Disclaimer: I don't own YGO. Would I write fan fiction if I did? Nah, Pegasus would have Cynthia and loads of sprogs and have Seto as his little bit on the side.

Anyway, this one is going to be dedicated to Gemma, my soul sister and long time friend, who understands everything I do.

Chapter Six: Masks Dropped

"I will be as good as you one day! I don't care what you say! I won't let you upset me!" Voice pleading, Mokuba was once again backed into a corner of the music room. He looked at the boy in front of him, eyes full of tears, feeling his heart break. Noa pushed the stand over, scattering the sheet music across the floor. Noa reached out and took the bow from Mokuba's hand, snapping it easily and throwing it on the floor.

"You insult me with the way you try to play! Why don't you go back to being good at being a loser? You'll never be better than me or your brother. That's what all this is about, isn't it?" Mokuba's face went red as tears began to fall. It was lies! He only wanted to be good at something, it wasn't about competition. Seto was good at everything; but he was useless.

"Face it, you're pathetic and worthless. I can only conclude you were adopted because your 'father' felt sorry for you." Noa said gleefully, amused at Mokuba's sadness. "Stop blubbing, you're such a wimpy coward..."

"You call him a coward, but you always bully him when I'm not around." A calm voice spoke from the partially opened door. Seto had seen everything, and not only him, but the security cameras had been conveniently focussed on the whole incident.

Seto had been well aware of the bullying. Mokuba had been detached recently, and after originally being very happy and excited about his violin, he'd grown maudlin and sad about it. He just needed the right moment to spring it upon the young Kaiba to watch him crumble into a heap at his father's feet.

Noa looked around at Seto, a little surprised to see him there. Standing confidently and with a smug smile, he tossed his head in the direction of the camera.

"I got all your little discussion on that camera. You're going down, Kaiba. There's no way this school will accept you bullying a younger student from a difficult background. Face it, Kaiba, you've lost it. I beat you in the last test easily, and now this will be a nice surprise for that lovely father of yours."

Noa went red in anger, his body language severe and jagged, indicating his fury at being set up by Seto. How dare he stand up to a Kaiba?! Reaching into his pocket he pulled his deck out.

"How dare you, Crawford? How dare you think you can best me? I challenge you to a duel!"

Mokuba looked at Seto, biting his lip at the sadistic grin now appearing on his brother's face. Seto had a truly invincible deck, with the three blue eyes he was damn near impossible to beat. Not that he hadn't tried

"Very well then, Kaiba, I accept. But you don't know what you're in for, really you don't." Seto smiled happily, grabbing a chair and sitting down at the nearest table, shuffling his cards and drawing his hand. Noa did likewise.

"I tell you what, since you're so confident. If I win, I want you to drop out of my class. I want you to tell everyone you cheated in the exams, and that you wish to return to your proper level." Noa announced smugly, tossing his aqua hair over his shoulder.

"Very well. Only if I win, I want you to give up the violin and teach Mokuba. And be truthful when I take that video to the teachers." Noa went pale at this, but nodded anyway.

"Agreed"

Noa lost terribly. Seto's three blue eyes were on the field within 5 turns, obliterating the powerful monsters Noa threw up to defend himself. Defeated and in shock, Noa quickly pulled all his cards back together.

"Where did you get those Blue eyes?" he asked vaguely. "If you hadn't have pulled them, I would have won..."

Mokuba, who had been watching the whole duel, was beginning to feel sad for Noa. He really was terrified of loosing to Seto. It wasn't as if the bet was that important anyway.

"You see you shouldn't mess with my family. Any of it. Mokuba has a dragon guarding him, and that is me." Seto said certainly. "Be back in this room tomorrow to give Mokuba his first lesson."

Noa stumbled from his seat, and left as quickly as he could, as if he was going to be very sick very soon. Mokuba looked up at his now cocky brother, and spoke quietly.

"You don't have to rub his face in it, onii-sama."

Seto looked incredulously at him. Was his brother actually feeling sorry for the one who had made him so upset? He sighed at his brother's odd behaviour.

"Very well. I'll go and find him and apologise." He growled inwardly. There really was no way to please a younger brother sometimes.

Noa was hidden amongst the thickest books at the back of the library, clutching his report card and trying to think of a plausible excuse for giving up his violin. His father had made him take lessons since he was 5, so giving up now he was so good was a waste. And being beaten at duelling would also annoy his father. He would surely be beaten for losing to Seto in both the duel and the tests. He was so miserable!

The jackass he pretended to be was merely a charade created because he didn't' wish to be seen as weak by his father. Truth be told, the old man scared him. Not just that, he was sure there was something going on behind his mother's back. True she'd moved out a long time ago, unable to put up with Gouzaburo anymore, but... shouldn't she be told of any relationships her husband took part in? After all they were still married. His father knew the divorce money his wife could demand would ruin KaibaCorp, and so he preferred to just pay for her to live away, catering to her whims so long as she left him and their boy alone.

He wasn't aware of Seto approaching him from behind until the brown haired boy sat beside him, and looked at him with his soul-searching eyes.

"What do you want? Come to rub my nose in it?"

"Not at all. I just want to know why you're so mean to Mokuba, that's all. And forget about giving up the violin. I doubt your father would approve of such a thing."

Noa didn't reply. Seto closed his eyes and considered what could make such a confident boy so quiet. Unless...

"He hits you, doesn't he? Forgive me if I'm wrong, but..."Seto placed a hand on Noa's shoulder as he flinched away. "You can tell me."

"Why should I? A few minutes ago you were laughing at me."

"And a few minutes ago you were bullying my brother and yet I am willing to help you." Noa nodded his head, and looked into Seto's eyes.

"You can't tell anyone! He'll kill me! And that's no exaggeration! He'll let nothing and no one ruin his reputation, not even his own son!" Noa squealed. Seto nodded absently, and stood up.

"Have no fear, Noa. Trust in me. I'll stop that tyrant before he ruins anyone else's life." Seto walked away, leaving Noa terrified of what he may have started. The look in the glacier cold eyes of Seto had made him feel...afraid for his father. Seto may only be a child but he had the determination and conviction of an adult and god help anyone who tried to interfere with him.