Chapter 18

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They were all seated in a large living room with now windows. The maids had escorted them here and were offering snacks. There was a fireplace that dimmed the dark room as there were no actual lights. The room resembled that of a medieval castle. They were having a small discussion when Kaiba came in through the two grand doors, especially imported from England that used to belong to part of an actual castle, and set his briefcase down onto the coffee table. He pulled out a chair, sat in it, and crossed his fingers, laying his chin on them. He had an intense gaze and stared straight at every one of them, acknowledging their existence.

"I'm listening." He stated.

"Kaiba. As Joey said, I got a threatening letter a few days ago that said that they'd take Serenity's soul and your company." Yugi said.

"And? That's it?" He asked.

"Yes." Yugi nodded.

"Well then. You're wasting my time. The maids will show you out." He said, getting up.

"Wait, Kaiba!" Yugi said. "This is important! You can't just leave a threat like that alone!"

"For all you know, it could have been one of the girls at our school. There's no proof, evidence, nothing. So if you have something worth while to tell me then say it now, or leave." He said before getting up quickly, making the chair topple backwards and fall. He picked up his briefcase and strode towards the door.

"Seto! Come on! This has got to be important! Look, One. Why would they send it to Yugi saying they will steal my soul and your company if it was a fan threat?" Serenity asked, staring at him. "Answer me." She said after he just stood there.

He didn't bother turning around and said, "It's Yugi. Who wouldn't send him empty threats? He takes everything that comes towards him as someone trying to kill us with duel monsters and magic. Well I'm sorry to say, that this has nothing to do with magic. This is strict business." He said, waiting for her answer so he could leave as fast as he could.

"JUST magic? It's so much worse then 'strict business'. Have you ever been in the shadow realm? Hmm? Have you?" She asked, trying to imagine the horrors.

"Shadow ream? Yes. I have for your information. It wasn't that bad." He shrugged, still facing away from them

"NOT THAT BAD?" Joey yelled, getting up. "What are you saying? You filthy lying bastard. Don't you remember the darkness? The loneliness? The--"

He was cut off by Kaiba" Have YOU ever seen your family, your flesh and blood, being tortured in front of your eyes while you stand there as they die? Have you ever seen them cry out for you while you can't do anything...screaming your name. Have you ever felt so much hatred that you thought it itself would kill you? Have you ever thought that even with everyone standing there, you feel alone in this world, this cruel world...And have you ever seen a heart pounding on the floor there in front of you, knowing that it once belonged to your family?" He yelled at them, not even realizing he was showing weakness. Serenity advanced towards him, forgetting about the letter, when she saw something that made her stop. She saw water droplets fall to the floor in front of Kaiba. She was scared. She was sad. She pitied him. Everyone did.

He shook his head and took in deep breaths. He hadn't cried like this for a while.

"Turn around Seto." Serenity said, trying to be gentle. He didn't, He couldn't. That would mean weakness, and weakness meant pity. Pity meant failure, so he would never turn around.

She understood his actions and inched towards him, slowly, making sure he wouldn't hear her. But he did. And he walked forward, away from her, away from the cause of his loneliness. It would be better off if no one but him existed in this world. It would be great to him, actually. It would mean no weakness, no cold, no strength, and no pity. Just, plain, emptiness. It would be better than what it was like now. But that didn't matter now. Nothing did. Only--

"Look Kaiba. I didn't want to tell you this, but the reason I think this is a threat of because of something else." Yugi said, getting up; well that didn't really make much of a difference.

"Hmn" He said, signaling Yugi to go on.

"Mokuba's been kidnapped hasn't he?" That caused Kaiba to turn, tear stricken face, with an angry and surprised look. No one in the world alive had ever seen him look so vulnerable until now.

"The sender also sent this to me, just in case you didn't believe." Yugi dug through his pockets, trying to reach something, and then finally pulled it out. On a string like material, a duel monster shaped locket hung, half open. From where Kaiba was standing, he could see a small picture of Mokuba playing in the sand. He smiled at the memory, but soon frowned.

"So? That proves nothing. Someone could've made a replica of Mokuba's or my locket." He said.

"Kaiba...Don't be so damn stupid right now." Yugi said, getting a little angry. People gaped at Yugi's words. First Kaiba crying and now Yugi cussing? Has the world come to an end? Who knows? This is Yu-Gi-Oh right?

"You know Mokuba has been missing. Why are you trying to deny it?" Yugi asked a little hurt at Kaiba's actions.

Serenity was confused. Kaiba had been so casual when they met earlier. So what was this about Mokuba's kidnapping? Kaiba hadn't even had one trace of fear or doubt in his eyes that time.

"Because he's the only one left." Kaiba said quietly, while inside he channeled his sorrow into anger. Again, anger consumed him with a new flicker of flame.

Before anyone could react or say anything to his comment, he continued. "It's true. Mokuba has been missing for almost 38 hours, Yugi." He sighed. He didn't want to do this but if it was for Mokuba's safety..." Yugi. Maybe you can help. Go make yourself useful and duel your way through this like you do with everything." He turned but secretly smiled. He knew how it would end. He knew how it always ended. Yugi was like a victory magnet. Anyone he supported always won, or he'd win for them. Kaiba always denied it, when Yugi first beat him, throughout his Battle City defeat and throughout KC Grand Prix. No. No amateur would be better than him...But it wasn't true. He understood now that the way Yugi thought of dueling as so much more than just a game brought him more to life than everyone else, just the way Kaiba thought of his company. That's what brought them to the top. Not belief. Not fate. Not destiny. But strength, trust and will.

Yugi smiled. "Yes, sir." He said sarcastically. Joey cracked a wide grin and Tea got ready to deliver her friendship speech. Mai smirked, and the rest of the gang smiled. As they walked out of his mansion, Serenity looked back to see Kaiba watching them through a window on the second floor. She smiled to him as his gaze landed on her. She mouthed to him 'he'll be fine. I'll make sure.' and he nodded, turning away and closing the curtain.

"So guys, where d'ya think we should start? Every time there's a bad guy, they always come to us, not the other way around." Joey said.

"Well, Joey, maybe we should investigate fingerprints to see if we can get something." Yugi suggested.

"Hmmm..." Mai wondered out loud.

The five of them sat there, Yugi, Serenity, Mai, Joey, and Tea. Joey felt awkward without hearing one of Tristan's usual insults headed towards him but remembered how he had betrayed their trust. How he had turned out. (Didn't forget about him people! Hope you didn't either!)

"Hold out your hands guys. I'm going to draw a brand new circle because two new members have been added to our group" She smiled."...and unfortunately one has left." She frowned but perked up again. They held out their hands and she drew a smiley face (how stupid) on their hands again. "It represents--"

"We know we know the friendship that bonds us together forever. Yea yea." Mai said. Tea scowled.

"Humph." She just said that and sat there. The gang wanted to forget about this mess for a while; they acted as if nothing was wrong on the outside, while inside they were hearing the yearning pain the younger Kaiba must've been feeling. Soon, they started a casual conversation about old times and they had pretended to forget about the mess for a while. They sat in Tea's old work burger place, Happy Burgers (not sure) talking and eating, laughing at each other's jokes, unaware of the world around them and it's cruelties for some precious short lived moments.

Aw..I'm trying to add more personalities from the actual anime. Seriously. Review. Thanks.