Title: The Road To Hell
Rating: PG13
Category: Angst, Character Introspective.
Pairings: None
Summary: Duelist Kingdom. Mokuba gets an unexpected visit in his cell and Kaiba gets a surprise in the Shadow Realm. Upset/Slightly Sappy Mokuba, Evil Pegasus, and Guilt-Ridden Kaiba. Any more would be telling.
Warnings: Some swearing. Allusions to child abuse. Slight Spoilers for Duelist Kingdom as well as small things from Battle City and the Kaiba brothers' past.
Notes: BEWD names come from the PS2 Game FalseBound Kingdom. There are also a couple hidden POTC references, see if you can find them. Also, I'm fairly certain the "Shadow Realm" Pegasus sends Poor Unfortunate Souls to and the world the Duel Monsters hail from are separate. For this, just picture them as the same; or if you prefer, close enough for inter-dimensional travel.
Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh is not mine. If it was, there'd be uncut dub DVDs with the Japanese language track and subtitles.
Dedication: To Elf and Chav. Two fellow Kaiba-fangirls who somehow put up with me. You guys just rock!
The Road To Hell
By: Kaibangelus
Mokuba struggled with his chains, though by now he knew it was useless. The noise of the shifting metal couldn't quite block the sounds of footsteps and Mokuba quieted and held his breath. He had felt his Niisama's presence on the island, but he hadn't thought his rescue would come so soon.
Mokuba lifted up his head and began to rise, "Nii-." The rest of the word died in his throat. Alas, it wasn't his Beloved Niisama, come to save him. No, it was the treacherous bastard who had locked him in here, it was- "Pegasus."
"So pleased you haven't forgotten me, Mokuba-boy. I thought it was about time we had another little chat. Now, I have been quite patient with you so far, but I'm slowly coming to the end of my rope, which happens to be closing around Kaiba-boy's neck."
Mokuba couldn't bite back a snarl, "You stay the hell away from my Niisama you Funny Bunny Loving Fu-."
He was cut off by Pegasus' wagging finger. "Now, Now. Let's not say anything you, or someone else might regret later." The little boy closed his mouth and felt the bile rise in his throat. The idea of anyone hurting his brother because of his actions was unbearable. He had sworn to himself, 'Never again' when Gozaburo had died, and he had meant it.
It was official. Mokuba hated Pegasus. If only he would be kind enough to jump out a high window too, then all of his Niisama's problems would be solved. Well, maybe not all, but a lot. He amused himself with the image of Pegasus' girly-shrieks and the satisfying splat. Just like in his favorite cartoons, only without the getting back up part.
"So you like cartoons, Mokuba-boy?" Pegasus said with a smile the made Mokuba shiver, "Which ones do you like best?"
Mokuba recoiled and cried out, "Shut up! Shut up! Don't talk like you care about anyone but yourself!" Mokuba fixed his watery eyes on Pegasus and glared as if he wished looks really could kill. He continued in a wavery voice, "E-Everyone says that my brother's heartless, but it's not true. He l-loves me with all of his heart. That's why it got all cracked, and bent, and torn. But it's there, and it's strong. And you know it. That's why you took me, not because you wanted the key to the vault. Because you knew that my brother would never give up, unless you broke it. So, guess what? He's not the one without a heart." Mokuba's glare if at all possible, became fiercer and more defiant. "You are. He wasn't the one who took a little kid and an old man away from their families. You were. He's not the one who has to resort to cheap shots and magic tricks to win a duel. You are. You could never beat my brother, or even Yugi in a fair fight and you know it."
Pegasus smile grew cruel, "That doesn't exactly give me much incentive to fight fair, now does it?"
Mokuba snorted, "Go to Hell."
Pegasus leaned in to the bars, "You don't know anything about Hell, Mokuba-boy." 'But you'll soon learn.' He walked away without another word.
Kaiba saw a bright light. Then came darkness. When he awoke he felt the strange sensation of weightlessness. When he opened his eyes, 'Do souls have eyes?' It didn't matter as long as he could see, and he did though his head ached. He saw shadows, engulfing and inescapable. Then he saw things moving in the shadows, things moving towards him.
He raised what he supposed where his astral arms to protect himself, but there was no need. He saw fire. He saw blue fire. "Blue Eyes", he whispered in awe. His faithful beasts had not abandoned him. Pegasus had corrupted them for his use during the game, but they were still his.
Yes, they had come to his aid once more. One, Two, Three, Four? Indeed the fourth Blue Eyes White Dragon that he had taken, the card he had ripped was here as well. Then he understood. He had merely destroyed the doorway, not the monster. He wasn't sure how he had come upon this new knowledge, but he felt its truth none the less.
As they swooped down to meet their master, Kaiba realized something. "Mokuba." His beloved little brother was likely in a place similar to this, only he had no protection against the things that lurked in the darkness. Come to think of it, Yugi's grandfather probably was too. In a moment, he understood what had to be done. He would not leave his baby brother, and an old man to those creatures and remain safe himself. He could not.
He walked towards the beings he would soon declare his pride and his soul, "My faithful dragons, I have one more task for you." He turned to the Blue Eyes from the card he had torn, "I want you to return to your old master. Take Dijibril with you." He now faced Azrael, "Go with IIbris to Mokuba." Finally, he addressed all of his Dragons, "Guard their souls. Keep them safe until they are released to one of the two places they belong. Do not return to me otherwise. Go! Go now!" So they went, following their Master's wish, loyal, as they had been thousands of years ago, though he knew nothing of that. And Kaiba stood alone and gazed after them, "Innocents don't belong in Hell." Only the guilty, like him.
He heard a scraping noise. The Things had regrouped. Kaiba met them with a knowing smirk. To his credit it was a long time before he began to scream. To theirs, it was far longer before he stopped.