Ahoy comrades! Now comes the moment you've all been waiting for, the climax, the spectacle, the thrill, the horror of the ENCOUNTER! Strap yourself in, have your comfort blanket and heart medication ready, cause feels are about to be put through the ringer!

Onwards, hearties!

Seto.

It can't be. Not now.

It's too late. It's too soon!

Contradictory thoughts push and intertwine with each other in my head, as my mind attempts to comprehend the how and the why of my guardian's presence on this island. But now's not the time. He's here, at this very moment. He's the target of the Millennium crew… and Atem has seen him.

I dare look up at the captain who has yet to blink. He's passed the point of astonishment and his eyes now display silent wrath and hate, so concentrated that the ruby irises seem to turn black. Even in the dark and with only street lamps dimly lighting the narrow streets, I can tell Reed and the small group of men with him have the same eyes. There's no doubt to be fostered; they know exactly who he is.

Time seems frozen and paradoxically, alarmingly fast. What should I do? What can I do? Did Mokuba manage to slip away? If not, then it's pointless to even try to get away. I'm missing too many factors. If push comes to shove, I'll have to pretend I don't know him. Seto will pick up on it for sure, but would Mokuba? And what if they try to hurt them?

My thoughts are interrupted when Atem finally moves, grabbing my arm and pulling me with him against the wall of the nearest shop to hide our presence. It's my turn to docilely obey his physical command. He then glances at me from over his shoulder, with a look that freezes the blood in my veins. All the gentleness from mere moments ago has vanished into thin air.

"Don't move, don't make a sound," he orders, his hand squeezing my wrist to the point of pain.

What a terrifying prospect it is, to have this anger directed at oneself. I shut my mouth, and with quivering lips, I nod. He releases me and turns his attention back to his prey. Reed then spot us from the other side of the square and the sail master gestures a couple of strange hand signs to which his captain nods in return.

The three men —Reed, Carrot-top and Xao— immediately refocus their burning gazes onto Seto, who begins walking away quickly only to come to a stop when a man appears in his path, blocking his way. A man with a red scarf around his head and surprisingly bright green eyes, who is unknown to me.

"There you are, Baron," he said, making his way to Seto. "Thought I'd never find you. Whoever designed this town thought they were building a maze."

"Sometimes I wonder if you have the attention span of a drunken fish, Devlin," growls back my guardian in very Seto-like fashion, crossing his arms on his chest. "What did you find?"

"Well, there is no ship big enough to be the Millennium in the harbor, so it seems we got here first. But I've learned something quite interesting about the identity of the men who make up the crew."

"What do you mean by that?"

"It seems all of them have gathered for one very specific purpose…"

Their conversation means little. I only have to look at this man to know he's in cahoot with the Millennium crew. While he and Seto exchange words, Reed and his men slowly step out of the shadows and stealthily begin approaching, hands on their weapons.

I want to scream. I want to run to him, warn him, protect him. But the moment, I do, I will betray my identity and Mokuba's. And somehow, I'm still under the spell of Atem's order. Thoughts dash in my mind at sickening speed, desperately seeking a way out. Though he doesn't look at me, I know full well that Atem hasn't forgotten about me and how devilishly quick he is. If I try to run past him, he'll catch me without much effort. With what little control I have over my breathing at the moment, if I inhale to scream, he'll hear it. My heartbeat in my ears is deafening and the tightness in my throat refuses to loosen.

But when I see Reed mere feet away from Seto, my body moves on its own. Following a plan elaborated by my subconscience —as my mind is still devoid of any clear thoughts— I slowly crouch to grab rock from the ground, and slowly raise it over my head.

My arm shakes with hesitation, and stays suspended in the air for a few moments before swinging my makeshift weapon into the side of Atem's head. A choked grunt of pain escapes him as he falls to the ground, and a painful sensation squeezes my heart, horrified by what I've done to my sole kinsman. Nonetheless, I scurry past him until I emerge into the square in plain sight.

"SETO, BEHIND YOU!" I hear myself shout at the top of my lung.

Reed and the others stop in their tracks, whipping around with shocked and confused glares just as Seto does, spotting me as well. Carrot-top remains frozen in place, confusion distorting his face. But Reed and Xao —older and more experience— instantly reach for their weapons. But not quickly enough to surprise Seto, whose unearthly focus comes into effect immediately. Picking the quicker option, he kicks Xao's pistol out of his hand, before jumping back and unsheathing his blade just in time to block Reed's strike.

The green-eyed man —undisturbed by the commotion — takes out a long knife from his boot, ready to jump my unsuspecting brother. I halt for better footing, and throw the rock as hard as I can. The dark makes it difficult to see clearly but the cry of pain —and the stranger tumbling back holding his head— tells me that I've hit my target.

But just as I take a new step to run to Seto's side, an iron grip I know all too well closes on my upper arm. Fright immediately sets in and my muscles instantly fall back to the command of this touch. When I'm forced to whip around and face him, my insides freeze over as if all the water in my body suddenly turned to ice.

Blood is leaking abundantly from above his ear down the side of his face. I meant to knock him out and my hesitation has resulted in injuring him pointlessly. But even more terrible than the wound inflicted by my own hand, his gaze pierces through my chest like a spear of flames, shredding my heart mercilessly. Anger is not the dominant emotion in his glassy, darkened eyes. Neither is dismay or shock.

It's pain. The pain that comes from being betrayed. From being abandoned by one you trust. For the first time, the crimson irises seem like their trying to shed tears. How could you do this after making me hope, they say? The instant I see it, my eyes water as my heart gets torn in two by the jaws of my guilt.

I didn't betray you. That's not what I'm doing, I only meant to…

The words I want to scream die in my throat without ever making it out.

"I…I'm…"

"Which of us is the liar, love?" he says, his words dripping with resentment.

I don't get a chance to defend myself from this rhetorical question. A painful yank brings me closer and an arm snakes around my neck, pushing me back against his chest. The arm tightens, hindering my breathing, and a cold thin blade slips under my chin, caressing my throat.

"SETO KAIBA!"

The booming voice makes my ears ring and instantly grabs the attention of everyone in the square. All freeze in place and turn to look at the captain of the Millennium. Seto's eyes widen in panic as his eyes go back and forth between us and the men of the Millennium.

"Drop your sword or else," orders Atem.

Horror strikes me like lightening. I can't sense any lie in his words. Have I done it? Have I pushed him beyond redemption with my choice? Would he truly… At the sound of the ultimatum, my guardian's teeth clench, making him comparable to a snarling dog and his eyes throw daggers at my captor.

"Bastard…"

In response, the blade suddenly bites into my throat and I can't choke the cry of pain that escapes me. Thick warm liquid drips along my neck, making the rest of me shiver and I hear Seto's voice.

"Yugi!"

Never in my life have I heard him sound so distressed. Or distressed at all in fact.

"I will not repeat myself."

"You're Sennen, aren't you? What the hell do you want?" asks Seto, clenching his weapon tighter and throwing a death glare at the man I don't know.

"For you to pay your tab, Baron."

Atem's voice is filled with contempt, and though he seems calm, I can feel the tension of his body against my back. I try to claw at his arm to free myself but my struggle is futile and my limited breathing tires me out quickly. And with eyes fixated on his prey of twelve-years, my little scratches are not worth his attention.

But when I see Seto lowering his sword, images of a grim near-future of him getting stabbed or shot on the spot.

"No, don't…" I try to shout as best as my nearly crushed larynx allows me only for it to come out as a choked whisper, and Atem to tighten his hold even more.

"Quiet," he orders before turning back to Seto. "I suggest you do as your told, Kaiba. Unless you want to test my patience with your ward's life on the line."

As he declares that, he pulls the blade away from my throat and points it at my guardian, adding weight to his words…and giving me an opening. Without hesitation, I move my hand up the arm around me until I reach his bandaged hand, and proceed to sink my nails into his still healing palm. A grunt escapes him and his hold on my neck loosens.

"Seto, run!" I shout as loud as I can. "He won't hurt me! He's a Sha…"

I don't get to finish my warning. The hilt of Atem's cutlass collides with my temple and I hit the ground. My head spins and my vision blurs, but the pain numbs abnormally fast. Seto calls my name again, but he seems so far away…

I want to get up. To talk. To fight. I will the Stream of my people to come to my aid. But I'm slowly sinking. The last thing I see, is my sole kinsman crouching by my side.

"That's how you knock out someone, love," says his voice, slowly backing away.

Then I feel a gentle hand touching my throbbing temple and, then, darkness takes me.

The gentle rocking tells me I'm back on the water. That's the first thing I notice when the darkness finally releases me. Still it takes all of my will power to force myself out of the thick waters of my restless sleep. I push to get through, fighting the force trying to keep me in the abyss. I fight and fight until finally, I emerge on a familiar beach of white sand. On the sea, I see canoes and people with tricolored-hair diving and emerging from the water.

Oh. Seems I've yet to awaken.

Laughter then grabs my attention and I see a group of children running to hide in the forest while one of them counts. A familiar short figure runs past me towards the trees. A will external to my own pushes me and I follow little me until she agilely climbs at the top of a palm tree.

Hand above her head to block out the sun, she scans her surroundings but then stops when she spots something. Looking in the same direction, I see a clearing with a couple of large rocks in it. Having found her hiding spot, little me slides down from the tree, and quickly heads for clearing.

Again I follow, wondering why I'm remembering something as trivial as a game of hide-and-seek.

But just when little me is about to find a perfect hiding spot in an opening between two large rocks, she comes to an abrupt stop. There's a young boy there, about ten years of age I would say, sitting cross leg with a book on his lap. He wears the signature sand colored clothes of the Shayee people as well as a long necklace with a green stone hanging from his neck. But for some strange reason I can't discern his face. Everything from his nose up blurs when I try to focus on his traits. I do however, discern a smile.

He's so focused on the book in his hands that he's hasn't noticed our intrusion. That is until little me makes her presence known.

"Are you hiding too?" she asks timidly, making the boy nearly jump out of his skin as if she'd woken him up from a deep sleep.

"Uh yes... I mean, no! I'm…"

Before he can even answer, little me's eyes widen and she runs to him, falling on her knees by his side, shyness vanquished by curiosity at the mere sight of the book.

"Grandpa told me about those! There are stories inside. Where did you get it? Can you understand the symbols? I know! You got it from the castaway, right? What is—"

Overwhelmed by little me's sudden flow of questions —as well as the volume of her voice— the boy covers her mouth.

"You can't tell anyone about this," says the boy with seriousness I wouldn't expect in a child. "It's a secret."

Little me's eyes widen before nodding insistently. The boy takes his hand back and little me brings her baby finger to her lips, sealing the promise.

"I'll keep it like a pearl in a stubborn oyster," she pledges, before fidgeting happily. "Can you tell me the story then?"

"It's called 'Dialogues of Plato : Timaeus and Critias'," reluctantly lets out the boy with a sigh. "It's not really a story. It's about Atlantis. The first home of our people."

A sheen of curiosity and fascination glimmers in little me's eyes. "Is it like the island?"

"No. It was a grand city. With houses of carved stones and palaces of marble and gold…"

Free of his initial apprehension, the boy begins depicting the sunken city with passion, vigor, and an eloquence worthy of the splendor of his descriptions. He stands to accompany his tale with gestures. He speaks of the greek-like architecture, of the statues of gold, silver and orichalcum, of unknown creatures surrounding it, of people sharing knowledge and stories in every possible language…while little me listens, drinking his every word with scholar attention.

Then, when the boy is still deeply lost in his glorification of the sunken city, little me springs up to her feet.

"I want to go there! To see the temples and the sphinxes and the statues."

Pulled out of his transe once again, the boy smiles sadly, looking at the sober cover of his book.

"So do I. But we have to find it first. It's very far away from here, and very deep in the sea. But it's where we belong. The land of dawn and dusk of the Shayee. I'll find it, no matter what!" he declares, closing his fist to make his resolve known.

"Can I look for it with you?"

Little me earns herself a dumbfounded look from the boy.

"Please? I swim really good, and my brothers know all about sea floor exploring. Oh, but it's a secret. But you know, I'm sure everyone would want to go. It's sounds so wonderful!"

The boy's fist uncurls and slowly, comes up to his heart. He takes a discreet but deep breath as if he's forgotten to breathe for a moment. His face is still a blur to me so I can't tell what his eyes are saying.

"Grandpa always says" adds little me, oblivious to it, "that the sea always takes us home."

Finally, the boy smiles tenderly, and his chuckle rings familiar to my ears. "Of course. You're Yusei's sister, aren't you? Yugi, daughter of Seiia and Miiu?"

"Uh-hu," confirms little me. "And you're…"

Little me's words are lost when I'm suddenly pulled away from the children and the island, back into the darkness…

… and then my eyes open, facing a familiar ceiling. The captain's quarters on the Millennium. I stay still, breathing heavily as my foggy mind slowly pieces together what is reality and what is dream. The memories of yesterday don't take long to flood my mind again, and the side of my head aches. Seto. I push myself off the couch but the instant I stand, my head spins like a tornado and I fall down holding my head. What is happening?

"I'd take it easy if I were you," says a voice I don't recognize. "The captain didn't go easy on you."

My heart nearly stops. The green-eyed man from yesterday is sitting in a chair near the door, a book in his hand which he snaps shut before standing. I hurry to my feet and take a few steps back, my head still spinning. I grab a hold of a chair's head for support.

The man stops a fair distance away and eyes me from head to toe and vice-versa, an uneasy neutral air about him. It's clear enough he's here to keep an eye on me. As he stays silent too long, I dare ask.

"Who are you?"

"The Millenium's man on the inside and best scout," he says, bowing dramatically. "Duke Devlin, at your service little lady. And you, are Yugi."

So I was right. A squawk rings above my head and a colorful bird comes to perch itself on the man's shoulder. It's the one that brought Atem the coded message. The fake smirk quickly vanishes and he's back to observing me.

"I'm usually very good a predictions. But this, I never could've guessed. A surviving Shayee… ward of the bloody Kaibas. And to top it all of, the captain's also a sea devil. Makes the whole thing even worse, wouldn't you say?"

"Where is Seto?" I ask, before I can stop myself. "What about Atem?"

"Now, you're worried about the captain?" he says, crossing his arms on his chest in condescending fashion. "You're the one who tried to bash his skull in."

"No! That's not what… I didn't want—"

Without so much as a warning, the door bursts open, both answering my question and nearly making my heart stop for the second time. Atem stares at me from the entrance, his eyes throwing daggers at me but with frightening composure. He's not wearing his red coat and a bandage is wrapped around his head. There is no more sadness left in the ruby irises. Only cold anger and virulent resolve.

Instinctively, I bring my hand to my neck. I feel the scar made by his blade, and swallow hard. If it has scared this fast, it means two things : first, the wound was serious and, second, they had to use wolf-man drool to stop the bleeding rapidly.

Had he meant to hurt me this seriously?

"Out," he orders Duke who obeys without question, leaving the door wide open behind him.

I stay frozen in my spot, finding it hard to breathe as the captain walks over to me. I know how futile it is to try to get away, so I watch him approach, helplessly. When he reaches me, without saying a word he grabs my hand, and slips a very familiar piece of jewelry of braided threads and beads of polished stained-gold stones with a greenish glimmer on my wrist. Only this time, I know exactly what they're made of. It's been re-braided to fit my current size.

"My bracelet. " I mutter, not any less shocked. "Where did you—"

"He had it on him."

The emphasis on the 'he' sends shivers down my spine and a horrifying premonition comes to mind. He couldn't have already… Not like this, while I was lost in unconsciousness.

"W-Where is he?" I ask, my voice nearly cracking.

For an eternity, he stares back at me with this unreadable expression and my insides twist in anticipation. His eyes then lower to my neck and he brings his hand up to trace the scar with a finger… before slipping his hand to my hair, and pulling on it to have me look up all the way.

"It seems I haven't been direct enough for your thick head. Allow me to fix that."

He releases my hair, only to grab my upper arm and pulling me behind him. My shoulder joint cries out of pain, but I dare not make any unnecessary move. He walks quickly, forcibly dragging me across the quarterdeck. For once, the sky is grey and covered in clouds, accentuating the ominous mood surrounding the ship.

Duke and most of the lieutenants are there. Tristan, John and Reed eye me with disappointment and pity. Jack —ever at the helm— throws me a glare full of judgement. As for Bakura, his eyes are filled with 'I knew it's and 'I told you so's. He spits on the ground as we pass by and I sense the same bloodlust as when we were first brought to the Millennium. I nearly fall when Atem unceremoniously pulls me with him down the stairs leading to the main deck, ignoring my cries of pain.

It seems the entire crew is gathered, and I receive more of these judgmental, angry or pitiful looks from them. My heart hammers furiously in my chest, as I look back at them one after the other, overwhelmed by the sudden animosity. But the mass moves to let their captain through. Atem stops when we make it out, without ever loosening his hold on my arm. The center of the main deck is cleared, all the way to the mainmast… My insides curl up when I finally see him.

Seto is there, unmoving. On his knees, head hanging low, gloved hands tied around the mainmast behind him. His shirt that has been ripped open, bares blood stains and he's now sporting many bruises and cuts to his torso. I can only imagine the state of his face. The sight makes every muscle in my body tense up. My legs shake like an newborn foal's, and my teeth chatter.

"Yugi!"

A painful vibration shoots up my spine when I turn my head and see Mokuba near the edge of the ship, on the ground with his hands tied behind his back at Hunter's feet. His eyes scream with fear, begging me to help. But I can do nothing and helplessly look back and forth at my brothers.

How could everything have turned out this bad this quickly?

"Wake him up," orders Atem.

A moment, later Joey walks by us, a bucket in his hand and without sparing me a glance. He empties it on Seto's head, before moving aside. The latter straightens up, startled and coughs loudly. A thousand horrific images of grim near futures cloud my thoughts and prevent any rational idea from coming to me.

So I do all I can. I look up at my captor and beg.

"Please," I say, my voice barely a whisper. "Don't hurt them."

To my horror, the ruby irise look back at me with anger concentrated more than ever. He visibly clenches his teeth as his face twists even more. Instead of replying, he resumes his walk, pulling me towards the mainmast until just a few feet remain between Seto and us.

My guardian —who's finally stopped coughing— looks up. His lower lip is swollen. Dry blood sticks to him from his nose to his chin and corner of his mouth. His left eye has trouble staying open, darkened by a nasty shiner.

"Yugi," he says, frowning with helpless irritation and breathing heavily.

There's no blame in his eyes. Only worry, irritation and helplessness that make my insides shift uncomfortably with guilt. What should I have done to prevent all of this? Where have I gone wrong? Was this inevitable?

"I'm sorry…" I let out, unable to think of anything. "I'm so— AH!"

A kick to the back of the knee forces me to the ground on all four. Seems Atem is unwilling to let us exchange more words than necessary.

"Son of a bitch!" curses Seto, pointlessly pulling on his restraints.

But what he receives in response is a formidable backhand to the face. Quick as ever, Atem unsheathes his cutlass and points it at Seto's throat. I gasp and prepare to cry out but…

"Tell her," orders the captain. "Tell her who ordered the Shayee massacre on July 7th 1739."

A look I've never seen on Seto's face appears, widening his eyes. Shock. The answer becomes clear quickly and the doubts that I pushed to the back of my mind return instantly. I'm still missing a piece of the puzzle. Seto looks back at Atem, paralyzed, which seems to step on the latter's nerves who pushes his blade harder against his prisoner's neck.

"Tell her!"

"You said it was Gansley…" I began.

"Gansley was the one who organized and supervised the operation," the captain replies, never taking his eyes off of his prey. "He was merely the executioner. Tell her who was the rotten core. Tell her who was the judge!"

Seto finally turns to me. To my dismay, those eyes that I've gotten so used to deciphering for all those years, are unreadable at the moment. Again, displaying unknown behavior, he clenches his teeth and looks down before reluctantly letting out : "My father."

An eternity goes by without a single thought crossing my mind. Then it travels back in time, showing me memories of the man who took me in. The man who always asked me if I wished vengeance upon those who had taken my family from me. And the one who rubbed my back gently when I replied I had no desire to do so, and smiled at me.

My heart drops heavily in my chest. Logic dictates that this is the truth. That my intuition was correct. It explains why the company was so rotten. But the realization makes the memory of that man's hands on me nauseating. I shake again, but out of pure disgust.

"I was right," I let out to no one in particular.

Seto looks surprised, certainly wondering when I've figured that out. But a second wave of shock hits me when I look at Mokuba, and the youngest Kaiba avoids my gaze like his brother.

"You knew?!"

The muscles in his neck tighten in guilt and other memories come to mind. Seeing Seto nursing bruises and wounds from supposed training sessions. Finding Mokuba hiding and crying multiple times. Hearing Seto and Gozaburo yell at each other. While I was always treated like a princess, while I thought of nothing but the sea and my homeland, what were those two subjected to, right under my nose?

Am I truly so blind?

The contemplation of my own foolishness and self-loathing doesn't last long before Atem speaks again, not even giving me time to process my discovery.

"Now tell her about October 13th 1746. Of how you became the head of the company."

This date, I know well. It's the day Gozaburo died in an accident during the inspection of a weapon factory. What does he mean to imply? Seto's face hardens, betraying that there is more that I don't know. This time however, Atem doesn't let him answer.

"You just couldn't wait for the title, could you little baron?" he taunts but without a trace of amusement on his face. "Was your greed this itchy?"

Seto replies nothing, his eyes throwing daggers at the pirate. Again, my mind quickly catches on. Could it be…Surely he couldn't mean that.

"It was an accident," I hear myself say, refusing to believe it. "He fell down a cliff during the Joyelle inspection—"

"On that very inspection, Gozaburo Kaiba murdered Alfred Taylor who refused to do his dirty bidding," interrupts Atem. "Ironically, he himself never made it out of Joyelle. Because he was pushed down the very same cliff. Guess who was with him at the time?"

Thunder rumbles in the distance. I once again look at Seto for denial. If Gozaburo was the source of the Kaiba company's crimes…then I have no trouble imagining Seto doing what needed to be done. Still my hands shake in pure dismay while my mind attempts to sort out the truth. My feelings swim in confusion, whirl-winding. But Seto keeps his eyes on Atem, the anger slowly dissipating to leave place to bewilderment.

"Who the hell are you?" he asks our captor, unable to hide his curiosity in the midst of his helplessness.

"You're finally asking."

Lowering his blade, my kinsman closes the distance between them and grabs a handful of Seto's hair, forcing him to nearly break his neck looking up. My heart nearly bursts in my chest when my guardian holds back a grunt, and clenches his teeth.

"Remember Temaeus and Critias," Atem whispers, his eyes black with hate.

"Stop!"

I spring up to my feet and push the pirate away with all my strength. But without the Stream, all I manage to do is make him tumble back a few steps. My breathing is labored and my insides refuse to untwist, as I wonder why my heritage isn't coming to my aid?

Once again, Atem eyes me with irritation. But he straightens up and faces me while I'm on guard, ready to move should he go for Seto again.

"Answer me this, love," he says. "What kind of person can ask anything without being questioned, can make anyone drop their guard, and can easily evade the watchfulness of the most vigilant eyes?"

The sudden riddle confuses me, not helping the inner mess of anguish within. My first thought is that he's trying to distract me, but he's focused on me, awaiting my answer. Despite myself, I study the riddle. Does he still have that much power over me? Or is it because deep down, I know there is another truth to be found?

"I-I don't know…" I say compelled to answer. "Someone who is harmless and innocent?"

The look in his eyes shift, and his frown loosens before he closes his eyes for another moment. The intensity is still present when he reopens them, but he seems… sadder. And I sense clear pity in his voice.

"That's exactly right. Those qualities are most valuable for spying and gathering information with utmost discretion."

"You're not making sense again," I nearly snap, as my thoughts spiral out of control.

"Do you know of something more harmless or innocent that a child?"

I shake my head, incredulous. What did this have to do with our current situation? "What are you trying to say? That the spy from twelve years ago was a chi—"

The word dies in my throat the instant reason catches up to me, and I stop breathing. The spy was a child. A very clever child with a clear goal in mind. What was it Atem said to Seto? Temaeus and Critias?

It's called 'Dialogues of Plato : Timaeus and Critias', says my most recent fragment of memory.

"The spy also had his fair share of stories to tell once he 'regained' his memories. He told me about books that depicted Atlantis," says the Atem of yesterday.

"Not a child," corrects the one in front of me, throwing a murderous glare at Seto. "A remorseless devil hiding in the body of one. That very same devil that came up with the ravash sap trap."

Everything inside me goes numb except for my heartbeat, growing substantially louder and threatening to burst my eardrums. I turn to Seto, trying not to fall with my shaking legs. My guardian is staring at Atem, eyes wide with realization, as if he recognized him.

No.

He did recognize him. My fingers are the first to drop in temperature. Then my arms. Then my chest and head. Then everything else, until it feels so cold that I can't feel anything. Yet I keep advancing closer to the mainmast, nearly falling at every step.

It can't be him. It's not true. It's impossible. It's not true!

"Seto…That's a lie," I say, a nervous smile creeping up my cheeks, and my chin, trembling. "Isn't it? Y-You were only nine."

The one I thought my brother, my savior, my protector, looks down, his eyes still wide with horror. This silence is unbearable. I fall to my knees in front of him, grabbing his head between my hands, to make him look at me.

"Say something. It's not true, so just say it!" I beg. "Say it isn't so, please!"

He closes his eyes for a brief moment before looking straight into mine, giving me an answer I didn't want. For the first time since I've known him, the muscles of his face are completely loose. He's unguarded. His icy blue eyes are displaying without any restraint the content of his mind, infinite hurt and guilt plaguing them.

No restraint, no mask. Only the proof of a silent confession.

Thunder rumbles. Lightening strikes in the distance and the sky begins tearing up as I do.

*LE DOUBLE GASP* Don't put those handkerchieves and comfort blankets down just yet ;)

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