Mars Shadow--Family and Lovers

Kaiba awoke slowly, and was first aware of the fact that his arms were suspended and bound tightly at the wrists by rope and there was metal somewhere above them. It was too familiar and his eyes snapped open quickly.

"I'm glad you finally awoke," the shadowed figure moved nearby, "The fun is about to begin."

A screen appeared and on it showed something that was suddenly familiar. The screen showed a small forest and a woman with dark hair that seemed colored black and violet at the same time. She was facing a man who seemed to be someone he knew and a cross between Jinzu as well.

"She came in after you," the man said, "it's quite sweet, really. But between you and she are the Big Five, and then one more…quite a surprise, really. When I came here, I did not realize you would create a Virtual World as well, or one done up so well that it could be easily accessed by ours."

Kaiba looked over and glared at the man who was now appearing from the shadows. "I thought I already killed you."

Gorzaburo laughed at his adopted son and walked out completely, seeming to admire him. Kaiba had long ago realized he was shirtless, the only thing on being his leather pants and boots. Along his back were the slight scars of old, the ones which he wore long sleeves for, which he had hidden his back and arms for. The scars that Gorzaburo had given him, trying to make him scream…trying so hard to make him scream so that he could--

But Kaiba had never screamed, and he knew as he grew older that at one point Gorzaburo would turn his eyes from Seto to Mokuba, and thus he had taken KaibaCorp from him, thinking that it would save Mokuba. In a way, it did, keeping him from the scars and the possibility that he would scream.

"It's been a year or two, hasn't it?" his adopted father told him, moving out of his line of sight as he watched Rei pull out a deck and summon one of his monsters.

She had his deck and he smiled. The Big Five would have no chance, and neither did whoever the one 'surprise' was.

The first hit was harmful and he nearly let out a hiss of pain. Another hit and he began to feel his old wall come back in, one he thought was down forever but now…

It hurt, oh it hurt so much, but he wouldn't scream. He wouldn't give in, or give him the satisfaction.

His eyes focused on the screen, watching Rei play the cards and slowly gain the upper hand. As he watched, the pain seemed to become a dull reminder that he wasn't watching her in reality.

"Scream, damn you."

He was quiet, focusing on Rei as she pulled out and smiled at the man before the Blue Eyes White Dragon was summoned.

The next hit was the hardest he had felt…maybe ever, or perhaps since the abuse had started, a few weeks after he had been adopted by Gorzaburo. He flinched but didn't scream, his eyes moving from Rei only briefly as she destroyed the competition and he was digitized.

One down, five to go, and I know you can do it, Rei.

The whipping had stopped, and he kept his face neutral as he watched the screen. His adopted father walked over and then reached to grab his shoulder before he twisted it and then squeezed hard. Kaiba bit down and refused to scream as the new part of the torture began. He refused to look at Gorzaburo as well, focusing on Rei until the pain finally made him pass out.

There were long cool hands on his face, and Kaiba slowly opened his eyes to see dull brown eyes looking at him from beneath a small mop of green hair. A white suit, much like the one he wore during the Death-T match against Yugi, was on and Kaiba's mind was slow to process how much this strange person looked like him.

"So you're Seto," the young man who looked like him said, "I heard about you from Chichiue."

The information processed and now Kaiba blinked at him, slightly surprised. Most of what he learned about Gozaburo's life before he and Mokuba had been after the man's death, and he had learned that there had been a son, one who had been almost his age when Gozaburo adopted him…

"Noa…"

The young man smiled at him. "I see you know about me. I'm glad, I suppose. You see I'm the one who will take down that pretty girl who is trying to rescue you."

Kaiba glared at him and then smirked. "Tough chance of that. She holds my deck, and that is closest to being unbeatable as you get. Thus far only two people have beaten it, and of those only one legitimately after he performed a miracle."

Noa tilted his head. "Oh? What did he do?"

"He summoned Exodia."

Noa now moved back and blinked. "Really? Amazing. So one person has defeated your deck in a fair battle, and he summoned Exodia to do it. Why did he have to do that?"

"If I told you, that would be ruining your surprise, now wouldn't it?" Kaiba told him with a smile. Noa paused at this and reached over to touch the point on his shoulder that Kaiba knew was dislocated from Gozaburo's abuse. His hand came away slightly red from blood that was drying on his back.

"He mentioned doing this before. How long?"

Kaiba turned his head away.

"Tell me."

"Since I was ten," Kaiba said finally, "Happy?"

Noa's smile fell and he looked over at where Rei was finishing up another one of the Big Five, this one looking like Penguin Soldier in a tuxedo. Kaiba's eyes followed his and Noa said, "She loves you."

"Yes, and I return it."

Noa finally looked at Kaiba again and nodded before leaving the room. He stopped just short of the shadows. "He's coming back soon. That one was the third of the Big Five she's defeated with your deck. I hope for your sake that she does win."

"And for yours?"

Noa looked over briefly. "I still hope she wins."

Rei looked up at the castle nearby. She had beaten the last of them, and like the rest, she had been told that another was waiting for her. Who this other was, she had no clue, but Rei was determined to reach the castle and free Seto. She held his deck possessively in her hand and could almost feel him, trapped and slightly scared but not wanting to show it. Rei looked to the castle and began to run towards it, praying that she could defeat whatever monster was there waiting for her. When she had been facing the first of the Big Five, the deck had almost pulsed and she knew that they were hurting Seto.

She and the Blue Eyes had not been pleased, thus it seemed that with each battle her cards became more powerful, harder to destroy, and at least in each game, a Blue Eyes appeared and destroyed the enemy.

Just before Rei reached the castle a large earthquake seemed to hit, and she moved back as a new person appeared. This one didn't have the attributes of a card as the others had, but instead wore a white suit with a high collar, and looked strangely like Seto except he had dull green hair and childlike brown eyes.

"You must be Rei," he said and bowed slightly, "Pleased to meet you. My otoutou, Seto, has told me that he loves you and you love him."

Rei clenched her hand tight.

"Is that true? You love him?"

"Very much."

"With everything?" He straightened now and tilted his head at her. "Chichiue is torturing him now. He was hurt before but now I am sure that it is worse. Did Seto tell you this?"

"Ie."

"But he loves you. Shouldn't he tell you everything?"

Rei paused and said, "Your Chichiue loves you, does he not? You are Noa, his first son, Seto and Mokuba's nii-sama."

"Hai, I am."

"Did he tell you that he tortured Kaiba, or did you learn of this after seeing him?"

"I saw him like that and asked Chichiue. He said Seto-kun was bad."

"What did he say he did?"

Noa paused then finally said, "He didn't."

"So you take it at face value that Seto-kun was bad and thus punished. I will tell you, then, that for taking Seto-kun from me, you and your Chichiue are bad, and thus I shall punish you in the name of Mars."

"Mars?"

"Hai. I am a princess, the Princess of Mars."

Noa smiled. "There is no one on Mars, it is dead."

"Hai. That is because people like your Chichiue killed all those on it, and thus I am the only one left." She held out an ofuda. "Akuryou Taisan!" Noa dodged it and Rei jumped aside and he glared at her and the ground that had been underneath her exploded. Rei crouched and glared at him as Noa said, "I want to see you become a Senshi. I want to see if you'll defeat me that way."

"Too scared to face your brother's cards? I would be too."

Another blast caused her to move again, and this time she was behind a tree. She held out the cards and then held them close to her heart. Seto, I am coming for you. Hold on for me, Seto.

Her anger was righteous. This was war, this was to get her way into the castle and this was to find her love. She would not fail.

She would not fail her Seto.

She turned and faced Noa, the symbol of Mars glowing on her forehead and she held up her hand. "Mars Eternal Power, Make-up!"

Fire engulfed her, leaving her with the outfit she had, two layers on the skirt and now wings from the heart bodice gem and two white wings coming from behind her. She opened her eyes and drew up her hand, holding up two fingers and then bringing them down in an arc to create a line of fire that turned into a large bow. She held up three ofuda and they turned into arrows that she drew with the bow of fire.

"Mars Sacred Siege!"

The arrows were unleashed in a deadly arc and one hit Noa, causing him to blink and then let out a scream. Slowly his aged persona seemed to disappear, along with the ofuda-arrow, and he turned into a child of maybe five. Sailor Mars slowly walked up to him and he looked up at her.

"That hurt," he said, his eyes filled with tears. "I want my mommy."

Sailor Mars knelt down and leaned forward to touch the wound. It disappeared and he looked at her. "Why'd you do that?"

"Because you were hurt. I do not like to hurt children. Why did you attack me?"

"Chichiue said that you were a bad lady, but you can't be, can you? You're here to save Seto-otoutou, hai?"

"Hai."

"Then I'll show you the way! Chichiue has made this world bad. He destroyed the nice princess who looked like Mokuba-otoutou, and I didn't like that, she was nice to me."

Sailor Mars finally smiled at the younger Noa. "You are too nice to be his son, Noa-kun. Come, let us go and save your brother."

"Hai, Rei-mama."

Sailor Mars paused then slowly said, "Noa-kun?"

"Hai, Rei-mama?"

"Please don't call me that."

He looked like he was ready to cry and Sailor Mars finally shook her head. "Fine, you can call me that."

Noa's face lit up. "Domo arigato, Rei-mama!"

The door slammed open and Kaiba opened his eyes to see Gorzaburo stalk in and up to him before he forcefully grabbed a fistful of hair and pulled Seto's head back roughly.

"Your little bitch is quite resourceful, Seto, but don't think that she'll make it to you in time. I've grown tired of trying to make you scream. Now, I'll just take what I want, what I've wanted for a long time."

Kaiba wasted no time. His legs were stiff and almost uncooperative, but he drew from a strength of knowing that he could do this and that he needed to get away from the ghost in front of him.

Kaiba twisted, moved his leg, and brought his knee up to Gorzaburo's groin. The knee connected forcefully and Gorzaburo let out a yell and let go of Kaiba's hair to clench his affected appendage while Kaiba worked on standing up.

Kneeing Gorzaburo had been one thing. Escape while his legs were asleep…that was another.

He had gotten up and was working on untying himself when Gorzaburo recovered and his glare told Kaiba he was in for pain. Kaiba found himself not caring, he was going to get out of there and help Rei escape from this place.

Gorzaburo moved quickly, his face practically demonic in nature now, and Kaiba twisted once more, this time using the hook to try and knock Gorzaburo in the face.

A piece of the face came off, and underneath he saw dark fire and malice. Kaiba paused in surprise and then cursed himself. He should have known that this wasn't the real Gorzaburo, but whatever this was it held onto his persona quite tight.

"You think I'm fake, don't you?" Gorzaburo asked, "That I'm not really the spirit of your father? I will tell you this, boy. I did put my spirit into the virtual world I created for Noa, but upon seeing what you did and what I had taken from me, to see you wandering around free from me, that drove me to become more then human. I signed a pact with the one named Akunadin, and now I will have you forever, as was supposed to happen."

"You should've read the fine print," Kaiba said with a glare of his own and a smirk, " 'Beware of Egyptians bearing gifts'." So if this man was his adopted father's spirit gone vindictive, he still could fight back, still could ensure that he wouldn't be used to bait Rei or to stop her from being killed by the man before him.

Gorzaburo made a grab for him and Kaiba moved to avoid but stumbled. Gorzaburo was then on him, holding his hands that were almost undone from the ropes holding him up. The man leered at Kaiba and held out one hand. "Perhaps I should have done this before, so we could have had more quality time together, Seto, but I was saving it for after she was gone. Now, let me hear you scream."

A hand went over Kaiba's chest and he suddenly felt as if he was on fire from the inside, as if his chest was constricted and he was unable to breath. It was pure pain, and Kaiba's eyes widened, he gasped, but refused to scream. Not so much from will, but because he felt as if his voice was gone, as if he couldn't scream.

Gorzaburo smiled at him and now moved the hand over to his shoulder, sending the same pure pain through there. Kaiba felt himself wanting to drop this wall and scream, cry, do something to make him stop.

But something in him knew that he wouldn't stop. The pain would be worse if he screamed.

Gorzaburo's smile didn't fade. Instead he unhooked Kaiba and lowered him down as the pain continued on his arms and Kaiba now felt himself struggling weakly against the man.

He can't give up. He didn't when the pain was new and raw, he can't now…

"Give up, Seto. You are unable to get away and have no way to fight this power. You couldn't fight it against the Pharaoh, or Pegasus. You cannot fight it now…"

That was wrong. He had a way to fight it…how did he fight it? The pain continued and another center of pain came from his back. He realized he was turned on his side and that the hand was moving forward…

What was that he was forgetting? It was important, he had to remember…he had to get away. He moved weakly, feeling like his energy was being drained by the pain. He had to get away or else--Kaiba felt his back arch in the pain and his eyes were growing dark despite the fact that he knew they were open. Gozaburo leered at him from above and was saying something Kaiba couldn't understand. His whole body and part of him was shaking from his inability to get away.

The pain suddenly disappeared but he still couldn't think clearly. There was fire above him, dark and light fighting but the dark losing, and someone yelling, but he wasn't sure. Where was he? Why couldn't he remember this important thing?

"You cannot fight against him, he will have you forever and you bought this fate, Seto. You cheated and thus you have this fate. Accept it."

No.

He felt someone helping him away, cool hands on him and he was being held easily by someone, his head resting in their hand. One was cool on his forehead and he slowly found himself focusing on the purple-blue eyes with worry in them. He knew this woman, this goddess of mercy.

He wouldn't accept that fate, that he belonged to Gozaburo. He had chosen that life to help his brother. He had taken it to save his brother from it.

He had defeated Gozaburo before to stop him from going after his brother, to show him that he could, and to be away from the evil gaze of that man forever.

"Seto--." Rei…Sailor Mars started but he sat up anyway, seeing the small child version of Noa looking at him oddly.

"I'll be fine," Kaiba said, lying only slightly. Right now, he felt like shit.

Later…that would be later.

Gozaburo had started to undo his pants but nothing was exposed below his chest. He made sure he was okay while Noa looked at him curiously. "Seto-otoutou, you looked like you were---like…"

"I'm fine now," Kaiba said, "and don't call me that."

"But Rei-mama lets me call her--well, you are my otoutou. You and Mokuba-otoutou."

Kaiba paused then looked over at Rei. "'Rei-mama'?"

"Don't start."

Kaiba shook his head and slowly got up with Rei's help. He looked around and saw that the room had taken on much the same quality as it had when the Big Five had put themselves into the computer and become the five-headed dragon in his game. He paused then remembered what the voice…he could only assume it was Akunadin…had tried to make him forget.

He glared at the dark fire that possibly had become his adopted father and raised up his hand. "Blue Eyes White Dragon, come forth!"

Rei walked up next to him as now his costume seemed to change. His white coat came back, this time trimmed with blue and two ankhs on his wrists like what Atemu had sometimes worn when dealing with bullies. The black shirt now turned into a dark blue that still complimented him and he turned his blue eyes to glare at the suddenly raising enemy.

"Attack, Blue Eyes!" The bright stream of electricity hit the fire and sent him back. Rei aimed the three ofuda-arrows at the monster as well, attacking.

The two reached over and grabbed hands, a ofuda between them as he raised it up. The ofuda seemed to be set on fire before it disappeared and they yelled, "Shadow Power,"

"Mars Power,"

"Unite!" the ofuda glowed now all over the Blue Eyes as it took on a reddish fire tint and it roared with new life. "Sacrificial Burst Stream!"

The stream of fire and lightning hit and suddenly the world disappeared. Instead of falling down like before, they stayed there and Noa smiled. "Arigato, Seto-otoutou."

Kaiba gave Noa a glare but apparently the child didn't care. He seemed to be focusing on something and suddenly a familiar sight came up. The courtyard where he and Atemu had awoken after defeating the dragon. Noa held out his hand and the darkness that had been threatening the whole world disappeared, causing the cheers of many in the crowd. Beside Noa appeared the woman who now appeared to be the slightly older version of the lady who had been Mokuba's double in the Virtual World. She blinked and looked around before she bowed to Kaiba and Rei. "Arigato, again. You saved us."

Rei smiled and looked at Kaiba. "I hope Mokuba doesn't know about her, or if he did I hope he didn't take it the wrong way."

"He didn't."

A doorway with the Wedjet eye and the symbol of Mars above it. The two looked at each other then reached over to the door, opening it up and walking through before the door closed behind them.