The next day, Mokuba found his counterpart watching television and struck up a conversation. He was curious about the similarities between their worlds and why his other self was so close to his brother.
"So you're saying Seto promised to always protect you, huh?"
"Yeah, I remember when it happened. I told him I was scared when we first went to the orphanage. He said he'd always be there for me, and he turned down a lot of families who wanted to adopt him because they wouldn't take me too."
"Really? Things happened a lot differently here. I don't remember anything like that. Kaiba went with the first person that wanted to adopt him. Maybe he didn't care about me as much as Seto cares about you. Do you think anything could have changed what happened?" Before his counterpart could answer, another train of thought struck Mokuba. "They're both so different now than they were at the orphanage. What happened when they were adopted? On my first day here, Kaiba looked really upset when I mentioned his father. I thought it was because he was dead, but… What did happen?"
"Seto said that your brother should tell you."
"That's what he told me too, but I'm not sure I can ask him yet. Hey, um, so much has changed in both their personalities. How do you know that Seto still loves you?"
His counterpart was at first surprised by the question but then grinned. "Oh, that's easy! Seto and I have a relationship that only we can really understand. He lets his guard down around me. I know he trusts me because he tells me things about what he plans to do with the company, with his deck and new inventions for the game, and most everything before anyone else. I know how to use all of his equipment, and a lot of times I help his crew when he tests new stuff. Sometimes, we can be in a room filled his employees, and he'll talk directly to me like I'm the most important person there. Besides, he lets me carry his briefcase. It's filled with rare cards, and not just anyone gets to touch it."
"I see," Mokuba said as he tried to take everything in. "Do you think Kaiba could care about me that way? Even after everything?"
"Sure. He's just more subtle about these things than Yugi or his friends would be. He hasn't had an easy life. It was so much harder for him than you may think."
Mokuba nodded. "If anyone asks, tell them I went for a walk around the neighborhood. I want to explore it a little more."
~`~`~`~`~`~
A little later"You can't compare him to me."
"You're too hard on him, Seto."
"That spineless coward is not worth your sympathy Mokuba," the older boy said. He had joined him a few minutes after his brother's counterpart left. "But we have to get him to bond with this world's version of you before we can leave. I'm impatient to begin my tournament and find the other two god cards."
"He is letting us stay at his house. And things are different here," the younger boy persisted. "Maybe he…"
"He has his reasons for that. Can you imagine the trouble it would cause if the general public found out we have doubles? There are enough problems for us to focus on already. Besides, he failed to take care of his brother. Whether he actually made a verbal promise or not is immaterial. It should have been second nature to him." Maybe his sibling could forgive even an alternate version of himself, a pathetic copy, for anything, but Seto could not forget Kaiba's incompetence or what had resulted from it.
The child looked up at him with large, adoring eyes. He knew he could never win an argument against his brother, and so he stopped trying. "I'm glad I ended up with you for a brother, Seto," he said.
At that moment, the younger sibling noticed Kaiba step up to the couch. "Do you know where he is?"
"He went to explore the neighborhood some more," Mokuba answered since the question was directed at him.
As Kaiba walked away, Mokuba turned back to his own brother. "Do you think he heard everything we said?"
"Most of it."
~`~`~`~`~`~
Mokuba wandered down the street lost in thought. He didn't see where he was going when he bumped into another kid who looked like he could only be a few years older than he was.
"Hey! You're Kaiba's brother, aren't you? Mokuba, is it? I've heard about you."
Mokuba nodded, and the other boy unexpectedly punched him hard in the stomach. Mokuba fell backwards and looked up at the other boy with a mix of fear and confusion in his eyes. "I knew I'd run into you eventually," the boy told him. "That jerk fired my father. He's going to pay for what he's done, and I'll start with you." He moved to hit Mokuba again.
But before he could make contact, a hand grabbed his shoulder and stopped him. Mokuba looked up to see Kaiba standing over him. "Your father was caught stealing money from my company," the young CEO told him. "That's why he's in jail now. Since you're beginning your own career as a juvenile delinquent, you'll probably join him in a few years. Now, I suggest you leave before I make you sorry you ever laid eyes on my little brother." The bully needed no further encouragement as he looked up at the tall, menacing boy in front of him. He turned in the opposite direction and ran as fast as his legs would carry him. Kaiba looked back to Mokuba, who was beginning to stand up. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah, I think so."
"Good. Let's go back."
Mokuba turned to follow behind him. "Thank you," he said after a few moments.
Kaiba merely nodded in acknowledgement.
~`~`~`~`~`~
When they got back to the mansion, Kaiba instructed Mokuba to follow him to a room which contained a large computer. "When I took over Kaiba Corp, there was a corporate policy in place stating that only a Kaiba family member could take control of the company. I have never changed this, which means that you may one day inherit Kaiba Corporation if you choose to accept the responsibility. You have years before you need to worry about that decision of course, but there are several things that you will have to understand very well if you do choose to accept the position."
"You mean like how to work all of this?" Mokuba asked, gesturing to the machinery around the room.
"That's part of it. I can teach you a little about the company and how things are run now. I'll allow you to help eventually when I test the new systems."
"And you'll teach me how to hack into a computer too?"
"In time. We need to analyze your current computer skills first before I decide where to start. It will take time to even get up to the level that your other self is at right now, but I'll work with you a little every day if you want. We'll start off small at first. You've always been a quick learner, and this should be fun for you if the other Mokuba's opinions are any indication. Of course, this is your decision to make."
His little brother could not turn down the opportunity to learn from one of the best hackers in the world, and every day since then, Kaiba and Mokuba spent hours of their free time together going over computer skills, programs, and other valuable lessons. The older boy was actually a patient instructor, and with their counterparts around to help, Mokuba progressed slightly quicker than Kaiba had even hoped. While he know it would take much more time for him to learn all that his other self was capable of, Mokuba was not discouraged and found that he was beginning to understand and enjoy spending time with his older brother.
To Be Continued