Seto's body and mind were growing accustomed to the lack of sleep. Two years under the same harsh schedule, which grew more harsh each passing week, was long enough to numb the disappointment. He hadn't wanted his life to turn out quite this way, but he still held on to hope. Seto could feel himself getting stronger, faster, smarter. He relished in his knew knowledge; he liked the education. But that didn't justify the means.
When more than five hours of sleep had begun to feel like abundance, Seto stopped trying to earn every minute in bed that he could. As long as he wasn't entirely exhausted from his bookwork he began keeping himself up a little later each night, or rising early if he mind needed the refreshment, to work on projects of his own. He didn't tell his stepfather, expecting that he wouldn't approve and take that time away from him, too.
Instead he decided that he would reveal his project when it was finished. He knew, when that time came, he could prove to Tousan that his time and his mind were worth more than the man put stock in.
The ideas would come to him usually while he was about to drift off to sleep, or during the few minutes he was allotted to shower. Seto began keeping a small notebook in his bedside drawer for just that reason, and would often find himself scribbling down notes and drawing schematics late at night. The mathematics and foreign languages and business concepts Seto was being taught in his daily lessons didn't draw him anymore, and his intellectual brain began churning out more exciting concepts.
He could change his stepfather's entire corporation with his idea. He could create something good out of the empire thriving on war; he could create something good out of his years of mistreatment. The Solid Vision, as Seto called his project, would be revolutionary. For the first time since Seto had arrived at his new home, he let himself grow excited about something. He let his hope grow, and the happiness the prospects instilled in him were refreshing enough to fight the flames Gozaburo was constantly stoking.
He showed Mokuba first. He was pleased how excited the boy was, but an aching took place in his eyes. Seto noticed it while he flipped through the notebook to show the boy each page. Mokuba nodded along with Seto's explanations, but there was something he was holding back.
"Wow," Mokuba finally said. "There's a lot of work here. When did you find time to get this all done?" Mokuba asked.
There is was. Was he jealous? They hadn't seen much of each other in a while, and here Seto was, showing him what he did with his time. Showing him that he had time to do something else instead. Seto closed the notebook again. He'd shown Mokuba enough to communicate his idea, and that he could really make it happen. He knew how the electronics of the machine needed to work. He just needed to build a prototype. For that, of course, he would need permission from him.
"I just scribbled stuff," Seto said, "whenever I had a minute or two. It's not finished yet. I still have work to do."
This seemed to placate Mokuba enough, until Seto stood up.
"Are you going? Already?" Seto sighed. Mokuba was eight now. He spoke more properly, used table manners, and had begun to call Gozaburo Tousan as instructed. Seto knew he was being educated as well, but not nearly to the extent that he himself was. Gozaburo was taking full advantage of Seto's intellect, while his only goal with Mokuba was to keep him busy enough to keep him out of trouble, or at least out of the way. Unfortunately for the boy, that meant spending a lot of time being lonely.
"I'm sorry, kid. I have to. I probably shouldn't be in here anyway." Mokuba's bedroom was just a stop on the way to the library.
The downtrodden look on Mokuba's face when Seto gathered his books and reached the door made him stop. He knelt down and offered the boy a quick hug, and Mokuba dove into his arms.
He shouldn't be this eager to spend fifteen minutes alone with me, Seto thought.
As ever, he felt the black sewage beginning to burn in his gut again.
When Seto turned fourteen, he'd finished enough of his plans to present them to Tousan. He marched pointedly to Gozaburo's office with a folder in his hand. He moved with surety, no longer needing to consciously remember to hold his back straight. He had worn the collar for a year, but it was gone now. He was glad for its removal, which gave him more confidence and dignity as he knocked on Tousan's office door.
"What is it?" demanded the voice. Seto pushed the door open without waiting for an invitation – he'd learned that this was acceptable, especially when the man was already feeling impatient.
"Tousan," Seto greeted and bowed quickly. "I have something I wish for you to see." He didn't say that he's wanted to show it to him, giving Tousan freedom to choose when he looked at Seto's papers.
"Bring it here then," he said, not looking up from a stack of papers. The phone at his desk had been ringing – Seto could hear it from down the hall – but it went unanswered. Seto stepped forward and placed the manilla folder on Tousan's desk.
"It's something I've been working on for a while, and I think you'll be pleased. I have finished my lessons today, of course," Seto said. Tousan didn't reply as his eyes scanned the page on his desk. Seto stood in the middle of the room waiting, but after nearly a minute he asked, "Shall I go?"
To his surprise, Tousan set down the papers in his hand and glanced at the folder. He picked it up and leafed through it, finding the plans for a virtual software program. It seemed complete, and from what the man could tell it looked like it would work. Tousan quirked an eyebrow while he flipped through the blueprints and pages of notes, seeming to Seto that he was actually somewhat interested in what he was looking at. Seto kept his mask of confidence in place, never allowing him to see that he might be hiding excitement beneath the surface.
"What are your intentions with these plans, Seto?" Gozaburo asked, without sounding bitter.
"I wish to use this software to create virtual games for everyone to play. This could become a staple; there's nothing else like it on the market today. I've made calculations, and this product could make Kaiba Corporation billions, expanding the company into entirely new industries." Seto spoke as if he'd spent hours memorizing his spiel. His spirits were soaring so high his hands were beginning to tremble. Gozaburo set the folder down.
"You've done your research, I see. I'm impressed with your presentation, at least. I will keep these notes. In the meantime, I'll speak to someone from the Research and Technology branch to test this plan's plausibility."
"You will?" Seto's grin was hard to hide now. Gozaburo didn't appear to be nearly as excited. He plucked the paper he'd been previously reviewing back off his desk.
"That will be all, Seto. You may leave."
Seto bowed again and left the office. When the door closed behind him and Seto confirmed that the section of hallway was deserted, he awarded himself a silent fist-pump.
Finally, something good was going to happen in his life.
Seto stomped into Tousan's office without knocking. He knew consequences would result, just like with every other action he took, but he was too angry to care.
"You need something from me?" Tousan scoffed. Seto stood firmly on the opposite side of the desk.
"Yes, sir. I want to talk to you about the Virtual System I created."
"If that's what you want, I have nothing to say to you. I'm busy, Seto, so please leave."
Even though Seto knew well that it wasn't a request, his steel resolve kept him grounded in place. He clenched his fists and dove into the speech he'd been reciting in his head all day.
"I invented that system so everyone could enjoy games. But you want to use it for war."
Gozaburo narrowed his eyes at his adopted son. "I said get out. Didn't you hear me?"
Seto pressed on anyway. He was burning inside, and nothing could make him back down now. It wasn't a question of obedience, but of morals, and Seto had to speak his piece.
"The system is not a war tool! I invented it for people to use in the future Kaiba Land!"
Tousan stood suddenly. Seto's eyes went wide as the papers he'd so carefully organized were hurled back at his face. His quick reflexes let him block quickly with his forearm, but reflexes couldn't protect him from the man's anger directly.
"What Kaiba Land?" Tousan shouted. "It's all nonsense! Whoever inherits Kaiba Corporation must learn to create things that are of great use to mankind around the world. I myself must dominate the world with my military business. I want to use the virtual system you developed to reproduce the territory of the world."
Seto felt his face growing hot. He could hardly believe he'd let himself trust the man with his project. This was his invention, a work of his own mind and hands, but he'd handed it over to him so trustingly. Seto had heard rumors of what Tousan – no, Gozaburo; Seto silently vowed to never call that man "Father" again – planned to do, but hearing it with his own ears was more painful than he'd expected. Having his confrontation thwarted was even worse.
"But you're wrong!" Seto shouted, just before two men, each nearly twice the teenager's height, stepped up behind him and grabbed hold of Seto's arms. Together the security team lifted Seto so his feet dangled above the floor.
"Let me go! Let me go! I'm not finished yet!" he called out, struggling against the strong men as they carried him out of the office. When they finally set him down in the hallway, he tried to get back into the old man's office, but the doors were locked.
Once the sting of his disappointment, and Hobson's ruler, had died down, Seto sat before the fireplace in his study and brooded. His original notes and plans were still secured in the notebook he'd taken to storing beneath his mattress, so his work was safe. This comforted him a little, but didn't take away the greater pain.
Gozaburo had a copy of those notes, and now that he held all the pieces he could do whatever he wanted with them. He was fully capable of utilizing the virtual software as a tool for war, and in all likelihood, that was going to happen. Seto had created technology that would be twisted and used to aide in killing people. As if that wasn't enough, it was Gozaburo who would profit. His stomach churned; the very idea was making him sick.
He'd even told that wretched man about Kaiba Land, and it had been shot down just as quickly. That dream was his own, born in his mind before he'd ever met Gozaburo Kaiba. Was there nothing Seto was allowed to have, all his own?
He could wait and try to move ahead with his plans when he was no longer under his thumb, but... when would that be? Seto knew he needed Kaiba Corporation's resources to carry out his plans. If he abandoned those dreams, he could take Mokuba and leave, but Gozaburo had security like the guard in his office everywhere. Would he let the boys go? And even if they made it off the property, far enough away that they were safe, where would they go?
Seto knew he wouldn't take Mokuba back to the orphanage. Even if Mokuba didn't mind it much, Seto hated the place enough for both of them. The chances of them both finding a family together had been slim enough before, but with "runaway" stamped on their reputations they'd have no chance. Seto couldn't be sure which place was worse, but at least at the Manor he had some kind of future ahead of him, and resources he could benefit from in the meantime.
The only option left that Seto could see was to comply; to become the heir Gozaburo wanted of him. And that, he knew, would completely break him. The teenager ground his teeth together, trying to come up with another plan. But with the few cards he held in his hands, it began to seem like Seto would be stuck with Gozaburo Kaiba, living with his tyranny, hiding his scars, and turning his talents into weapons to fight wars he didn't agree with, forever.
He might as well have dumped his notebook in the fireplace and watched his dreams burn. But as he clutched the messy notebook to his chest, he realized that fire couldn't burn down the brick wall in his way. He'd only be hurting himself, and in the end, the brick wall would still remain.
