THE NEW GAME
"Seto, do we have to?" He asks from his place, a few steps behind me.
"Yes." I reply without looking down at him.
"But it's late and I'm so tired, big brother."
"Then, I will carry you." I sigh as I stoop down. He walks up behind me and grabs my shoulders so I can hoist him onto my back. I continue down the street, my thin, thirteen-year-old frame bending under the weight of my brother. But I can't leave him-that was never even an option-and he can't follow as fast as I can lead. I shift his weight a bit so that it's more on the evenly distributed and try to keep going. Just five more steps, I promise myself. And then ten more and fifteen more. Just past the park. Around the corner. Past the restaurant. A bit further. I continue on, promising myself a rest and then never taking it. I stop for a second and take my eyes off the sidewalk, looking off into the distance. I can see the train station!
'We're almost there. We can make it!' I tell myself. 'This time is for sure. So close! We can escape!'
"Master Seto?" I hear a voice ask and my shoulders drop. "Master Seto, please. Come with me."
I evaluate my options, but there's really only one. I could run but the driver can easily catch me before I run more than a few feet. Besides, even if I did make it to the station, I'd need to buy two tickets, which would slow me down. I feel the drivers rest his hand lightly on my shoulder and I nod.
"So close." I whisper, as I allow myself to be lead away from the train station and towards the waiting limousine. "I was so close this time."
I lay Mokuba across one seat and sit down across from him. Glancing at the watch on my wrist, I see it's just past midnight.
"Master wants to see you when we return." The driver tells me. I don't blink or show that I heard the driver. It's always the same story anyway; why respond to the formality any more than I had too?
"I'll have to put Mokuba to bed." I tell him after a minute of consideration. It's not original, but why screw with tradition?
"Master says I am to help your brother get ready for bed." The driver whispers, causing me to start. That was new.
"But I always put Mokuba to bed." I argue.
"Master says I am to help your brother get ready for bed." The driver repeated, sounding a bit apologetic. Well screw him and his apologizes!
"Fine." I grumble. Settling back into the soft seats, I let a frown cross my face. What new game was Gozaburo playing?
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"Come in." Gozaburo called from inside his office. Entering, I bow as little as I can get away with and straighten up.
"Sir." I address him, before shutting my mouth and waiting. Another part of the ritual.
"Well, Seto. How far did you get tonight?"
"Within sight of the train station, sir." I tell him smugly, which causes him to frown.
"Seto, this game must stop."
"I wasn't aware this was a game." I tell him, and he glares at me for not 'finishing' the sentence. "Sir."
"Ah, but you see, it is. A game is really just an exercise. A series of events which lack a purpose and leave you exactly where you where when you started. Amusement or a diversion, but nothing more."
"But a game can also be a project or a plan." I point out.
"But never a serious one. And believe me, Seto. Your life under me, should you not cease these juvenile and futile ploys, will become very serious. Very serious, indeed. See I've begun to tire of these pointless activities. So I've decided to change the rules."
"Sir?"
"Indeed, Seto. Things are going to change very quickly. For example, the punishment for this latest escape attempt of yours will not include the usual ten new computer programs. Instead, from now on you will report to the gym at five o'clock each and every morning and meet with your new....... 'instructor'. After an hour, you will report for our usual training session....... which will no longer include a lunch break. After we are finished, you will be allowed a bit of supper and then you will meet again with your instructor until you are dismissed. Oh, and from now on, you will not be allowed to see your brother alone."
"What?! You can't do that!" I cry, the blood draining from my face.
"I can and I have! Listen you punk, you think you can set all the rules here, but I beg to differ. I make the rules! I decide the game!" Gozaburo barks, before calming down and smiling slightly. "Besides, Seto. You wouldn't want Mokuba to get....... hurt, would you?"
"You wouldn't dare." I hiss, though I know the threat is not entirely empty. He'd hurt Mokuba before. Mostly to punish me or keep me in line. He knew that the beatings and other punishments he gave me were as a slap on the wrist to me. My real vulnerability, my soft spot, the weak point in my hardened armor, was Mokuba. He knew it as well as I did and he was not afraid to use my opening against me. My chest burned with rage, and I narrowed my eyes before taking an offensive step forward. "I'd kill you first!"
"I very much doubt that, Seto." The monster sniffs coldly and I mutter a rude word in response.
"Well, it's late, and you've got an early start tomorrow, don't you? Come closer boy." He beckons to me, ignoring my comment. "You didn't think you've escaped the other part of your normal punishment....... did you?"
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Limping into my room, I lay down on my small bed and try to relax my stiff body. Every inch of me hurts and any sudden movement inflames the pains until it is next to unbearable. Ignoring the excruciating pain that is shooting through my back and shoulders, I roll onto my side and look over at the chess set that is within reach of my bed. The pieces are all over the board, because I had to stop mid-game. Reaching out, I let my fingers rest on one of the pieces before contemplating the board again.
"Gozaburo keeps order with threats and violence." I whisper to myself. Black king advances.
"I escape with Mokuba." White king counters.
"Driver catches up with us and takes Mokuba off to bed; Gozaburo threatens to separate us." Black knight captures white queen; check.
"I sacrifice privilege to see Mokuba again." White pawn sacrificed in exchange for the return of the white queen.
"I wait and rethink escape." White king regroups and begins new assault.
Leaning back, I rest my head on the bed and try to ignore the newly intensified pains in my legs and lower back.
"To win in chess the opposing king must be taken." I tell myself as I try to think of a new plan of escape.
"So, in order to win I must-" I begin, as I search for the answer. Frowning I try to think of the obvious equivalent, when it is suddenly completely obvious.
"To win I must eliminate Gozaburo."
AN: Again, I've added the authors note at the end. Sometimes it's hard to place the AN at the beginning without spoiling the story. Anyway, this one is a slight diverge from another 'Seto Tales' chapter (I'm still not done that one, and I doubt I ever shall be). Interesting insight into why Seto chose to kill Gozaburo and why he did it when he did. Anyway, I'm not actually sure if this is perfectly in line with the manga/anime version of events, but oh well. R&R! -NightsClaws
"Seto, do we have to?" He asks from his place, a few steps behind me.
"Yes." I reply without looking down at him.
"But it's late and I'm so tired, big brother."
"Then, I will carry you." I sigh as I stoop down. He walks up behind me and grabs my shoulders so I can hoist him onto my back. I continue down the street, my thin, thirteen-year-old frame bending under the weight of my brother. But I can't leave him-that was never even an option-and he can't follow as fast as I can lead. I shift his weight a bit so that it's more on the evenly distributed and try to keep going. Just five more steps, I promise myself. And then ten more and fifteen more. Just past the park. Around the corner. Past the restaurant. A bit further. I continue on, promising myself a rest and then never taking it. I stop for a second and take my eyes off the sidewalk, looking off into the distance. I can see the train station!
'We're almost there. We can make it!' I tell myself. 'This time is for sure. So close! We can escape!'
"Master Seto?" I hear a voice ask and my shoulders drop. "Master Seto, please. Come with me."
I evaluate my options, but there's really only one. I could run but the driver can easily catch me before I run more than a few feet. Besides, even if I did make it to the station, I'd need to buy two tickets, which would slow me down. I feel the drivers rest his hand lightly on my shoulder and I nod.
"So close." I whisper, as I allow myself to be lead away from the train station and towards the waiting limousine. "I was so close this time."
I lay Mokuba across one seat and sit down across from him. Glancing at the watch on my wrist, I see it's just past midnight.
"Master wants to see you when we return." The driver tells me. I don't blink or show that I heard the driver. It's always the same story anyway; why respond to the formality any more than I had too?
"I'll have to put Mokuba to bed." I tell him after a minute of consideration. It's not original, but why screw with tradition?
"Master says I am to help your brother get ready for bed." The driver whispers, causing me to start. That was new.
"But I always put Mokuba to bed." I argue.
"Master says I am to help your brother get ready for bed." The driver repeated, sounding a bit apologetic. Well screw him and his apologizes!
"Fine." I grumble. Settling back into the soft seats, I let a frown cross my face. What new game was Gozaburo playing?
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"Come in." Gozaburo called from inside his office. Entering, I bow as little as I can get away with and straighten up.
"Sir." I address him, before shutting my mouth and waiting. Another part of the ritual.
"Well, Seto. How far did you get tonight?"
"Within sight of the train station, sir." I tell him smugly, which causes him to frown.
"Seto, this game must stop."
"I wasn't aware this was a game." I tell him, and he glares at me for not 'finishing' the sentence. "Sir."
"Ah, but you see, it is. A game is really just an exercise. A series of events which lack a purpose and leave you exactly where you where when you started. Amusement or a diversion, but nothing more."
"But a game can also be a project or a plan." I point out.
"But never a serious one. And believe me, Seto. Your life under me, should you not cease these juvenile and futile ploys, will become very serious. Very serious, indeed. See I've begun to tire of these pointless activities. So I've decided to change the rules."
"Sir?"
"Indeed, Seto. Things are going to change very quickly. For example, the punishment for this latest escape attempt of yours will not include the usual ten new computer programs. Instead, from now on you will report to the gym at five o'clock each and every morning and meet with your new....... 'instructor'. After an hour, you will report for our usual training session....... which will no longer include a lunch break. After we are finished, you will be allowed a bit of supper and then you will meet again with your instructor until you are dismissed. Oh, and from now on, you will not be allowed to see your brother alone."
"What?! You can't do that!" I cry, the blood draining from my face.
"I can and I have! Listen you punk, you think you can set all the rules here, but I beg to differ. I make the rules! I decide the game!" Gozaburo barks, before calming down and smiling slightly. "Besides, Seto. You wouldn't want Mokuba to get....... hurt, would you?"
"You wouldn't dare." I hiss, though I know the threat is not entirely empty. He'd hurt Mokuba before. Mostly to punish me or keep me in line. He knew that the beatings and other punishments he gave me were as a slap on the wrist to me. My real vulnerability, my soft spot, the weak point in my hardened armor, was Mokuba. He knew it as well as I did and he was not afraid to use my opening against me. My chest burned with rage, and I narrowed my eyes before taking an offensive step forward. "I'd kill you first!"
"I very much doubt that, Seto." The monster sniffs coldly and I mutter a rude word in response.
"Well, it's late, and you've got an early start tomorrow, don't you? Come closer boy." He beckons to me, ignoring my comment. "You didn't think you've escaped the other part of your normal punishment....... did you?"
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Limping into my room, I lay down on my small bed and try to relax my stiff body. Every inch of me hurts and any sudden movement inflames the pains until it is next to unbearable. Ignoring the excruciating pain that is shooting through my back and shoulders, I roll onto my side and look over at the chess set that is within reach of my bed. The pieces are all over the board, because I had to stop mid-game. Reaching out, I let my fingers rest on one of the pieces before contemplating the board again.
"Gozaburo keeps order with threats and violence." I whisper to myself. Black king advances.
"I escape with Mokuba." White king counters.
"Driver catches up with us and takes Mokuba off to bed; Gozaburo threatens to separate us." Black knight captures white queen; check.
"I sacrifice privilege to see Mokuba again." White pawn sacrificed in exchange for the return of the white queen.
"I wait and rethink escape." White king regroups and begins new assault.
Leaning back, I rest my head on the bed and try to ignore the newly intensified pains in my legs and lower back.
"To win in chess the opposing king must be taken." I tell myself as I try to think of a new plan of escape.
"So, in order to win I must-" I begin, as I search for the answer. Frowning I try to think of the obvious equivalent, when it is suddenly completely obvious.
"To win I must eliminate Gozaburo."
AN: Again, I've added the authors note at the end. Sometimes it's hard to place the AN at the beginning without spoiling the story. Anyway, this one is a slight diverge from another 'Seto Tales' chapter (I'm still not done that one, and I doubt I ever shall be). Interesting insight into why Seto chose to kill Gozaburo and why he did it when he did. Anyway, I'm not actually sure if this is perfectly in line with the manga/anime version of events, but oh well. R&R! -NightsClaws