Original Yu-Gi-Oh Series
Parallel
Chapter 070
Originally Written: Friday, May 6, 2022 1013AM to 1049AM
. . . . .
When Seto stumbled into a wall for the first time since Mokuba died, Ishizu paid it no mind. But then he did it again, a few days later. After that, he tripped over a rock, and face planted against the broken sidewalk. He pulled himself up to kneel on the ground. He calmly shielded his nose with his hands, as dull blank blue eyes looked at nothing. He didn't bother to heal it.
Ishizu didn't say anything with Namu when her Millennium Necklace showed her and she saw for herself, but Namu's death was something Namu wanted. She wasn't sure if Seto wanted this. She sat next to him on the ground, forearms resting on her raised knees. "How long has your eyesight been deteriorating?"
"Nyeh?" Joey looked at the two of them.
Seto pulled at the thick glasses hanging on the front of his shirt. He had repaired them many times before, and now had to repair them again. He looked down in their general direction, as though he were debating if he should even bother fixing them again. "It doesn't matter."
"Says you!" Joey shouted. "Your eyesight's bad enough. It don't need to get any worse."
Yami agreed.
Ishizu lifted his chin up with a finger. "I asked you a question."
Seto remained silent.
Ishizu shook her head. "You've been hurt by many things. Horrible things. Things I can't hope to begin to understand."
Seto's breath hitched. Kiba, once again a tiny, nearly harmless terrier, climbed on Seto's lap, and started licking at his face.
"For many years you've used magic to shield, to protect you from those things. And it failed you when you needed it most. Mokuba."
"M-magic didn't fail me. I-I failed me." Seto whispered through his tears. "I failed Mokuba."
Joey ducked his head, clenching his fists. "No, ya didn't."
Ishizu inhaled deeply. She exhaled. "Shadow magic is different from the magic you innately have. It can and will turn on you if you lose your will, Seto. Have you lost your will?"
Seto nodded the slightest bit.
She leaned against his shoulder and side. "Everything you did was for Mokuba. I'm sure he appreciated every bit of it. I'm sure he'd love you just as dearly even if you hadn't been able to protect him as you have over the years. I'm also sure he wouldn't want you to let yourself down because he's gone. He would want you to live."
Seto shook his head, "There's..." He shook his head again. Kiba licked at his tears.
"I know, Seto." Joey murmured. "Feels like there's no point. But that's not what either Mokuba, Serenity or any of the others want. They sacrificed so things would improve. We gotta make their dreams, their desires a reality."
Seto kept his head bowed. He looked at Kiba and his glasses, though he could barely see either.
"My Pharaoh." Ishizu looked up at Joey. "Please let me take Seto on a small trip. We can use it to gauge how far Zorc's army has spread. After our losses, he wouldn't be expecting us to separate or spread out."
Joey's eyes gained the tiniest bit of red and violet, turning them a muddy color. Yami looked at Ishizu. There seemed to be something pleading within her blue eyes. "Granted. Return within a week. If you're delayed, I expect one of your Duel Monsters to let me know."
Ishizu took Seto far outside Domino City. She put all her faith in the Millennium Necklace around her neck. Faith that Joey and Yami would be alright while they were gone, and faith that she could encourage some of Seto's will back to the surface before his shadow magic ripped his life from him.
They traveled for a bit with a large pack of dogs. The puppies liked trying to hide themselves in Seto and Ishizu's hair. Next they found a small family who, with the new addition to their family, couldn't find the strength to stay in Domino to help fight anymore. Ishizu didn't blame them. No one wanted to see their loved one's head on a pike.
They stayed with a small group of travelers next. They dropped the family they were staying with here. A group of Kuriboh deemed themselves as the group's protectors. They weren't strong, but they were big, and numerous. Two things they used to their advantage.
Ishizu determined that a small boy with brown hair and eyes had attracted the Kuribohs. A Kuriboh with wings stood out among the group, and hovered next to him. It never drifted far from him or his parents.
Seto hadn't spoken much until now, but he spoke to the child. "Do you know of Yugi Moto?"
"My parents told me stories about him." The boy was small enough to sit on Kuriboh's head without weighing it down too much. "He's a hero!"
"He is." Seto agreed. "Yugi Moto once...trained with me, in a practice duel." Seto fiddled with his glasses, trying to find the words. Younger people didn't really know what traditional duels were anymore. They only knew of duels between Duel Monsters. Those duels were bloody death matches.
"Yugi defeated me and my Blue Eyes with an army of Kuriboh." Seto looked up at the Dragon. It was flying high above the skyline. Farther than anyone would think to look for such a large beast.
"Whoa..." The boy looked down at his Winged Kuriboh in awe. Winged Kuribo chittered, full of love, pleased with its brethren.
Ishizu realized it would take more than a week to get Seto slightly back, but she would gladly take the risk. They parted from the group, and when she randomly took his hand into her own, Seto didn't pull away. She hummed, pleased. Slowly, Seto took the initiative, speaking to the people and Duel Monsters they came across, telling them the stories of the valiant heroes their world had lost.
A/N: Seto covering his eyes in the last chapter was pretty much his declaration that he didn't want to see what was in front of him. The Shadow Magic responded, as he asked it to. Gotta be careful what you ask for with these things.
Yes, that's a child Jaden Yuki. Whether or not that includes the hot mess Yu-Gi-Oh GX's anime introduces is up to you.