Discalimer: I don't own YGO.
…I have a feeling I may get some flames after this chapter. Burn baby Burn!
Chapter Ten: Regrets
Pegasus held the Millennium Puzzle, feeling it glow and hum softly in his hand to his eye. Unknown to Mai, he had taken it, and was standing, looking at her, unsure as to whether he could go on with what he planned.
He intended to banish the spirit of the Puzzle to the Shadow Realm graveyard, and using the magic he had learned from Egypt replace Cynthia within it's golden form, banish Mai's soul to a card, and have Cynthia live in the beauty's body instead.
But now he had gotten involved, now he had fallen in love, having made love to that enigmatic woman…It was all so confusing. He'd lost his purpose, he'd broken his promise to the one he'd professed to love eternally…
"Are you going to do it then?"
Seto had appeared before him, his ice blue gaze never leaving the face of the father, searching his soul, almost. Pegasus looked into those eyes, afraid of this boy.
"Do what?"
Seto reached out his hand to stroke the puzzle.
"Noa didn't believe me when I told him what I suspected, but I think Gouzaburo beat the belief in magic out of him." He spoke softly, knowingly. Pegasus gulped softly, awed by the intelligence of this boy. He figured this out all on his own…?
"Magic?"
"Yes, that …thing in your eye socket, that puzzle….I believe its possible they contain some magic and that it has something to do with Her." He nodded his head in the direction of the shadowed portrait of Cynthia above the fireplace. No one ever referred to the deceased lady of the house by her name, it was just 'Her'. Her name was not remembered, only the love Pegasus had for her. A mere ghost of a memory; soon to fade from memory.
"Even if that is so, what consequence is it to you?" Pegasus asked. He would not allow this small boy to intimate him, not now, nor ever. "I know your little secret too, remember. Gouzaburo, a far from natural death, far from suicide…you killed him, Seto."
Seto nodded slowly, as if it meant very little to him, twisting his hands in his lap. Delving into his mind Pegasus found the little one to be feeling uncomfortable and unnerved a little. Smiling inwardly, he flicked his hair over his shoulder.
"That is true. But you intended to kill Ms. Valentine, in all but body."
That caught Pegasus off guard. He'd misread the apprehension in the boy's mind! How complex for a pre-teen! They held each others gaze for a while, father and son, boy and man, until Seto broke away, shielding his eyes with half closed lids.
"I have more sense than to tell anyone, father. We'd be taken away, and adopted separately, and I can't allow that to happen, no more than I can allow this enmity between us to continue." There was a pause, and Seto sighed. "I never show it, father, but I am glad you took us in, and to see Mokuba so happy…I don't want you to fear me. I am a child, shown very little love, but now I have a chance. I have you, my brothers, and Ms. Valentine if she so chooses. And you…you have more than a promise to a dead woman. Please, don't waste it. Don't be turned into another Gouzaburo Kaiba."
Seto looked sadly at the floor, Pegasus, surprised by his reaction. Such a complex enigma, Seto Crawford, the intelligence and maturity of an adult, with the emotion security of the childlike body he appeared to be.
Kneeling down he pulled Seto closer, hugging him properly for the first time ever, overwhelmed by the emotions he felt. Acceptance. Love. Appreciation.
"Now go on, Seto, off back to bed. I'd hate for Mai to wake up to us hugging, she may be frightened off." Seto smiled a thin smile, and went away. The Puzzle had been placed down unknowingly as they had hugged. Pegasus, picked it up, whispering to the spirit to wait on for another person to release him, and returned it to the box. Turning back to Mai, he decided that today, they would all make bonds.
XXX
"Come on, Mai! I wanna go on the merry-go-round!" Mokuba giggled, taking the blonde's hand and dragging her towards the colourful carousel.
Pegasus, Seto and Noa followed behind. Noa was cautious around this woman, as he was around all females, distrusting them since hearing nothing from his own mother since Gouzaburo's death. Seto had warmed up to Mai slightly, but she seemed to be creeped out by him slightly.
Mai giggled, still holding onto Pegasus, the three of them went along in a chain, giggles abound as Mokuba tried to decide which one he wanted to ride on. Eventually deciding to go on a brilliant blue stallion, he was levered up by Seto and Noa. Mai sat carefully on a pink pony, and Seto jumped neatly onto a green mare. Pegasus declined, but Noa was left without a horse.
"You can come on here with me, darling, if you don't mind being stuck on a pink horse!" Noa looked a bit put out, but clambered on nevertheless.
Pegasus watched them all happily; even Noa was enjoying the circular ride around the sugar cane like carousel. It felt so good, being a family. They'd all gone shopping, Mai determined to buy a pair of shoes for every day of the week, Noa getting a laptop to match Seto's, and Mokuba being bought every stuffed toy in the shop, being unable to choose one.
It was so perfect. Too perfect. He wondered what could possibly go wrong, and then chastised himself for his pessimistic attitude.
The four got off the ride happy, all chattering, even Noa, who seemed engaged with Mai about some topic they both shared interest in. Seto hung back with Pegasus, the others walking ahead.
"So, Seto, I suppose you're right. We could really be a family."
"And it's all down to you." They exchanged smiles, and held hands, trying to catch up with the others.
And then it came. The thing that broke the all-perfect atmosphere. A squeal of brakes, Mai's scream, and a loud thud as a one of the children's body hit the tarmac road, blood smattering the floor.