Okay, here's the second chapter. ... By the way… if someone was wondering what I meant with "there were plenty of masks in the stable yard" in the previous chapter that was supposed to be "plenty of worms". ::sweatdrop:: My beta pointed out in this chapter that there's something weird in 'digging masks'. It took me a moment to realize that 'mask' is worm in Swedish, not in English. Come on, I'm sure you've sometimes mixed up words in languages you're studying…

Anyway, very many thanks to Rayne-Jelly for betaing. I really seem to need a beta…

The ages at the moment: Jou is, as you know, almost eight, Seto's nine, Mokuba is four, and Shizuka... hmmm, let's say six.

And thanks for the reviewers too!

Rayne-Jelly: ... ::is still laughing about the 'masks':: Thanks again.

Innominate: I'm afraid this is the last chapter where the characters are of that age... we'll soon make a little warp in time. Hmm... I guess I can tell you that at least Yami, Yuugi, Ryou and Bakura will make cameos in this (not necessarily in that order), as well as one or two characters from the books. Yeah, and Shizuka, of course. Thanks for the review!

Yami-loverOB1: I'm glad that you liked this. Many thanks for the review!

Chapter 2

Sitting in a finely carved coach, Seto was once again doing his best trying to look nonchalant, although he feared that he was failing miserably. He couldn't help wondering how Mokuba was able to take this all so calmly. The little boy behaved as if he visited daily some Lord's estate.

This Lord in question, together with his huntbrother, was currently talking with Katsuya's mother, Lady Jounouchi, a lovely-looking woman approaching her forties. Katsuya himself was sitting beside Seto, looking terribly bored.

"They talk too much," he whispered to Seto. "I wish they'd let us go, there are so many things I want to show you."

The Lady looked at him sharply. "If that includes digging worms with your bare hands behind the stable, you can forget it."

Katsuya blinked. "How did…"

She smiled at him a little smugly. "Mothers always know. We will talk about it later."

The blond boy hung his head with a depressed sigh. "Damn," he muttered.

On the floor in the front of them a small brown-haired girl looked up at them, not saying anything. Shizuka, Katsuya's sister, seemed to Seto to be quite nice girl. The only problem with her was that she kept on asking Seto 'Are you sure you don't have a sister?' over and over again. As she put it, 'getting two more brothers, especially a little one, was fun; but she would have preferred a sister since even one brother was too much of a burden.' Her mother had told her that it wasn't yet certain if she was getting get any new siblings, and if she was, she'd have to be content with Seto and Mokuba. She didn't seem to be too happy about it, but at least she had dropped the subject.

As time went by Seto was growing more and more suspicious about the whole thing. He knew that he wasn't very social type, and he didn't understand how he'd ever get along with someone so different from him like Katsuya was. On the other hand, the food was good and there was plenty of it. More to the point, Mokuba looked quite happy there, and getting adopted by nobility was certainly the best thing that could ever happen to him. He looked for a moment at his brother who was also sitting on the floor, playing contently with Shizuka's toys. In that sense there really was no question, but he was still feeling unsure.

Finally the Lady turned to look at them, smiling a little.

"I guess there is no reason to keep the boys here to be 'bored to death'. If you have so many things to show to Seto, why don't you go to show them, honey. Just one thing." Her voice grew sterner. "No activities that involve dirt, do you understand me, young man?"

"Yes Mom," Katsuya answered meekly.

She smiled. "Go then, boys."

Shizuka got up from the floor. "Can I show Mokuba my room?"

"Of course, dear. And don't worry, Seto," she added with a wink as she noticed Seto's worried expression. "She's not dangerous."

Seto bowed slightly, not knowing what else to do, and left then after Katsuya who was impatiently waiting for him to follow.

"Finally!" Katsuya muttered when they were out of earshot. "I thought they were going to keep us there forever. By the way, my friends call me Jou." He smiled at the other boy who just nodded.

"So what do you wan to do first?" Jou asked grinning. "I know! I'll show you daddy's dogs! C'mon!"

Dogs? What's so special about dogs? Seto thought absentmindedly, still wondering about the strange turn his life had suddenly taken. Then he realized. Of course, he means the dogs that are used in the hunts… Seems to be quite excited about them.

Jou didn't let the other's silence to bother him, "I can't wait till I get my own pack. It's gonna be the greatest there's ever been! I'll take only the best hounds… well, I probably will get some of dad's dogs, but they're okay too. Especially the pack leader, though he'll be too old then…" Jou kept on babbling about the dogs, with no end to the monologue in sight.

Seto looked at the beautiful paintings that were hanging on the walls listening only with half an ear to the other boy's chatter.

I guess I have to do this, for Mokuba, if not for any other reason… This way he can get education and everything. Really, what kind of a brother I am, even considering abandoning a chance like this and taking him back to the streets!

Suddenly something Jou said caught his attention.

"It had to be great, to live like that! Such freedom… no one telling you what to do and what not…"

Seto snorted. "Yes… and no one giving you food or new clothes, or warmth when the winter comes. Really great. Are you stupid or what?"

Jou turned to look at him angrily. "Don't talk to me like that!"

"Why not?" Seto annoyed look turned to mocking. "Oh yes, I know, you're a Lord. I guess I should just smile at everything you say and bow deeply afterwards?"

Jou glared at him. "You're stupid yourself."

Seto raised his eyebrows. "Really? Well, at least I'm not…" He took a slow look at the other boy, "…a well-clad puppy dog."

"Take that back!"

"Make me."

The fight was just about to begin when Seto heard something. "What's that?"

Jou stopped in the middle of his attack. "What?" he asked suspiciously.

"Someone's crying." Seto listened carefully.

"I don't hear…" Jou was saying, but he cut himself off in the middle of the sentence as a weak shout carried to his ears.

"…Seto…!"

In a matter of seconds Seto was running towards the sound. "Mokuba!"

Jou ran after him. "I think it came from upstairs," he said, and they rushed up the stairs.

Upstairs, Seto ran quickly to the door behind which the crying came and flung it open. As he saw what was in the room he stopped dead in shock. Behind him Jou burst into laughter.

Very miserable looking Mokuba was sitting on a chair, dressed in a beautiful, pink dress. His hair was bound with a matching ribbon. Shizuka stood beside him, looking guiltily at the boys.

"Seto!" Mokuba bounced on his feet and ran to his brother. "She's making me a girl!"

By now Jou had sunk to sit on the floor, guffawing with laughter. Seto looked at him angrily.

"Could you stop that, this isn't funny."

"Oh yes… this is." Jou wiped his eyes. "Funniest thing I've ever seen…"

Shizuka looked at Mokuba accusingly. "You wouldn't have needed to cry. I wouldn't cry either if someone dressed me up as a boy."

Seto looked at her sternly and she gulped, taking a step back. "That's different." He glanced at the still laughing Jou. "Maybe you should explain to your sister the difference between boys and girls," he said as he took off the ribbon.

"No!" Shizuka shouted. "You can't take it away! Put it back!"

"I'm most definitely not going to put it back," he shouted. "And for now on you'd better to leave my brother alone!"

He glared at the small girl, who gulped again and suddenly began to cry.

"Hey!" Jou jumped up from the floor. "Don't you make my sister cry!"

Seto turned to glare at him for his turn. "I can't make her cry but it's okay for her to make my brother cry?"

"She's a girl! Mother says gentlemen don't…"

"You're not a gentleman, you're an idiot."

"Jerk," Jou muttered under his breath.

"Puppy boy."

Suddenly the two were rolling on the floor, tearing at each other's hair.

A figure appeared by the doorway. "What on earth is… oh!"

Lady Jounouchi turned quickly away, trying to hide her smile as she saw Mokuba.

"Okay boys." Kagemi stepped into the room and picked the fighting boys apart. "That's enough."

By now the Lady had regained her composure, and she looked at the children. "What is going on here?" she asked as calmly as she could.

Shizuka stared at the floor, Mokuba sat quietly by the wall still looking quite miserable, and Seto and Jou were exchanging angry glances.

The Lady sighed. "Katsuya?"

Jou lowered his eyes to the floor.

Seto glanced at him once more and cleared then his throat quietly.

"We… we heard Mokuba crying and came to see and found him like this and then I took this away," he showed her the ribbon and her lips twitched. "And I… I shouted at Shizuka and she began to cry, and he got angry and we… well, we…" he glanced again at Jou and fell silent.

She sighed again. "You began to fight."

"Quite a circus," Lord Kawai said chuckling at the door.

Lady Jounouchi glanced at her brother angrily. "I have never understood what's so funny in fighting. Anyway, I think that now is the time of apologies. Who wants to begin?"

Both boys stared sullenly at the floor, refusing to look at each other.

"Shizuka?" the Lady said, "Why don't you set an example for the boys?"

"Me?" Shizuka looked up, surprised.

"Yes, you," her mother said gently. "You made Mokuba cry.

Shizuka bit her lip and looked a little shamefacedly at Mokuba who was still sniffling.

"I'm sorry," she said. "Really." She walked to Mokuba and bent down to hug him.

The Lady smiled at them. "That's good. Well boys?"

It was Seto's turn to bit his lip. "I'm sorry that I yelled at you," he said finally to Shizuka who nodded happily.

"So, that leaves only you two," the Lady said looking expectantly at the two boys. "Katsuya? You haven't said anything yet."

Jou looked up angrily. "I'm not going to apologize to him for anything."

His mother was about to say something, but Seto cut her off. "That's fine by me, I don't want your apologies."

Jou glared at him. "Jerk."

"Shall I say what you are?"

"At least I…!"

"Boys! Stop it!" Lady Jounouchi looked at them angrily. "Now you're going to apologize each other."

The boys remained silent.

"Do it."

Silence.

"Oh well! Be stubborn if you have to. Go to your rooms. Now. Kagemi, why don't you show Seto where his room is?"

"Sure. Come on, kid."

Seto followed him out of the room, giving one more, angry look at Jou, which was promptly returned.

"You too, Katsuya. Go to your room and stay there." Sullenly Jou left the room. The Lady looked after them for a moment with a sigh. "This isn't going very well."

"What do you mean?" her brother asked.

"You saw them! They don't get along at all!"

Lord Kawai laughed. "They get along just as well as Kagemi and I did at their age."

She looked at him shaking her head.

"Be that as it may…. Come here, Mokuba. Now where are your own clothes…?"

In a small room Seto was sitting on a bed, staring at his feet.

"I don't like him," he said suddenly.

Kagemi looked at him smiling a little, leaning against the wall. "I didn't like my hunter when we met either, if that makes you feel any better. Jou isn't that bad when you get really to know him. His problem is that he tends to talk without thinking, that's all."

Seto shrugged. "Maybe." He didn't feel convinced. Why did I have to steal that purse? Everything would have been much simpler if they hadn't… That brought another thought to his mind. He looked up at Kagemi.

"I…"

"What?" Kagemi looked at him questioningly.

"I was just wondering…" Seto continued hesitantly. "Where's his father? Why didn't he come to search for a huntbrother for his son?"

There was a moment's silence before Kagemi answered him quietly.

"He is dead."

Seto blinked. "Oh…"

Kagemi came to sit beside him on the bed. For a moment he stared at the floor as if deep in thought, and continued then.

"He faced the Hunter's Death three years ago."

"What?" Seto blinked again.

"Do you remember what you were told about the Sacred Hunt?"

Seto nodded.

"That's what it's called when someone dies there… It's a horrible thing, Seto. Necessary, but horrible. His body was not a pleasant sight when we found him…"

Seto listened with wide eyes. "Where… where's his huntbrother, then?"

"He's dead too." Kagemi turned to look at him again and stared for sometime into his eyes thoughtfully. "I guess you deserve to know the truth." He took a deep breath. "Usually the huntbrothers don't live long after their Hunters' deaths. The bond between them is so strong… It is easier for the Hunters to face the death of their brothers. They still have their dogs left, and they are bound also to them very strongly. For the huntbrothers, once the Oath is taken… there is nothing worse than the death of the hunter."

"Oath…?" The word was very soft, as if he were afraid to say it.

"Hunter's Oath. That's where the bond is forged, and I do hope that you will take it with Jou. There are dangers in it, but it is worth them. I think that you'd be good for Jou."

He got up and patted Seto on the shoulder. "But don't worry about things like that now. Go to sleep." With a silent 'good night', he left.

Seto went to bed, but he lay long awake, staring at the ceiling, before drifting away to sleep.

Well, there it was. A little shorter chapter this time… The next chapter will still deal mostly with Jou and Seto's developing relationship, but it think in the fourth chapter something will start to happen.

This was a little silly chapter, but when I was writing this the image of 'Princess Mokuba' popped up in my mind, and I couldn't resist he temptation. ::grin::

Anyway, reviews are, as always, appreciated. Please tell me what you think, okay?

... gah. I don't seem to be able to get over the 'masks'. I have to be really tired… ::wanders away to laugh her head off::