Child at Heart
Chapter 6
I know. All of this is very confusing. Because that was really how it was all this time. We didn't understand. And so we didn't understand anything else. It was that simple.
But Pegasus understood. He was probably the only one. What can we do?
" Mokuba," Seto cried over and over again, his body shakened with sobs. " Mokuba."
Finally, tired of his wailings, Joey grabbed his shirt and lifted him up.
" Get over it, Seto Kaiba!" Joey yelled. " The world doesn't revolve around Mokuba you know? So stop sniffling like some baby!"
It really wasn't his fault. Joey wasn't cold hearted. There were just times when he was impatient. I guess all boys are like that. I was like that too, five thousand years ago. But I had to learn patience as a pharaoh. Joey never needed to.
But he made the wrong move. Seto pushed him aside, a sixteen year old with a strength of one, and fell back to the couch. He stopped crying. And it looked like it would be hard to make him start again. Pegasus stood at one side shaking his head at Joey. Wrong move Joey. Wrong move. He said.
Sighing, I looked up to check on Yugi. He was still calling. Malik, and it didn't take too long to persuade him. Yugi hung up, then dialed for his next call. I looked back over. How did Seto disappear like that?
" I think you need some explanation of everything." Pegasus said pleasantly, sitting where Seto once was. Seto was probably upstairs, or outside, wherever he could be.
Oh, we certainly did.
" No one understands Seto except for the other children at the orphanage." Pegasus continued. " And even they don't understand him. Seto was too smart. They were jealous. All of the families chose Seto but he refused them all. And all because of Mokuba."
" He was twelve years old. He can't even take care of himself. So how was he supposed to take care of his brother, who is even younger than he is? Mokuba was Seto's responsibility. So Seto had to take care of him no matter what. But Seto also has to preserve himself. With the use of his old magical powers, Seto created a shield. His shield is his body, protecting his heart. His shield is his developing mind."
" That settles the shield thing." Joey answered. " But what about the twelve to five and to six?"
" Do you see anyone else in this world named Kaiba?" Pegasus asked.
" Um, no? What has that got to do with it?" Tristan asked.
" He has no one." Pegasus answered. " No family. That is the whole point of the shield. To protect himself. The five year old and six year old is his innocence. Whenever he expresses a character of a younger age, his soul returns to that age to emphasize it."
" So that's how it works, huh?" Tristan blinked. " Does that mean he'll return to an eighteen month old state?"
At this, to all of our surprise, Pegasus blushed.
" I don't know." Pegasus answered timidly. " I certainly hope not, for Seto's ego. But so far it has never happened, and most likely will not, since an infant does not have a wary conscience."
" Well, that makes sense." Bakura nodded. " This is quite an interesting trait Kaiba has."
" It is." Pegasus smiled bitterly. " And there's more."
There isn't really much you need to know. There isn't much you'll understand. Sixteen years is a long time, too much to tell. Just imagine every day of your life is a struggle for survival, for maintenance, for your soul, as well as someone else's. Just imagine every second, you worry, whether you'll live, whether someone else will live, whether you'll find yourself. And you'll get a glimpse of what Seto's life is. Maybe not even that.
You can imagine our confusion, even after Pegasus described all that he knew. He knew much more, but that was not important for the quest. In reality I should have known what Seto was going through. I was young then. I was Pharoah. But I still had my mother. I remember one time, some days after we rescued Mokuba. Seto and Pegasus were sitting on the sofa at the island in the living room, and Joey was munching on the sandwiches the servants served. I brought up the topic that the two of them use to be eternal enemies.
At that comment Pegasus started laughing hysterically, Seto doing the same. We all stared at them in surprise, but it seems the more they think of it the more funny it seemed. Was this some private joke?
" Reminds me of the Montagues and Capulets." Seto snorted. " As for eternal enemies, yeah, I guess we were, sort of, kind of. By the way Max, you still owe me a game!"
" True." Pegasus had answered. " I still owe you one. After we calm down." He chuckled more, very ungracefully, but it couldn't be helped.
" What's so funny?" I finally asked, annoyed.
" Oh, nothing. Just the statement. We were really hateful of each other." Pegasus punched Seto lightly in the arm for emphasis. " But of course, we found that we share one thing in common."
" What?"
" We both lost people." Pegasus wrapped his arm around Seto's shoulders as the teenager spoke. " We both lost people we love. We're both weird."
" Weird?" Joey stopped eating.
" Yeah, well, you know. Cecilia's death drove Max mad. From a painter to a business man- now that doesn't seem very logical does it? But of course, the way our minds work, it would be. Mokuba's death drove me to depression, and that is called mental problem. So our minds are going haywire. We're both insane."
" You-" Tea looked confused.
The two legends broke down into hysterics yet again, and Seto shouted out at us as if it was obvious.
" You vapid geniuses! It's called Loneliness!"
Malik and Shadi were not happy with the plan, for one thing-there were enemies in that realm, and for another, none of us had ever been there from our own will, except for Pegasus and Bakura, who were only there for dueling. Both of them fingered their millennium items nervously as we told them why we must go on this journey.
It took some persuading. Not because they didn't want to help Seto, but because they were more or less nervous about the Shadow Realm. The realm has no boundaries. You can get lost easily-or find yourself. It depends on how you travel. They weren't really sure how the Shadow Realm works without us controlling it. They had a reason to be nervous.
We had one too. But for the sake of Seto we didn't really have much choice. Also for the sake of Mokuba.
I remember that time when it was Pegasus who curiously asked the question.
" Why are we doing this again?"
We didn't know the answer. But we know it isn't just because of Mokuba anymore.
This time when we reached there, the guardians weren't there. Instead there was a vast open hole in the middle of the darkness. Seto threw something in it and it vanished.
" I don't think I want to go in there." Tristan stated. " Who knows, maybe it's a bottomless pit of some sort."
" It is." I blinked curiously. " Funny. I thought those things have vanished."
" Well, they're here alright." Joey peered down. " Anyway we can get around?"
Something made both Seto and Pegasus start.
" You heard that?" Pegasus asked in surprise.
" Did you say that?"
" No."
" Oh, but I thought I did-"
" You did?"
" I think I did,"
The conversation wasn't leading anywhere, but Pegasus looked confused and Seto looked shocked.
" What's that all about?" Joey asked the question we'd all been thinking.
But Seto didn't tell us. It happened to be that Seto had read Pegasus' thoughts.
" The thing is too wide." Seto looked to the side. " We'll have to jump it."
" What?" Tristan paled. " But-hey, wait!"
Seto somersaulted over, slipped, and dug his rod into the darkness. It held. He stayed there for a while, catching his breath, before hauling himself up.
" Oh, sure. All of us can do that stunt. Yeah, right. And we could make it A-okay. I'm so not doin that!" Joey backed off.
" You don't have to." Seto answered. " Yami can bring you guys back. I already did it. I'm not turning back."
" Wait. We're coming." I begged him to wait. Seto hesitated, and for a minute I think there was a sort of understanding between us. It was brief, but it did the job.
Mingling with Yugi, I performed the same stunt, although perhaps because I was more at home in this world then Seto was I was more successful. Bakura went next. He had more difficulty-he near fell in. We pulled him up, and found that he was trembling. I could not blame him.
" Um, my turn?" Tristan asked. But before he could object Pegasus took the jump. He did it quite gracefully, although he didn't somersault like Seto and I did, but he almost knocked me over. He wasn't trembling-he was very calm, and with a brief apology we waited for the two boys and Tea to come over.
After that challenge we turned and found a sword on the ground. The sword was covered with blood, hilt and all.
" Um, I don't like that." Tea backed a little. Seto studied the sword, but he didn't touch it.
" Come. Mokuba is this way." Pegasus instructed. I briefly wondered what made him able to see that. Then I realized Seto was already ahead when Pegasus spoke.
There were grasses. There were actually grasses. But they competed with weeds, and they were all dry, brown, withered to dust. Flowers stood in their hardened beauty, dry, faded into dullish brown. Trees stood bare, white and pale. The very place makes one feel dead.
Seto walked on as if he didn't see anything. His jaw was set, his eyes were blank. A shadow loomed before us. Tea cried out, but was hushed by Joey. Seto and Pegasus stood side by side, unafraid.
" Who dares intrude upon the gates of the banned?" A deep voice rumbled.
Pegasus and Seto said nothing. The younger boy only stared defiantly in front of him.
" You cannot pass."
" You dare defy?" Was Seto's strange answer. The shadow shifted, as if cowed by Seto's daring voice. But it couldn't be...
" You cannot pass." And that answer seemed final. Seemed.
Seto raised his staff. A queer light glimmered on its edge.
" I will pass." Seto answered. He struck. The Shadow blocked, with a sword.
" We do not wish to harm you, little one." Said a feminine voice. I turned. She was the Change of Heart card.
" We cannot let you pass." Said the first shadow.
I tried to push ahead. Something kept me back. A spear.
" You have always risked many things, little one." Said the shadows. " Are you willing to risk the souls of all your friends?"
At that Seto seemed thoughtful. He eyed Pegasus for a while, then turned his stare to the rest of us.
" No. They can go."
" Yet they are not leaving."
And it's true. Despite the fact that Tea was scared, Joey was upset, and Tristan was downright angry, none of us were turning back. We were pushing on. Just like we pushed on everything in the past.
" That is their choice." Seto answered. " And I won't bother changing it. So make us leave. If you can."
Chapter 6
I know. All of this is very confusing. Because that was really how it was all this time. We didn't understand. And so we didn't understand anything else. It was that simple.
But Pegasus understood. He was probably the only one. What can we do?
" Mokuba," Seto cried over and over again, his body shakened with sobs. " Mokuba."
Finally, tired of his wailings, Joey grabbed his shirt and lifted him up.
" Get over it, Seto Kaiba!" Joey yelled. " The world doesn't revolve around Mokuba you know? So stop sniffling like some baby!"
It really wasn't his fault. Joey wasn't cold hearted. There were just times when he was impatient. I guess all boys are like that. I was like that too, five thousand years ago. But I had to learn patience as a pharaoh. Joey never needed to.
But he made the wrong move. Seto pushed him aside, a sixteen year old with a strength of one, and fell back to the couch. He stopped crying. And it looked like it would be hard to make him start again. Pegasus stood at one side shaking his head at Joey. Wrong move Joey. Wrong move. He said.
Sighing, I looked up to check on Yugi. He was still calling. Malik, and it didn't take too long to persuade him. Yugi hung up, then dialed for his next call. I looked back over. How did Seto disappear like that?
" I think you need some explanation of everything." Pegasus said pleasantly, sitting where Seto once was. Seto was probably upstairs, or outside, wherever he could be.
Oh, we certainly did.
" No one understands Seto except for the other children at the orphanage." Pegasus continued. " And even they don't understand him. Seto was too smart. They were jealous. All of the families chose Seto but he refused them all. And all because of Mokuba."
" He was twelve years old. He can't even take care of himself. So how was he supposed to take care of his brother, who is even younger than he is? Mokuba was Seto's responsibility. So Seto had to take care of him no matter what. But Seto also has to preserve himself. With the use of his old magical powers, Seto created a shield. His shield is his body, protecting his heart. His shield is his developing mind."
" That settles the shield thing." Joey answered. " But what about the twelve to five and to six?"
" Do you see anyone else in this world named Kaiba?" Pegasus asked.
" Um, no? What has that got to do with it?" Tristan asked.
" He has no one." Pegasus answered. " No family. That is the whole point of the shield. To protect himself. The five year old and six year old is his innocence. Whenever he expresses a character of a younger age, his soul returns to that age to emphasize it."
" So that's how it works, huh?" Tristan blinked. " Does that mean he'll return to an eighteen month old state?"
At this, to all of our surprise, Pegasus blushed.
" I don't know." Pegasus answered timidly. " I certainly hope not, for Seto's ego. But so far it has never happened, and most likely will not, since an infant does not have a wary conscience."
" Well, that makes sense." Bakura nodded. " This is quite an interesting trait Kaiba has."
" It is." Pegasus smiled bitterly. " And there's more."
There isn't really much you need to know. There isn't much you'll understand. Sixteen years is a long time, too much to tell. Just imagine every day of your life is a struggle for survival, for maintenance, for your soul, as well as someone else's. Just imagine every second, you worry, whether you'll live, whether someone else will live, whether you'll find yourself. And you'll get a glimpse of what Seto's life is. Maybe not even that.
You can imagine our confusion, even after Pegasus described all that he knew. He knew much more, but that was not important for the quest. In reality I should have known what Seto was going through. I was young then. I was Pharoah. But I still had my mother. I remember one time, some days after we rescued Mokuba. Seto and Pegasus were sitting on the sofa at the island in the living room, and Joey was munching on the sandwiches the servants served. I brought up the topic that the two of them use to be eternal enemies.
At that comment Pegasus started laughing hysterically, Seto doing the same. We all stared at them in surprise, but it seems the more they think of it the more funny it seemed. Was this some private joke?
" Reminds me of the Montagues and Capulets." Seto snorted. " As for eternal enemies, yeah, I guess we were, sort of, kind of. By the way Max, you still owe me a game!"
" True." Pegasus had answered. " I still owe you one. After we calm down." He chuckled more, very ungracefully, but it couldn't be helped.
" What's so funny?" I finally asked, annoyed.
" Oh, nothing. Just the statement. We were really hateful of each other." Pegasus punched Seto lightly in the arm for emphasis. " But of course, we found that we share one thing in common."
" What?"
" We both lost people." Pegasus wrapped his arm around Seto's shoulders as the teenager spoke. " We both lost people we love. We're both weird."
" Weird?" Joey stopped eating.
" Yeah, well, you know. Cecilia's death drove Max mad. From a painter to a business man- now that doesn't seem very logical does it? But of course, the way our minds work, it would be. Mokuba's death drove me to depression, and that is called mental problem. So our minds are going haywire. We're both insane."
" You-" Tea looked confused.
The two legends broke down into hysterics yet again, and Seto shouted out at us as if it was obvious.
" You vapid geniuses! It's called Loneliness!"
Malik and Shadi were not happy with the plan, for one thing-there were enemies in that realm, and for another, none of us had ever been there from our own will, except for Pegasus and Bakura, who were only there for dueling. Both of them fingered their millennium items nervously as we told them why we must go on this journey.
It took some persuading. Not because they didn't want to help Seto, but because they were more or less nervous about the Shadow Realm. The realm has no boundaries. You can get lost easily-or find yourself. It depends on how you travel. They weren't really sure how the Shadow Realm works without us controlling it. They had a reason to be nervous.
We had one too. But for the sake of Seto we didn't really have much choice. Also for the sake of Mokuba.
I remember that time when it was Pegasus who curiously asked the question.
" Why are we doing this again?"
We didn't know the answer. But we know it isn't just because of Mokuba anymore.
This time when we reached there, the guardians weren't there. Instead there was a vast open hole in the middle of the darkness. Seto threw something in it and it vanished.
" I don't think I want to go in there." Tristan stated. " Who knows, maybe it's a bottomless pit of some sort."
" It is." I blinked curiously. " Funny. I thought those things have vanished."
" Well, they're here alright." Joey peered down. " Anyway we can get around?"
Something made both Seto and Pegasus start.
" You heard that?" Pegasus asked in surprise.
" Did you say that?"
" No."
" Oh, but I thought I did-"
" You did?"
" I think I did,"
The conversation wasn't leading anywhere, but Pegasus looked confused and Seto looked shocked.
" What's that all about?" Joey asked the question we'd all been thinking.
But Seto didn't tell us. It happened to be that Seto had read Pegasus' thoughts.
" The thing is too wide." Seto looked to the side. " We'll have to jump it."
" What?" Tristan paled. " But-hey, wait!"
Seto somersaulted over, slipped, and dug his rod into the darkness. It held. He stayed there for a while, catching his breath, before hauling himself up.
" Oh, sure. All of us can do that stunt. Yeah, right. And we could make it A-okay. I'm so not doin that!" Joey backed off.
" You don't have to." Seto answered. " Yami can bring you guys back. I already did it. I'm not turning back."
" Wait. We're coming." I begged him to wait. Seto hesitated, and for a minute I think there was a sort of understanding between us. It was brief, but it did the job.
Mingling with Yugi, I performed the same stunt, although perhaps because I was more at home in this world then Seto was I was more successful. Bakura went next. He had more difficulty-he near fell in. We pulled him up, and found that he was trembling. I could not blame him.
" Um, my turn?" Tristan asked. But before he could object Pegasus took the jump. He did it quite gracefully, although he didn't somersault like Seto and I did, but he almost knocked me over. He wasn't trembling-he was very calm, and with a brief apology we waited for the two boys and Tea to come over.
After that challenge we turned and found a sword on the ground. The sword was covered with blood, hilt and all.
" Um, I don't like that." Tea backed a little. Seto studied the sword, but he didn't touch it.
" Come. Mokuba is this way." Pegasus instructed. I briefly wondered what made him able to see that. Then I realized Seto was already ahead when Pegasus spoke.
There were grasses. There were actually grasses. But they competed with weeds, and they were all dry, brown, withered to dust. Flowers stood in their hardened beauty, dry, faded into dullish brown. Trees stood bare, white and pale. The very place makes one feel dead.
Seto walked on as if he didn't see anything. His jaw was set, his eyes were blank. A shadow loomed before us. Tea cried out, but was hushed by Joey. Seto and Pegasus stood side by side, unafraid.
" Who dares intrude upon the gates of the banned?" A deep voice rumbled.
Pegasus and Seto said nothing. The younger boy only stared defiantly in front of him.
" You cannot pass."
" You dare defy?" Was Seto's strange answer. The shadow shifted, as if cowed by Seto's daring voice. But it couldn't be...
" You cannot pass." And that answer seemed final. Seemed.
Seto raised his staff. A queer light glimmered on its edge.
" I will pass." Seto answered. He struck. The Shadow blocked, with a sword.
" We do not wish to harm you, little one." Said a feminine voice. I turned. She was the Change of Heart card.
" We cannot let you pass." Said the first shadow.
I tried to push ahead. Something kept me back. A spear.
" You have always risked many things, little one." Said the shadows. " Are you willing to risk the souls of all your friends?"
At that Seto seemed thoughtful. He eyed Pegasus for a while, then turned his stare to the rest of us.
" No. They can go."
" Yet they are not leaving."
And it's true. Despite the fact that Tea was scared, Joey was upset, and Tristan was downright angry, none of us were turning back. We were pushing on. Just like we pushed on everything in the past.
" That is their choice." Seto answered. " And I won't bother changing it. So make us leave. If you can."