Hello Seventh Chapter!!!! Ok, I totally understand if the last chapter was too long, but I had a lot to say, and I thought there were some important points I wanted to stress, so, there it goes. Thanks again for all those lovely reviews, I SOO appreciate it!!! A/N: Some parts in this chapter are only dialog, so you can skim those parts, but really this chapter gives a bit of background and a lot of lead in, so just be patient!

Disclaimer: Alright! I admit it! I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! What are you gonna do to me, anyway?? Nothing??? That's what I thought.

Chapter 7: The Ultimate Prize

Following Lock to an unknown place was a unique experience. I knew I was headed...God only knows where. Lock seemed to be a very neurotic man...if not that, then a little weird. This gave a bad case of foreboding to me, at least.

If I ever have a chance, (and I haven't gotten one so far), I would love to find out what little Mokuba thought in these minutes we were following Lock to a new stage in our lives. He made no sound, Mokuba I mean, but his breathing was a little off. Too heavy. It sounded like he was drawing his last breaths from this world. Definitely not like Mokuba.

Lock drew us away from the crowd, (I knew because I heard the distance of the voices after a little while). I kept wondering if he was really blind or if it was all just a scandal. How could he walk without aid? It seemed...impossible...or was I just being closed minded? I would soon find out.

"Have you ever been to an amusement park, before, Mr.Kaiba?" Lock asked as we walked into a building that was heavily air conditioned, (always a semi-frightening experience to go into strange places. But, alas, I had no choice this time around). What the hell was he getting at with this question?

"No." In truth, I never had been to an amusement park. I don't think I ever really wanted to, either.

"Hmmm...shame. They are always such fun places." I just didn't know why he was trying to spark this particular conversation.

"Ok, what does this have to do with anything?"

"You shall find out." I think I should get one thing down before any story continues: If there is something that gets me down really, really low in anger it's inferiority. I can't help it. People think they have superiority then I have to knock them down. What can I say? I won't try to deny it, that's pointless. Remember this—it will explain some of my later actions.

I noticed that we just kept walking in this building. There were no stairs, no pieces of furniture, and no other people. We were just walking aimlessly. Where was Lock taking us, and why? I tried not to concentrate on the eeriness of the situation, and I know it was indeed quite eerie. There we were; lead by an untrustworthy blind man into the depths of...somewhere...for no reason I could understand.

It got very damp suddenly. Mokuba's grip became vice-like. "Seto," he said in a trembling voice. "There's no light here! It's pitch black!" This was interesting...maybe Lock didn't need any lights because he was blind and it would just be a waste of electricity. Or maybe not...maybe he was just trying to scare Mokuba.

But then Lock said, "Welcome to our world, young Kaiba. This is all I have seen, and all your brother will see."

"You're crazy!" Mokuba was just a little scared. "Seto, I want to go, now."

"It's alright Mokuba," I replied in a quiet voice. "You don't have to stay if you don't want to, but I will."

"But...how will you get back outside? You don't know the way!"

"I'll be fine, Mokuba."

He paused but eventually came out with, "...I'm staying. But I can't see anything."

"Suite yourself." It was funny how I could play Mokuba like that. I knew he would never, ever leave my side, (not after I was n that car accident). But I could offer his separation from me whenever he wanted to leave. Thus remind him silently, and mock-unintentionally, of the fact he could not go. Funny, but a bit cruel.

Mokuba tripped many times. It turned out that I was the one to catch him before he actually fell on the floor. That was sort of a twist. It was not an unfathomably long time ago that Mokuba was the one to catch me before I fell; a victim to my blindness.

There was a change in the floor. It turned from tile to wood, moaning under the weight of our feet. I heard Lock sit on a couch with shot springs. Mokuba and I stopped walking. Lock sighed, deeply. The tension was thick, Mokuba was scared, and I had had enough of the mystery.

"Mr.Kaiba," our gracious host began. "There is so much for you to learn, I just don't know where to begin." Now, he was implying superiority towards me. I decided to take this more seriously than first anticipated.

"Well, I guess you enjoy the fact that I rely on you for something. But, if you have paused for a moment there are a few things I need to ask."

"Go on."

"Are you really blind?"

"Yes, of course. I told you that before, did I not? Who told you first? Was it your secretary, or one of the guests here?"

"My secretary."

"Ah, she is useless."

"You have no idea. But, there's more. What do you do for a living?"

"I am a Kacko's Funeral Home gravedigger, with a passion for duel monsters." I knew it! I was right that time about the earthen smell.

"Kacko's? That was the name you used for the sponsors of this tournament."

"Heh...yes. I had no other name and in truth they are the only ones paying me so that's where I got the money for all this. So, technically, this is their tournament."

"Where are we?"

"My home, Mr.Kaiba! This is my lovely home."

"It's very cold in here..."

"I keep my extra supply of Kacko's dirt in here. It's a cheap way of keeping the place cool."

"You're kidding, right? Right, you're kidding?" Mokuba's voice dashed around the room in short gasps.

"Yes, of course. I just like the air conditioner on full blast. It gives it a damp effect, no?"

"That is very strange."

"Yes. Anymore questions?"

"Indeed. How is it, exactly, that you plan to teach me how to play the game again?"

"Well, it really isn't that hard to do, playing the game. But what I really want to teach you is how to do this thing blind."

"What thing?"

"Life."

I laughed a little then. "Sorry, I already know how to live, thanks."

"No you don't—you haven't even been to an amusement park!"

"Look, what are saying? You're trying to teach me how to be a fun-type-A guy?"

"No."

"Then what??" He really was babbling and losing all his logical arguments.

"The ultimate prize is what."

"And what is the ultimate prize?"

"You life."

I sighed. We were going in circles. "I thought we covered this already."

"Correction, you thought YOU covered this already. But I can see you still long to see and wish that you had not been blinded. You curse fate at night when you are all alone."

"I do NOT!"

"Yes you do. Don't lie."

"Fine, so I do. Why do you care?"

"Because, I understand why you feel that way. I felt it, too, my whole life. I was blinded when I was four from a car accident, just like you were. In fact, the accident killed my father and brother. My mother raised me, then and"—"Look, I really don't care about your life story, here!"

I shocked him, I think. I was loud, suddenly, and I startled him. He hesitated before saying, "...Alright. Let's not waste time. You're right. Come." He stood up and walked farther.

"Seto...I can't follow him..." Mokuba said.

"I know. But I can." I followed his faint footsteps. If it had not been for my cane, I would have crashed into quite a few walls. But, as it was, I did not and I tapped my way down a narrow hallway into another room.

"Took you long enough. Now come closer." Lock was over in a corner.

"Seto, there's light in here!" I did not answer him, I was still trying to decided whether or not to go near Lock.

"Do not help him, young Kaiba. Go and stand over there."

"But...!"

"No. Go over there." After a few seconds, Mokuba detached himself and stood away from me. I felt alone and quite a bit defenseless standing there. But I would not give up. Just like I had found that key, I would find Lock and play his little game.

In the direction of his voice, I came upon a chest, which I thought blocked my way. But then Lock said, "Open it." I felt around the front side until I came to a latch, large and easily undone, (useless for protection, but helpful for me).

I opened the box and reached inside. What I touched was so cold, and odd shaped, I paused. I realized it was not sharp in a few moments, and continued my run-down of it with my hands. Soon I knew what it was.

"Was this yours?"

"Yes. And now it is yours."

"I already have one."

"This one is better." Maybe it was. I took it out of the box and held it in my hands, (I had to drop my stick in order to fully grasp it, but I didn't mind). The wood was strong, cool, and gnarly. I liked it right away.

"Ok," I said. "If we're going to work together here, I have one request."

"Yes?"

"You have to take a shower first."