Kaiba sat cross-legged on the floor beside baby Noah, clutching his phone in one hand and a toy in the other.

He was waiting for an important call from Kisara. Hopefully she landed without incident in Korea and had already met up with Seth on that shore to deliver the lipsticks.
What the hell was taking her so long to call?
They were probably fucking each other.

A tiny fist came for the toy and wrenched it ferociously from his hand.

"Bah ha!" Noah cried triumphantly, shaking the brightly colored rattle loudly. "I gots… I gots!"

Congrats, Kaiba thought dryly, reaching to take the toy back. Wanna play fetch?

His phone buzzed in his fist, so he hastily answered it without looking at the caller ID.

"Kisara, what the h—"

"Seto, it's me," Mokuba said, sounding exhausted. "I don't think I can finish by midnight. Ayame is coming home now, so…just letting you know."

Kaiba said nothing, his chest tightening with a strange feeling as he nodded.
He was suddenly reminded of how he used to be the one making these calls back home while he worked long hours, and now he was on the receiving end of it.

"Don't push yourself," Kaiba said, but Mokuba had already hung up.

Staring blankly at his phone, Kaiba blinked rapidly, trying to stem the turbulent emotions coursing through his body.

"Pa pa," Noah said plainly, slapping his wet palm against the phone screen, leaving a slimy, spit-smeared streak across the glass. "Pa pa."

"Yes, you little brat…stop it," Kaiba held his phone out of arm's reach and snatched the towel that was hanging off his own shoulder, hastily wiping his phone clean. On a second thought, he passed the towel under Noah's dribbling chin too, also making sure to rake the cloth against his drool-covered hands for good measure.

Why did babies drool so much? Why was Noah biting everything in sight?

It was positively gross, and he couldn't do anything about it other than change his entire outfit when he was finished spending time with Noah.

A soft knock sounded at the door and Kaiba stiffened nervously, his stomach dropping to his feet with dread. It was Ayame, coming to take the baby away.

She stepped into the room and rushed over to scoop Noah off the floor, nuzzling her nose into his cheek while the baby screeched happily with laughter.

Kaiba's chest tightened painfully again.

"Oh, Mr. Kai—I mean, Seto, thank you so much for your help," she gushed, and a strand of her black hair came loose from the bun on her head. "It's been so hectic at work. We should really sit down to have dinner together one of these evenings when Mokuba is free."

"No thanks," Kaiba said coldly, rising to his feet and feeling his phone buzz promisingly in his hand again. "I'm busy."

He strode to the door, and his heart nearly stopped when he heard baby Noah called out to him.

"Pa pa!"

"No... shhh!" Ayame flushed in embarrassment and bowed her head down apologetically. "Have a good night!"

Kaiba nodded stiffly and closed the door, hearing her thoughts echo loudly in his mind.

My god! How embarrassing! I'm going to tell Mokuba about this…

Biting his tongue painfully, Kaiba glanced down at his phone, irritated to discover that he'd missed the call.

God damn it all…

He walked down the grand staircase back to his room on the second floor, passing by two butlers who both gasped nervously and bowed as he passed.

"Seto?" Kisara's voice sounded far away on the phone, and the background sounded quiet.
Was she in the car?

"Where are you?" Kaiba asked softly, easing the door shut behind himself and leaning against it. "Have you landed?"

"Yes, the driver you arranged is taking me to the beach," she said confidently. "Seth will be there, right? He hasn't failed to show up yet! Oh gosh, I can't wait to come home to tell you all about Rome! Seth would want to hear about it too!"

"Glad you're having fun," Kaiba answered sourly, hoping his tone didn't transfer over, but she noticed immediately and said somberly. "I miss you dearly, Seto. Don't worry, I am having lots of fun with Seth."

"Great," Kaiba said, once again trying not to sound sarcastic, but it was hard.

"How's the baby?" She asked quietly, and Kaiba's heart skipped an uncertain beat when he realized she was asking about Noah and not…his missing daughter.

"He's up, walking, talking, screaming and drooling. Nothing new," Kaiba replied, now itching to hang up. "Don't worry about me. Enjoy Korea."

"I will!" She sang, and the line clicked off in his ear.

Sighing heavily, Kaiba pressed two fingers to the bridge of his nose, biting back tears of frustration.

Spending time with Noah did help ease the ache in his heart, but he still felt like he was missing something. He could hear thoughts from the butlers passing by his door, and it made his temper flare.

The older Kaiba still behaves like he's 18…throwing tantrums and slamming doors…

…So, should I just leave the towels here or knock?

Better come back later…

The footsteps faded down the hall and Kaiba grit his teeth angrily. Walking over to his desk, he slipped the steel cuffs out of his desk drawer and secured them onto his arms, enjoying the coolness of the metal against his skin.

Hearing harsh criticism about himself in his own house was difficult to live with.

I should move back to the beach property, Kaiba thought bitterly, turning to gaze out the window into the green garden. But the ocean just reminds me of Atem…and Seth.

Letting out a stiff sigh, he felt his phone buzz in his pocket again, and he slipped it out of his pocket, expecting to see Kisara's name on his screen. Instead, it was a text message from an unknown number.

"Where are you? Are you free now? I'm going to give you coordinates. Ready?"

Hissing in annoyance, Kaiba hit the call button and pressed the phone to his ear, listening to the rings.

The mystery person's tone sounded like a merperson. Coordinates? It had to either be Seth or someone near him….

After three rings, the phone was answered by a deep voice that sounded vaguely familiar.

"Do you have time now?" The voice asked urgently, and another, more welcoming voice echoed in the background.

"Ayyyy rich boy! It's me, Tris—"

"Shut up! We'll be heard," snapped the deep voice which Kaiba realized was Mahad. "Seto Kaiba? Is this the correct number? I know it has been a while since we last talked."

"A while?!" Kaiba breathed, his heart racing so fast in his ears, it became a low hum. "It's been two decades! Fuck you!"

"Well, I have to thank you for making my life difficult," Mahad answered shortly, and Kaiba could hear Tristan yammering in the background, and part of him ached to talk to Tristan instead. "Are you well?"

"Where the hell are you? I'm coming to you, right the fuck now," Kaiba hissed, storming to the door and through the house, aiming for the garage. "Do you have my kid?"

He passed Ayame who was nursing quietly in the lounge by the balcony, and her eyes widened when she heard this.

"I… Yes," Mahad said awkwardly after a long pause, and Kaiba snatched car keys off the hook, gripping them so hard, his fingers burned.

"Again…where the fuck are you?" Kaiba enunciated, unaware that the language he was speaking had changed. "I'm going to kill you."

"But I saved her," Mahad protested, his blood running cold at the sudden threats. He had grown so accustomed to Seth's soft-spoken politeness that hearing Kaiba's mean cursing reminded him that the brothers were complete opposites.

"She's stable enough, now. I'll bring her out of the Chrysalis for you. Come quickly."

Kaiba hung up in a fit of rage and dashed into the garage, throwing himself behind the wheel and starting his car with an angry roar. His phone buzzed in his pocket with the location, and he gripped the wheel so tightly his knuckles turned white.

After an entire year of waiting, these bastards were finally letting him have a glimpse of his kid.

Tristan swam in a slow circle, eyeing the beach apprehensively while he kept his weapon at his side, on high-alert.

Mahad stood nervously at the cliff side, making sure he had a clear view of the road leading to the island. His phone had been silent for the past hour ever since he had sent the coordinates, and he hoped Kaiba hadn't hurt himself in his haste to get there.

Sneaking the egg out of the Chrysalis at Atem's insistence, without anyone's knowledge had been a challenge. Especially since it was considered a royal egg, security around the border had tripled, so it was only with the help of Joey and Tristan that he'd managed this feat.

And this was all for Kaiba.

I hear something, Tristan perked his ears up and tapped his spear against the rock, alerting Mahad. Car. Sounds familiar. I'll dive down now. He can swim, ya know?

Yes, as can I, as can all of us, Mahad replied dryly, his back drenched with cold sweat.
He was breaking so many laws right now.
If they were to be caught smuggling an egg for a human to see it, even Atem's royal pardon wouldn't save him.

Kaiba pulled the car around and parked in an empty lot at the base of the island, seeing many rocky cliffs towering in the distance. Shutting the engine off, he patted his pocket, making sure he had extra syringes with him before he tossed his phone and wallet into the tiny glove compartment. Then, he climbed out and slammed the door loudly, scanning the beach, wondering if he'd lost any of his mobility in the water.

It had been several months since he'd properly had a long swim, because he'd been so busy with baby Noah.

"He's there!" Mahad cried, pointing at the tiny figure in the distance, and Tristan waved his spear rapidly, sticking his arm in and out of the water energetically.

Oi! Oiiiiiiiii! RICH BOY! Tristan yelled mentally, wondering why Kaiba couldn't hear them, because he was in range. Over here, you idiot!

Both mermen watched as Kaiba's tall figure stalked up and down the beach, looking agitated.

"Oh, shit, he can't hear us!" Tristan cried, stabbing his staff into the cliffside for safekeeping. "He's wearing the cuffs! I'll go get him!"

"No, don't leave your post—!" Mahad shouted angrily, but it was already too late. Tristan dove down into the depths and swam towards shallow water.

Kaiba listened intently, wondering why he couldn't hear anything other than the sound of waves lapping against the soft sand.

Who's there? Kaiba called anxiously, feeling as if he was about to explode with frustration.

A muscular arm stuck out of the water in the distance and Kaiba blinked, his heart skipping a beat as he recognized the golden bands strapped around the wrist. A-Atem?

A brown-haired merman rose out of the water, grinning, and Kaiba sprinted into the water, his entire body searing with a mixture of rage and relief as he tackled him into another oncoming wave.

Mahad watched this from afar with his mouth open, hearing Tristan's frantic but happy thoughts echoing through the air.

Ow! …I get it! Yeah…I missed you too! F-Fuck! Hey, you finally trimmed your claws down… ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! Leggo!

"Where is she?" Kaiba shouted, locking his arm around Tristan's neck and slowly tightening it as a large wave crashed over them, drenching him completely, but he didn't care. "Where is that fucker, Mahad?"

"C-Can't…bre-e-eathe…" Tristan choked, trying to pry Kaiba's arm off from around his neck, and his fingers brushed against cold metal. "Take…these off!"

Releasing Tristan slowly, Kaiba realized he was still wearing the cuffs.
Shit. Bad oversight.

Coughing weakly, Tristan punched him in the arm and held his hand out expectantly, as if asking for a hand-out.

There was an awkward silence as Kaiba bobbed against an oncoming wave and stared at the palm of Tristan's hand.

"Can I have them?" Tristan asked shamelessly, eyeing the metal cuffs greedily. "Please?"

"First…Mahad," Kaiba said through gritted teeth, unable to form complete sentences in his distress.

"Oh, we were over here," Tristan replied blithely, pulling Kaiba by the arm to lead him towards the giant cliffside. "Mahad is up there. You didn't have to come down here."

Glowering, Kaiba said nothing and pressed the steel cuffs tighter against his skin, letting Tristan drag him through the water and float to a stop where a spear was sticking straight out of the rock.

He glanced straight up and saw billowing robes peeking over the edge of the cliff, and his rage rose to an all-time high. Slipping off his cuffs, he tossed them to Tristan, who pulled them on eagerly and struck a masculine pose.

"No one will hear me now!" He crowed, and Kaiba ignored him.

He dug his hand into the rocky cliffside beside him and shouted up at the figure above him.

"Mahad! Where's my kid?!"

Shut up! Come this way! Mahad hissed back, his ears ringing with Kaiba's sharp merspeak, and goosebumps raised along his arms. Warrior Tristan, lead him to the private shore while I travel on foot. It's an eight-minute swim, so keep up!

Mahad's figure disappeared above him, so Kaiba glanced expectantly at Tristan, waiting for the merman to kick off the rock and take the lead, but to his annoyance, Tristan was still making exaggerated faces and flexing his muscles while admiring the steel cuffs.

"You didn't hear him!" Kaiba growled, reaching up to yank the wedged spear from the rock beside their heads. "Take me there, or better yet, give those back!"

"Nah, man, you said I could have 'em!" Tristan replied snobbily, and he threw Kaiba a playful grin. "Okay, Rich Boy, this way. Let's go!"

He pushed away from the rock and took off at breakneck speed, feeling Kaiba follow him closely, and he threw a glance over his shoulder carelessly, his heart skipping a nervous beat when he saw Kaiba's determined glare searing holes through him.

Looking away quickly, Tristan grit his teeth and swam faster, trying to quell the rising guilt in his chest. That was a look he'd never seen Kaiba wear before. It was a mixture of anger and desperation, one associated with…worry and love about an offspring.

So I guess he has feelings like that too, Tristan thought to himself, and he quickly braced himself to be shouted at by Kaiba, but realized with a jolt that he was wearing the cuffs which blocked his thoughts.

Aw, shit, nice! Tristan celebrated inside his head, and Kaiba narrowed his eyes, his legs growing tired and numb from the icy coldness of the ocean water.

His stamina was low, and every cell in his body was burning for oxygen.

Wait, I need air! Kaiba growled, and he began to power upwards through the water with large strokes, but cursed when he realized Tristan couldn't hear him…because of the cuffs.

Those metal bands were going to cause strife underwater if production of them went unchecked.

Popping his head above water, Kaiba took a deep breath, his heart thundering in his ears. Holy shit, it had been a while since he'd swam this hard and this fast.

Tristan no longer felt Kaiba's presence beside him, so he skidded to a halt, seeing long legs treading water several yards behind him. He turned around and headed back, growing worried.

"Whassa'matter, Rich Boy? Can't keep up?" Tristan said, popping his head up and trying to sound playful, but he could hear the pity seeping through his own voice.

"I keep trying to tell you I need air, but you can't fucking hear me!" Kaiba fumed, grabbing onto Tristan's arms and attempting to pry the steel cuffs off his arms. "Give them back! They're dangerous if they fall into the wrong hands!"

"Wh—let go! Jeez! What the fuck!" Tristan coughed as a large wave washed over his head and Kaiba tackled him down in the water with surprising force. He felt one of the cuffs leave his wrist as Kaiba's nails dragged across his skin, drawing a thin stream of blood.

"OW ow ow! DUDE!" Tristan gurgled, fighting back viciously, but Kaiba was quicker. Long legs wrapped around him tightly, pinning his arms to his sides, and he felt Kaiba pry the other cuff off his arm, causing his mind to be flooded with violent threats.

Fucking stay still! Fuck you! Give it back. You don't deserve them.
Do you know how many colonies would be fucked if they knew these existed? I haven't even figured out how merpeople communicate telepathically, so you can't take my prototype!

"Ack!" Tristan clawed his way out of Kaiba's grip and bobbed up and down in the water, gasping for breath. "Holy f-fudge! Where did you learn how to fight dirty like that? We sure as hell didn't teach you that shit!"

"Seth," Kaiba said darkly, slipping the cuffs back onto his arms and glaring at Tristan. "Now let's go. I want to see my kid."

"I'm bleeding…" Tristan whined, rubbing the three long gashes on his forearm. "…Man, your Camaraderie sucks."

"I'm…not sorry," Kaiba said through gritted teeth, pushing past Tristan in the water and swimming ahead. "Come on!"

Grumbling irritably to himself, Tristan dove back underwater and continued leading the way.

Kaiba kicked through the water on his aching legs, ignoring the terrible burning in his thighs as they continued through a series of rough waves.
Damn, how he fucking wished for a tail now.
This was exhausting. Where the hell were they going?
All he could see was dark waters and more towering cliffs of rock.

Was this near a Chrysalis? What did one even look like?

His lungs were tight, and Kaiba cursed, wondering if he needed to increase the dosage of the scales. He'd been taking the same amount for the past ten, fifteen, years. Maybe he was building up a tolerance.

Swimming upwards, he broke through the surface of the water and took another deep breath, seeing Mahad standing on a shallow beach, waving at them.

Finally, Kaiba growled, and he kept his head above water while he shivered and waded through the oncoming waves towards shallow ground. That had been the longest, most agonizing eight-minute swim of his life.

The tip of his shoe brushed against something hard, and Kaiba powered through another large wave before he managed to roll onto the beach, breathless and exhausted.

"You haven't changed," Mahad commented, noting Kaiba's pale, sallow skin which was noticeable through the white dress shirt, which was completely soaked, plastering tightly to his body. The steel cuffs were visible underneath the white fabric, and Mahad swallowed thickly as he eyed them cautiously.

"So, what they say about the cuffs are true," Mahad continued gruffly, fully aware that Kaiba was probably cursing him out in his head, and he was thankful he couldn't hear it. "I knew something was off about you from the moment we met."

"Yeah, you and me…both," Kaiba gasped, curling his fingertips into the sand, still trying to catch his breath. Fuckkkk… why did that swim feel like it nearly killed him, but when he'd been training with Joey and Tristan, he could swim for an entire day and not feel this tired?

"Are you taking the medicine?" Mahad asked sympathetically, and he received a cold, blue-eyed glare in response.

"Where's my kid?" Kaiba demanded, sitting back on his heels and shivering violently from the cold. "Where is this? Where are we?"

He surveyed the shallow inlet with a shrewd eye. It was a private little patch of sand surrounded by towering rocks, and the resounding crash of waves made sure that they couldn't be heard by the road above, which seemed to be miles away.
The railing that usually lined the edge of a cliff was not visible.
This seemed to be a little…island? No. It couldn't be.
They were only eight minutes away from the other shore.

Deciding to piece the map together later using a computer, Kaiba squared his shoulders back and aimed a venomous glare at Mahad.

"She's coming…" Mahad said gently, also sitting down in the sand and crossing his legs. "I've bribed a Guardian to bring her, under the guise that we are moving her to another infirmary for a check-up."

"Whatever," Kaiba said coldly, and he shivered again.
Damn, it was freezing. Every time the wind blew in his direction, it was like his wet shirt had turned into a sheet of ice, sticking terribly to his skin.

He moved to unbutton his shirt, feeling Mahad's eyes following his every move.

"Yo!" Tristan popped his head up and tapped his spear against the rock. "Someone's coming—strip show, Rich Boy? Hey, show me that Mark Joey always talks about."

"What Mark?" Mahad sharpened instantly, raking his eyes down Kaiba's toned chest and stomach, searching for any signs of a tattoo. "You're from Helios, and if I recall—"

"It's on his neck!" Tristan said energetically, pointing a clawed finger behind his back. "But I've checked Seth. He doesn't have one."

Kaiba's blood ran cold and he gripped his shirt tightly, now deeply regretting ever taking it off. Shit, shit, shit. His fake Mark was going to expose him for being a fake.

"Let's see it," Mahad said coldly, rising up onto his knees. "Show it to me, if you have any honor at all, Seto Kaiba."

"I'll pass," Kaiba said dryly, intentionally hanging his shirt over the back of his neck with a fluid motion. "I don't know what Joey saw, but clearly, he's insane. I don't have a Mark. I hate tattoos."

"L-i-a-r," Tristan sang unhelpfully, waving his spear. "Hey, Mahad, make him show us!"

A muscle jumped in Mahad's cheek while he had a brief staring contest with Kaiba before he held out his tanned hand for a friendly handshake.

"Please, show it to me." Mahad heard his own voice shake uncharacteristically. If Kaiba was an imposter, this was the way to find out. Seth bore no visible marks, so if Kaiba was indeed marked, did this mean they weren't related? The royals of Helios were twins, and merpeople always treated twins exactly the same, unless Seth's parents were unconventional, but they were even given the same names: Seth and Seto, so they had to have matching Marks on their bodies.

"Stay the fuck away from me," Kaiba replied coldly, looking out over the darkening horizon.
Fucking shit.
Fuck.
Fuck.
He was fucked.
He didn't even know where the Mark was from. He'd fucking stolen it years ago out of desperation to see Atem. Fuck. It was a stupid, rash decision he'd made when he was younger, and it was fucking him over now.

The air was crushed from his body when Mahad came lunging at him and pinned him cheek-down into the sand. Kaiba grimaced in pain and fury, letting out a yell as he struggled back in vain, but Mahad was sitting directly on the middle of his back, keeping him solidly face-down.

He felt cold hands brushing hair away from the nape of his neck, and he held his breath, listening to the horrible ringing in his ears, waiting to be strangled, or stabbed, scratched, or killed….

"There's nothing here!" Mahad exclaimed, brushing sand away from Kaiba's bare shoulders to get a better look.

"What?! Lemme see," Tristan rolled onto shore and stuck his spear in the sand while he edged towards them on his elbows, and indeed, there was nothing but pale, unmarked skin on the back of Kaiba's neck.

"Wha—but Joey wouldn't lie!" Tristan protested, and Mahad eased off of Kaiba, letting him up.

Hissing in anger, Kaiba brushed the sand off his damp chest, unsure of who he hated more in the moment: Mahad, Tristan, or Joey.

"Did he note the color, or the shape?" Mahad asked, completely ignoring Kaiba, who had taken off the cuffs and was cursing them out fluently in merspeak.

"Yeah, that it was the burned kind," Tristan said, frowning in concentration. "Uh…you know, whatsit called…?"

"A Brand?" Mahad suggested, throwing Kaiba an uncertain side-glance. "Those disappear if he's been healed in a pod. That's the nature of Brands. Invisible, but painful. Did you finally complete your Assignment, Seto Kaiba?"

"I don't know what the fuck either of you are talking about," Kaiba shot back furiously, his cheeks burning with relief. Holy shit. That had been too close…

"I heard that!" Mahad crowed, pointing a clawed finger at the steel cuffs Kaiba had left in the sand, his body shaking with incredulity. "You did, didn't you? They must have trained you at a young age. You even keep up the act when you're amongst comrades! It's no wonder you've managed to fool me!"

"You are not my comrades," Kaiba replied coldly, but he was soundly ignored when Tristan chimed in.

"I know right? Dude, Mahad, this guy… he pretended like he didn't know what Confinement was!"

"Yes, I heard from Joey," Mahad declared, shaking the sand from his robes while he stood. "I've never encountered any other Undercover merman with such strong concealment tactics. I'm praising you, Seto Kaiba."

Kaiba swallowed thinly when both mermen threw him deep, admiring looks, and his skin itched horribly from the sand sticking to it.

"I want to see my kid," he said hoarsely, trying to break the silence. "…And I'm human."

"So am I," Mahad said blithely, turning towards the ocean's horizon to wave at no one in the distance. "The Guardian is here with your child. I'm counting the time now. Tristan, secure the perimeter."

Tristan pulled his spear out of the sand and used it to push himself off the shore and into a shallow wave, disappearing almost instantly.

Kaiba watched this fluidity with rising admiration and heard a telltale splash behind him.

He leapt to his feet and studied the turbulent waters around them, seeing nothing and no one.

Mahad waded out into the water, and Kaiba quickly followed him without a second thought.

"Careful!" Mahad shouted over the roaring wind, and Kaiba froze on the spot, feeling a slimy tentacle curling around his ankle.

His heart leapt into his throat and he glanced down into the dark waters around his legs, seeing a flash of deep red. The head of an octopus grazed the surface of the water briefly before it disappeared again, and Kaiba held his breath, seeing Mahad reach into the water to gently lift out an enormous black egg.

Dizzy with disbelief, Kaiba sank into the water on his knees, feeling another strong wave curl around his waist, but he no longer felt cold. A violent tugging in his chest was consuming him, and Mahad's figure was blurring heavily in his vision as the man walked towards him, holding the egg out to him with both hands, his eyes soft and kind.

"Here she is," Mahad breathed, and the egg was snatched from his hands so fast, Kaiba's nails nearly drew blood across the back of his hand. An odd tightness sat low in his stomach while he watched Kaiba lower his head and sit half-submerged in the water, gently cradling it with practiced ease.

It was a strange sight…but Kaiba's movements were fascinating.
His thin shoulders were relaxed, and his breathing had evened out.

To Mahad's rising incredulity, the tiny golden veins on the egg's surface seemed to glow in the semi-darkness the moment Kaiba's hand passed over the surface, and he had to look away.

It made his stomach churn in ways he couldn't describe.

Holy shit, holy shit, Kaiba chanted, unable to piece together a coherent thought as a flood of emotions overtook him. The egg was warm, and soft, unlike the stone egg which Seth had provided. In the past few months, he'd been plagued with nightmares about cracked eggs, and discovered that sleeping with the fake egg beside his pillow helped ease the night terrors.

Now, as he held the real egg to his chest, the wonderful warmth that seeped through his core felt like he was being wrapped a thousand blankets of relief and happiness. He'd been craving closure, and holding baby Noah only did so much to stem the paranoia and heartache.
This was what he really needed.

He could feel…a heartbeat.

It was so strange.

It wasn't any different from holding Noah when he was wrapped up in all his blankets. They were about the same weight too. No, maybe Noah was a bit heavier because he was a fat, spoiled brat.

"Are you…finished?" Mahad asked gruffly, glancing up at the sky and seeing a half moon rising slowly over their heads.

"No. Fuck you," Kaiba hissed, pressing the bundle of warmth closer to his bare chest, wishing he could melt into the comfort he was currently holding in his arms. "She's mine. You're not taking her anywhere."

He passed his hand over the black membrane and marveled at the way it felt—like human skin. The tiny golden veins on the surface were slightly disturbing, but they glowed happily every time he traced his finger over each one.

She was…talking back, or something.

Biting back tears of relief, Kaiba let out a deep sigh and gazed up at the night sky, counting each twinkling star above his head while the ocean wind ruffled his damp hair across his forehead.

For a moment, everything was right in the world.
Everything was perfect.
This felt right.
He was holding her near to his heart, and they were finally together.

There was also a strangely sweet smell emanating from the egg, and Kaiba took deep, desperate breaths, trying to fill his lungs with the scent. It was calming. He felt like crying and laughing at the same time. He hadn't fucking died while this thing came out of him.

Didn't Atem say something about getting off the hook if they had a kid?
Well, the kid was here, so where was he?

"Kaiba…" Mahad began, unsure of how to begin addressing the odd thoughts he was hearing. "I don't know what King Atem told you about this child—"

"That she's going to be incubated in one of your hospitals?" Kaiba cut across Mahad, his cheeks burning with rising fury. "That she will be raised in your colony, attend your schools, and learn your ways, because my home isn't good enough for you?"

"I—" Mahad faltered, startled by the sudden onslaught of awareness from Kaiba. "…Yes. Your colony is in ruins, is it not? Will you finally admit—"

"And so what if it is?" Kaiba raged, feeling the egg grow impossibly warm in his arms, mirroring his anger. "It won't stay that way forever. I'm taking her with me."

"No, you can't! She's not stable enough to travel long distances!" Mahad cried hastily, reaching for the egg, but Kaiba jerked away from his grasp, his eyes shining with unshed tears.

"So it's nearby?" Kaiba asked demandingly, his heart pounding in his ears. "The Chrysalis is somewhere here? Take me there, or you'll pry her out of my arms over my dead body."

Conflicted, Mahad shuffled his feet in the water and called for Tristan in the back of his mind. He needed back-up now. He had a feeling it would come to this.

"I will protect her with my life, because it is my duty to serve the royal family, no matter the colony," Mahad said stonily, taking a careful step towards Kaiba who was still waist-deep in ocean water. "She's in good hands."

"Right, well, I don't trust you," Kaiba replied icily, his heart burning terribly while the egg throbbed in his arms, and he instinctively dipped it down into the water to keep it submerged.

"I'm bound by a pact to protect royal blood," Mahad said slowly, taking another calculated step towards Kaiba in the water, feeling Tristan hovering nearby. "Hand her to me now, slowly…and let's get her back to safety."

"She's safe here," Kaiba insisted, glaring at Mahad's outstretched hand. "Don't fucking touch me, or I'll fuck you up."

Shrinking his hand back hastily, Mahad gazed nervously at the top of Kaiba's head, wishing desperately that Atem was here to deal with Kaiba.
Taking an egg from its bearer was an extremely dangerous task.
An unstable or mourning egg-bearer could spit, claw, or bite at an unsuspecting Medic, and Mahad wasn't ready to fight Kaiba head-on while the egg was out in the open.

The Guardian's cold tentacle curled around his ankle, and Mahad grit his teeth, hearing Tristan send him a questioning thought.

So…what're we gonna do? You were right. He's not gonna let it go now…

"Seto, please," Mahad tried using Kaiba's first name to elicit a friendly response. "You know deep down that she needs to go back into an incubator now. See? You're holding her underwater. You know this…now, hand her to me…. please."

Reaching out slowly with both hands, Mahad bent down to retrieve the egg from Kaiba's arms, an invisible force held him in place. It was as if chains had come snaking from the sky and bound him where he stood. His feet were sinking steadily into the sand as a wave came swirling around his calves, causing him to sink into the ground.

Kaiba raised his head to glare at Mahad, his blood boiling with triumph when he saw the merman freeze awkwardly on the spot, his angular eyes wide with fear.

What is happening?! Mahad cried, straining to move his arms and legs, but his entire body had been cemented into place. What is this?

Even his jaw had been glued shut, and the only thing he could do was blink rapidly at Kaiba, who was staring haughtily at him from the ground.

"You obey the royals no matter the colony. You said it," Kaiba repeated gleefully. "Guess that proves it. I told you to stay the fuck back, and you kept walking forward, clearly disobeying. Nice to know the pacts really do work."

Horrified, Mahad couldn't do anything other than blink to keep his eyes from drying out in the harsh winds.

Such…willpower!
Even Atem had never commanded him to this extent; it was terrifying to experience.

Tristan…! Mahad shut his eyes tightly before opening them again. Go forward with the plan!

Kaiba's heart skipped a terrified beat when he heard this, and he spun around to fight Tristan, but to his surprise, three large tentacles emerged from the water before him and wrenched his arms apart, causing the egg to slip away, and it disappeared underneath the foamy waves.

He barely saw the flash of another red tentacle curling around the egg to whisk it away through the clouds of sand, and his stomach twisted with indescribable rage and grief.

"No!" Kaiba shouted, and he lunged through the water at the octopus just as Tristan rose out of the water behind him to restrain him, hanging onto his arms so tightly, Kaiba nearly felt his sockets pop as he struggled to escape.

"Fuck you…! Fuck you!" Kaiba spat, aiming his rage back at Mahad, who flinched and stumbled back into the water, landing ungracefully on his ass, causing his white robes to billow out around his body.

"I'm sorry!" Mahad shouted back, his fangs peeking through his lips in a snarl. "Command me to jump off a cliff if it'll help with your anger, why don't you?!"

"Fuck…you!" Kaiba breathed, sagging against Tristan and feeling his entire body burn. His eyes stung terribly with tears, and he did nothing stop them.

Fuck everything.
Fuck…everything.

His arms were released, and Kaiba blinked, seeing several diamond tears fall with gentle plinks! into the waves rushing around his waist. He instinctively reached out to catch a few and curl them tightly in his fist, barely able to recall Seth's advice about saving his tears for the child.

They were painful memories to show her when she eventually grew up. Proof of suffering, or some bullshit like that.

"Wow…cool," Tristan commented callously, seeing another diamond tear land with a plomp! into the water by Kaiba's thigh. "Hey, can I have one?"

Shut up, Mahad reprimanded, keeping his gaze fixed intently on Kaiba's shaking shoulders. It was true. All the rumors were true.

Royals from Helios cried tears of pure light.

He'd only ever seen Atem's tears, which were a marvelous blend of colors, shapes, and sizes. This was something entirely different.

They almost looked like water, except…they sparkled with clarity.

"You really are…him," Mahad said gruffly, feeling his ears burn with a mixture of fury and embarrassment. "Come, Tristan. Let's leave."

"Him who?" Tristan asked loudly, and Kaiba grit his teeth so hard, the blood rushed loudly in his ears.

"Read a history book, Tristan," Mahad said, sounding exasperated. "Or talk to Seth. Grab your spear and your pouch with slugs. We must go, quickly now."

Kaiba couldn't bring himself to look up.
His world was falling apart.
When could he see his kid again? Another year? Another ten years?! This was fucking bullshit!

"She'll hatch in a few years," Mahad said reassuringly, giving the top of Kaiba's head an awkward nod. "Incubation period is between one to five years."

Great, Kaiba thought glumly. Noah will be six by then.

"I will bring her out as much as I am able," Mahad continued, still trying to sound redeemable. The guilt was slowly killing him inside after seeing Kaiba kneeling in the water looking helpless.

Great, more lies, Kaiba thought depressingly, sinking deeper into the water as another wave came rushing up around him.

"Goodbye, Seto Kaiba. You're a strong man," Mahad said, feeling increasingly more awkward as the silence stretched on. "Tristan?"

"Yep. Bye." The brown-haired merman gave Kaiba a half-hearted salute. "Joey'll come by to visit you sometime, kay?"

Kaiba said nothing and felt his diamond tears burn in the center of his palm.

The wind stung his cheeks and ears as it swirled roughly around his face, and finally, after what felt like an eternity, Kaiba raised his head, but everyone had vanished. There was only a flat expanse of water before him, melting into a dark night sky.

Alone, again.

Gritting his teeth, Kaiba felt his eyes sting with more tears of frustration, and he blinked rapidly, vowing to himself that he would manage to rebuild the colony with Seth by the time she hatched.

Seth's original estimate about her hatch-time had been wrong. He had said 2 years.
Today, Mahad had said one to five years.

I'll fuck their economy up, Kaiba thought furiously, rising to his feet and shivering violently with a mixture of rage and cold. They won't even know what hit them.

Slowly slipping his wet shirt back on, Kaiba took a deep breath and braced himself for the swim back. He would renew his efforts to search for the elusive Chrysalis, because he was now closer than he had been.

Author's note:

DD: kaiba finally meets his babyyyyy (is this getting weird? Man, I feel weird writing words like 'he cradled the egg' lmaoooo. Its half-serious, half-heartbreaking. Help.)