Chapter 7
" Chapter 9"
" ' Teach him about the Heart of the Cards' Sugoruku told Yugi before we began the duel. I was inclined to laugh. I didn't need to learn anything about the cards. I needed to learn how to make friends. I needed to be taught that friendship does exist in the world, not some lousy ' I'll be nice to you as long as you're useful' kind of friendship, but a deep friendship as in ' I will never abandon you no matter how tough times are'. I wanted to be taught that there is love and that I am capable of being loved. I wanted to learn how to deal with people, how to relax and not worry about my future or Mokuba's future or whether I would wake up the next morning. I wanted to learn how to just sit back and have a nice chat with someone who is not afraid of me and who I'm not afraid of. Not some facts about pieces of paper."
" Of course, Yugi didn't know that, and neither did Sugoruku. I was determined to humiliate Yugi. But when that boy duels it seemed he became a completely different person. He became more confident, more bold, more trusting in his skills. It all paid off for him. He assembled the impossible. He assembled Exodia."
" Had I been any other person I would have just forgotten about it after a while. It's obvious that a champion would not forget such a loss so easily. But I was not just any champion. I was an orphan. I started out at the bottom of everything, the bottom of the social class, the bottom of the group. I climbed my way to the top but it was not an easy climb, and I was always in danger of falling over. And the fall isn't just a little tumble. It's a heavy drop to a bottomless pit. And this drop would rob me of all loyalties that I had earned over the past few years."
" Mokuba was just as shakened as I was. He always thought I was invincible. He always thought I was the best and most successful person in the world. How perfect can an orphan possibly be? I had no family. I had nowhere to back to, no alternatives. But Mokuba had. Mokuba had me. If he failed he could always lean on me for support. But who am I going to lean on?"
" Those days after that fateful duel were a nightmare. Never had I wanted more then those days for someone to cuddle me and tell me everything's going to be alright. I wanted someone to tell me that everyone makes mistakes and that one failing did not mean the end of the world. But Mokuba was too young and too oblivious, and I was alone. There was no one to lean against, no one to talk to, no one to understand. There was no one to tell me that I was not any less intelligent than I was before. There was no one to tell me that I will be safe."
" And no wonder. I wasn't. All my predictions had been right. My company officials turned on me and tried to overthrow me. The stocks of Kaiba Corps went down after my defeat. People began saying that I was no longer fit to be the CEO."
" After leading that company for more than three years, making it reach to the acme of its wealth and power, only to say that I was no longer fit? From one simple game? I couldn't understand. Perhaps it was because I was an orphan. Because I was young. Because all along I had been a fool."
" I always told myself I was just as good as anyone else. I guess the world doesn't agree."
" I don't know." Seto answered.
" You don't know if it worked or not?"
" I certainly know that I'm thinking better. I guess it did. But so far the most obvious change was I
have less dandruff."
There were snorts of laughter among the doctors.
" That's gross." Anzu grimaced. Seto smiled.
" I think the machine healed more than just dead brain cells," He said, looking particularly at Yami,
who flinched and stepped back, unsure.
Nani? Noa thought. What did he mean by that?
" Chapter 10"
" Some time later Pegasus J. Crawford began the Duelist Kingdom Tournament and I was invited. I felt so drained of both confidence and hope I could not go, especially when I knew Yugi Motou was going to be there. I could not afford another loss, and yet I was desperate to prove that I was still as good as before. I decided to stop and distract myself."
" It was the wrong move. I had no idea that my officials would act so quickly. Perhaps being distracted fogged my sight. But as I was working on my new dueling disk, Pegasus's men came unexpectedly and ordered me to go with them."
" I jumped out the window like I had so many years ago at Kaiba Corps. Only this time, I did not go up but let myself fall. Below there was a high cliff with jagged rocks on the bottom. I let myself hang on to a hold on the cliff and hide until the guards left the window. Then I went back to a secret underground room."
" That was when I realized Pegasus had kidnapped Mokuba. My one family and friend. I didn't really know what Pegasus had in mind to do to Mokuba. From past acquaintances I always noted he observed me in a peculiar way. What did he have planned?"
" I logged on to the computer and trespassed Pegasus's files. There I noted that Yugi Motou was dueling someone for my brother. The strange thing was, that person called himself Seto Kaiba. I was amazed. At the same time I knew that Yugi must not lose so I watched over his duel, doing whatever I could to put the odds on his side."
" It was strange. Somehow, when I felt I couldn't do anything, I called to Yugi, and the monster of the fake Seto Kaiba disappeared, vanished, along with the life points. It seemed Motou was right after all about the Heart of the Cards. And then I smiled to myself. The Heart of the Cards. Yugi Motou's strength and weakness. Does he know whether the cards will always listen to him?"
Seto groaned, holding his head. He sat down slowly.
" Are you okay?" Yami jumped to his side. " You don't feel anything growing against you skull, do
you?"
" Iie. Pharaoh, I'm not five years old." Seto grunted in annoyance. " You don't need to hop over me
as if I'm going to die the next second."
Yami ignored him. " Maybe you should go lie down."
" Yami."
Yami suddenly paused. " What did you call me earlier?"
" I called you Yami."
" Iie. Earlier."
" I called you Pharaoh."
" Why?" Yami asked after a pause.
" The headache came from memories." Seto finally admitted. " You, me, Egypt."
Yami stepped back and was silent.
" I guess I'm doomed to always be alone." Seto smiled bitterly. " But luckily I have Mokuba. I always had Mokuba. That's good..."
" I went over to Duelist Kingdom Island on my helicopter. I ran over and over in my mind how
Pegasus could possibly lay hands on my brother. Then it hit me. The Big Five! The business
officials that had worked from the days of Gozaburo. They must have made a deal with Pegasus.
They must have. And then my suspicions were confirmed. Pegasus wanted to take over my
company and the Big Five agreed to let him do it as long as I'm gone and the money was theirs."
" Mokuba was in a dungeon cell at the bottom of a tower, chained to the wall."
" ' Mokuba!' I shouted, hoping that he was alright. He was so still..."
" ' Ni-sama!' Mokuba cried, rising to his feet. ' I knew you would come! They say that you wouldn't
but I knew you would!'"
" ' Just hang on, I'll get you out of there,' I told Mokuba, and I began to pick at the lock."
" ' Well well well, two brothers reunited. Isn't that so touching!'"
" I turned around. There was Pegasus. But there was something about his face and the way he
talked that wasn't right at all. I was suddenly afraid."
" ' You're not going to get away with Mokuba,' Pegasus smirked. ' First, you'll have to prove
yourself.'"
" Prove myself. I would have laughed. How many times do I have to prove myself? Isn't a whole life's worth of proving enough already?"
" And then he went on. You must duel Yugi Motou. Those were the final words that I could still remember. You must duel Yugi Motou. Or else."
" I did not want to duel Yugi again. Not under these circumstances, driven to desperation. But what could I do? So I threatened him."
" ' You're not going to get away with this.' I said to him."
" ' Ah ah ah,' Pegasus shook his head in fake disapproval. ' Heed my words, Kaibaboy. In this time,
in this castle, in this realm, I and I alone make the threats.'"
" I heard a scream. It was Mokuba's scream. Whatever Pegasus had done to Mokuba it was painful and Mokuba slumped lifelessly over on the cell floor. I stared at Pegasus in surprise and horror."
" ' What did you do to him?' I cried."
" And then Pegasus did a curious thing. He held up a card. It was the size and texture of a regular Duel monster's card, only it had a picture of Mokuba, hands pressed against something as if he was pressing against glass, his eyes wide and his face crying for me. And in the background was pitch black, as if he had been trapped in the realm of shadows."
" ' You want you brother back, Kaibaboy? Well, you're just going to have to play by my rules.'"
" SETO KAIBA MISSING FOR THREE DAYS"
" Friends of the CEO says he has no comments on the disappearance of Seto Kaiba, the fifteen year old inventor and foster son of the late Gozaburo Kaiba. Police are working on identifying Kaiba's location..."
" What do you suppose happened?" Jou asked. " He seemed fine a few days ago, and all of the
sudden he vanished. Gone from the mansion, gone from the building. Where did he go?"
Yami didn't answer.
" Everything afterwards seemed fuzzy. It was as if a shroud was dropped over my head. I knew I
dueled Yugi and I won, honestly or dishonestly. And I knew I dueled Pegasus and I lost. But what
Pegasus did to me I could not say."
" Later I realized that Pegasus wanted to use my technology to bring his wife back. He was right when he assumed I would not agree to it, but this new prank made me feel more bitter. Why was it that I always seem to fall into someone's plans in bringing about someone who had died? First Noa, now Pegasus's wife. And as always people placed their own loved ones before me."
" For a while I dwelled on this thought and then I felt so pathetic I would have vomited. There's no reason why anyone should care for me. I was no one's son, no one's nephew, no one's uncle or cousin. I was no one's younger brother, no one's grandson or great-nephew. I was no one's father. I am young and unmarried and have no one except Mokuba who can't even take care of himself. And once again I felt unprotected and alone, like one standing still while the rest of the world was moving. I felt like some lost alien trapped in an unknown world. Again I wished that someone would try to attempt some crazy plan to rescue me if I ever died too early. But who would? I knew how others thought. The mere thought of me dying would send them cheering."
" Perhaps they'll have a parade of some kind, or a kind of party. And they might set the Kaiba Corps building on fire, and when they toss me to some dirt they might spit on my grave. Only Mokuba, dear Mokuba, he'll be the only one standing, and then it would no longer be the two of us standing in a moving world but him all alone, lost and scared as I was, wondering what would happen to him. But now Mokuba was safe and sound completely oblivious. I knew Mokuba would never love me the way I loved him. Like a father and son, the father would do anything to save his child, but when the son grows up he'll leave the nest and will forget that the father ever existed."
" Where in Ra's name did you go?" Bakura cried to Seto as Seto stepped from the limo. Seto
shrank back as a crowd of reporters suddenly ran over to him. He waited for a while until the
questions ceased.
" I could not understand a word anyone here said," Seto smiled good naturedly, and the reporters
had to laugh in embarrassment. " But I'm sure that you were all wondering where I've been this past
week."
There was a murmur of approval at that comment.
" My brother and I were at Kyoto first. That was where our mother was buried. Tuesday was her birthday and we went to the temples to burn incense for her. Then we traveled to Mount Fuji to a temple where my father was buried to burn incense for him. Now, I think I've answered the main question-"
" Mr. Kaiba-"
" Mr. Kaiba-"
" Mr. Kaiba-"
They never quit, do they? Seto sighed.
" How do you deal with them?" Noa asked, massaging Seto's stiff neck muscles. " They just rant
on and on and on and on..."
" To think, there's this thing about privacy..." Seto groaned. " Ow! There, right there, Ow! Don't
pinch so hard! You're going to make it swell."
" Gee, you sound like a girl." Noa laughed. If Seto turned around Noa was sure he'd be glaring. "
Was the trip okay?"
" Hai, it was fine." Seto answered, standing up when Noa let him go.
" You're stressed out." Noa observed.
" Hai hai."
" You should have a holiday."
" You know, that's what I've been thinking." Seto smiled. " Now that I think of it, I really didn't need
that machine. I could take an early retirement. I don't need to work anymore, even if Mokuba does."
" Hey, are you running away?" Noa laughed, amused.
" Sure. Why not. I've been chasing people like you for the latter part of my life. It's time I stopped
chasing and let you chase me."
" Pegasus did a lot of that, for sure."
" Nah. He had me chasing him in the end."
" You're making a big mistake."
" Why?"
" We need a competitor!" Noa cried. " I was looking forward to whatever duels we'd have in the
future. Public and official duels."
" Oh please."
" Come on. Just take a temporary holiday."
" I'm choosing the permanent one."
" Temporary. You know you can't keep away from Kaiba Corps."
" Why not? I'm not a Kaiba."
" Well congratulations, Seto. You're officially a Kaiba now. That means I get to torture you."
Seto hesitated, studying Noa's eyes for any sign of lying, before the full meaning set in. "
Oh no! I'm the one torturing you!"
" I'm the elder one."
" I don't care. I'm the boss. I get to do what I want."
" Not when I'm in charge!"
' Since when were you in charge?"
" Since you became a Kaiba."
" In your dreams!"
" I'll announce the new authority of this household to Mokuba."
" No you won't!" Seto laughed. Noa patted Seto's shoulder before exiting the room. Seto sat down
on a random chair and stared at the door.
I guess I'm not alone anymore. He thought.
" Chapter 24"
" After the Battle City Tournament Yugi and I didn't speak for a long while. I didn't really know if I won or if I lost. I felt so confused."
" At the same time I knew I was beginning to fade. My strength was beginning to ebb. One morning I looked in front of the bathroom mirror and I didn't know who that person was in the looking glass. And Mokuba startled me one day."
" ' Ni-sama, you look like a ghost!'"
" I guess I did look like a ghost. I certainly felt like one. And I thought, I'm going to die soon. What will Mokuba do? What will happen to him?"
" Be someone before I become no one. That's the motto. Now, I've become someone," Seto
announced, " And therefore, I'm retiring, to become no one."
" You will do no such thing." Noa pushed Seto down.
" Excuse me!" Seto laughed, standing up, " I have the rights to my decisions."
" No you don't. You're going to lead Kaiba Corps."
" You're the eldest! And you were the one who tried to take over the company! Why don't you run
it!?"
" Because I don't want to bother with those losers."
" Yeah right. Chicken! Chicken chicken chicken chicken chicken!"
" I'm not a chicken. You're the one who likes corn.'
" You like corn too!"
" You're the one that's clucking."
" I'm not clucking! What's your definition of clucking?"
" Repeating the same words over and over again."
" Oh! I'll get you for that!" Seto shouted, jumping out of his chair and swatting at Noa, who
ducked. Noa was glad he had a sixteen year old's body.
" I guess what had saved myself was the fact that all these years I never called myself Seto Kaiba. I
always remembered that no matter what people call me and no matter what influence Gozaburo had
on me I will never be a Kaiba. And that I took comfort in, because even though I was an orphan I
am my own person. I have my own thoughts, my own mind, and my own destiny. Even if people
continue to push me down, or lie to me, I always stayed true to myself."
" So I found that even if I was alone, I am protected. Because I knew who I am."
" Good to see you're back Mr. Kaiba." Said the secretary at the desk. Seto smiled.
" I'm glad to be back too." He answered.
" You look healthier." The secretary remarked. " Did the hospital treat you well?"
Seto laughed and walked back, and Mokuba followed him when he headed towards the elevator again. Mokuba was grinning childishly, and licking an ice cream cone."
" Even so, my life long wish was that there will be someone to care for me, someone who would do
something for me without strings attached. Someone who would understand that my name is not
Seto Kaiba."
" How are the stocks?" Noa asked as Seto locked the front door of his home.
" Growing." Seto answered. " Although I compensated for that for all the ice cream Mokuba asked
for. That kid's going to get obesity!"
" As long as Mokuba's happy, I'm happy." Noa shrugged. " And as long as you don't get obesity or
anorexia, I'm happy. How's the RBC count?"
" Normal." Seto answered. " They say I don't have to go back to the hospital anymore. I'm fine.
And they called me pretty." Seto scowled. " I'm not pretty!"
" Yeah, ' skin as white as snow, cheeks and lips as red as blood, and'...hair as brown as wood. Face
it, Seto. You're a total Snow White without the black hair."
" Pretty child." Seto kept on scowling. " I'm not pretty and I'm not a child."
" Tell that to the lawyers. I'm ordering pizza. Time to catch up on the calories."
" Pizza!" Seto jumped. " Yay!"
Sure, Noa thought. You're not a child.
" My name is Yagami. Seto Yagami."