Mokuba's Plan

By Pearl of the Dark Age

Disclaimer: Greetings, extra-terrestrial! (Live long and prosper!) I should inform you and my fellow Earthlings that I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!

A/N: This chapter contains the first part of major character development. In the summary of this story, "character development" is written in all capital letters. Character development is the main focus of this story, so be prepared for more in later chapters.

Chapter 6

Summer sunshine was not enough to evaporate the worries that one man carried. The young man stood outside the tall building of glass and steel. He had seen it before, and his beautiful brown eyes traced over the familiar lettering above the entrance: Kaiba Company, Inc. "He is not going to like this…" the man whispered to himself. "There should be a limit to Kaiba's anger."

He walked into the polished lobby, past the receptionist, and straight to the elevators. He did not know for sure on which floor Kaiba's office was, but he knew Kaiba. He pushed the button for the top floor. While a continuous crowd boarded and offloaded on his flight up to the top floor, a few people gave him curious glances, but most ignored him as they went about their daily work life. He looked quite out of place in khaki cargo pants and a plain black T-shirt. He sported a backpack on one shoulder emblazoned with the logo of a local city college. Ding! the elevator bell announced upon destination.

He got off the now empty elevator, and walked up to Kaiba's secretary. He could not help noticing that she was extremely attractive, and he took this as evidence of Kaiba's arrogance. She checked him out, her eyes revealing her opinion of him. With a body like that, she thought, who needs a tie? "Hello," she smiled. "How can I help you today?"

"I'm looking for Kaiba," the man answered. She loved how confident he sounded, as if it were completely normal for someone to walk in off the street to visit the CEO.

"What's your name?" she asked, checking her appointment roster.

"Katsuya Jonouchi."

"You're not on here," she replied. "But I think it'll be alright if you just go ahead on in…" She gave him a wink. "He's not busy." She pressed the button in her desk to unlock the sliding security door.

Jonouchi thanked her and proceeded through. It led to a hallway with two doors on either side. One side was an elite conference room, the other was the CEO's office. Jonouchi chose the latter. As he walked in, he found Kaiba by himself, yelling into the phone receiver in his hands.

"Password?" Seto bellowed. "I already told you that I don't know it! I did not sign up for this asinine account with you idiots! I repeat: I did not sign up! Since I did not sign up, how can I know the password? How can I cancel if I don't know the password?" He paused, taking no notice of Jonouchi and listening intently to the answer on the other end. "Yes, I am Seto Kaiba," he answered. "Yes, that is my address."

They're questioning his identity? Jonouchi wondered. Do they know what they're doing?

"Yes, that is my phone number. Listen - I've told you this information already. Just cancel the account! I did not sign up for it. I've answered every one of your identity questions. Just cancel it! You are involving innocent women in this scandal!" Seto said heatedly.

Innocent women? Jonouchi queried, "Kaiba, what have you been up to?" Seto looked up and saw Jonouchi. His expression immediately neutralized. He was silent, still listening to the person on the other end of the line.

"Morons!" Seto screamed suddenly. "I don't have the password!" He slammed the phone down. "What do you want?" he angrily blew at Jonouchi.

"I came to talk to you, Kaiba," Jonouchi answered calmly, "and to set a few things straight." He waited for Seto's reaction to make sure he was listening.

Seto smirked. "I don't have time for you, I've got bigger fish to fry." He turned off his computer and grabbed his briefcase. "Don't let the door hit you on the way out," he said as he passed Jonouchi, leaving him alone.

"You can't get away from me that easily!" Jonouchi proclaimed. He followed Seto out the door and onto the elevator just before it closed. Seto wore the tiniest of smiles. He said nothing as his cold eyes followed Jonouchi, observing him. Jonouchi had a brief image of himself facing a giant scorpion with black armor and an impenetrable cold disposition. Not to mention the stinger…

Jonouchi opened his mouth to say something, but was caught by surprise. The elevator stopped suddenly. A horrible screeching jolt was followed by a pungent burning smell of rubber. "What did you do?" Jonouchi asked, incredulous.

"Idiot!" Seto retaliated. "I didn't do anything."

The lights suddenly went out at that moment, plunging the two men into pitch black darkness. Neither said anything. Each could hear the other breathing, but no other noise was audible. Jonouchi felt that this had to be a nightmare. It was creepy enough to know that the scorpion was somewhere within this blackness with him, and he could not see him. "Are you still there, Kaiba?" Jonouchi asked after a couple minutes.

"Yes, you idiot," Seto replied scathingly. "Is your brain still there?"

Jonouchi let out a low moan of disappointment. "This can't be happening…" he squirmed. "Why do bad things always happen to me? If I should be stuck in an elevator with someone it should be my girlfriend - not you!"

"Who's your girlfriend?" Seto asked.

"Don't pretend you care," Jonouchi replied hotly. "I can't stand phoniness. Take your nose out of my business and put it back in your naval where it usually goes."

"I am not phony!" Seto lashed out. "Call it temporary insanity - I was just curious!"

"Crystal," Jonouchi replied.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Seto fumed.

"That's her name - Crystal." Jonouchi said calmly. He waited for Seto's response, but it never came. "You don't think there's a fire, do you?" Jonouchi asked, trying to assess the situation.

"No," Seto's voice was a little softer. He was trying to analyze the situation as well. "Then the fire alarm would sound."

"Isn't there an emergency phone in here?" Jonouchi asked. He started feeling the walls of the elevator. Nothing but smoothness… He moved onto the next wall. A creepy tingle cascaded down Jonouchi's spine as he felt hands rub over his own. "Is that you, Kaiba? Please tell me that it's just us in here…"

"Don't panic," Seto replied. The enmity was gone from his voice, "It's just me. I'm trying to find that phone. You're in the way."

"I'm trying to help!" Jonouchi said defensively. "It creeps me out that I can't see you."

"What are you afraid of?" Seto asked, curiously. He was not being mean. In fact, he sounded concerned. "What do you think I'll do to you?"

"We could be in here a long time," Jonouchi explained. "I don't know what will go through your mind then."

"Don't be a pervert!" Seto hissed angrily, "I'm not gay!"

"You're the pervert!" Jonouchi ejaculated. "I was thinking something totally different - like that you might want to kill me!" He could hear Seto exhale, as if letting some worry go.

"Don't flatter yourself, borborygmic small fry," Seto said, finally. "You are as valuable as bort. You wouldn't be worth it."

Anger! Jonouchi's blood boiled and he swung a fist. Contact! He heard Seto slamming into either the wall or the floor - he could not tell which. "You wouldn't be able to kill me even if you wanted!" he shouted furiously at Seto. Jonouchi did not doubt his fighting skills, but he had never fought anyone in a pitch black elevator before. He strained his ears for sounds of movement.

There was a slight scraping sound as Seto got to his feet. Nothing was said, and the only sound again was the sound of breathing. Jonouchi could not tell where it was coming from. The otherwise silence spiraled horribly. Nothing. Minutes trickled away like sand in an hourglass. Jonouchi did not dare move. He braced himself for Seto to make his move, but it never came.

How much time has passed? Jonouchi's mind reeled. What's he waiting for? "Are you still there, Kaiba?" Jonouchi broke the silence. Nothing. "Kaiba?" Silence. "Kaiba… this isn't funny…" his voice was starting to shake. He stretched his arms out, groping like a blind man. Nothing. "Kaiba?" Jonouchi's voice went up an octave. "I always thought it was beneath you to use psychological tricks on people! You haven't pulled this stunt since Death T!" He groped forward some more and finally found a warm body.

"Don't ever hit me again…" an icy whisper filled with malice spoke in Jonouchi's ear. "You are absolutely right, small fry. I don't like to resort to these measures, but you left me no choice. I think it's time we cooperate if we both want to get out of here."

"I'm sorry, Kaiba," Jonouchi appeased to the scorpion, "for hitting you." He was regaining his confidence. "Don't look down on me. I know my own worth, and when you insult me like that, I get angry. So, you're to blame, too." Jonouchi took advantage of Seto's stunned silence and continued, "You know you own worth, don't you Kaiba? You would get just as angry as me if someone were to call you a small fry or an underdog all the time. You should understand that much at least."

"How dare you compare yourself to me?" Seto replied coldly.

"I dare because I know my own worth! You have even witnessed it when you watched me endure Marik's torture. Have you ever endured the wrath of Ra?" Jonouchi asked rhetorically. "I almost won that one! Can you say that you would have?"

Seto was silent. He remembered the final duels at Alcatraz with vivid details. Comprehension of the full meaning behind what Jonouchi was saying sunk in painfully. Jonouchi's hands were still on him - for his peace of mind of knowing exactly where Seto was. Seto reached for Jonouchi's shoulders and held him at arms length. "Perhaps you have a point there," Seto acknowledged. It was the closest Seto could get to an apology, and Jonouchi understood this.

Jonouchi cleverly used the same tactic, "Perhaps you won't look down on me anymore."

"Perhaps you won't hit me again."

"Perhaps we can get out of here." And they both found the phone in a matter of seconds after that. Seto made the call and the security answered, who told them that help was on the way. "So, I guess we wait then," Jonouchi sighed. "How long do you think it will take?"

"I can't even tell how long it's been," Seto admitted. They sat down in silence in the dark. After for what seemed like an hour, Seto broke the silence, "What did you come to see me about in the first place?"

"Oh, that…" Jonouchi paused, evidently thinking of how best to word it. "I don't like the way you treated Yugi. He came to offer you help and to show you his concern, not only for your sake but for Mokuba's as well. You should know that we all care about Mokuba."

Seto was quiet for a second. Then, through the darkness, came a quiet voice of someone who finally let his wall come down, "What could Yugi have done, really? Don't you think I want Mokuba back? If I honestly thought that Yugi could help me I would have shelved my pride and accepted it. My love for Mokuba is stronger than my rivalry with Yugi."

"I don't know what Yugi or I can do," Jonouchi confessed. "But I know that we would do anything within our power. So far, I have not found a limit to what the power of friendship can accomplish."

"Not another friendship speech…" Seto groaned.

"Don't knock the evidence," Jonouchi returned. "We've accomplished a lot together, right? Besides Kaiba, what have you to lose by trying?" Seto did not answer. "Why did Mokuba run away?" Jonouchi finally asked.

Seto did not respond right away. "To teach me a lesson…" he replied at last.

"Really?" Jonouchi had to stop himself from laughing. "What have you learned?"

"Nothing."

"That doesn't sound good. What lesson is he trying to teach you?"

"He's thirteen… he's got crazy ideas. He told me I need to…" Seto stopped. He couldn't see Jonouchi, but he knew exactly what his expression would be if Seto told him the truth. Seto had to think for a minute whether or not he could trust Jonouchi, and he decided to try it out this way. "Can I trust you?" Seto asked. He knew Jonouchi had strong feelings when it came to loyalty.

"Yes," came the expected response.

"Don't tell anyone this…" Seto began.

"I'll tell Yugi, but that's it," Jonouchi said honestly. "Other than that - you can count on me."

Seto thought about it. He was trying to see what he could gain by letting them know. The only thing he could think of was that they would understand that he was not a bad older brother, which he assumed that they assumed - and that bothered him. So, he took a deep breath, "He's mad at me because I have never been on a date."

"What kind of reason is that?" Jonouchi asked, incredulous. This pleased Seto that Jonouchi agreed with him!

"Exactly!" Seto agreed. "He wrote me this note saying that he was running away for the summer holiday and that I should seriously consider his advice."

"He's only going to be gone for one month?"

"Yes, but he shouldn't be gone at all! It's not up to him where he lives and my… my… my sex life is none of his business! He could get himself into trouble! I worry constantly…"

"I don't blame you! He's too young to be on his own! However, I do find it encouraging that it's only one month. I was under the impression he left permanently. What was his advice?"

Seto hesitated. "He told me that I should get laid," he admitted. Just as he had expected, Jonouchi laughed his head off. Seto waited for the laughter to subside. "I don't see how that would do me or Kaiba Corp any good."

"In-of-itself it won't, because without love it's just a temporary fix," Jonouchi sagely replied. Seto was startled by this answer.

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that it's more than sex that Mokuba wants for you," Jonouchi explained. "He wants you to fall in love. Who knows? Perhaps if you had someone to love, you would be more considerate."

Seto was shocked beyond belief, and it showed in his voice, "Mokuba said almost the same exact thing!"

"Ano," Jonouchi gave a manly chuckle, "perhaps he has a point there." Jonouchi paused to let the words sink in. "You need to learn not to be so controlling. That is why you hate anything supernatural! It isn't the fact that it is supernatural; it's the fact that you can't control it! You hate everything that is beyond your control. If you continue like that, Kaiba," Jonouchi paused to make sure Seto was listening, "you will never have love."

"That's not true," Seto replied, uncertain. "I love Mokuba. I don't try to control him-"

"Yes you do," Jonouchi interrupted. "He does whatever you tell him to do. He follows you around everywhere, and he always cheers for you! Now that he's gotten older, he's starting to think for himself. Doesn't that annoy you?"

"Yes, he-"

"If you love your brother," Jonouchi cut him off quickly, "it shouldn't annoy you that he's starting to think for himself, it should make you proud. When you love someone, you should let them grow and unfold for their own sake, not for the purpose of serving you. If you pull a plant up by the stalk, trying to force it to grow, you'll only end up tearing it apart."

Seto gave a deep sigh. "You're right, Jonouchi," he said quietly. He understood perfectly what Jonouchi was telling him. "That's what Gozoboro tried with me. I try not to be like that with Mokuba. I only want what's best for him." His voice was steady, but he was aching inside. "I only made him learn some of the things Gozoboro forced upon me, only so that he could be prepared to take over Kaiba Corp should anything happen to me. But he is free to choose whatever occupation he wants when he grows up. He knows this. I'm not Gozoboro. He knows that I only want him to be happy. It has nothing to do with control. I'll be there for him if he ever needs anything."

Jonouchi was stunned by the revelation that Kaiba was confiding in him! It must be the darkness, Jonouchi thought. It can do things like that. "Then why can't you be the way you are with Mokuba with everyone else… or at least one other person? Why can't you accept other people or things that you can't control?" Jonouchi asked. "Mokuba can't fulfill all areas of your heart, you know. He can't be your lover, for instance. I think Mokuba realizes this, and that's why he ran away. He's doing it for you, Kaiba - for your sake!"

It was taking everything in Seto to keep himself from crying. Even though it was pitch black, he could not let himself be so weak. "Okay…" Seto said slowly, his voice shaking subtly. "I've learned my lesson. Can you bring Mokuba back, please?"

"I don't have him," Jonouchi said sympathetically. "I thought you knew that."

"I just want him back," Seto said softly. They both fell silent. They could hear voices through the walls now that they were not talking. It sounded as if they were arguing. Then…

"Seto-sama!" Isono's voice penetrated. "We're using a torch to get you out! Stand back!" Jonouchi got up and went to the far side, where Seto already was. There was a lot of commotion. And after 15 more minutes, a hole was made large enough for them to get out.

Once they were out in the bright light, they acted like typical men. They used grunts to convey their feelings and shook hands. Jonouchi wished Seto luck in finding Mokuba. Seto grunted thanks. Jonouchi left in a hurry, saying he was late for class. Seto watched him readjust the backpack on his shoulder as he was leaving, and felt an oddly warm sense of enlightenment about the whole experience.