Kisara

Seto and Mokuba slept in late. Before, Seto always got up with the sun, which was great, because that was when I woke up. But I stayed in late with them, so did Krin and Kara. We all slept in the bed that Seto hated. Seto's arms never let Mokuba go. Mokuba's fingers clutched Seto's shirt. They loved each other so much.

Sleeping in late didn't work for me. I stared at the ceiling, waiting for Seto to get up. Sleeping was boring. I wanted to know what happened to Mokuba last night. The two of them fell asleep almost as soon as Mokuba got back. We all wanted to know what happened, and wanted to be awake. Beside me, Krin played with a spark between his thumb and finger. Kara tapped her foot against a pillow.

Krin mentioned that Mokuba had run into Kray.

Seto was going to hate me more than he already did. Mokuba might have died and I wouldn't let him go. I kept Seto from his brother, the most important person to him, which was the worst thing that I could have done. My arms actually hurt from where Seto tried to force me off of him. He shouldn't be able to hurt me. I was too strong for that. At least, I had always believed that.

Seto woke up coughing. He pulled away from Mokuba so he didn't cough on his face. It woke up Mokuba. Seto rolled over and kept coughing, only this time he coughed into the bend in his arm. He groaned and rubbed his hands over his face. His pretty brown hair was wet. Seto's hair shouldn't be wet. He just woke up.

"Big brother?"

"Mokuba, you're okay."

Seto reached for Mokuba's hand. Mokuba sat up and pressed his hand to Seto's forehead.

"Seto, you're sick."

"I don't get sick. What happened last night?"

"Get back under the blanket. You are sick."

Krin and Kara got out of bed. They walked around to look at Seto, and Kara's nose wrinkled.

"You're sick," she said. "I mean, you should see your face. It's not normal."

I wanted to look, but I moved away instead. Seto didn't want me.

"I promise to tell you everything, Seto. But please, I need you to be healthy." Mokuba placed the blanket back over Seto, tucking it in under his shoulders. Seto protested, but Mokuba kept his hands on Seto. He started crying when he kept talking. "Because I can't have you die. You can't leave me alone, Seto. You can't-"

Seto shifted under the blanket to get out a hand. He grabbed one of Mokuba's.

"Stop. I'm not sick, but if I was sick, it would probably be a cold."

"It's not a cold. It's the flu because the flu is going around and people die of the flu every year, so you have to stay in this not-bed until you are better, because I'm not going to let you die on me, Seto. Do you understand me? I can't deal with all this if you die."

Seto couldn't die. He was fine yesterday and now he might die? I stood up so that I could see his face, even though Seto didn't want to see me. His skin was as white as mine, but the area underneath his eyes was really dark. His too-white skin was shiny.

But Seto didn't seem to think he was very sick.

"Mokuba. What happened last night?"

"Where's that fur thing that follows you?" Krin asked. His face looked like Kara's, all angry and upset. They both stared down at Seto, who didn't seem like he noticed them standing there. He just watched Mokuba, only breaking when he needed to cough.

"They were eating people."

I covered my face before I saw Seto's reaction. I didn't want him to know that my brother was a part of that. Seto might think that I had been a part of that at some point, or that I encouraged it because I loved Kray. Krin and Kara must have felt the same I did, because they started sending out electric signals. The air buzzed while Seto stayed quiet.

"I guess that explains the man's wife."

"Seto, they almost k-"

Mokuba collapsed onto Seto's chest, crying. Seto pressed his cheek against Mokuba's head, using his hand to rub circles on his brother's back. Seto's eyes didn't close, but he glared angrily at nothing. His jaw shook as he breathed out.

Seto's anger shifted to me. "This is why you should have let me go after him."

Krin stepped forward. "That would have broken your half of our deal. Then Mokuba would be dead instead of scared."

Mokuba began to cry harder. Seto moved his hand to the back of Mokuba's head, squeezing his brother's head into a hug. Seto's beautiful hands were still scratched, but it didn't stop him from stroking Mokuba's hair. He had to turn away to cough.

When he looked back toward Mokuba, his face twisted like he was in pain. He kept his palm on Mokuba's head, his fingers pressed against the side of his forehead. Seto began to breathe through his mouth. I noticed for the first time that his nose was darker than the rest of his face. It was a little more red than normal.

Mokuba leaned back and looked at his brother. He stopped crying and touched Seto's face.

"You're sick, Seto."

"If I stay here, will you tell me what happened?"

"You just don't feel like getting up."

"You're sitting on me."

"You're sick and stubborn."

"Tell me what happened, Mokuba."

"Kray saved me."

I took a step forward. I knew that Kray had been involved since Krin had told me that much. But if Kray saved Mokuba, he would be coming by later. I wanted to hear Mokuba's version, just in case Kray told me a different story, just in case Kray decided this was the one time he would lie to me.

Seto waited for Mokuba to go on. Mokuba crossed his arms around himself and let out a deep, shaky breath. His shoulders shrugged up toward his ears.

"Seto, they were eating people."

Seto tried to sit up, but Mokuba pushed him back down with soft force. Since they weren't hugging anymore, Seto reached for Mokuba's hand. He pressed two fingers against Mokuba's wrist. Mokuba glanced at it, then back at Seto.

"I'm calm."

Half of Seto's lips lifted. "I'm comparing your pulse to mine."

Seto looked so pretty when he smiled, but it wasn't as pretty when he was sweating and pale. His hands weren't even quite as beautiful as normal with all the scraped-off skin. This was the first time I had seen Seto and not thought he was perfect.

"Who was eating people, Mokuba?"

Mokuba shook his head and sent anxious glances in our direction. He lowered his head so his hair hung in front of his eyes.

"Kray was with them."

Seto tried sitting again, only to be pushed back down. He groaned and failed to hide his irritation.

"Mokuba. I'm sick. The ill are allowed to sit upright."

"You said you weren't sick."

"It's kind of obvious that he's sick," Kara said.

"He looks like death touched him," Krin added.

Mokuba flinched. Seto frowned, but let his head relax against the pillow. Before Mokuba could continue, I felt Krin sending a few short jolts of energy toward me. I glanced over at him in time to see his chin tilt at Kara. She tapped the back of two fingers against her cheek. She had seen two sections of his group last night. She shook her head. She hadn't seen Mokuba there.

"Where's Kuriboh?" Seto asked.

"Kray used him as a distraction so I could get away. I'm not sure why he hasn't gotten back."

"And you're okay?"

Mokuba hugged his knees and scooted even closer to Seto.

"I don't want to leave anymore."

There was a knock on the front door. Krin looked at me and told me to answer the knock. I edged around Seto and Mokuba. Seto turned his head away from me. I needed to ask Mokuba what to do. At least Seto used to look at me.

I walked down the hallway to the front door. Before I had gotten halfway through the living room, I felt the static filling the air. My heart picked up, knowing Kray was at the door. But then it slowed down again. I shouldn't have been excited about seeing Kray.

When I opened the door, Kray smiled. Kuriboh flew past me and disappeared into the back room. I turned back forward, and Kray pulled me into a hug. Krin and Kara were still in the bedroom, so I hugged him for several long seconds.

"Hello, little sister. You should keep a tighter grip on your pets."

I leaned away, but still kept my arms around him. "Seto isn't a pet, and Mokuba isn't ours."

"Are you ready to come with me yet? I did rescue both of your toys from imminent peril."

"I love Kara and Krin too."

"Don't you want to go home?"

"I want Seto."

"Then we'll drag him along too."

"Krin and Kara love Seto."

Kray sighed. He stepped inside and closed the door behind him. He wandered around the living room, picking up the various items Seto and Mokuba left lying around. He opened one of Seto's books, sneered, and dropped it.

"Will you ever choose me?"

My feet felt cold on the carpet. It had been getting colder outside. Seto wore shoes all the time, which Mokuba said helped keep feet warm. Maybe when Mokuba wasn't so scared, he would tell me how to get some. That would make me look more normal. If I could look normal, Seto might forget that I wasn't like him.

"Kisara, I'm here for you. Let's go home."

"I'm not ready. I love Seto."

Kray sat on the couch, resting his arms across the back of it. He propped up his feet on the coffee table and closed his eyes. The static grew stronger.

"Seto isn't going to love you." He didn't sound mean like Kara did when she said that. He sounded like he was sad for me.

I sat down on one of the chairs across from him. I started picking at my thumbnail while glancing to the hallway. Krin or Kara should have come out to check by now.

"I wasn't trying before. But now-"

"Now he is still not going to love you. I can see you're miserable."

"Kray, I'm going to try."

Kray's arms slid from the back of the couch. He moved his legs to the floor and moved his knees apart, folding his hands together between his knees. He lifted his head so he could look at me.

"I've heard the rumors. The people here are going to fight back. It's better to get out now."

"Or you could just eat them all."

Kray smirked. "You didn't mind before."

"Seto minds."

"You are giving up your life for someone who can't love you." Kray paused and shrugged. "Am I doing that?"

"No. I love you."

"Then let's go home."

"I can't leave Seto."

"And we're not letting Seto go," Krin said, stepping into the living room. "Because it's much worse when they are a world away, but then again, you should know better than anyone."

Kray managed to keep his face neutral and the static down. His jaw tensed.

"You're in my house," Krin said.

"I rescued Seto's brother. Doesn't that earn a few minutes on your couch?"

"What did the kid witness last night?"

"If I tell you, do I get to stay?"

Krin leaned against the wall. "You can't very well tell me from a distance, can you?"

"I didn't know you cared so much about a kid who isn't yours."

"He's preparing to defend the situation to Seto," I said.

Kray actually started to laugh. When he laughed, his face lit up, from his mouth to his eyes. It had been a while since I had heard anyone laughing. He and Krin looked so similar when they were both angry. Kray looked completely different when he laughed. Krin never laughed.

"That's one good thing about killing off your belongings. You don't owe them explanations."

"And every muscle in my body isn't aching. What happened to Mokuba?"

"I don't know. Maybe my tongue is just aching too much to say anything. You know, because I killed that old man."

"Kray," I said. "Please."

Kray ran a hand through his streaked hair. He didn't move his fingers from his head, but dropped his elbow to his knee, supporting his head with the tips of his fingers. "You know I can't resist helping you, sister."

Kray lifted up his eyes. "I'm assuming the kid made it home last night?"

"Really late. And he wouldn't say what happened," I said, nodding.

"That's probably because he saw one of our bonfires."

I closed my eyes. Seto would never forgive me for letting Mokuba leave. I should have stopped him, or said something. I could have followed him out, with Seto. If I kept my hand on Seto, he wouldn't be able to escape on me again. If he had been getting sick last night, he really couldn't have gone anywhere.

"You are aware of this city's compromise with the humans," Krin said.

"I'm aware."

"Then you can't move this to a different location?"

"There aren't people outside of town."

"There are other towns."

"None with my little sister."

A low rumble came from Krin's direction. "You brought your whole group here."

"And if it wasn't for me being here, Red would have killed your slave. Try gratitude."

"He wouldn't have killed me."

We all looked over to the hallway when Seto walked in. He had put his coat on before leaving the bedroom, and Mokuba followed him with one of the blankets. Mokuba had to hold himself up with the wall. Kuriboh stuck close by him, pressed up against his side.

"Seto," Mokuba said. "You need to be in bed."

Seto sat on the empty chair beside me. Seconds later, Mokuba crossed the room. He caught himself on the arm of Seto's chair and draped the blanket over Seto's lap. Mokuba moved to adjust it, but Seto gently pushed Mokuba's hands away and did it himself.

"I'm not dying. I hear I owe you a thanks," Seto said as he turned to Kray. "You saved my brother."

Kara stood next to Krin. They turned their heads to face each other, leaning in close to talk without being overheard. Mokuba sat on the floor in front of Seto's chair. Kuriboh hovered beside him.

"For being seen as a villain, I do seem to save people a lot. You look terrible."

"He has the flu," Kara said.

I tried not to look as Seto rolled his head side to side. He stretched out his fingers, forming and opening his fists.

"It's a cold."

"Why are you here?" Krin asked.

"To talk to Kisara. But here you all are."

Seto adjusted in the chair, pulling the blanket a little higher. He was still sweating. I tried to keep my eyes on Kray, but failed. Even sick, my heart still wanted Seto. We were within arm's reach, but I felt the small pangs of pain from being distanced. If I could just touch him, it would go away. Seto wouldn't let me touch him, not for any reason.

"This is our house," Kara said.

"Kisara, come outside with me."

Seto looked tiredly at me. If he was annoyed that I had started to stand to follow Kray, I couldn't see it past the red eyes. His blue eyes didn't look at pretty when the area around them was darkened. Even his face seemed to be a little swollen. But he did look at me.

I avoided the gazes of Krin and Kara. Their energy had picked up when I stood. Unlike Seto, they were really mad. I knew that they knew what Kray wanted. They should understand though. He was their brother too.

When we were outside, Kray walked to the other side of the street. He sat on the edge of the sidewalk, stretching out his legs onto the road. Using his hands to support himself, he lowered his back until he was flat on the ground, staring at the sky. He patted the ground beside him. I joined him in lying on the ground.

"Even if you won't come with me, does that mean that we cannot see each other?"

"Maybe just not where Krin can see."

"Are you that afraid of baby brother?"

I stared at the sky, which in the early morning, had touches of gray lingering through a layer of fog. The air was cold, and the sun, which looked so far away, did little to send down warmth. I was of the Light, but the light here was cold.

"I'm not afraid of Krin."

"Seto can't be worth it."

"He is."

I started smiling, just thinking about the first days when I met Seto. After waiting for so long to meet him, he was so much more than I expected. We didn't know what he looked like before knowing him. He was so much better than I could have hoped for. He was so pretty and strong, determined. But he didn't love the same qualities.

"I barely recognize you."

"I feel very different. You may not want me to leave with me anymore."

Kray rolled his head to the side, so I did the same. He really only looked like Krin from a distance. Up close, I could see the different shape of his chin and nose, and the brighter shade in his eyes. Kray always seemed to be happy about something. He was more fun to be around. I missed being around him.

"This world is breaking you. That boy is breaking you."

"He's worth it. I love him."

Kray propped himself up on his elbows. He moved his gaze toward the house. "So what? You're just going to hang around him, hoping that one day he might change his mind and love you back?"

I continued to stare at the sky. A bit of wind picked up, brushing my hair against my face. A piece of it stuck to my lip, but I let it stay.

"That's what you're doing. Only I love you."

Kray sat up all the way. He spun on me and said, "I want to go home. You are aware they are going to destroy this city. A war is going to start very soon."

"We are leaving the city."

Kray cocked his head and smiled. "Where are you going?"

"Probably the mountains. Luster is over there, and they have a cave pretty deep."

"And when are you thinking about going?"

"End of the month? Krin and Kara really don't trust what those important friends of Seto said. They want to get him as far away as possible, especially with everything that's been happening with the Magician and Red."

"Why not just lock up your boy so he can't get into trouble?"

I remembered kissing Seto before he ran away. I lifted a hand to touch my lips and ended up brushing my hair from my mouth. Seto had kissed me back then. I knew he was faking it, but it had felt real at the time. It was the first moment in which I didn't feel any pain.

"Seto likes to be in charge of himself. He doesn't do well being locked up."

"That's why you shouldn't keep a human."

"Would you have kept him," I started, wanting to be careful with what I said. "If your group let you?"

Kray got to his feet and paced a few feet back and forth. It was the first time I noticed that he favored one arm more than the other. One of his legs held more weight, and just above the top of his collar, I could see a patch of burnt skin.

"I don't know. It doesn't matter."

"You could come back to us," I said. I sat up, pushing my hair back so I could see him clearly. "Leave the group."

Kray laughed again, but it wasn't as bright as it had been in the house. He laughed under his breath, keeping his gaze from me.

"Kisara. You and I both know that Krin and Kara have pushed me so far away that I could never consider returning. We're mixed together, which makes us stronger. It is pointless to make distinction between the Light and Dark like you all do. Besides, I like my new family. But I would be willing to give that up if you would just come home with me."

"I can't leave Seto."

"So it is just Seto keeping you here? If the three of us went back, then it would be okay?"

I reached out and grabbed my outstretched ankles. The blinds on the window had moved, and I wanted a reason not to be looking at the house. It couldn't have been Seto or Mokuba watching.

"It's everything."

"You can't want everything."

"I want Seto, and I want all my siblings. I don't want everything, just those two."

"As far as siblings go, you've always chose them. I'm just asking for you to give me my chance."

Kray held out a hand and pulled me to my feet. He wrapped his arms around me, holding me in a hug until I stepped away.

"I'll visit again," Kray said. "Try to keep your kids from running around alone."

I nodded. We hugged again, a short one this time. Kray jogged a few steps backwards and smiled, extending his arms that were turning into wings. The air around him glowed as his body grew larger, wider, and stronger. I had to raise my gaze when Kray rolled his head up, looking out to the full extent of his neck. I didn't know why he tried to deny being of the Light. It shone as a part of him.

When he had flown away, I went back into the house. Only Kara had moved. She rested one shoulder against the wall by the window, arms crossed at me.

"Is he going to come back?"

"He usually does," I said.

I took the chair beside Seto again, although he didn't look at me this time. Mokuba's head was tilted back so he could look at Seto, who looked down at him. They were whispering, but not quietly enough to keep us from hearing.

"Then eat something."

"I'm not hungry."

"Because you're sick."

"The world doesn't end because I'm sick."

"Mine might."

Mokuba let his head fall against Seto's leg, but just for a second. Then he put one hand on the chair behind him and the other on Seto, and forced himself up to his feet. Seto put his hand on Mokuba's back to steady him. When Mokuba was balanced, he grabbed the hand and started to pull.

Using his full weight, Mokuba leaned back until he got Seto partially raised from the chair. The blanket in Seto's lap fell to the floor, and Mokuba dragged Seto to the hallway. Mokuba limped and couldn't really make Seto move, but Seto wasn't fighting back. After a brief stumble, Seto walked with Mokuba for whatever purpose his brother had in mind.

We all looked at Kuriboh until he left the room.

"Will Kray leave the city?" Krin asked.

I shook my head. "He stays with the group."

"Then we have to leave. Our compromise is based on no humans getting hurt."

Kara sat down on the couch. "Seto and Mokuba won't willingly come along."

"We could go now," Krin began. "Seto is-" he stopped again to grimace toward the bedroom. "-like that. The kid can't run."

I knew that they weren't talking to me, but I cut in. "What about everyone else? Our cousins?" Kray.

"We will have to signal them. If we leave now, then we will still have time before the human government realizes that Seto is gone. We get them out, then send someone back to warn everyone."

"And the portal?" Kara asked. "Do we know if it could survive the attack Seto showed us?"

"Why don't we just go home?"

Krin and Kara both looked at me like I suggested we worship the Magician.

"How do you suggest we take Seto with us? What would he eat? How would we talk to him? Do you think he would be safe from the others over there?"

"There aren't that many that would be a threat," I said.

"Because Horakhty is going to be thrilled having a human in her world. Let's not forget about Neo guarding the area," Kara said.

"And Aggiba. Or Quasar. Or Arcana on his good days," Kara added.

"Or what Chimaera and his followers would do if they saw a human. Forget Odin marching about."

I shook my head. "We can take Chimaera and Aggiba."

"But we don't have to if we stay here," Krin said. "There is less chance of him dying in his world."

"Sorry. I shouldn't have suggested anything."

Kara glanced out the window. "What will we feed them in the mountains? We were supposed to be preparing to leave all this month. It's too soon."

"And it's growing colder. Seto and Mokuba are weak. They will need supplies."

"So we get started a little early?" Kara asked.

I stood, straightening out my dress. Even if Seto didn't want me in the room with him, I needed to be closer to him. He had been quiet since waking, quiet for him. Maybe he wouldn't argue too much with me being in the same area. Mokuba said that it would be dangerous, or could be. I didn't pay much attention after hearing that it could kill Seto. I needed to make sure that he was okay. Krin and Kara could take care of the specifics of our move.

In the bedroom, Mokuba had managed to get Seto back under the blankets. Seto stared at the ceiling while Mokuba went through Seto's book stack. Mokuba read the names off, and Seto responded by shaking his head.

"You know I don't like Kesey."

"Then why do you have it?"

"You take what you can get in this world, Mokuba."

Seto's voice sounded different. It had always been at the low, raspy volume that made it distinctive, but it didn't sound like that now that he was sick. His voice sounded heavy, like a weight was sitting in his throat. He talked slowly, being careful to speak each word in his new, clear tone.

Mokuba reached the bottom of the stack and sighed. "You have to pick one of them."

"I would rather go back to sleep."

"Okay. Let me get you some water first."

After Mokuba limped out, I asked, "Did he lose his crutches?"

"He left them."

"I'm-" I wanted to apologize, but decided against it. "I'm glad he made it back."

"He shouldn't have been able to leave."

I sat against the wall farthest from Seto. He continued to stare at the ceiling as he spoke. He pulled the blanket up toward his neck, shifting his shoulders uncomfortably. His lips didn't touch after he finished his sentence.

"I know."

"I know you are trying," Seto began. His words were spaced out, like he was thinking over each of them before speaking. "Which you don't need to do, but if you are going to try, Kisara, I need you to listen to me when I tell you something."

Seto was actually talking to me about how I could get closer to him. He wasn't lying. It was harder to tell with the odd tone and sick features, but I could see he was being honest. He didn't say anything worth lying about.

"I can do that."

"Can you respect me enough to let me make my own decisions?"

"I don't want to tell you what to do. I just want to be-"

I pressed my lips together to keep from continuing. Seto didn't care. I needed to make everything about him, not me.

"Be what?"

I lost a few seconds in shock, unable to answer the question I hadn't expected. Seto didn't say anything else while he waited for me to answer. He didn't even move. It was weird for Seto to be so calm.

"Here," I said. "I want to be here."

Mokuba walked back in, carrying the cup for Seto. He knelt beside his brother and handed him the glass. "I got some pills for your fever too."

Seto looked at Mokuba, then me. He nodded once.

"I might be too tired to argue. But if you want to try, that's the way."

I smiled and turned my head away. "I think you're just sick."

Seto swallowed the pills Mokuba handed him and laid back down. He closed his eyes and tugged on Mokuba's arm until Mokuba was lying on top of the blanket beside him.

"Maybe."

Thoughts on this chapter will be posted on my blog, as well as the review responses. Next scheduled update should be on June 19th.

Preview: Seto, Yami, and Joey go hunting for cards.