(Cat-eared author waves to the approaching readers) Min'na-san! O'genki!
(Sighs happily) All the reviews I got made me oh so happy! (Flips open fan, revealing the kanji for 'Heart' and 'Sword,' which comes out as 'Shinobi')
I had already started working on Chaptah 8 when I finished typing up 7, and have finally typed it down.
A note, I made a small adjustment to the end of Chaptah 6, the part with Shadi, Mana and Mahaado—the bird flying overhead didn't really work with how I have things set up in my mind, so I put a slight rewrite in there. You probably won't even notice it.
But anywho…
ENJOY NUMBUH 8!
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- - -
Chapter Eight: To Pursue a Killer…
Three days had passed since King Gozaburo's death and two since his funeral. However, the castle was in an uproar, calming the people and tending to the comatose heir, to be in much mourning for the late king.
Seto had gathered together the best men and women in medical science available to remedy his half-brother's condition, but one by one they continued to find nothing wrong with Noa. With each unsuccessful diagnosis the doctors were dismissed until only one specialist remained.
After a while, the man emerged from behind the curtain surrounding Noa's bed and sighed. "Your Highness, physically I can find nothing wrong with him," he said, running his hand through his graying hair nervously. "He has no injuries and as far as I can tell no toxins are present—" the doctors had each observed a blood sample under microscope earlier, "—Lord Noa is in a perfect state of health."
The last two dozen men and women had told the prince the same thing for the past two days, so it came as little in the way of news and even his annoyance had faded to a dull poke on his nerves.
Rubbing between his blue eyes with one bandaged hand, Seto took a deep breath. "You may go," he sighed.
The doctor bowed and took a hasty leave, almost knocking Mokuba over as he came in, but a quick apology and the youngest prince excused him. The black-haired boy watched as his brother collapsed into a chair and lean his head back as he closed his deep blue eyes.
After the shock of Gozaburo's death had sunk in, Seto passed out and hadn't woken up until the next day. However, since waking up the older of the two princes only took a few minutes of rest, and even then it was incredibly light. Mokuba was curious as to whether his brother didn't sleep because of his concern over Noa's condition, or nightmares about Gozaburo's death.
"Nii-sama, you should get some sleep," Mokuba said, stepping up next to the chair.
"I know," Seto sighed. Looking back at his little brother, he pat his shaggy head. "You should, too."
The boy's blue eyes narrowed. "I've gotten more sleep than you have."
Seto gave a light chuckle and messed up his brother's already unruly black hair. The room fell silent again as the two cast their gazes to the bed, where they could barely see their half-brother laying. There had been no movement from Noa aside from his quiet breathing since the attack, and the two remaining princes had done everything they could to stir him without success.
"It's almost like he's asleep," Mokuba said quietly, receiving a nod from his brother in response. The doctors are sure he wasn't…poisoned…or anything?"
Seto visibly flinched at the word Mokuba had so hesitantly uttered. "Even if they didn't, I can't find anything wrong with him either," he replied, bridging his fingers and leaning his chin on his knuckles. "I just can't figure out what happened to him…"
Mokuba put his hand on his brother's shoulder and was about to say something when the veil of silence was lifted by a knock on the door. Seto bid the person enter and in stepped Isono and the lady doctor who took care of the princes on a regular basis, Gaya.
"Seto-sama," the man bowed. "The Five wish to speak with you, sir."
Seto stood up after a short moment, and as he made his way to the door, he stopped too look at Gaya. "And you?"
"I was coming to see how your hands feel, but I'll wait," the woman replied with a small shrug.
With little excitement, the two princes went to the throne room, Seto's servant and the doctor in their wake. There waited the kingdom's top scholars and alchemists—next to the members of the royal family. In all honesty, Seto had never liked nor trusted the 'King's Five' as many had come to call them; they had been too close to Gozaburo and gave off the same smell as the late king.
"What is it?" The elder of the two present princes asked shortly, his bandaged hands in his pockets.
"Prince Seto, Prince Mokuba," the five men bowed, though not very far. "It is good to see you well."
The eldest man stepped forward, his cane tapping the floor. He was stout and balding, the rest of his grey hair gathered in a semi-circle to the back of his dome-shaped head; this was Gansly. "Prince Seto, given the current situation, the five of us have come to a decision."
Seto remained silent and the men took it as a sign to continue.
"As King Gozaburo has passed away and Prince Noa is bedridden, the kingdom is sure to be a hectic uproar soon," said, Daimon, a tall, bulky man with short almond-colored hair and pointy beard. "The people will need someone to lead them."
"So," the man with short, grey-brown hair—Oota—cut in, "we believe it best that you seized the throne."
Mokuba looked up into his brother's face, but there was no hint in Seto's noble features as to what he was thinking. The young ebony-haired knew that Seto had always wanted to be appointed King. Even though Noa had been proclaimed the heir, Mokuba's full blood brother had constantly told him of changes that would be made when he was crowned.
Now, with the King dead and the Heir comatose, it would be more than easy for him.
"No."
The King's Five, the lady doctor, Seto's servant and bodyguard and even Mokuba did a double take at the elder prince's one word reply.
Ooka, a broad-faced man with square-framed spectacles, was the first to find his voice. "P-Prince?"
"Do I need to speak louder or slower for you to hear what I said?" Seto removed his hands from his pockets and folded his arms in front of his chest. "I refuse to take the role as King under these circumstances. Gozaburo may be dead, but Noa isn't. According to law, I don't even have the right to the throne."
"But-but…Highness!" Sputtered the man with dark hair and mustache, Crump. "Surely you don't mean to leave the crown in Prince Noa's possession!"
"I will do so until I see fit," Seto replied, turning on his heel and heading out the doors. "If you'll excuse me."
Mokuba recovered from his shock when his brother disappeared from view and dashed after him. Isono bowed to the five men as he followed the two princes, while Gaya, on the other hand, smiled and quietly left without any indication of respect towards the Five.
"Nii-sama, wait!"
Seto paused, looking back over his shoulder and waiting for his younger brother to catch up before continuing down the hall.
"Nii-sama, why did you refuse the throne?" Mokuba asked. "You're always talking about the day you'll become King, so why—"
"The King dies," Seto interjected. "And at the same time the Heir to the throne falls ill, while the last two princes are left fairly unscathed. Naturally, any accusations will be directed toward me. I'm sure those idiots think I'm responsible for what happened, and if I had accepted the crown they would likely find some way to use that against me."
A moment of silence followed the two princes as Mokuba understood his brother's meaning. "Then…you won't accept the throne until you cane prove you didn't have anything to do with the attack."
"No."
Mokuba's head snapped up at the second time his brother had spoken the refusal.
"I don't intend to do anything of the sort until Noa is conscious," he said. "If I can help it."
Secretly, Seto had always intended to face Noa in a duel over the crown when the time came since they were children. Noa had always been meek and generally submissive, but Seto had never actually viewed his twin-like brother; when he tried, the Heir could match him in both intelligence and alchemy.
He wanted to face him on equal ground, and become King without deceit.
"That makes me happy."
Seto looked back to find Mokuba smiling.
"I think it would make Noa happy too."
Seto gave the barest hint of a smile to his brother, then looked back at the smiling faces of Isono and Gaya. Isono was quick to cover it with a cough, while the doctor went on smiling warmly.
"Yes?" Seto inquired, turning to face them as he folded his arms.
Gaya rummaged through the pocket of her coat before withdrawing a roll of bandages. "As I said before, I waited."
- - -
Seto sat on the couch as the doctor cut the bandages and finished wrapping his hands.
"Alright," she finished, placing the roll back into her pocket. "They're healing nicely. But try to keep from cutting them any further." She stood up and started for the door.
Seto looked at his freshly bandaged hands. "Gaya…"
"Yes?"
The prince leaned forward, placing his elbows on his knees. "How long have you been in the service of the royal family?"
The woman thought a moment. "A little less than ten years I believe," she replied. "My teacher, as you know, had to attend to other matters and left me to care for you and your brothers in his place."
Seto nodded slowly.
Mokuba, from his place in the armchair to the right of the sofa, looked from his brother to the doctor. He was about to say something, when Seto cut in.
"Isono," the man stepped beside the couch from his place by the door. "I want you to secure Noa's room, no one is allowed in without my or Mokuba's attendance." Noticing the black-haired prince's staring at him, Seto sighed. "And take Mokuba to the gardens, or wherever he wants while I sleep."
The youngest prince, the doctor and the bodyguard all smiled and nodded, leaving the room.
With their departure, Seto fell back on the couch and slung one arm over his eyes. He had stayed up all night to hear what the doctors had to say about Noa and all morning, it was almost noon; he felt had a little right to some rest. But even in his sleep he went over the problems at hand.
Despite what he said, it was only a matter of time before he would be forced to take the throne or was arrested for suspicion of murder. He wanted to become king, yes, but in his own way and not at the whim of Five conniving old geezers. And being thrown in prison for being accused of murdering the King and possibly poisoning the rightful Heir didn't sound like much fun either.
He needed time to cure Noa of whatever it was that the attacker did to him. Seto still had no idea what had actually happened; that light, that strange invisible wall, and that intense pain whenever he came in contact with it. Maybe it had been an Alchemic field of some sort that allowed the attacker the time he needed to inflict the necessary harm on his victim. He must have made Noa swallow the drug or poison he had—Seto remembered Amelda covering his half-brother's mouth.
Whatever substance he had used on Noa didn't seem incredibly harmful; he was apparently fine, simply in a coma. Seto had no knowledge of this type of drug or poison, even if it wasn't deadly; but if it was so harmless it had to have some sort of antidote or cure.
Seto's blue eyes snapped open and sat upright. It seemed, in his thinking, it had only been a few minutes, but it was late evening outside.
If he didn't know of any antidote to it, it was more likely that Amelda, the assailant would. Even if it wasn't poison, he had attacked the royal family and killed the Kings. That was enough to have the youth executed. However, top be executed, Amelda would have to be caught.
- - -
"What!"
Seto sighed exasperatingly as he stood before the King's Five for the second time that day. "You really should consider cleaning out your ears; I don't like having to repeat myself."
The Prince's entrance alone had been so abrupt it had startled the five men speechless, but it was his sudden declaration to leave the kingdom that had struck them dumb.
"But-but-but…! Why are you leaving, Prince Seto?" Ooka asked.
"The assassin that took King Gozaburo's life escaped," Seto said. "If he is not caught, he lives as a threat to the kingdom's well being. It would only stand to reason that someone who witnessed the transgression should be sent after him."
"You are referring to yourself, My Lord?" Inquired Gansly, his tone softening, and the Prince nodded. "Well, it is understandable, then. You must act according to your duty, as several before you have."
Seto folded his arms in front of his chest. "I do, however, have an order for you all…"
"To guard Lord Noa and Prince Mokuba in your absence," Daimon bowed.
"No." Seto's sharp answer again startled them. "I want no one but specific members of the castle guard and medical staff near Noa. That includes you five specifically." Smiling, the prince's eyes seemed to glow. "I hereby order the King's Five to disband."
A series of gasps were followed by objections and demands for an answer.
"You are the 'King's Five,'" the youth said. "Currently, there is no King for you to serve under. Until such time, I want you to leave."
Clearly, the men objected, their combined voices raising and filling the throne room and hurting Seto's ears. He was about to shout back, when a calm voice cut into the fray.
"Really, this is just…completely unbelievable."
All eyes shot to the open doors of the throne room, shocked to find a man few had seen in the past several years but everyone knew. He was tall, broad-shouldered and clad in all white save for his black pants and boots; his hair, beard and mustache were as light grey as it could get before turning white and his eyes were a dark blue-green.
Seto's own blue eyes widened at the sight of the man, shock clear on his face. "Shizuma…!"
The man bowed to the Prince as he entered the room. "I apologize for the interruption…" his gaze shot to the King's Five and narrowed, "…but you really ought to reconsider refusing the Prince's order. Were you not just today trying to convince him to accept the place as King?"
Gansly and the others could only stare at the man in stunned silence.
"You really should look at his command as generous," the man called Shizuma went on. "He said that you are dismissed until Lord Noa regains consciousness, not permanently. So I suggest you take leave in a reasonable manner, with haste."
And with said haste, the King's Five left the throne room and would soon leave the kingdom as well.
One would obviously wonder why the five men had been so revered by Shizuma's appearance, and naturally that person would have to be informed that this man assisted in Gozaburo's birth, followed by the late king's three sons and any other born at that time. Shizuma was, in fact, the best doctor throughout the whole country, as he had been for the past eight decades. No one was sure how he was still appeared so young for his age; some believed he had discovered the Philosopher's Stone, but of course no one could be sure.
"Things certainly have changed," the man sighed. "Advisors talking to the Prince in such a way…"
Seto had finally regained his own composure and looked at the doctor with barely-obvious anxiety. "I didn't think you would be back anytime soon…"
"Prince Seto, I am always here," Shizuma sighed, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "I am merely kept in a very restricted place, and visited so rarely that people constantly believe I am no longer here. This one woman I met earlier actually thought I had finally died! It's quite a bother."
The blue-eyed prince looked down, at that moment wishing the man had not left that hurtful place and reminded him why he hadn't seen him for so long.
"In any case, you certainly have grown," the doctor said, bringing Seto out of his shadowed thoughts as he measured the prince's height against his own. "You're much taller than your father was at your age." Shizuma paused. "How old are you again? I had it a moment ago, but it slipped by me just now. Sixteen?"
"Nineteen," Seto replied flatly.
"Nineteen!" The man nodded. "I was a year off."
"Three years off," the prince corrected without missing a beat.
"Right, right. Three, six, nine…I forget."
Seto probably would have smiled. As a child, he had visited with Shizuma often and became accustomed to his losing memory and blank moments, actually coming to enjoy them. But now, seeing the doctor again after ten years brought only a little amusement since the prince always remembered why he hadn't seen the man for so long.
"So. What are you doing here?"
Shizuma crossed his arms behind his back. "If I told you that I heard about what happened and came to check on you…"
"…You would be lying," Seto finished. He knew that where Shizuma stayed little to no news of the outside world was given to the people there. "Do I need to repeat my question?"
"No need, I know you dislike repeating yourself," the man waved his hand. "Actually it would only be considered a lie from one's own perspective. Prince Mokuba sent for me." He ignored the jerk and wide-eyed expression of the prince beside him. "He sent a letter explaining what happened and called for my expertise to look Prince Noa over. In fact, he was standing just outside the door when I arrived. I'm sure he heard your proposition."
Seto sighed. "And?"
"Prince Noa wasn't poisoned, as far as I could tell," Shizuma replied. "However, I have decided to at least tell the people he is in a state of shock."
"Shock?"
"If he was witness to Gozaburo's death, it would likely come as quite a blow mentally, much like it was with you, as I heard it." Again, the man ignored the flinch from the prince. "To protect his delicate mind, he would fall into a comatose state to avoid, or come to terms with what he saw. Until the latter, the Prince will sleep."
Seto was certain Shizuma had come up with this hypothesis to at least help give Seto some time in his decision to pursue the king's murderer, and was grateful for it.
"Very well," Seto nodded, proceeding past the man and towards the door. "Extend the 'shock' and let Gaya know."
"She was there when I formulated it, she already knows.
The prince was nearly out the door when he stopped. "How is she…?" He had asked so quietly, no one else would have heard aside from the old sage.
"No better," Shizuma sighed. "But no worse either."
And with that, Seto left the throne room
- - -
He found his brother in the exact garden the attack had taken place as the sky was shifting from red, to purple, to dark blue.
Mokuba stood at the edge of the pond, gazing out at the water. Hearing his brother stop a couple of feet behind him, the boy spared a brief glance over his shoulder before returning his gaze to the crystalline water.
"Mokuba—"
"I'm going with you, Nii-sama," the young prince interjected firmly. "I heard what you told the Five and I'm going too."
"Mokub—"
"I know I'm not very good when it comes to fighting, but I'll be able to help when we're using Alchemy!" Mokuba went on without meeting his brother's gaze, worried that he would lose his nerve if he did.
"Moku—"
"And even if you try to leave me behind, I'll still follow you!" He said. "Noa's my brother too! And I want to save him just as much as—"
"Mokuba!"
The boy flinched at Seto's yell and slowly turned to face him. As Mokuba had feared, his courage to talk back dwindled upon meeting his brother's deep blue gaze.
"I promised a long time ago that I would protect you no matter what, remember?" The younger boy nodded, casting his eyes to the ground. "How can I do that if you are not within my line of vision?"
His eyes widened and shot to his older brother's smirking face. Mokuba's own mouth stretched into a huge grin and he rammed into Seto, giving him a tight hug.
As the two headed back toward the castle, Seto paused to stare at the monument he had alchemized the day of the attack. The blood from Gozaburo's death blow could still be seen, as no one had dared to wash the blood away.
When Seto had created the pillar, he had secretly wanted Gozaburo to see it. He had wanted the King to see it and know that the boy who had not been chosen as the Heir would rise against him and any challenge he set. He had wanted this monument to stand for his own greatness in comparison to that man.
And so it would.
Walking over to it, Mokuba in hesitant tow, Seto stood before the stain of long since dried blood. He started to dig through his pockets for a piece of chalk, but stopped and brought his bandaged hands back out to stare at them.
Gozaburo had been a force to reckon with in battle due to a strange ability no one but those of the royal family had been ever been endowed with. By clapping, he could charge alchemic energy through his limbs and transmute objects without have to draw an array. He recalled Mokuba saying that Gozaburo had drawn an array to fight Amelda and figured that it was due to having only one hand that the late King had resorted to an actual array.
Staring down at his own hands, Seto wondered what would happen if he attempted making his own body an array. Many had tried to copy the King and ended up hurting themselves due to too much or too little energy being charged inside their bodies.
Motioning for his brother to step back, Seto took a deep breath and clapped his hands together. Slamming them against the surface of the pillar, blue lightning danced across the stone surface and the prince watched as the blood seeped into the stone, vanishing without a trace.
Pulling his hands away, relieved that there didn't appear to be any horrible effects from his experiment, Seto released the breath he had been holding.
"Nii-sama…"
Looking back to his beloved little brother, Seto offered a smirk and pat the boy's head gently.
Mokuba looked up into his brother's tired eyes, but only managed a small smile back. A gold glimmer behind Seto caused the younger prince to look away from his brother's face and focus on the approaching light. "What's that?"
Following Mokuba's gaze, Seto turned to the East and caught sight of the glittering gold. Before he could contemplate on what it could possibly be, the gold light shot overhead and disappeared into the setting sun.
Even though it was out of sight, Seto could somehow still see it in the back of his eyes. Shaking the wonder of whatever that thing had been from his thoughts, the two princes returned to the castle to make preparations to leave the next morning.
- - -
Early the next day, before the sun had even risen, Mokuba entered Noa's chambers and met Gaya as she checked in on the comatose prince.
"Any changes?" The boy asked.
"None, sir," the woman shook her head.
Mokuba hadn't really been expecting any and carefully approached the bed. "Could you…give me a few minutes? Alone?" Nodding, Gaya left the room and the boy sat down in the chair sitting beside the bed.
"Noa. Seto and I are going to be leaving for a while. Nii-sama told the old guys that we're going after Amelda to avenge Gozaburo, but I know he's really doing it for you." Mokuba sighed. "I'm pretty sure he thinks you've been poisoned, even though none of the doctors can find any. It's probably because of…her that he thinks that…"
The boy looked back into Noa's sleeping face. "He doesn't want me to know," he whispered. "he wants me to think that she's dead…maybe, in a way she is, but…" Mokuba paused to take a shaky breath. "I think…Nii-sama is over there now… I wish…even if she doesn't remember me…I wish I could see her…"
Tears trailed down the young prince's cheeks and he quickly wiped them away.
"Listen, Noa…" he said. "Whatever's wrong, wherever you are…don't give up. I don't want to see that again…and I know Nii-sama wouldn't be able to take it…'
- - -
Only select nursemaids and doctors stayed in the East tower of the inner castle, and they always would until their only patient was either cured or eventually died. As rarely as the medical staff step out of the tower was how often people came to visit the tower's patient and ruler.
For the first time in ten years, Seto entered the tower. He was clad in black pants, boots and a turtleneck covered by a light blue jacket that went down past his knees, held closed by two black belts, one which held his sword.
He was almost immediately greeted by one of the nursemaids; a woman clad in white with black hair—several white hairs sprouting—done up in a bun and somewhat tired green eyes. "My Lord Prince…" She bowed. "You honor us with your visit, sire."
"I want to see her," Seto said quickly.
Without question, the woman led the prince down the hall and up several stairs to the door of a room Seto remembered entering only once. Staring at it for a long while, he noticed the woman regarding him with a sympathetic expression. "Leave us."
Again, the woman complied and headed back down the stairs.
Turning to face the door again, the prince slowly grasped the handle and turned it, pushing the door open.
It was a spacious room, with a white dressing table to the far right wall and a bed to the far left. Directly ahead of the door, in front of a locked window, sat a woman in a long nightgown as she rocked a cradle and sang a gentle song Seto knew very well.
Her chestnut brown hair went down to her knees and various wisps fell into her face, as if trying to conceal it from view.
The closing of the door caught the woman's attention and her head snapped up, her soft blue eyes meeting the deep sapphire of the prince. But where the latter gaze became uncommonly gentle, the woman's became hard and angry.
"Who are you!" She demanded, reaching into the cradle and pulling a bundle tight to her chest. "You're a soldier, aren't you! I know what you're here for!"
Seto's face remained neutral, with the barest hint of sadness in his eyes. "I came to say good-bye…"
The woman looked to the bundle in her arms, her features softening. "Sshh, sshh, sshh… Hush, little one," she said, bouncing her arms gently. The top of the bundle gave way and Seto could see the face of a doll with brown strings for hair looking back at him with blue buttons for eyes. "Forgive me… You were sleeping so soundly, too…"
Her gaze returned to the prince and she glared coldly. "I will give this child to no one!" She screamed, backing into the corner by the bed. "Seto is my son! He's mine! You can't have him! GO AWAY!"
Seto stared at the quivering woman that was his mother, huddling in the corner. Clutching a doll thought to be him, and her eyes alight with mad fury. He could only imagine the horrible nightmares she was tormented with night after night, but knew his thoughts probably didn't even scratch the surface.
He could still remember the day it all happened clearly…
The cup sat at the boy's feet, its contents spilled across the floor.
The men had managed to drag away his screaming mother a while ago, but he couldn't bring himself to move. As he stayed pressed against the wall, the remaining people began talking amongst each other.
"The Queen took the cup in Prince Seto's place…" they said. "The wine sent in celebration of his birthday was poisoned… It is an evil poison that drives the mind mad."
When no cure had been found, Gozaburo had ordered his wife be locked in the tower, to chase her shadows until she died.
Now, Seto watched his mother as he slowly fell to one knew. "I go to shatter the swords of those who have tormented you and your son, My Lady," he said. "Please, live your days in peace."
Carefully backing away the prince spotted a light blue cloth on the bed and picked it up. It had been hers since before he had been born; he remembered her telling him once that a dear friend had given it to her. Carefully tucking it into his jacket, Seto left the East tower.
- - -
Beneath the castle were a series of passages and waterways that only select people knew about. Seto, Mokuba and Noa had discovered the catacombs as children and had often played in the shadowy corridors. Now, Seto and Mokuba mostly used the place for getting out for rides without being noticed.
Using it again for a similar purpose, the two princes led their horses through the dark with Isono and Gaya carrying and lantern as they followed them.
"We'll part here," Seto said when they came to a crossroad of tunnels and turned back to his servant. "It will be up to you to keep things in order until we return. If something happens that you need me back, send letters in every direction addressed to Kaiba. Kaiba Seto."
There was a moment of silence as the Prince spoke the maiden name of his mother before Isono nodded. "Yes, sir."
"Also, accept no well wishers or gifts for Noa. And don't allow any of the Five to return."
"We will take care of him," Gaya said. "In the meantime, 'Kaiba-san,' you and your brother take care of yourselves."
The Prince nodded, urging Alumiss to continue down the path.
"Good-bye," Mokuba said, waving to the woman and man as he led his own horse after his brother's. "Don't take over the kingdom while we're away!"
"I'll try to refrain myself," Gaya called back.
Seto smirked slightly at that. Gaya and Isono were perhaps the most trusted among the castle aside from Shizuma, and he knew they would never betray him.
Setting his eyes ahead, he and his brother made it outside just as the sun was rising. They mounted their horses and headed West.
- - -
- - -
Okay, Author's Notes. Right.
The King's Five: The Big Five, duh. But I didn't know all their Japanese names, so I used the ones I knew and left the rest in English.
Shizuma: The doctor thought to always be away and older than he looks is based off of one of Kaiba's scientists from the anime; the cool-looking one from when he was running his first test of the new Duel Disc and Obelisk. Look, you can't miss him.
Seto's Pillar: a Possible Alcatraz? Wait and see.
Seto's Mother: She looks like Kisara, just with brown hair; reasons later. It's important.
I know that 'Kaiba' was Gozaburo's family name, but I can't have Seto and Mokuba going out with their regular names; they'd be assaulted every five minutes. So, I made 'Kaiba' their mother's maiden name so it could make them less conspicuous on their journey.
Did you know that Kaiba means 'Seahorse'? And Mokuba means 'Rocking horse'. Funny, huh?
NEXT! CHAPTAH NINE!
How fairs the Black Dragon Kingdom at the loss of their prince? There was once another female Slayer? The bird reaches its destination, and chains begin to form and link.
Otana shimi ni!