Sometimes I just want to give presents.

It's cathartic.

.

The big white box contained a treasure trove of Magic & Wizards equipment: two booster boxes, each with 24 packs inside; card sleeves; deck boxes; play mats; and two limited-edition collectible statues of the game's signature rival monsters: the Blue-Eyes White Dragon and the Dark Magician.

Seto stared at this hoard, eyes glittering, utterly unable to comprehend the idea that—after having only twenty cards to his name for so many years—he now possessed hundreds. After not even having enough to qualify as a hobbyist, he was now fully prepared for a tournament. He could finally duel against Joey Wheeler, as opposed to just explaining his cards to him. They would both be able to practice now. The possibilities laid out in front of him right now were utterly unmaking Seto, unraveling his soul, and he couldn't find words for two uninterrupted minutes.

"Do you . . . like it?" Noa asked, nervously.

Seto looked up at his brother, unable to hold back tears. "I . . . I-I . . ."

Amaya gently nudged Noa forward, and Seto tackled his brother in a hug. Noa held the other boy close, finally smiling again—more with relief than anything else—and he let out the breath he'd been holding. Seto wasn't crying openly, but he was shaking. Noa eventually glanced back at his mother, wondering if perhaps he'd made a mistake after all.

Amaya glided over to her sons and enfolded them both into her arms.

"Everything is going to be different from now on," she said. "You don't have to go without now, Seto. Not anymore." She rubbed Seto's back while she pressed Noa's head against her shoulder. "You're good boys. Such good boys. You deserve to be rewarded. No matter what anybody has to say about it."

Seto hitched in a breath, then let it out shakily.

"I'm . . . I'm s-sorry. I just. I don't."

"Shhh . . . it's all right, love," said Amaya.

.

Mokuba's welcome gift wasn't as expensive as Seto's, but it was just as expansive: drawing pads; coloring books; crayons and markers; colored pencils; every sort of art supply a boy could ever want was now in the youngest Kaiba's hands, and he was all but literally chomping at the bit to get to work. He made sure to hug Mister Brother and Mama both, and then he hugged Seto too because it wasn't fair to give other people hugs and not Nii'tama.

Then he retreated to his bedroom to create.

"I'm sorry," Seto said, his face going red. "I didn't think he'd just grab everything and run."

"Oh, don't be ridiculous," Amaya said lightly. "That's just the right sign when giving a gift to a child as young as little Mokuba. He should want to get right to business. Isn't that right, Noa?"

"Yeah," Noa said, nodding. "I'm glad he wants to get started. That's what I got them for."

"How did you know Mokie likes to draw?" Seto wondered.

"I saw him scribbling on an old receipt he found," Noa said, "with a pen Chichiue dropped in the hallway. I figured it would be best if he had proper equipment. You can't expand your skills if you don't have any room to experiment."

Seto smiled. "Yeah," he said. "Yeah, definitely."

"Now then," Amaya said, "you boys get to work with your new things. I have some business to work out with your father. Seto?" Seto turned. "I know I just got finished saying you deserve to have something all your own, but I do expect you to share your new cards with your brother. You'll need proper practice if you want to play this game effectively, yes?"

Seto nodded. "Yes, Hahaue. Of course."

"Good."

.

That evening, Gozaburo stood by the front doors. He wasn't dressed in his usual double-breasted suit, or his house robe, but rather he looked like a soldier or an outdoorsman; he was dressed in canvas pants, a tight shirt, a heavy coat, and the sort of boots that Seto remembered Kohaku Yagami calling mud-stompers.

"Your father has some business to conduct," Amaya said, "and that means he's going to be away from the house for a while. We won't be able to reach him until he's finished. For the most part, everything will operate as normal around here. But we both believe you boys deserve to know what's going on."

"There is a danger to this family," Gozaburo said, "and I will be dealing with it. I expect you all to keep your focus on your studies. However, I also expect you to keep vigilant. Seto, Noa, you both will bear some responsibility for keeping an eye on your younger brother. Am I understood?"

Seto nodded; this was nothing new to him. "Yes, Chichiue," he said.

Noa nodded and said the same thing.

"Mind your mother," Gozaburo said.

At this moment, just as Gozaburo turned around to leave—having used up what little social energy he had left for his children—Mokuba ambled up to him with a sheet of his new drawing paper clutched in both little hands.

He presented this paper to Gozaburo.

"Here," he said. "Good luck."

Gozaburo stared at his youngest son with an unreadable expression for a time, then took the sheet of paper—on which Mokuba had drawn a little scene that was meant to represent his new family in front of the big new house—and nodded.

"Thank you, Mokuba," he said.

"Welcome."