gestured to the group Seto had been with.
"Oh! Yes, I was going to take them back to their teacher." He looked at the children then back at Mokuba. "I know you're upset about something, but are you sure you are okay for now?"
Mokuba seemed to struggle for a moment. "Yeah." He nodded. "Yeah, big bro, I'm okay."
"Okay." Seto kissed his brother's forehead. "I'm taking these children back to the food court, then I'll -" he hesitated, then shrugged, "I have no idea. I have my phone. Find me if you need me." He walked away.
"And I wouldn't object if you two did go spend an hour at the pavilion." He sang out as he left.
"Wow." Yugi smiled fondly watching Seto walk away. "As harsh as he was to you, I always wondered why you were so devoted." He looked at Mokuba. "You really are his heart. I don't think he could have re-built it without you."
"Other way around; I need him." Mokuba cleared his throat. "So, on the subject of unhealthy love interests, how's Bakura? You see him yet?"
"Tonight. He's picking me up from here." Yugi shrugged. "He's stable."
"The offer still stands. Say the word, and we can find a bed at any treatment center in the world."
"Those who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones."
The awkward silence grew until Mokuba's phone rang and he was able to escape the uncomfortable truth.
He and Yugi parted ways, and didn't meet up again until after Yugi's signing.
"Earlier," Mokuba said as they could hear announcements telling groups which parking lot to go to. "Sorry. I -"
"Just make sure there are three rooms available." Yugi smiled ruefully. "I shouldn't throw any stones either."
"Deal. Listen, why don't you guys come over for dinner. I haven't seen Bakura in ages, and Seto would love to - God damn, now what?" He glared at his ringing phone as Yugi snickered.
"Kaiba." His expression slowly drew confused. "He's where? Stop! Stop! Start from the beginning. Seto's where? The bathroom! He's what?! Are you - are you fucking mental? Where is Roland? What about Tamora? No! No, don't let anyone do a Goddamned thing. I'm on my way. What? No! Of course he won't! Roland's in charge 'til I get there. And keep everybody away. I don't need this on twitter all damn night." He hung up the phone and pinched the bridge of his nose.
"What happened?"
"Seto's allegedly holding some kid hostage, screaming about protecting me."
"What?" Yugi seemed bewildered. "But he was fine this morning. Are they sure it's him?"
"Come on." Mokuba activated his GPS tracker and followed it to his brother.
The restroom was near the south lot. A sign and cleaning cart announced that it was closed. The man near the entrance was dressed like maintenance, but Mokuba knew security when he saw them.
The guard nodded and let them pass.
Inside Tamora and Roland looked tense. With them was a woman.
"Kaiba-san," Tamora whispered. "Kaiba-sama is around the corner in the last stall. He has a .22, but he only fired a warning shot."
"He shot at you?!" Yugi whispered-screamed.
"A warning," Roland dismissed. "Wide left."
"Be cool, Yugi." Mokuba patted his friend's shoulder. "What happened?"
"That lunatic kidnapped one of my kids!" The woman snapped. The two security men hushed her.
"I know you're still there," Kaiba called out unseen. "Wait for as long as you like. You are not taking my brother anywhere. I'll shoot him first."
Mokuba choked, then covered his mouth to keep from laughing out loud. He signaled the group to go back outside.
"You're laughing?!" The outraged woman shrieked once Roland moved his hand.
"Sorry. Sorry." Mokuba tried to control himself. "He caught me off guard with that. Ma'am, first, I don't know how we got here, but I'm the brother he thinks he's holding, and I promise you, Seto will shoot himself twice before he does a thing to that kid. Everything will be fine. Yugi, could you do me a favor and find out exactly what happened?" He took the woman's hand and put it in Yugi's. "Tell him everything." He gestured toward a bench and smiled gratefully as Yugi lead the woman away.
"Okay." He turned back to Tamora and Roland. "What the hell?"
The two men exchanged a look. "We're not entirely sure. Kaiba-sama seems to believe that child services is here to take 'you' into protective custody."
"Who's the kid?"
Roland sighed. "His name is actually Mokuba. He's from the Domino Children's Home and -"
"Wait, what?"
"Yes, we believe the coincidence may have triggered some dissidence."
"Some? Hell, I'm kinda freaked out by it." Mokuba shook his head. "Ok, so some black-haired mop top, about the right height, from the right place probably needed help reaching the soap, and someone tried to take him to the bus with the other kids, or something like that?"
"Seems likely."
"So how did he get the gun?"
Tamora sighed heavily. "A security officer went in first - before it was reported that the suspect was Kaiba-sama. We believe he intended to scare what he thought was a teenage bully."
"And got his ass handed to him." Mokuba snorted. "Where's the officer?"
"Infirmary." Roland sounded a bit smug. "Kaiba-sama disarmed him and broke his rib."
They looked at each other. "Ideas?" Mokuba asked.
"You, sir," Tamora said. "You are the only one who can reach him like this. We have a tranquilizer, but he's positioned so that he can see who's coming before we have line-of-sight on him."
"Give." Mokuba put out his hand and Roland gave him the pen. "Anywhere?"
"Neck would be fastest," Tamora advised.
Mokuba nodded, took a deep breath, and went back into the restroom. "Nii-sama, I'm coming -"
"Stop there!" Seto yelled. "You are not my brother!"
"Okay, okay." Mokuba stopped. "I can talk from here. Mokuba? You okay, dude?"
"Yes," the boy called out. "He just won't let me go."
"Never, Mokie, I promise," Seto soothed. "I'll never let them take you."
"You didn't, Seto," Mokuba agreed. "Child services came twice. And you keep me safe both times. Just like you promised." Mokuba felt a lump rise in his throat remembering the incidents. "The first time was right after Gozaburo died. Do you remember?"
"Papa died," Seto replied. "They came when Papa died."
"They did? I didn't know that." Mokuba quietly took a step forward. "Tell me."
"They came and took us to - to -" Seto's voice wavered. "A house. Big. There was a - a - woman. Tsk-tsk-tsk. She always clicked her teeth like that. Always three times."
"Did she? I don't remember." He took another step, bringing him to where the bathroom turned.
"I doubt you would; you were..." Seto's voice trailed off. "You said you were eight. But you were eight when we got adopted."
"Yes, Seto. It's a puzzle. Put the pieces together. How can I be eight now if I was eight then?"
"You're trying to confuse me!" Seto snapped. "Stop it! I'm not kidding. I will kill us both before I let you separate us."
"Okay! Okay!" Mokuba tried to sound calming. "No shooting required. Actually, hey, Seto, where'd you learn to shoot?"
"Papa - no. Papa didn't even like guns in movies. But... I..."
Mokuba took the step around the corner. "Do you remember teaching me? Teaching your brother?"
Seto had the stall door open, blocking anyone from seeing them, but allowing him to use the bathroom mirror to see everything.
Mokuba slowly moved next to the sink.
Seto had the boy sitting in his lap, arms around him. They both had their legs outstretched, and Seto's ankles overlapped the boy's. Mokuba remembered sitting like that with his brother during thunderstorms and other times he was scared. And the kid did look a lot like he did when he was eight. No wonder Seto had a memory loop.
"The first time, we sat just like that - just like how you are now."
"I wanted you to feel safe," Seto said, lost in time. "I wanted you to be able to protect yourself. Hold the gun like this." He put the gun in the kid's hands and held it with him. "Always check the safety. It should be locked like this. Always."
Both Mokubas nodded - the elder both because those were the first lessons Seto taught him and because he was relieved to hear that the safety was on.
"Never point a gun at a person unless you intend to pull the trigger. Using a gun to threaten someone is useless if you cannot follow thru, so don't waste your time. Do you understand? If you aim at someone, only aim at someone you are willing to kill."
"But those men before -" the kid started.
"I didn't aim at them. I aimed at the reflection in the mirror. I wanted them to know that we are armed." Seto seemed to forget about the adult Mokuba as he spoke to the child. "They will be much more likely to take us seriously. Now. Hold it like this - safety on, yes? You see this notch? Use it to aim..."
Seto went on with the lesson and Mokuba crept closer. Finally, when Mokuba was as close as he dared move, he waited.
It was a couple minutes, but the kid looked up and the Mokubas' eyes met. The elder made a hand gesture he hoped translated to 'roll left', then took a breath and dived on his brother.
The kid - and the gun - rolled to the left, out of Seto's arms and Mokuba landed on Seto, pinning him just long enough to jab him with the sedative. Then Seto shoved his real brother and nearly choked him before the drug took affect and Seto collapsed.
Mokuba coughed for a minute.
"You ok?" The kid asked.
"Yeah." Mokuba croaked. "You?"
"Yeah." He looked at Mokuba strangely. "Are you me from the future?"
All things considered, the question wasn't too farfetched. "I don't think so. We never went to an amusement park when I was a kid. Tell me the safety is still on."
"Oh yeah!" The kid nodded. "Here." He pointed the gun at Mokuba.
"Lesson one!" Mokuba croaked.
"Oh, right!" The kid pointed the gun down and awkwardly tried to hand it over.
Mokuba took it and slipped it into his back pocket. "Ok. Ready to go?"
"Yeah." He looked at Seto. "Is he going to be in big trouble?"
"Probably. Should he be?"
"Well..." the kid seemed to think about it. "He didn't really do anything. Fuji-san said she would cane me if I didn't hurry up and he kinda flipped out."
Mokuba nodded. "I got caned once. Hurt like hell. Seto wasn't there and I dropped a bottle of juice. He never forgave the Home for it."
"You lived at the Domino Home?"
"Yeah, we both -"
"Kaiba-san?" Tamora call out. "Since you are chatting, may we assume the situation is under control."
"Oops." Mokuba grinned sheepishly at the kid. "Forgot about them. All clear!" He shouted.
Tamora and Roland appeared and picked up Seto as the Mokubas stood. "The teacher threatened the kid and Seto took it seriously. It caused a memory loop."
"Yes, I would think so." Roland said looking at the boy and the man. "The hospital?"
"Hell no. Take him home. His room."
"Where is he!?" Came a stressed woman's voice, followed by Yugi's, "I'm sure they're on their way out."
"Us first." Mokuba straightened his shirt. "Come on, kid."
They went outside and Fuji-san swept the young Mokuba into a frantic embrace.
"What happened?" Yugi asked quietly.
"Long story. But she gave Seto a chance to save me from something that he missed in reality."
"I hope you go to jail for a long, long time!" She spat as Tamora and Roland passed her with the unconscious Seto.
"Wait!" Mokuba turned his attention back to the teacher. "Ok, I'm not even going to pretend. What is this settlement going to cost us?" He looked at the kid. "And look, you caught him at a bad time, but he really is a very cool big brother. We could adopt you and..." Mokuba's voice petered out as the kid's expression changed to confused horror. "Would that be too awkward?"
"That would be creepy."
"Ok." Mokuba nodded, feeling foolish. "I can see that. Here, tell you what. Take my card. If you ever need anything - anything, ever - call me." He turned back to Fuji. "So Domino Home still canes kids. I can write you a check, or I can write about what it was like being eight at the Domino Home. Your choice."
"I don't know what you're talking about." Fuji-san looked indignantly at a nearby treetop.
"Your. Choice."
"I'm sure our lawyers will be in touch. Come along, Mokuba." She hurried away.
"She didn't say anything about caning to me." Yugi pointed out.
"The kid said that's what set Seto off, and I believe him over her."
Yugi started to speak, but was cut off by his phone ringing. "Oh geez! I forgot about Ryou!"
"Go find him. And I don't think dinner's on tonight."
"Maybe next time," Yugi agreed.