At first there was only silence… darkness... a cold kind of stillness... Then the world around him grew steadily brighter.... He felt a heeling warmth run through him...
Slowly, Seto Kaiba opened his eyes… He let out a soft moan and blinked as he realized where he was.... back in Pegasus's underground dungeon... He remembered... He'd lost the duel to that egomaniac who'd practically murdered his little brother right in front of his eyes... He remembered Pegasus's taunting voice as he took his own soul from him…
But he was alive now… He was back in his body… Somehow, Yugi must have defeated Pegasus and won back all the souls he'd taken… and if his soul had been restored, then that… that must mean…
"Mokuba." Seto whispered... Despite the fact that it had obviously been that spiky haired runt, Yugi Moto, and his self righteous little fan club who'd won this battle and not him, a smile of both relief and hope spread across his face... If he was alive again, then his beloved little brother must be too!. And that was all that mattered right now!. Slowly and painfully, he rose to his feet and staggered out of the opened cell door… "Gotta'… find... Mokuba…"
If only Seto Kaiba had known... If only he had seen the younger, ten year old version of himself, still sitting dejectedly against the stone wall of the jail cell, his arms around his legs, shivering with both cold and unbearable grief… If only he had heard the younger version of himself, crying and sobbing as if he were lost, and all alone in the world…
"How is he?." Tea asked in concern as she studied Mokuba's unresponsive face... Something was wrong, she could feel it…
Bakura, back to his normal state, felt the neck and wrist of the little boy in his arms... He then looked back up at Tea, Yugi, Joey and Tristin and shook his head… "He's not coming to."
Tea covered her mouth with her hand and Joey bit his lip while Tristin bowed his head... Yugi shook his head vigorously in denial. "No, this isn't right. He can't be. Pegasus promised to restore those souls." Tears threatened to form in his eyes. What if the Duel Monsters creator had gone back on his word after all?. What if his Grandpa was in this same state?…
Joey knelt down by Bakura and Mokuba and gently shook the little one's shoulder. "Mokuba, come on, kid. You gotta' wake up. Your brother's waiting for ya'."
"He was ready to die for you." Tea whispered, brushing a tear from her cheek. "Please, Mokuba. You can't leave him."
But it was of no use... In spite of everyone's efforts, the child remained lifeless…
Tears streaming down his cheeks, Bakura gently leaned the boy against the balcony railing… "I... I don't understand..." he whispered. "Pegasus... he promised..."
"Hey," Joey said suddenly, turning to Yugi, Tea and Tristin. "Didn't we see just two empty soul cards in Pegasus's room?."
Yugi nodded slowly. "Yes, but Pegasus took three souls. Grandpa's, Kaiba's and…" His eyes widened as he put the pieces together.
"He wouldn't!" Tea cried in disbelief, choking back a sob. "He promised to restore all those souls if Yugi won, not just two!."
Joey clenched his hands tightly. "Guess he wasn't as good a loser as he said he'd be." For the first time, he actually sympathized with Seto Kaiba. He knew what it was like to love a younger sibling so much you'd do anything for them. He didn't know what he'd do if he ever lost his Serenity in this way.
Just then, there came the sound of footsteps from a nearby hallway, and a familiar, husky voice calling "Mokuba?. Mokuba, it's Seto!. Where are you, little brother?."
Kaiba soon approached the balcony overlooking Pegasus's dueling arena… Yugi, Joey, Tristin and Bakura were gathered together in a cluster, as if trying to hide something…
"Yugi," Seto coolly studied the smaller boy in front of him. "I take it you're the new champion now?." Not that it made a difference now anyway. Just as long as Mokuba was alright.
Yugi and Joey looked at each other. "Yeah," Wheeler answered quietly. "Yug' beat Pegasus… but..."
Seto crossed his arms with a tight smirk. "As much as I would have liked to have crushed the moron myself, it doesn't matter as long as Mokuba is restored. Now where is he?."
"Kaiba," Yugi said gently. "There's something you should know… Pegasus... He..."
"Moto!. Where's my little brother?!." Seto snapped.
For a moment everyone was silent... then Yugi, Joey, Tristin and Bakura all stepped away to reveal Tea, holding a still form in her arms...
Kaiba's eyes widened. "Mokuba… No..."
"I'm so sorry…" she whispered, her eyes glistening with tears. "He... He never came to…"
Seto reached out and gently took the limp, feather-light body from Tea... "Mokuba… No..." He sank to his knees, cradling his little brother in his arms... "No... You can't leave me like this… Please... wake up... Please..."
But the child's eyes remained closed... His body lifeless and cold to the touch...
"Don't leave me... Please... I need you..." Kaiba continued to plead, his voice shaking… but his heart sunk as he realized it was useless… Swallowing back a grief-stricken sob, he held Mokuba closer and tenderly brushed a few stray black bangs away from his pale face... "I'm so sorry, kiddo. I just keep on failing you... Please, forgive me…" It was true!. This was all his fault!. If he hadn't left Mokuba alone... If he had been a better duelist… If he had been a better brother!.
"But there's nothing to forgive," Bakura said softly. "It isn't your fault, Kaiba."
"Yeah," Joey added. "It's that cheater, Pegasus!. He's the one who broke his word!."
Yugi, Tea and Tristin all nodded slowly in agreement…
But Seto neither listened nor cared what any of them had to say... He shut his eyes, trying to force back the tears, and rested Mokuba's head against his own heart…
"Kaiba," Yugi said gently, putting a hand on the taller boy's shoulder. "You tried your very best… You were willing to risk everything to save him... I'm sure your brother knows that."
The young CEO didn't even acknowledge the newly appointed King of Games. Instead, lowering his head, he buried his face in Mokuba's hair so that Yugi and the others would not see the tears he had proved to weak to keep from streaming down his face... "Go away," he whispered harshly, without even bothering to shake Yugi's hand off. "Just... Just go away…"
Yugi drew his hand away, eyes wide. "Kaiba…"
But Tea gently touched his arm and shook her head…
"Maybe… Maybe we should leave him for a while…" Joey said… Tristin and Bakura nodded in agreement
Reluctantly, Yugi followed his friends out of Pegasus's castle, leaving Seto, still cradling Mokuba in his arms, alone with his grief…He remained there for several more moments… Unable to stay, but unwilling to leave… Finally, he gently laid the child down… Tenderly, he reached out to touch his little brother's soft, peaceful face one last time before taking off his dark blue coat and carefully placing it over him…