Chapter 4
" Chapter 5"
" I stayed at home like Gozaburo had always wanted. Mokuba thought I went to school. He never knew what was going on between Gozaburo and me."
" But in reality it didn't really matter that I stopped going to school. I had the knowledge. I began stealing books again. The only thing that had affected me was my social skills."
" I soon forgot how to deal with people. Before, going to school was an escape route. I had many friends. I hung out with them during lunch. It was in school that Gozaburo had no control over what I do and how I think. But I came home and stayed home and Gozaburo broke off all connections. I couldn't even call my friends."
" The full impact of my decision hit me one day when Gozaburo took me out for the first time to his building. The VSDLE was nearly finished, faster than Gozaburo had expected, because he thought that I would be at least fifteen when Noa would come back. Instead, I was but twelve, having passed my birthday three months ago, and Gozaburo wanted to know if the VSDLE could at least remove my thoughts at this stage. If not, he would modify it. If so, he would continue the project."
" The limo ran over something sharp and two tires went flat. I was slightly carsick, and Gozaburo didn't want me to dirty the car, so he allowed me to step out. I was standing there, breathing in the fresh air to calm myself, when I saw a large group of children. They were all my friends, all older than me, and when they spotted me they shouted and waved."
" I forgot to wave. I forgot to call. I forgot to respond."
" After a half a year of staying at home with Gozaburo I had forgotten how to deal with people. I just looked at them. I remember the students stopped waving and silented uncomfortably. They knew I saw them. They couldn't understand why I didn't greet them back. Then before my eyes I saw them walk away, embarrassed."
" I went back into the car and we drove to Kaiba Corps. Gozaburo was unexpectedly called to one of the departments and I was left alone. I slipped away underneath the guards' nose and while they were looking for me I ran up the stairs and opened a random door. I shut it and locked it before the guards knew what I did."
" When I turned around I saw a huge machine, like one of those science-fiction TV shows where there was a chamber for an individual to stand in. On the metal door there were bright painted white letters spelling ' V S D L E' and a great many wires tangling up to the ceiling."
" I destroyed as many of the wires as I could with a sharp knife I found in one of the desk drawers. It was probably lucky of me that the machine wasn't turned on. The nails I unscrewed and I opened to the inside of the machine and took out everything that was in it and destroyed them all by smashing them to the ground and scattering them on the floor. Then I realized that I would only postpone my fate this way, because Gozaburo has the file and he could always remake it. So I searched for the computers."
" Naturally, Gozaburo was no fool, and no one would save a file in a computer. I found absolutely nothing, and the guards were coming this way. I opened up the desk drawers and broke all the disks that I could find. I smudged and cut at the disks desperately, hoping that one of those disks had the file."
" Then it occurred to me that perhaps Gozaburo would have it in his office, after all, this was his own personal project. So I was about to turn to the door."
" ' Open up!' It was Gozaburo himself, banging on the door. " Open up, you little bastard! Don't you dare get any ideas! When this is through I'll have my way with you!'"
" I wasn't about to open that door. But how else was I supposed to get out? Then I looked toward the window. I might die this way, but I felt dying was better than what Gozaburo had in mind. I opened the window and swung out. Above there was a dent where I could find a hold, and there were pipes sticking out. I swung my body up to the upper window. I went through and ran towards the door, opening it, and went up the stairs. The guards burst into the room with the VSDLE and found out what I had done. They also realized I was no longer there, and that the window was open. I knew I had no time to waste so I hurried towards the top floor of the building. My legs were strained and tired and it took all of my willpower to make that last step. I was in Gozaburo's office. But Gozaburo was already there."
" Are you listening to me?" Noa was excited. That didn't make sense. Noa Kaiba was never excited.
So what made him so...ecstatic?
" Gomen?" Taichi blinked, staring at the other CEO. " I missed what you just said."
" Of course you did. I searched Kaiba's files. He was working on a machine that made a coacervate
create DNA!"
" A machine that made coacervates create DNA?" Taichi blinked. " What kind of nonsense is that?
How is that possible?"
" Look." Noa began. " We both know Seto Kaiba's intelligent. We both know that Kaiba suffered
from anemia, hence, he'll be a lot less intelligent than before. Do you want to help him?"
" Hai, I want to help him, but I don't understand. Let me get this straight. You're saying that Seto
Kaiba already has a plan for some machine that can make a dead thing an organism?"
" Hai."
" How's that possible?"
" Look," Noa clicked the mouse. " Wow, Seto Kaiba has a lot of files." He clicked a particular file.
" First of all, the basic biology. What does each living organism have?"
" Four macromolecules."
" Which are?"
" Proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, nucleic acids, Mr. Kaiba, what's-"
" Exactly. What do you think made these proteins and all those other things?"
" Oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen and carbon."
" What the machine does," Noa continued, " Is that it takes the basic molecules and form them into
monosaccharides, amino acids, fatty acids and glycerol, and nucleotides."
" Hai?"
" It builds up a sequence of RNA or DNA according to the structure of wherever it was in. Then it
somehow adds to the sequence some codons for the RNA and wa la, you have a living organism."
" I'm sorry Mr. Kaiba. I'm not the top student in biology. But if you say so."
" Look, don't you see? We might be able to save Seto Kaiba! I mean, the doctors say that they don't
know the extent of the damage to his brain caused by lack of oxygen during his illness. If this
machine can somehow bring the dead cells back to life, not only would it save lots of people, ( not
that we care) but Seto Kaiba will be back to before, and he'll win the Nobel Prize perhaps."
" We could always keep this a secret."
" Why?"
" Because think about it. If Seto Kaiba gets this on the market and patents this, we'll all be dead."
" The companies, you mean."
There was a silence.
" More stepping on Seto. Why am I not surprised." Noa muttered.
" Fine, we'll give him a boost, this time." Taichi said uncomfortably. " Although I think later we'll
regret it."
" ' Ah, my boy.' Gozaburo smiled. It was a menacing smile, the smile he always saved just for me. '
I trust you had a tour of the building?'"
" I remained silent. What could I do? Gozaburo was four times my age. I can't fight him. I can't try to outwit him. So I stood silent and without him noticing I surveyed the room around me. The guards were at the door, so I couldn't escape that way. Gozaburo was standing in front of the window, so I couldn't escape that way either."
" ' My guards tell me you've introduced yourself to the VSDLE.' Gozaburo went on. ' And greeted
it with quite a way.'"
" ' Hai, it's interesting how nice the machine was.' I answered. ' Didn't do a thing to me.'"
" Gozaburo's eyes flashed. He looked over to me. ' You didn't accomplish anything,' he said, ' Nothing at all, my boy. You see, destroying the machine merely postponed your fate. Perhaps you'll have to wait till...say, you're sixteen, before you will be gone. They all say you're smart. But I see that you're just as foolish as your little brother. Only Mokuba would assume that would be enough. Correction, only Mokuba and you.'"
" I only smiled. The window. Of course. No matter how strong he was, Gozaburo can't avoid it. Not as long as he stands just mere centimeters away from the glass. I was light and I can jump on top of the desk and push him. I probably would go over, but I'd still kill Gozaburo. And that was enough."
" As long as Gozaburo's alive I'm doomed. It didn't matter if I really destroyed his files. Gozaburo probably had the project already planned out in that sick mind of his. I saw my chance. I can do the threatening now."
" Pushing the desk I silently edged it towards Gozaburo. The desk was heavy and it scraped against the carpet. Gozaburo was still talking but I wasn't listening. I was planning on pinning him to the window as long as his back was turned. That way I can save myself. Save myself. It was all that mattered."
" When Gozaburo turned around it was already too late. I had him trapped. He stared at me for a moment before a look of realization passed over his face."
" ' Of course. They were the ones who said I was smart.' I answered. ' I never said such a thing. But no matter how foolhardy I am, we both know that one push can send you through the window. Send you crashing to your death. Would you like that? The great Gozaburo Kaiba, died because he was stupid enough to fall through the window?' I saw Gozaburo pale with rage. ' Because guess what, that's what it will appear in public.'"
" I made no move, but I saw that Gozaburo was beginning to breath heavily. I went on."
" ' You went to that orphanage,' I said, so softly I couldn't hear even myself, ' to adopt me. You went to that orphanage to get some nameless bastard to serve as a vessel for your own pathetic son. Did you forget that I also have a mind? Did you forget that I also have feelings? Sure, I may be an orphan. My mother died when I was three and my father died when I was seven. But my name is Seto, not ' boy', and I certainly will not be a Kaiba no matter what people call me. I will never turn out like you, a coward, and I certainly will not be crushed like you are now.'"
" Gozaburo's face was red. He was angry, but he was also afraid, because I was on the table and I was ready to push him."
" ' I hate you.' I said. And it was scary because I really did hate him. I really did hate him for all the pranks and misfortunes he had caused upon me. I hated him because he used me like some regular tool. I hated him because he always thought of me as a thing."
" But I didn't even have to raise my hand. Gozaburo collapsed on the carpet, and I was surprised. There was a sudden stench and Gozaburo's eyes rolled back to their sockets and the eyelids fell closed. I stared at the corpse in disbelief and pushed the desk back to get a better look at him."
" He was dead. I didn't understand. It couldn't have been because I threatened him. How did he die so suddenly? Was it because he was truly scared? Gozaburo was never scared. Then why? Why did he die like that?"
" I stood there beside his body, looking at him. Suddenly, the door burst open and the guards ran into me. My foot kicked at Gozaburo's side and he rolled over and the glass shattered under the force. I stared down as he fell in horror. Before he might still have a chance at life, but now, nothing could save him."
" The guards fled downstairs. I remained at the window. The guard had pushed me, so he was the one that had caused Gozaburo to fall out through the window. But I was still shakened. What just happened?"
" I saw people crowding around his body. For a long time I watched and stared. I thought of the son that would never come back to life again and I felt guilt. Gozaburo was a good father. He did everything in his brainpower to recover his deceased son. There was no reason for him to love me, I'm not his son. And I could easily understand why he treated me like a thing. He was jealous of me, like everyone else. He looked at me, healthy, alive, with a chance at success and a future, while his own son rotted under the earth in a wooden coffin. I survived when my parents died, and Noa was the one that left his father to pass on to a new world. And every time Gozaburo looked at me he would wonder why I survived and Noa didn't. Wouldn't it be the same if Noa survived and I died? Noa was the son of Gozaburo Kaiba. He was going to take over Kaiba Corps when Gozaburo dies. I'm just a nameless bastard that happened to look like him. And Gozaburo mused over this for so long, wanting to find the reason why this happened the way it did. And he came to the conclusion that Noa died so I could survive. So in return, I must die for Noa in thanks."
" I forgave Gozaburo. But inside I felt deep bitterness. I wondered if I died whether anyone would go crazy and find a human vessel to insert me in so I could continue living. I wondered if anyone could ever care for me like Gozaburo cared for his son. I wondered if I was anyone's hope and future, like Noa was to Gozaburo. I wondered if anyone would care if I died. I was just an orphan. My real father didn't even care about me. He wouldn't care if I got run over by a car. How could Gozaburo? It was too much to expect of that man to think of me as his blood son because I was not. There's a huge difference."
" That night I almost wept. But I didn't. I didn't have any tears left. I could go to school. I could do what I want. There was no one to stop me. But I wished that there was someone to encourage me, to comfort me, and I wished there was someone to miss me if I went. And then I looked at Mokuba, young and hopeful, and I thought how lucky Mokuba was. He was my hope. He was my future. If he ever died perhaps I would do the same thing, find some vessel, download Mokuba's thoughts into the computer so in the future when the VSDLE is finished Mokuba would be alive again. Mokuba would never do that for me. I understood that. Mokuba would never look at me the way I looked at him. I was not Mokuba's future. I was not Mokuba's dream. I was only his big brother, someone he counted on when he couldn't support himself. But once he becomes independent, once he could fend for himself, found someone to love, he'll leave me. And I'll be all alone."
" You wear glasses?"
Seto hurriedly took them off. " Uh, iie, just...just recently." He stammered, staring at Noa. "
Wow, I didn't know you were here. When did you come?"
" Just several minutes ago. I kept silent because it's not every day that the great Seto Kaiba wears
glasses, has a book in his hand, and is wearing headphones while sitting in a wheelchair." Noa
blinked.
Seto blushed.
" Seto, I want to ask you about something."
" Hai?" Seto seemed agreeable enough.
" I...looked through your files." Noa said uncomfortably, then went on before Seto could say
anything. " And I saw that you were working on a machine that made coacervates living."
Seto gaped for a minute, the blinked, tilting his head.
" Why are you doing this?" He asked. Noa sighed. So Seto understood.
" I thought that..." Noa sighed and decided to admit it. " You've struggled to go up all your life and
people kept on trying to push you down...and this is a crucial moment when you can't fight by
yourself anymore. So I thought maybe I could...give your first boost."
Seto studied Noa for a minute. Noa felt lousy. God, that just came out great!
Suddenly, the blue eyed teen smiled and put down his book, taking off his glasses.
" You're telling the truth." The boy said happily. " It's been a long time since I heard anyone speak
the truth. Well, other than Yugi-tachi." Seto sighed.
" It's the first time I remember telling the truth." Noa sat down opposite Seto. " Dealing with
people. Ugh. Sometimes I wish I could just stop acting and just express my annoyance."
Seto laughed. It was a cheerful and bright laugh. " I daresay you act quite annoying enough
without dropping that mask."
" Nani?!" Noa cried. " You better take that back!"
Seto laughed.
There was silence for a while.
" So where is the VSLR?" Noa asked.
" It's..." Seto looked a little reluctant. " In a secret place."
Noa didn't push any further.
" Did you really forgive Gozaburo?" Noa asked after a while.
Seto paused.
" Hai." Seto smiled. " You're lucky, Noa. You have a great father."
" This coming from his adopted son?"
" Hey, the word ' adopted' changes everything. If Gozaburo didn't download your thoughts into
some program I doubt I'll be talking to you."
Noa smiled. Seto Kaiba-no, Seto Yagami, was actually a really nice person.
" I would have wanted to meet you." Seto said kindly, " If situations were different."
" Hey, no hard feelings." Noa smiled. " You look tired. When did you get your glasses?"
" A short time before I fainted." Seto admitted. " The doctor said I stared too much at the computer
and had too little sleep, so the radiation harmed my eyes."
" Did the doctor say if they'll heal?"
Seto paused. " He said that I only need to wear these when I'm reading."
Noa knew the answer.
" Tell me Noa." Seto began. " How did you get a physical body?"
" I created a portal from my program." Noa answered. " It basically..." He chuckled. " Threw me
into this world."
" What's it like?" Seto asked curiously.
" Odd. Just odd. Everything here seems so heavy."
" What, you mean you float around in your virtual reality world?"
" Kind of."
Seto laughed. " That sounds cool. I'm not that willing to try it though."
" I don't think Mokuba would like it either." Noa answered.
Seto looked down.
" You know, the VSLR probably won't work."
" I know that." Noa answered. " Are you okay?"
" Yeah well," Seto sighed. " I'm just afraid that...because before I was so confident that I could
succeed and let my company run smoothly. These days..." Seto sighed again. " These days it feels
like I can't think as fast anymore, and sometimes I have a hard time understanding situations.
Sometimes I can't seem to find an answer to problems."
Seto's eyes grew worried and his body tensed.
" I don't know if I can do this anymore." Noa could hear the hint of panic in the poor boy's voice. "
I don't know if I could win against all the other CEO's..."
" Hey, it's okay." Noa said gently, moving over to calm the other. " It's alright. Don't worry about
this now. Just worry about getting better. Afterwards we'll think of something."
" They translated this into French?"
Blink blink.
" A memoir into French?" Anzu blinked. " That's odd. And Seto's not even dead yet."
" Don't say that." Mai scolded.
" I know, that's not what I meant." Anzu answered. " So they translated Seto's book to French?"
" And Spanish, apparently."
" Already? I heard it's only published last month!"
" Well, Seto's a good author." Jou answered. " And I guess it was the publishing company's plan.
After all, when Seto gets better he'll have to deal with the Americans, the British, the Germans, the
Italians, the Chinese..."