Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Seto's Wish ❯ Chapter 22

Kaiba...are you all right? Kaiba? Kaiba...

 

“Kaiba!”

 

Kaiba's eyes shot open to see the other Yugi staring down at him. No...it was `normal' Yugi. He knew that empty-headed stare instantly.

 

“Did it work?” Kaiba instinctly asked him, assuming Yugi would know the same thing Yami did.

 

Yugi smiled. “If you mean that your back home, then yes. It's good to see you again, Kaiba. We were worried you wouldn't get back.”

 

Kaiba sat up, readjusting to his new environment. And...he didn't recognize it. “Where the hell am I? It looks like a war zone in here!”

 

Yugi looked away nervously, as Aiko answered, “Sadly enough, you're in Mokuba's room.”

 

“What??” Kaiba snapped. Yes, after careful inspection, this was definitely Mokuba's room. But the walls were cracked and half fallen apart; the ceiling had crumbled to the baseboards. It looked like an earthquake had been through it.

 

Then, as Kaiba turned to his brother's bed...sure enough, Mokuba was there. The bed was the only thing that seemed untouched by any kind of debris, leaving Mokuba totally safe. He slept soundly, despite all around him, and...Mokuba didn't look well. He was very pale.

 

Kaiba then turned to Aiko, as she looked down at Kaiba sadly. “As promised, I kept him safe. Though I'm afraid I cannot guarantee how much longer your brother will last. And I'm sorry I didn't come to retrieve you. I heard you call for Ajin, but I feared if I brought you back, I'd be leaving your brother unprotected.”

 

At that instant, Kaiba shot up in a standing position. He ignored Aiko's comment of not bringing him here, too focused on what she said about Mokuba. Nothing else mattered now as he moved over to Aiko. “What do you mean `you don't know how much longer he'll last'?? My brother is NOT dying!!”

 

/He doesn't know, yet? But I thought.../ Yugi muttered.

 

Yami answered. /It's probably more like he doesn't want to know. I'm sure for anyone facing the fact that their only family member will soon fade from existence is a difficult thing to accept./

 

“I'm sorry, Kaiba. The doctors said that Mokuba has a fatal disease, and they have no cure for it. I...” Aiko began to stutter, not sure what to do for him. She knew it must be hard.

 

Kaiba was blinded by concern, anger, and helplessness. He snapped, “I don't want to hear this! You're the ones that claimed you can grant my wishes. Well, now you have it!” He pointed at Mokuba, snapping, “So, prove this magic of yours! Cure by brother!”

 

Aiko looked down at her feet, saying, “I...can't. I'm sorry, Kaiba...I lack the power to do so.”

 

“Then what about that other idiot - your associate? In fact, where the hell is he??” Kaiba looked around, and there Ajin was, right outside the door.

 

Originally, Ajin was glaring angrily at Kaiba, when he first made it back...never expecting to see him, especially so soon. `How did he get back?' he thought in a huff. But, as soon as Kaiba began to demand for him, the frown quickly became a smile...Ajin now saw possibility. “Ah...Master Kaiba, it is so good to see you again. Though rather unexpected, if I may say so.”

 

“Get over here right now!” Kaiba snapped.

 

Ajin then glared over at Aiko, snapping, “Unfortunately, my assistant decided to be selfish in watching over Mokuba herself, and she refused to let me in. She's going to have to drop the shield she put up before I can obey your command.”

 

“Kaiba, he was trying to kill us all!” Aiko said. “You can't ask me to drop this shield!”

 

“She's right, Kaiba, Ajin was trying to hurt us! Look at this room...he caused this!” Yugi said.

 

Ajin snapped back, “I was simply trying to break the shield that Aiko so stubbornly put up. If `anything' was a danger to that poor child, it was HER stupidity!”

 

Aiko looked totally appalled that Ajin would lie to Kaiba's face like that. “He's lying, Kaiba! He-”

 

“ENOUGH!!” By this time, Kaiba was having a terrible migraine, feeling like he was surrounded by children, all of whom were fighting over stupid things. “Drop the shield, Aiko.”

 

“But, Kaiba...”

 

“I said DROP IT!!” Kaiba snapped angrily at her.

 

Aiko had forgotten the terrifying glares that the Priest Seth could give a person when angry. She never did like being the one for him to direct his anger at. She nodded fearfully, and replied. “Very well, I'll do as you ask.”

 

Ajin sneered, but quickly masked his face as Kaiba turned back to him.

 

Yami immediately took over for Yugi, in fear of what Ajin would do when the shield was dropped. He quickly approached Kaiba, saying, “Kaiba, you have to reconsider. If that shield is dropped, you could be placing your own brother in danger from him!”

 

“In case you haven't noticed already, Yugi, my brother is `already' dying! And the only one who might be able to do something about it is the person you idiots are keeping away from him. I don't know what happened over here, and I don't care. What I do know is that these two are supposed to be serving me. So, now that I'm back, maybe these supposed `genies' can finally stop destroying my house!” Kaiba snapped.

 

Yami backed away and waited for the worst, as Aiko dropped the shield.

 

Ajin now approached, stepping over the random debris next to Kaiba. “May I once again say that it is a pleasure serving you, Master Kaiba.”

 

“No, you may not. You know what I want. I want Mokuba well again,” Kaiba replied, pointing at his brother.

 

Ajin looked up innocently, stating, “But, my dearest Seto...I already did as you wanted. Where you were, your brother was perfectly healthy. You had everything you would want. So, why are you back? Are you sure your brother's the main desire, after all? Perhaps you realized there was something of greater interest than some...kid.”

 

“That place you sent me to did not have `my' Mokuba. `He's' the one I want better, not some substitution! Are you too dense to figure that out?? You're the one who can supposedly look in my head and see what I want, so you shouldn't have to even question it!” Kaiba snapped.

 

Ajin laughed. “Hm...I thought I all ready explained it to you earlier. Just as I couldn't actually bring your parents back from the grave, I also can't keep your brother from dying. That's beyond anyone's magic. So sorry...”

 

“Then...” Kaiba said, his eyes began to sink in despair, as he saw no way of stopping fate. `But, wait! Yugi said that I could get my wish. I just needed to...' Kaiba turned away from Ajin, saying, “Then, you're useless to me. Where's that box?”

 

Ajin sneered evilly, saying, “Thank you. With those words, I am released from needing to grant you any more wishes. But, I forgot to tell you that there is something that *I* wish for!!”

 

As Ajin spoke, Kaiba could hear the man's words get deeper and louder. He turned in time to see that Ajin had grown in size and become more demonic-looking. Ajin laughed as he brought a now clawed hand out towards Kaiba to grab him, as he spat. “The power of the Priest and the Pharaoh I shall combine with my own, and find my own way of gaining ultimate power! I shall finally become a Jinx `my' way!!”

 

“Seto, watch out!!” Aiko cried, seeing Ajin lunge at him and her helpless to do anything about it. If only...if there was only something she could do.

 

Kaiba was originally deep in thought on how to save Mokuba when he turned his back on Ajin. Yami's words from the other world were ringing through his head, reminding him that he had to somehow ask the dragon of the box, and offer him a sacrifice for Mokuba's life. He had to find the dragon. The dragon was the other only thing that could save him.

 

But, as Ajin's words came booming through the room, Kaiba turned, surprised, to see Ajin bearing down on him with words of deceit. And still, the dragon was strongly in Kaiba's head. He didn't care anymore what happened to him, as long as Mokuba was all right.

 

And, before Ajin could even touch Kaiba, something suddenly snaked around the evil mage like a giant python. It tightened around Ajin as he struggled, and its own power shot through the coils that were wrapped around him. Ajin cried out as he was shrunken down to the size of Mokuba's little dragon plushy. Finally, Ajin turned to face his attacker, to see the dragon from the box had emerged coming alive...and was now holding him in a tight grip.

 

“How can this be happening? This is not possible!” Ajin cried out in rage, though presently seeming helpless to do anything about it.

 

Yami turned and asked Aiko, “Aiko, what's happening?”

 

“I don't know.” Aiko replied, seeming just as confused.

 

Yet, for a change...Kaiba didn't look in the least bit surprised. He found what he was looking for. “You're the dragon of the box that Yugi told me about.”

 

/No I didn't!/ Yugi exclaimed.

 

Yami responded. /He must be talking about the Yugi from whatever that other world was he came from./

 

{That is correct. My name is Toranado. I was once the High Mage to a great King from my land. We had a powerful enemy that tried to kill the king and gain power, but I had stopped him. What I did not realize was that this foe had placed a curse on my spell box, which once was a gift given to me by the king. He called it poetic justice that I was bound to the very present given to me as punishment in defeating him. Ever since then, I had been forever trapped.}

 

“I don't understand,” Aiko interrupted. “If you've been trapped that long, then how is it you're here now?”

 

{Quite simple, my child. Your compassion to save that boy at all cost, even going against your much stronger and more powerful partner, has allowed me to be here now...that and the ties these two boys have to the symbol of the dragon. And, once my task has been fulfilled here, I will finally be free.} Toranado said.

 

Kaiba retorted, “Listen.....I really don't care what your life history is. I was told you could help save my brother. So, can you help him or not?”

 

{There may be a way.} Toranado told him.

 

A rare smile came to Kaiba as Toranado said that. He nodded, as if seeming to understand something Toranado didn't even say yet. “I know my request requires a sacrifice. I'm more than willing to offer whatever it is you need. So take it, all ready...just let him live.”

 

Yami gasped as he heard this. “No...Kaiba!” He feared what Kaiba was probably willing to give away so freely, reminding him back at the top of Pegasus castle. Yami almost gave Kaiba his wish, and was about to let him die that day. It was Yugi that stopped him. He couldn't let that happen again. Yami cried out at the dragon, “You can't do this to him!”

 

“Stay out of it, Yugi!!” Kaiba snapped, not wanting him to interfere. His life was nothing without Mokuba, anyway. If taking his life could help Mokuba live...then he would gladly offer it without a second thought.

 

“Haven't you learned anything since the last time?” Yami asked, “There must be something else that can be offered to the dragon besides your life!”

 

{Your wish will be granted.} The dragon's eyes glowed, and in an instant, Kaiba collapsed onto the ground.

 

“Kaiba...” Yami whispered is despair.

 

“NO!!” Aiko then screamed and ran to Kaiba, dropping to her knees as she began to cry for him.

 

Yami looked angrily over at the dragon. “You killed him. Was `that' extreme a sacrifice truly necessary???”

 

{Do not fear, Pharaoh, your priest still lives.}

 

“What?” Aiko asked, looking down at Kaiba. Sure enough, he was still breathing.

 

/He's alive!/ Yugi responded ecstatically.

 

“Then...what did you do to him?” Yami asked, bewildered.

 

Toranado answered. {He merely sleeps. Energy had been taken from him to help perform the wish that had been asked of him. Yet, more energy is needed. We will take any further energy needed from the genie that had failed in his sentence.}

 

“What??” Ajin cried. Instantly the dragon sapped the energy of Ajin, who cried out, “AHHHH!!” He instantly vanished from existence.

 

Now the dragon turned to Aiko, stating, {It is now your task to complete, child.}

 

“What? M-my task? But I don't have the power to do this.....” Aiko said.

 

{You are wrong. Between your time in the box, your loyalty to those you served, and the kindness of your wishes that you have granted, you have achieved in becoming a Jinx. That was the reason you had been able to keep Ajin at bay, when he fought against you. You are stronger than you think, child. The dragon can draw forth the power that's needed for the task at hand, but you are the genie of the box and the only one powerful enough to complete this task. Only you can finalize what needs to be done. It is now time to drop the final shield and help save that sick boy.}

 

Aiko turned, dropping the shield on Mokuba. She then did as the dragon asked and tried to summon forth what was needed to save Mokuba's life. Suddenly, little blue bubbles merged with the green energy of Ajin's magic and soon fused together as Aiko continued her chants. Soon, a giant wall of gold surrounded the bed, falling as if it were a waterfall. A beautiful golden ball of light shined and soon surrounded both Kaiba and Mokuba before vanishing in a puff of smoke. Then the waterfall soon dispersed, showering the room in golden lights before eventually fading away. It was finally over.

 

Yami turned to the dragon, saying, “Then...Mokuba will live. Does that mean he's okay, now? And what about Kaiba?”

 

{Both are now in a deep sleep. Ultimately, the one you call Mokuba will be cured, having nothing more than a bad case of the flu, and will recover within a few weeks time.} Toranado explained.

 

“And Kaiba?”