Two Halves of a Whole – Chapter 3

The raven-haired figure clad in a loose black t-shirt and jeans that had just entered the store had her eyes wide open with disbelief. "Isaac?" she squeaked out in a high-pitched voice.

Isaac looked over at her and grinned warmly. "That would be me," he said. "I take it you are Mokuba?"

"Ooh! Umm, yes!" she stammered. She perked up and swiftly approached Isaac to examine him closer. "You look just like Seto! Except for your clothes of course..."

Yugi turned his attention to Isaac's attire, previously distracted by his charming personality. The slim young man had chosen to wear a pink tank top, blue jean ripped shorts that reached to his mid-thigh, flip-flops for sandals, and a wide variety of jewellery: a peace sign choker necklace, multiple hemp and threaded bracelets tied around his right wrist, and finally a sparkling white stud in his left earlobe. As Yugi scanned Isaac's attire he also noticed some black ink engraved into his tan complexion just over his left shoulder. "And perhaps with the exception of a tattoo?" Yugi added on to Mokuba's sentence.

Isaac jerked his head to Yugi – back to Mokuba, and finally again to Yugi. He exhaled with some laughter and turned around so everyone could get a better look at the designs permanently engraved into his skin. It consisted of a few sakura flowers, with petals flowing lightly around them. Right on the edge to the side of the design, scrawled in a sort of quick hand like fashion were the words, "Monster Love." It seemed as if only 15 seconds passed before Isaac quickly turned around and said, "I have two more, but they are much, much harder to find." He faced Mokuba and shrugged his shoulders. "So! When are we meeting your brother?"

Mokuba giggled. "I told him to meet me at here at one. " She glanced at the clock hanging over the head store counter. It read 12:45. "He should be here in 15 minutes. I told him I had a surprise to show him! He doesn't know you're here. He's under the impression that you might have a new special card to show him, Yugi."

Yugi glanced up to the ceiling and chuckled deeply. "And I wonder what his reaction will be to find no card, but instead a brother? He's not one to take things lightly."

"I know, but I had to get him to come out here and meet Isaac. There really aren't many things that will get him to come out of his office during the day. They have to meet! The similarities are just too much to not notice, people will start saying things if they don't meet soon."

Yugi nodded. "I'll give you that much." He turned his attention back to Isaac. "So while we're waiting, mind giving us a quick synopsis as to where you're from, what you do, anything like that?"

Isaac leaned against the counter behind him, sapphire eyes lighting up. "Well, as you know I hail from Canada. I met Miriam a long time ago, back in high school, we've been best friends ever since. My second best friend Serenity I met while in University, and now my best friends are together!" He shoved the two snuggling girls lightly and was met with a giggle and a light slap on the arm. He smiled. "And what am I doing with my life? I'm a dancer. I'm opening up a dance studio here, and teaching some classes at the local University."

Miriam separated from Serenity to make an interjection, "but he is one, fucking smart kid."

"Oh, Miriam, really...please..."

"No, I'm serious!" Miriam exclaimed. "He's made Dean's Honour Roll for all his time at University, also in high school, and from what his parents have told me he's a child genius."

"Oh! Just like Seto!" Mokuba exclaimed, hands coming together to make a slight 'slap!' "Seto was a child prodigy too, it's why we were adopted out of the orphanage to begin with."

"Then I'm curious," Yugi said, "why did you choose to do dance?"

Isaac sighed. "I get that question alot." He stood to his full height with his gleaming sapphire eyes filled with determination. Yugi could slightly see the outline of his chest muscles as Isaac inhaled deeply. "It's my passion. I love to dance, to entertain, to bring joy to other people. I love being able to express myself through the motions of my body, using my body as a guide to release my inner thoughts and feelings. It's really a great way to feel at peace with yourself, one with your body and this world. I know I'm smart, but I believe to be happy in life you have to do what you love. And I love dancing and performing."

Mokuba stared at him in awe, "But you could do so much with your life! You could have gone out there and become the most successful person in the world, make a lot of money...do anything!"

"But I am the most successful person in the world, Mokuba." Isaac walked over to where Mokuba was standing, and crouched to become level with her. "I am successful because I am happy. Money doesn't buy you happiness. Well, for some people it might, but not me. For me...to have...this ability to express myself this way. To do what I really love. That makes me happy. And that's what makes me a successful person. "He returned to his full height and ruffled Mokuba's hair. "And you should do the same."

Mokuba stared up at her new big brother, slightly taken aback by what he had just done. Not in a bad way...in a good way. Isaac had actually come eye level to her, making her his equal. He parted wisdom and advice, not an order. He told her to be happy...he told her to do what she loved. During her transition there was so much denial. There still was. She was afraid to go out and do things that made her happy again. It was why she still wore boy clothes, to try and keep the denial for Seto. But here was a carbon copy of her first big brother, telling her the opposite, being the opposite. A smile fluttered across her face.

"Hey...can we...go to the mall sometime? There's...something I've always wanted to do..." Mokuba sheepishly said. "I mean...this is if you like the mall...I know some guys...hate it..."

"Are you kidding me, I fucking love the mall. Clothes shopping is my specialty."

Mokuba perked up and looked up to greet Isaac's warm smile with one of her own. "Great! Say...this weekend?"

"I'm not doing anything, sounds like some great sister-brother bonding time to me!"

Mokuba laughed lightly and twirled once. She was going to finally do something that made her happy!

"Oh, to add on to his intense dancing skills...going back to that," Serenity injected, putting one finger up, "he can also sing really well. I mean really well."

A light clatter at the door. "Really? I find that hard to believe because Seto can't sing at all!" Mokuba giggled aloud.

"Nobody asked for your opinion or made you judge, Mokuba," a voice said as it broke the laughter with its chilling, angry tone.

"Ah! Seto...sorry..."

And there he was. Seto Kaiba, standing in the doorway, staring intently at Isaac with one eyebrow slightly raised.