Sandstorm Amaterasu Zira: I suppose is it a little sad that both these stories are ending. I'm not very sad because when a story goes on for a really long time, even though you may have loved writing the story every moment of it, every writer loves the idea of new beginnings and bigger plots! And you can always look forward to future stories of mine, I'll always be writing and always be coming up with new ideas:] In the mean time, you can read my other fics if you like!(I've got 82 of them, until I come up with something new, you can keep yourself entertained with them, I'm sure, hahaha) Anyways, thanks for the review!

WhiteAsukalover: Thanks for the review! For some reason I forgot to mention that was a reference to the YGO The Movie Soundtrack, but I love that you remembered!

MythCreatorWriter: Yes ma'am, I also love it when I do the same thing. I'm sure I've done that with other great plot devices but man, I'm so tired I can barely remember any stories. It's taken a LOT to finish both of these stories AT THE SAME TIME. I keep having this horrible feeling that I've mixed them up or screwed them up in some way… but I guess I'll just have to trust my instincts!(lol Star Fox) And don't worry with not coming up with enough criticism, sometimes compliments can make me giddy! Haha. And the song was from the YGO the Movie soundtrack and it's a fantastic song. I love how I've used two of my favorite songs on that soundtrack for titles of this story. KIND OF TIGHT. Yeah, I can't believe I didn't edit till now!(it makes me feel like a silly child, honestly. I guess it's a good thing I got into the habit a year before college? hahahaXD) Before you can judge it, you definitely have to read my Steven trilogy! All my other readers keep saying that those stories are my best(its been so many months though that I've honestly forgotten) Anyways, thanks for the review!

AmePiper: I don't know if you'll see this in time, but I've made sure to finish both my stories on your birthday!:D Since I can't see you, I'd like to make this my birthday present to you, princess! Happy birthday!

Chapter 33: Consequences

-M-

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times… and even in this age of wisdom and foolishness, I found myself in an epoch of war. The worst part was that I was fighting my brother and didn't plan on backing down.

"Nii-sama, Noah saved us!"

"Saving us doesn't make up for what he put us through!"

"He's still our brother!"

"He's not technically our brother, just the son of a monster!"

"You're Gozaburo's son too! Nii-sama, Gozaburo was our father!" Seto was becoming very angry now that Gozaburo had been brought into the argument.

"He was our step father and nothing more!" I shook my head in total astonishment. Seto was unbelievable. I dropped my arms to my sides in disappointment as I stared at my brother.

"I can't believe you… I mean, are you listening to yourself right now? You're so deep in denial that you can't even face the facts and accept that Gozaburo was our father… Keeping secrets, ignoring the past… Nii-sama, don't you realize those things were what messed up our relationship in the first place?" Seto's eyes narrowed. He was becoming red with rage. My initial reaction was to run, but I wasn't going to. One reason was because I could no longer feel my legs, but the main reason was because I knew I shouldn't. I knew I couldn't keep running from this, that this was an issue between us that we had to face.

"Why are you so willing to forgive the person that trapped us in that god forsaken virtual world, tried to take our bodies and keep us there, but worst of all… turn us against each other?" And in that moment, I'm not sure what it was that enabled me to speak so clearly, so strongly, the very statement I knew I had to say. My entire body, every part of it, was frozen from fear of my brother. I didn't even think I could speak, until he had said that… and somehow, I said every word.

"Because," I paused for a moment, so professionally and without taking in a breath, "It's exactly what we would've done… or rather… what you would've done." That was it, Seto snapped. Seto threw himself at me, and I didn't have the ability to move out of the way. All I could do, all I did, was cringe in fear and anticipate the beating of my life.

Seto grabbed both my shoulders, lifting my body into the air, and slammed me against the wall. I was so scared I could hardly breathe; somehow my eyes remained open as it happened. Never had I feared my brother so much my entire life as I did when he had me pinned up against the wall. I expected him to do what I thought he would and beat me. But… he didn't.

Suddenly the rage was vacant from his face as he stared me down.

"I pretend the past didn't happen for the sake of living… I can't live with myself… knowing that everything that happened to us, that happened to you… happened. Every time I do, I just…" Seto looked down, taking in a breath, "I have to pretend in order to keep living because otherwise… I can't live with myself. It does matter to me… I just don't want it to." Seto's head came up, looking me in the eye once more.

"Mokuba, I'm not just your brother, I'm your parent… I'm your protector. I have to keep going; I have to move on, for your sake… and mine. I've failed you so many times, I know I don't deserve you and some days I just think…" Seto shook his head; he slowly began to lower my body onto the ground. When my feet slid to the ground, Seto knelt down in front of me and hugged me tightly. I stood there, completely still, even as he held me against his shoulder.

"…What Noah did to you, the way he used you… to get to me… I could never forgive him. I can't. I will always hate him for what he did, just as I hate myself for letting it happen. And I realize I would've done the same if it were I in his situation as well… which only makes me hate myself more." Seto hug tightened. Still, I had refused to hug him back. I only stood there.

"I'm sorry, Mokuba… I'm sorry that I have to be this way, but it's the only way I can survive, it's the only way I can insure that you can make it… I want-no-I need to be strong enough to protect you, and sometimes… that means forcing myself into a denial of our past that is so deep that I've come to see it as reality… it's the way things have to be."

I stood there, completely silent. I didn't know whether my brother wanted a response or not, but he became quiet as well, hugging me all the same. Nothing was said. Seto moved one of his hands up and placed it on my head as he slowly broke away from his hug.

"I love you," Seto said. The word almost seemed foreign when I had first heard him say it. The phrase had always been implied through-out everything we had gone through, but… the words had rarely surfaced as of late. It was so strange hearing them now for the first time in ages, and yet… I could say nothing back.

I pulled away from his hug, saying nothing. Seto did the same, almost accepting my silence, taking it as an 'I love you too' in some weird way. Seto turned away as did I, leaving the room. There was nothing to be said. Things had finally become clear to me; I had finally discovered the truth.

I did love my brother, and I always would, but that entire experience had shown me that it was time to brace up, that it was time to pull away. My brother would always be by my side and be there for me, and deep down, I know I needed that to some degree. But I couldn't have it be that way forever; I couldn't rely on him completely anymore. I needed to live in the real world, to experience all that there was to experience, not only for me but for Noah as well.

Even though I loved my brother, that didn't change the fact that he and I would never be okay, to some degree. That I would sometimes disagree with the way he was, the way he did things… but I would have to accept that and move on. There was nothing I could do about it, nothing that could change. It wasn't too much of a shock for me… for I was aware that this was an issue that most families faced and every family endured. It's just how things are.

There are some things I can never tell Seto; times I know he'll never want to re-live. I know he remembers what happens; it's the experience that kills him inside. I may not be in captivity, but in some ways I will still be a prisoner to my brother's obscure sense of reality. But sometimes I know it's not his fault and I understand why he thinks that way.

It was only the consequences of apathy.

"Hey Nii-sama," Mokuba said, walking into his brother's study. Mokuba found his brother in his usual position, hunched over a laptop in the darkness of the room. Mokuba shook his head, switching on the light. This was a bit of a mistake on Mokuba's part, considering what a mess the room was to begin with. All around, trash and old food was everywhere. The trash cans were over filled, things were dusty and dirty, it was chaotic in a disgusting sense. But Mokuba hadn't expected better as he carefully walked over things that were on the ground and made his way over to Seto's computer station.

"I'm working," Seto said plainly, "Turn out the light, won't you?"

Seto had barely made any trips out of his study in the last year. Each time Mokuba had ventured into, what Mokuba had cleverly dubbed, 'The Kaiba Cave' ever since Seto had begun living in his study, he found his brother in the same position and would receive the same response; Seto always said he was working. Every time it was the same thing. Mokuba had figured it wasn't true as the months began to roll by, but he still traveled to his brother's study every once and a while anyway.

Seto hadn't been the same since he lost at the Battle City Finals. A bit of him had died with the greater disappointment he faced when he lost to his rival, Yugi. Seto was taking the loss hard, but Mokuba had a feeling he would. This was also the reason Mokuba hadn't done anything to force Seto out of his study. Mokuba understood that Seto needed a lot of time to deal with the loss and the boy was just happy to see that he hadn't run off a second time afterward.

"You're always working, but I know that doesn't mean anything," Mokuba said, wandering over to his brother's desk. Mokuba gazed at his brother's computer; he was playing a game of solitaire. Mokuba grinned. "You sure have a lot of work to do, don't you?"

"Why are you here?" Seto grumbled, continuing to play his game without looking up.

"I was wondering if you would accompany me to the outside… I'm going somewhere, thought you could use the exercise… and the sunlight." Seto tore his eyes away from the computer screen and looked up. He noticed that Mokuba was holding a bouquet of flowers in his hand, forget-me-nots to be exact. Seto eyed them and then stared at his brother.

"What are those for?" Seto asked in a monotone voice.

"I think you already know, Nii-sama. I bring flowers to Noah's grave every month to honor his memory. I was hoping, though, this month that you would come with me." Seto turned his head, shifting the mouse that was glued to the palm of his hand and beginning to play solitaire again.

"Hmph, I don't even know who you're talking about. But what I do know is that you should be bringing flowers to Mom and Dad's graves instead of wasting them on someone else." Mokuba's face was blank. Even that comment about his parents' didn't make him react. He wasn't angry nor was he sad. Mokuba placed his hand on Seto's shoulder.

"Okay Nii-sama, I'll get a new bouquet for Mom and Dad's graves next month. Any preferences or colors you think I should buy?"

"Blue… Mom always loved blue," Seto said solemnly.

"Blue flowers, huh? Anything for Mom. Well, I guess I'll head out by myself then." Mokuba understood his brother, and knew not to judge him. Mokuba could see why Seto did the things he did. And Mokuba didn't mind at all. Seto was his older brother, and he always would be; Mokuba had come to accept him for that. Mokuba still cared for him even after that.

Mokuba leaned forward and wrapped his arms around Seto's neck, hugging him tightly.

"Bye Nii-sama, I'll bring dinner up to you tonight." Seto did nothing, even as Mokuba unwound his arms from his neck. "I love you," was the last thing the boy said before he went and left the room. Just as Seto heard the door close, a smile could be seen appearing on his face.

"I love you too, kid."

When Mokuba walked into the graveyard, he expected to do the normal ritual he did. Walk over to Noah's grave, kick a little dirt on Gozaburo's grave when he passed by, remove the old flowers, put down the new flowers, say a little prayer or two and then be on his way. But that day, his normal ritual would be unbalanced by a surprising gesture of appreciation that he found by Noah's grave.

Instead of the old, wrinkled flowers Mokuba had put there last month, he found that the old ones had already been thrown away and replaced by new flowers. The flowers were a gorgeous, dark blue. Mokuba smiled.

"Nii-sama."

So maybe Seto pretended to walk away from his past, maybe he tried to force himself to never remember, but this proved that it was only an act, and that Seto would never forget. This might've shown Mokuba that Seto not only remembered, but was capable of honoring the things, the people, and the events that have happened as well; all those things that had brought him to where he was today.

Not all consequences caused tragedy. Some may even arise the certain feeling of hope. And hope was what kept him going, kept him believing.

Certainly, though, it was love… that would keep the brothers together, forever.

The End

A/N: FINALLY! IT HAS BEEN DONE! Sure, the last part of the ending was a bit corny, but STILL. Oh man… I have to tell you guys, it is TIRING writing two ends to two different stories at the SAME TIME! Its really tiring in every aspect you can IMAGINE, and not to MENTION how much stuff I have to do on top of doing all of this and getting ready to leave the country in only a couple days! But my goals were set a while ago and I'm happy to see this finally finished. It's funny that almost with every story I write, I love writing it through-out the whole story, but when I reach the end, oh man, am I overjoyed. It's kind of like being the parent that FINALLY gets the last kid into college and out of the house. I get that sort of feeling from finishing a story of mine. It's like you love the kid, but man, are you happy to have the house to yourself. Hahaha, anyways, so… I don't know, I feel like I should say something but I don't have much to say. This story is DONE, baby, I'm free! This story was crazy, it was the longest story I ever wrote, and it took me the longest to finish(other than Severance, if you guys know me, it only takes me a couple months to write and finish a story. Not to say its been a year yet, but it's been more like a LOT of months) Hmmm… how do you I usually finish my stories in an author's note? I remember one year I wrote a list of people to thank. I don't think I'll do that, even though I think I should get a grammy or an emmy of some sort for this. I don't know, I guess I'll just end it with; so long and thanks for all the fish!

P.S: Hell yes there's a P.S. in this! Happy birthday (again) AmePiper! I love you!