Chapter seven: Mystery revelation

A soft warm breeze blew in through the window, causing the curtains to flow in the air. With the sun shining in a person in a twin sized bed stirred from a combination of the two elements reaching them, prompting them to get up and shut the window closed. Dragging themselves back to bed, they let themselves fall back on the bed.

Taking in a deep breath they pulled the covers tightly around them and stretched. Their feet reached foot board, and out of reflex pulled their feet back. Confused they got out of bed and examined their surroundings. Small bed, desk and chessboard in the corner, and posters of random monster cards cascaded the walls.

"This is my old room," they whispered.

A strange noise brought them out of their thoughts. It was unknown where the noise came from, but standing around wasn't going to do any good. Cautiously, they opened the door to reveal an all too familiar small hallway. It seemed as though the old house was still decorated the same exact way. The hall was painted a creamy light brown, with a few paintings, very typical. At the end of the hall stood an old round dark stained end table with a bouquet of orange lilies on top.

Walking down the few steps to the first floor, they couldn't help saying out loud, "It's all still the same."

The parlor had a green couch and matching love seat. Dark hardwood floors filled the space between the couches and the fireplace. Admiring his childhood home, Seto breathed in what could only be a sigh of nostalgia. However, the moment was short lived when the sound of humming could be heard, and the sudden scent of chocolate chip pancakes filled the air. Walking towards the nearby kitchen the humming became softer.

Seto stood in place. There before him was a woman with dark wavy air, she wore a purple ankle length night gown with lace trimmings. Feeling the eyes of another on her, she turned, flashing the same beautiful smile Seto missed so.

"Hehe, good morning Seto," she beamed.

"Mom," he marveled at how she looked the exact same way.

…

Mokuba locked himself in his studio, it would be the last place Seto would think to look. Screaming at the top of his lungs Mokuba unleashed all the anger and envy he held toward Seto. The young teen had reached his breaking point. In fit of rage, Mokuba kicked over furniture, threw a stool across the room, and went as far as to punch a hole in the wall. What stopped him, was when he picked up his '93 Johnson acoustic. As mad as he was Mokuba could not bring himself to break the guitar, not this one anyway – it was his very first guitar, his favorite, from seto.

Reflecting on the recent damage inflicted by himself, Mokuba became ashamed at his actions and decided to fix things before they worsened. It did not take long for the studio to be cleaned up. The stool that was thrown would need to be replaced, and a handy man would need to come in to fix the hole in the wall, but all that aside it was easy putting the furniture back in place.

Mokuba now sat in the kitchen icing his hand, and thinking over how to patch things up with his brother. Deciding it would be best to apologize to him and properly express his feelings, Mokuba sat there, determined to correct the situation, even though he was still incredibly pissed about what happened.

Taking out his phone to text Seto, Kisara walked in, and stopped mid stride when her eyes landed on the youngster.

"Sweetness, what happened?" she gasped pointing to his hand.

"Oh, it's nothing," he brushed it off.

"Mokuba," she said sounding sterner, "You can tell me anything, c'mon," she coaxed him.

"Sara, it really is nothing, I can handle it," he added, "but there is something I need to talk to you about,"

Kisara sat down next to Mokuba and the talked for a few hours.

…

Seto stood there in disbelief, staring at none other than his mother, but the situation quickly turned bittersweet.

"What's going on here, where's Mokuba?!" Seto being seto turned on the offensive.

At first confused at his outburst, but then laughed at the explanation she was about to provide. Anyone would have thought this whole thing was one crazy nightmare.

Mikoto slowly approached him, "Seto, calm down. Everything is fine, and Mokie is okay," she cooed.

Seto was taken back a bit by her use of Mokuba's childhood nickname, and wasn't going to let his guard down just yet. Turning around, Seto took off toward the front door only to be stopped when the door would not open, and then started pacing to make sense of the current situation.

Holding his head, Seto attempted to convince himself that none this was real, "This isn't real, you're not real, you're dead…" Seto went on a tangent.

Thinking fast the woman embraced the distraught 21-year-old, instantly receiving the reaction she intended for. Seto wrapped his arms around his mother, resting his head on her shoulder, and so thankful for this moment. The dreaded heart wrenching thought of letting go of her crossed his mind, and so he tried to take in as much as he could. Seto breathed her in, the familiar scent of obsession filling his nostrils. Unknowingly, he hugged her tighter.

To his dismay, Seto's mother pushed him away. She ran her hand through his brown hair, and lead him into the kitchen where she made him a plate of the pancakes she made earlier.

"Seto, I know how mystifying this all is, so please listen carefully," she instructed him as she laid the plate down before him.

Seto nodded and listened intently to his mother, "Yes, this is all a dream, however, my being here is 100 percent real – not a concoction of your subconscious," she explained.

"Why are you here then, after all this time?"

"Things are different now, Seto, you are becoming an adult, and there are some matters we would like to address,"

"We?" he questioned.

His mother blushed, "Yes, your father and I."

"He's here too?"

"Yes, he is going to give you quite the lecture," she reprimanded.

Seto laughed at the thought of being lectured at his age.

"What is so funny?" she piped up.

"Nothing, nothing, what is it that you wanted to talk about?"

Seto and his mother talked for hours. The topics ranged from old memories, to not be so serious all the time, and even the subject of Kisara was brought up, and everything in between. Most importantly, Seto was just happy to see his mother, happy and in person I might add.

When it came to the end the last topic was Mokuba. Not so surprisingly, it was Seto who did most of the talking, explaining all he's done with band, how was doing in school, and how some things were really bothering him, but he couldn't figure out what. Mikoto, his mother although thrilled that her youngest had thrived through life with his older brother, was saddened at how she missed everything, in his life.

"Do you think he'll like me? Oooh, how do I talk to him, I don't want to frighten him again?"

Seto stared dumfounded at his mother's question, "No – he'll love you. Mokuba has always loved you, and probably has missed you far more than I have," he answered. "And as for how to talk to him, if he acts anything like me then do exactly what you did with me."

Mikoto, was now tearing, "Thank you, Seto."

Seto smirked back in response and then pondered another question, "Ho- How did you Mokuba's nickname?"

"Even in death, we're still around. You might not be able to see, or hear us, but we see and hear everything, or mostly everything that goes on in your lives. The hardest part is not being able to be there in person with you both," She finished as she stared into her coffee.

Seto sat in silence, trying to understand his mother's words, and then another thought came to him, "So where is dad," he asked trying not to sound excited.

"He's visiting your brother again, or getting ready to,"

"So, he did visit Mokuba?"

"Mhmm," she sounded as she "drank" her coffee.

…

"What no way!" Mokuba shouted in disbelief

Kisara couldn't help, but snort at Mokuba's reaction, "Mokuba, you're very smart, aand if you want my advice there it is. Do that, and I promise everything will work out for the best," she encouraged.

Mokuba stared at her skeptically, "Okay, if you say so."

She gave him a side hug, and hopped off the chair to leave, "Oh, have you seen Seto," she asked.

"Uh, no, I haven't seen him for a while," he mumbled as he looked at the clock above the doorway.

Kisara followed his line of sight, "Okay, if you see him please let him know I was here, and get to bed!" she wagged her finger at him.

"Yes ma'am," he said as he rolled his eyes at her.

Mokuba ran off to his room, brushed his teeth, and hopped into bed. However, he didn't go to sleep before sending a text out.

…

Seto and his mother talked for a little longer. Mikoto reminisced about life with her family before she passed away, and how this conversation was long over do. Unfortunately, the moment they had both been dreading had finally arrive.

Seto squeezed his mother's hand releasing all his concerns onto to her. Thankfully, being a mother, she was able to pick up on this and relieve him of this despair, "Don't worry, this isn't the last time we'll be seeing each other," she reassured him.

Seto looked at her with hopeful eyes, as if asking her, 'Do you promise?' "So, what happens now?" he asked instead.

"Well, you actually have a few more hours of sleep left believe it or not. You'll be placed back into a regular sleep cycle, and eventually wake up," she proclaimed.

Seto sat there in silence, and even as stoic as he was, Mikoto was still his mother and knew him better than anyone, "Don't worry so much," she laughed, "You will remember everything from tonight."

Seto didn't reply, rather he hugged Mikoto, until the 'visit' was over, but not before his mother whispered, "See you soon." And with that Seto faded away and was placed in a duel against someone.

…

The sun shined on his face, and the wind messed his hair. Mokuba pushed his hair in a different way than before, and switched to laying on his side – only to be rocked and startled. The motion felt similar to when you're half asleep and feel as though you're falling. Sitting up, or at least trying to without falling out, Mokuba found himself in a hammock in a moderately sized backyard.

With the recent dreams Mokuba had lately he was not surprised at this, or the fact that he saw someone sitting on the patio setting up a chess set. Seeing it was the same man from a previous dream he nervously approached him. Smirking, the man waited for Mokuba, careful to not do anything rash.

Mokuba stood there eyeing him from head to toe, trying his hardest to pry up any memory of him. Even if could not remember anything specific about him he knew at least one thing…

"Dad?" Mokuba asked with pleading eyes.

The man breathed heavy from suspense, and finally answered, "Yes Mokie, it's me."

The two embraced for the first time in over 10 years. Mokuba was the first to speak, "Dad, dad I want so much for this to be real," he cried.

"My dear boy, it is," he soothed.

Soon after, they sat down where the chess board was set up, and began reconnecting over a game. Mokuba was full of questions, and nearly overwhelmed his father with all of his inquiries. Thankfully, his father wasn't bothered. In fact, the old man actually enjoyed it.

"Who taught you how to play chess, do you like different games? Oh, do you know what monster cards are?"

The old man laughed at his son's excitement, "My grandpa taught me. I enjoy many games as does your mom, and yes they came out right around when you were born."

Mokuba became curious at the mention of his mother, "Mom likes games too?"

Hideki, Mokuba's father snorted, "Yes, she especially loves to scare people, and pull pranks."

Staring at his father in awe at the startling realization, "That woman I chased," he murmured.

His father smirked at his comment, "Yep, that sounds like Mikoto alr-,"

"IS SHE HERE?!" he shouted

Hideki rubbed his ear, "what?"

"Is mom here?"

His father frowned as he explained, "No, this is just for us, but don't fret, you'll be meeting her very soon."

Mokuba sighed in response and moved his knight. The rest of day was spent the same as Seto with their mother, lots of questions and reminiscing.

"So, uh, dad?"

"Yes mokie," he said as he threw out a card.

Mokuba loved hearing his father call him that,"Not that I'm not psyched that you're here, but why exactly did you choose to visit me?"

Hideki sat in silence to find the right words to say, "You see, son. Your brother is focusing on all the wrong things, and your mom and I had to take measures into our own hands before it was too late."

"Okay, but what does that have to do with, and what would happen if this never happened?"

Grinning he spoke, "You're younger than Seto, and with you bringing us up to him will help remind him not to forget what is most precious, or so we hope. And don't bother yourself with the latter – I win."

Mokuba sat there amazed, just like seto, he thought. Thinking over his words, he thought they made sense, but still a little confused by them. Inevitably, the end soon came, they both knew. Getting one last hug in, Mokuba gripped his father's shirt, "This isn't the last time we'll be seeing each other."

Mokuba stared into his eyes for reassurance, but couldn't manage a brave face. So, his dad ruffled his hair, "Hey now, when did you get so tall? Trying to size up your old man, huh?"

This manage to make Mokuba chuckle, "hehe, 10th grade," he said as wiped a tear away.

"See you later," they both said in unison.

A/N: 2 things. 1. Now that schools back, chapters will now come bi-weekly. 2: Please please leave a review, I would really like to know what the readers think of this, and maybe how I can improve. Thanks for reading. ~