Chapter 3: Reality

I arrived to school the next day and did as I normally would. It was about ten minutes of peace before the mutt came in. I felt like taking a fight, but I was never one to start one.

Not true. Seto was never one to start one, and Seto is gone now. So I got up and made my way over to him.

"Shut your trap mutt." I smirked. Jounouchi growled. "Shut it Kaiba!" I didn't care though. I simply laughed. "Why would I want to do that?"

Yugi put his hand on my arm. I let it sit there while he talked. "Kaiba…we know you've been through a hard time. And I just want to say that we're here for you. There's no need to take out an unneeded emotion to get over what happened." He said softly.

I took Yugi hand in my own and I squeezed it very hard as I lowered it away from me. "Keep your filthy hands to yourself Motou. It just so happens that what happened to Mokuba is over with me. I'm fine with it. I've learned to move on. Besides." I glared at him. "I don't need anybody."

Yugi whimpered and held his hands. Puppy and Friendship gave me dirty looks, but I let it slide. I was having a lot of fun. "Well well well…what are you going to do about that?" I taunted.

The mutt I guess couldn't take a joke, because he growled again and slammed his fist into my jaw, causing me to stagger back. I haven't been hit in a long time. But I just put a hand to my jaw quickly then put it down and smirked again.

"Aww…poor little puppy dog can't control his anger? Letting your anger out by punching me won't help." I taunted again, sending him to punch me in the jaw again. Now blood was coming from my mouth.

But you know what…? It…it actually felt good. To be hit again. To be hit, but it's not Gozaburo. I wanted to continue this forever.

"Not listening is also a bad thing to do. Someone needs to go to obedience school." I smirked. Two hits to my jaw.

I was by now so amused, and he was huffing with anger. Yugi couldn't hold him down, and Anzu was agreeing for him to do this. The classroom was chanting and making uproar.

"It's not good to hit your owner Mutt. Someone needs to be put down. Perhaps I could get your little sister to—" that did it. He attacked me, just what I had wanted him to do. I was slammed into the ground and he was atop me, pounding my face in. Suddenly, I remembered that my reputation was better then what I felt, so I quickly turned this over by grabbing his hand the next time he was going to punch me. I pushed it hard away from him, so he had to stagger back. I jumped up, sending a lot of gasps around the room and amazed sounds. I kicked Jounouchi in the jaw and while he recoiled, I slammed my fist into his gut, sending him sailing and hit the wall. I spit some blood onto his face.

"Don't mess with me mutt." I warned, then walked away.

I exited the school and rounded the corner before sliding down the wall and holding my head in my hands.

"Walk with the master, learn with the master, beat the master and become the master." I mumbled under my breath. I said that right before I pushed Gozaburo. That was the happiest day of my life…but now as I reflect back on it, I don't understand why I said it.

I don't even know why at that moment this thought appeared in my head. Do my memories always have to just sneak up on me when I least want them or need them to?

But now…it did this more then ever. Just because Mokuba is gone, my defenses go down, and my walls begin to crumble. My mask…my façade…it's all just turning inside out, so that my true feelings are shown outside and my cold-hearted side is just where people say it is…in my heart.

I get up and begin to walk back into the school, but I turn away and begin walking the opposite way. I sighed and then didn't even care that I had left my suitcase. I would get it later, since the teachers understand my dilemma.

I hear Yami running at me with Honda on his end. I don't bother to comply with their shouts, since I know they'll just come at me anyways.

"What the hell is wrong with you Kaiba?!" Yami shouted. I don't stop. "You wouldn't understand."

"At least try to make me understand! How would you know what I'm capable of understanding and not understanding anyways Kaiba!?" Yami shouted. I stop walking and look at his crimson eyes. "Fine." I say. "Death is lighter then a feather. Duty, heavier then a mountain." There. A riddle. Try to get that one you asshole.

"I get it all ready Kaiba! You think that protecting Mokuba was your duty, and now that he is gone, you are giving in to this Ra damned emotion that made you taunt Jou and beat him to a bloody pulp!" Yami shouted. I now stopped.

I did not turn around, but I was glaring at a lamppost.

I heard Yami's voice soften, which took me by some surprise. "Seto…why do you think that protecting Mokuba was a duty?"

My glare turned into a confused look.

"Why have you always protected Mokuba? Are you following someone's orders?"

"…No" was my reply. I heard him walk towards me and stop directly behind me.

"Indeed, your wish to protect Mokuba came within you. It was your sworn promise. It was your will." Yami walked to the side of me. I didn't look at him, but down at the ground, my face changing into sadness again.

"Fulfilling duties for the sake of others is important at times. However, if you become bound by your duties, you will be nothing but a puppet. Seto, if you wish to break out of your own wretched destiny, follow your will to the end. You. Are. Your. Own." Yami finished, and I realized that he was right.

I clenched my fists, wanting to deny it. But then I heard Seto's voice within me.

//He's right//

And I couldn't deny that. Seto was seeping through me, and I was trying to fight him off.

"Seto…" Yami looked at me. I looked at him, unfazed by the name for the moment.

"I…I know you're going through a hard time." He seemed to struggle for the right words. "But we're here for you. And we will continue to be here for you until the very end."

"The end? When has the end ever happened? As long as this world continues to grow and the sin in people's hearts drives out the pureness, we will never encounter the end." I sneered. I sharply began to walk away. "Answer me this Yami!" I shouted over my shoulder. "Why would you be there for me until the end if they end is becoming the beginning?!"

I heard Yami growl. "Dammit Seto!" he shouted. "Learn to live!"

I stopped and began to shake my shoulders in silent laughter. Silent bitter laughter. "How can I learn to live for so long? How can I, if I've been dead for so long?" and with that, I stalked off, the bitter laughter leaving my rival in a shocked stance.