Chapter 3: Strange Entities

Mokuba kept looking at the screen in amazement.

"But how can you be there?" asked Mokuba. "You're dead."

"Hey that's not very nice to say," answered the boy, "especially because I came just to see you."

Mokuba still stared at the screen in amazement. The boy on his screen had blue eyes and blue-green hair. Mokuba couldn't believe it, but the boy in front of him was his step-brother, Noah!

"Noah, how...how did you survive the blast when the virtual world was destroyed?" asked Mokuba.

"I saved a piece of me to both yours and Seto's computers," he answered with a smile. Then, his smiled changed to a look of sadness. "I heard about your brother."

"Who hasn't by now?"

"I'm sorry, Mokuba."

"You and the rest of the world."

"But you can't give up Kaiba Corp to Natalie," said Noah, changing his tone again.

"Why not?"

"She'll change it back to the way it used to be! She'll destroy everything Seto created!"

Mokuba looked down sadly, thinking about what Noah said. Could what he was saying be true?

"How do you know?" asked Mokuba.

"Trust me, I have my ways," winked Noah.

"I can't run Kaiba Corp!" cried Mokuba. "I'd like to for my big brother, but I told him I didn't want it. Also, I'm only nine!"

"I can always help you out," said Noah. "I saved my file to all of your guys' computers. Even the ones at Kaiba Corp."

"It doesn't matter, Noah."

"Doesn't matter? What would Seto say if he heard you talking like this?"

"Well he isn't going to hear me talking like this is he!" snapped Mokuba.

Noah jumped in surprise of Mokuba's sudden outburst, "I'm sorry."

"I miss him, Noah. Is there any way to get him back?"

"No."

"Why can't we digitize his mind like your dad did to you?"

"For one thing, we'd need his body," said Noah. "We'd also need the technology my father used on me, and we don't have that. I would do anything to get him back for you if there was a way."

Mokuba looked away from the screen. He felt like crying, but didn't want to in front of his step-brother.

"I'll tell you what," said Noah. "I could act like some-what of an older brother to you. I am your older step-brother after all."

Mokuba didn't answer him.

"Come on. You have to let me do something to help you. Hey, I even look like your brother."

"It's still not the same, Noah," said Mokuba, turning his gaze back at the computer. "No one can take Seto's place."

"I never said I was going to take his place, but I just want you to know that you're not alone."

"No, I don't have anyone left!"

"Mokuba..."

"You're on a computer! How do I even know you're actually Noah and not something put there by Natalie?"

Noah didn't say anything. He only kept a look of concern on his face as he looked on at Mokuba.

"My big brother is gone! He's never coming back! He promised he'd be here for me when I needed him and he isn't here!"

"Maybe you don't need your brother anymore," said Noah.

Mokuba didn't want to hear anymore. He quickly signed off the internet and shut down his computer. After that, he ran back down to Seto's room and crawled under the blankets. He couldn't believe what he'd heard. Why wouldn't he need Seto still? He promised to be there! He promised!

"I need you," whispered Mokuba.

Then, Mokuba heard knocking on the front door. He looked out the window to see who it was, but he couldn't make out the person. He wondered if he should answer the door or act like he wasn't there, but he decided to go open it. He walked down the staircase and opened the doors.

"Hi Mokuba," greeted Natalie.

"Why...why are you here?" asked Mokuba.

"It said your phone line had been disconnected."

"Listen, I thought about it," said Mokuba.

"Really?" she said. "Then what's your answer?"

"I decided that I'm going to keep it."

"You're going to keep it?" Natalie scoffed.

"Yes."

"What are you going to do with Kaiba Corp?" she snapped.

"I was..."

"You were what? You're going to be the president of Kaiba Corp?"

"I was going to let Roland or Tilly or Chelsi take that spot for me. Just like someone did the vice-president work for me."

"You're going to let people do things for you? Is that how your life is going to be until the day you die? How can you get anywhere in life if you let other people do your job!"

"I'm only a kid, Natalie," said Mokuba, showing a hint of fear in his voice from her outbursts.

"Exactly! You should give Kaiba Corp to someone else, not to some low class servants!"

"They aren't servants!" Mokuba snapped back. "They're my friends!"

"Mokuba, what could they do to make Kaiba Corp better? What can they do? Tell me!"

"What would you do with it?" asked Mokuba.

"What?"

"You heard me. What would you do with it?"

Natalie stood there staring at Mokuba, "A lot more than those fools could do."

"That's not answering my question. What did you plan on doing with Kaiba Corp?"

"Run it the way it was meant to be!" she snapped.

"That's not a good enough answer!"

"Look you little brat, I'm fourteen and you're nine. I don't think you should be speaking to me in that tone of voice!"

"Get away from my house."

"What?"

"I told you no, so get off my property before I call the police!" yelled Mokuba.

Natalie glared at him, "Fine, I'll leave, but this isn't going to be our last encounter, Mokuba."

She turned and walked away. Mokuba gave a sigh of relief and locked the door again. Mokuba wanted to know what she meant by, "This isn't going to be our last encounter." He hoped he'd never have to see her again. Then, Mokuba realized something. Her appearance was similar to that of Noah's! But why? He shook an idea from his head. They couldn't be. Could they?

As Natalie walked down the streets of Domino, she let her anger show. She would throw things, kick trash, and swear at anyone who looked at her. How could that little brat so no to her! She always got what she wanted. As she kept walking, a gang member stepped in front of her.

"Get out of my way!" she snapped at him.

"Not until I have a little ' fun' with you," he smirked.

Natalie didn't take kindly to that. She quickly jabbed her elbow into his stomach, and shoved him against a wall.

"I don't think so tough guy," she hissed at him. She threw him to the ground and continued walking. She was devising a plan in her head. Mokuba must miss his brother so she could help rub that fact in, or she could do something better. She smirked, thinking of one of the rare artifacts that was "given" to her. It may be able to help out in the situation. Mokuba would suffer because of his answer. She hurried back to her and her mother's apartment and quickly ran to her room.

At Yugi's house, they were trying to call Mokuba, but couldn't get through.

" I wonder what's goin' on over there," said Joey.

"So do I," said Yugi.

"Don't worry about it, Yugi," said Téa.

"The phone line is disconnected," he said. "I want to know why."

"Maybe he doesn't want anyone to bother him," suggested Tristan. "If someone in my family died, I'd probably want to be left alone for a little bit."

"I know but..."

"Yugi, you are worryin' a lot about him," said Joey. "Why?"

"I...I'm not sure," answered Yugi. "It's not just feeling bad for him. There's something else inside that's making me worry so much."

"What?" asked Tristan.

"I'm not sure," said Yugi.

"I wouldn't worry about it, Yugi, he'll be fine," said Yami.

Yugi sighed. He didn't know what to do or know how to feel right now.

Back at the Kaiba mansion, Mokuba was sitting in a rocking recliner chair. He used to sit with Seto in it all the time. Then, Mokuba heard a noise in the kitchen. He was a bit frightened. He was supposed to be home alone, and the alarm system was activated. No one would've been able to get in without him knowing! He heard the water turn on and heard the sound of it filling up a cup. Mokuba was beginning to get even more scared. Then, a voice yelled out at him.

"Mokuba, come here!"

Mokuba sat up straight. It couldn't be him.

"Now!" it yelled out again.

Mokuba got up and walked over towards the kitchen and looked inside. Mokuba eyes widened at the sight. He saw his older brother sitting at the kitchen table waiting for him. Mokuba couldn't believe it. His brother was here! Without thinking, Mokuba ran over to him and threw his arms around him.

"Seto, you're here!"

Kaiba didn't do anything. He kept his gaze straight in front of him, and didn't move at all when Mokuba hugged him. Mokuba let go of his brother and looked at him.

"Are you okay?"

"No," he answered.

"What's wrong?"

"You're what's wrong."

Kaiba got up and walked over to the doorway of the kitchen. Mokuba stared at him. Would his brother really say that to him?

"Seto, I don't understand. What did I do?"

"You ruined my life!" he snapped at Mokuba.

"H-how?" asked Mokuba.

His brother smirked.

"I had a perfect life. I had a mother and a father who cared about me more than anything in the world. Then, Mama became pregnant with you."

Mokuba kept his eyes on his older brother.

"Before you existed, I was loved by my parents. They were so proud that their son was a genius. Dad didn't work half as much as he did after Mom died. He actually spent time with me. After you came along, he completely forgot about me. He gave all his love to you and there was none left for me!" He punched the wall.

Mokuba was shocked. Mokuba knew their dad loved both of them. Why would Seto say otherwise?

"You broke up my family, Mokuba!" yelled Kaiba. "My mother died because of you. It's all your fault! If you had never been born, I would still have my mother and my father. I wouldn't have had to say hello to a life I would hate and good-bye to the one I loved!"

Mokuba shook his head slowly from side to side as tears formed in his eyes.

"Dad forced me to grow up when I was six years old so he could work non-stop as I took care of you all day! You didn't even care about me!"

Mokuba was horrified.

"Seto, I loved you then too!"

"No, you loved Dad. You love him now too. I look like him and you want me to act like him. You kept comparing me to him! Why would you do that unless you wanted him and not me? I wasn't a good enough person for you!"

"That's not true!" shouted Mokuba. "I loved you!"

"You loved Dad, and that was your second mistake in life. You decided to trust a liar. Do you know how he lied to you, Mokuba? He made false promises to you. He didn't have to work half as much as he did. He told us that we needed the money but we had plenty of it! He promised to spend time with you every Sunday, but he always went to work anyways!"

"Seto, stop!" cried Mokuba.

"It's true."

"Seto, why are you doing this?"

"Do you know what your first mistake in life was? Do you?" Kaiba walked over and grabbed a hold of Mokuba's arms. "Do you!"

"Seto, you're hurting me," squeaked Mokuba. His brother tightened his grip even more after he said it.

"Answer me!"

"N...no," sobbed Mokuba.

Kaiba threw Mokuba to the ground and turned and walked out of the room.

"It was coming into existence!"

Mokuba got back up and ran after his older brother. When he got outside to the main hall, Seto was nowhere to be found. Mokuba looked all over the house, but there was no sign of Seto even being there. Even the cup of water he'd gotten was gone. Mokuba wondered if he'd hallucinated the whole thing, but if he did, why did his arms hurt so badly where Seto had grabbed them?