#because this post. oh. I treasure it

[secondbeatsongs]

RIP to cohost, but more importantly, RIP to the best post on cohost:

[ephemeralgalaxies]

no no don't talk to me. you're telling me that Blitz and Stolas both have pictures with the other of themselves smiling while the other doesn't? and those are the ones they each keep? you're telling me there is a tangible representation of their different perspectives of their relationship???

Stolas' pictures including a conscious Blitz looking away from the camera and Stolas. Blitz's picture including an unconscious Stolas cuddled up next to him. Because Stolas believes them on equal footing/the same page about what their dynamic is with Blitz just hating every minute of it and Stolas. Because Blitz believes they're on different levels entirely and that the only way he can be content is when the rest of the world (and Stolas specifically) live on without him.

Because Stolas and Blitz are both terrified of being/dying alone, but while Stolas would sacrifice his love for Blitz, Blitz doesn't believe his own love is worth anything to begin with.

[invinciblerodent]

completely meaningless headcanon time, Astarion would fucking love those cute little wooden puzzle boxes you sometimes see.

are they likely anachronistic? yeah, maybe. but they're just such fiddly little things. sometimes all fancy and ornate, with lots of hidden bits and moving parts. and the goal is to pull them apart to find a hidden compartment? that may or may not have a tiny Thing inside? marvelous.

just try to tell me he wouldn't enjoy the enrichment immensely

[wildsaltair]

if Maximus were mine I would never be able to let him go

[fluffypotatey]

Since I very sincerely doubt Uther managed to kill ALL the Dragonlords (they're knights, not the KGB, and it was a lot easier to disappear back then) imagine them returning to Albion from Rome or whatever to find Cousin Balinor's only son is ruling Camelot and the Druids, is best friends with an immortal knight and one dude that's been raised from the fucking dead, is bonded to THEE oldest dragon they've ever heard of (and who is also nuttier than squirrel stew) and a semi-feral hatchling that barely listens to four (4) people max and hisses/bites/claws at the rest, and oh yeah, is married to a fucking Pendragon.

Family dinners must be a hoot and a half.

oh to be a fly on the wall when they finally make an audience in Camelot. oh to see Merlin's face morph from apprehension to wonder to exhaustion to horror because they're telling Arthur everything they know.

[universestreasures]

The Lockets (Drabble)

Expansion/Spin Off From This Thread With @shacchou (Hope you like this Ani <3)

The young boy didn't expect her to come, if he's being honest. Since Gozaboru Kaiba passed away, Mokuba had cut off all contact with Lady Suzuha. It wasn't because he was grieving over the abusive man. No, it was because his focus had...shifted. He didn't want her to see him like this, to see him do what he thought he had to in order to regain what he lost...

His big brother's love...

Now that the puzzle of his big brother's heart had been broken due to the Penalty Game he suffered at Yugi Muto's hands, and his brother left in a coma for weeks now, everything had shifted. Mokuba was starting to act like himself again, as if he too had been consumed by the demon of games just like his older brother for the last half of a year. That was why he reached out to, really, his closest friend, to one of the only good things that being adopted by his stepfather had given him. And thankfully, she responded and hurried over quickly, overwhelmed with concern and worry herself after having heard the news about his brother's condition.

The two were in one of the many living spaces inside the mansion, arts and craft supplies spread all over the massive table in the middle. The two children often did this activity when they met up, this time being no different. He had something specific in mind that he wanted to do, something that had his immediate focus as he worked diligently on his project.

"M-Mokuba, dear?" The voice of the young lady pulled the youngest Kaiba out of his focus, purple hues staring at hers that could be seen above her signature pink fan. "Are you sure...this is what you called me over for? I-I mean, making arts and crafts with you is certainly a delight and one I rather missed. However, considering...recent events, I...I thought...I thought you called me over so that you could...have a trusted ear to talk about what happened..."

Her inquiry causes him to freeze in place, almost dropping the rope he had been working with. He should have figured this would happen. His friend was rather perceptive, not that Mokuba was any good at hiding his emotions to begin with. Unlike his older brother, he wore his heart on his sleeve for all to see, and she had seen right through him.

"I...I..."

"It's alright if you'd rather not discuss it. I...I know things are hard for you as it is right now. I simply wanted to express my own thoughts. If you simply want my company as we make artistic creations together like we always do, then that is alright. I am here for you today. No one else."

"...Thanks, Suzuha." Mokuba gives her a weak smile. He appreciates her understanding. It was true he did want to talk about it, but...not right now. Not when he had something he needed to finish first and his own thoughts and feelings together.

The room is filled again with silence as the two return to their work. While he worked on his project, she seemed to be painting a tea set of some sort. Perhaps it was a gift for Lord Amanosuzu. If that was the case, then they both had a similar idea in terms of what the purpose of making their crafts was.

As soon as he is about to put the finishing touches on his twin creations, he looks up as he notices Suzuha had gotten out of her chair and was above his shoulder, examining his work closely. "My, my! These are quite lovely, Mokuba dear! Are these for...you and your brother?"

"That's the idea...but I'm not sure if he will-" His words are cut short by the gentle gloved hand of the older young lady being placed on his shoulder, Suzuha's reassuring smile providing a comfort he had been lacking in his life for so long now; the smile of someone who cared about him deeply.

"Of course, he will like it! No, he'll love it! It's a handmade gift from you, his dear little brother! What sibling wouldn't adore such a thing filled with one's true feelings of brotherly love?"

"L-Love...?"

The word sounded so foreign escaping his lips, as if it was the first time he'd ever heard such a concept. His brother had told him brotherly love was a waste, something that only held one back. Those words stuck with him, even as he desperately tried anything and everything to get it from the older Kaiba since his spiral. That's why he had doubted even doing this in the first place, but yet he persisted anyway, creating something with his whole heart that was broken into many pieces by the events that had transpired.

Seems like the more things change, the more they stay the same, huh?

Before he can continue his response, he and she are both directed to the door. It then opens, revealing both one of the mansion staff and someone that caused both Suzuha and Mokuba's eyes to widen in surprise.

"Master Mokuba, Sorry to interrupt, but Officer Ryuenji is here to see you."

"Hey. Sorry for dropping in like this. I just wanted to make sure you were doing alright, Mokuba."

Before Mokuba can attempt to comment on the other's words, the ruby hues of the other focus on the other individual in the room. A hand goes over Tasuku chest as Mokuba watches him do a slight bow, like a prince would greeting a princess. "Lady Suzuha? Is that you? What a surprise! I did not expect to see you here today. I was not aware you and Mokuba knew each other."

"O-Oh! Y-Yes!" Mokuba's eyes widen just a bit at the sudden stammering in her voice, something he has never seen before from his friend. Suzuha whips out her fan, quickly covering the light blush forming in her cheeks with it. "We've been friends for years, T-Tasuku! Our fathers...were acquainted, and that's how we got introduced. My being here today is just one of many I've had with Mokuba dear over the years. I was not aware you were acquainted with him as well, but considering the celebrity that you are, I guess it's no surprise."

Mokuba and Tasuku both take a sigh of relief at her conclusion,both seemingly deciding to go along with it. Considering all the work Tasuku and the Buddy Police had done to keep the Death-T incident from going public, Suzuha becoming privy to it would put that in jeopardy. Not only that, Mokuba didn't want his friend to know his part of it, a part he felt like he had to do as a last-ditch effort to get the older Kaiba's attention at the time.

"Thanks for coming to check on me, Officer Ryuenji. I appreciate it."

"Please, just call me Tasuku. I think you and I are well acquainted enough to not speak so formally to one another."

Tasuku then took a seat, watching the two go back to their crafts as he did not want to intrude it seemed. It was a new thing for Mokuba to have 'friends over' like this, people who actively wanted to see him and were not trying to get anything out of him. It was...nice.

Was this...the feeling that comes from true friendship and unity with others? The very thing that Yugi seemed to have harnessed to beat his brother?

Mokuba then picks up the last part, the last piece, to his creation, the one item from the past he's treasured and preserved throughout the years. It was something he had clung to, a spark of hope he always held onto despite the darkness that came into his life. It was important to him, more than anyone including his brother, knew..until today that is.

"Mokuba? Is that...?" Tasuku questions, looking over along with Suzuha at the item the youngest in the room now held in his hands.

"Mhmm...It's an old picture of me and Seto before we were adopted by Gozaboru. We looked pretty different back then, huh?"

"You look the same to me, dear Mokuba. It is your brother who is the different one here. I..I have never seen Seto Kaiba...smile with such heart before. Not even during events we've both attended or any promotions I've seen. It's... polarizing, to put it mildly."

"Yeah...It was...a different time, a time before...all of this. That's why this picture is very dear to me, probably the most important thing I own now. And..."

Mokuba begins to do the unthinkable next, slowly starting to rip the photograph in two. His actions shock the other two in the room, both almost going to say something before he continues on and starts to place half of the picture into one of the lockets, precisely the half of the photograph he is featured in.

"I'm going to share it with him, share with Seto my most treasured memory, so that he will...come back to me someday."

Once he finishes the process with the other locket, the boy moves to leave the room, telling his guests he needs to do something. With that, he runs down the long corridors of the Kaiba Mansion, not stopping until he reaches the most guarded part of the house: his brother's chambers.

The maid moves aside to let him in, bringing Mokuba face-to-face with his brother for the first time in weeks. Just looking at him like this, in a coma and stuck in a wheelchair like a lifeless husk, pained him like nothing else. However, he pressed forward anyway, for he had something important to do.

"Big Brother...I...I don't know if you can hear me, but...I...I want to give you something, something to help guide you back to me...A piece of my heart..."

Mokuba then places one of the lockets he created, the one containing his own picture, around his brother's neck. He then puts the remaining one, the one containing Seto's picture, around his own neck, the boy then clenching it protectively like he was a dragon protecting a treasured gem. He can feel his heart start to ache and his body start to quake along with it, his emotions that he had been trying so hard to manage in order to stay strong finally taking over him.

Before he can realize it, his knees buckle, sending him down to the floor and his face into Seto's lap. Water flows from his eyes and land on the white fabric of his brother's clothing, his cries starting to echo throughout the mansion. His friends, immediately upon hearing it spring into action, both stopping in their tracks upon meeting the maid when having reached the entrance. The woman told them to leave the young master on his own for now, to allow him his feelings he's been holding in to come out freely without judgment.

"Mokuba..."

"Mokuba..."

And so the two listened and waited outside the door as Mokuba's cries continued for what seemed like forever, the cries being some of the most painful they'd ever heard. Little did they knew that this was not even close to displaying the amount of anguish the young boy felt, an anguish that had been building up for years upon years that all just spilled over the second his brother went into that coma. For he had been through so much, seen so much, all since that fateful day that changed everything for him and his older brother...

"Seto...Come back...Come back to me...Big brother...I...I miss you...I...I need you...I need you here with me...I don't know who I am without you...So, please...Please I'm begging you...Come home soon..."

[jibanyans-chocobar]

Hey guys. Should I do a doodle dump of some of my oldest drawings of the Octonauts just to see how much I've improved? I've been interested in this show since October from last year so uhhh I was wondering if you guys wanna see how much I've improved since then! I haven't posted them before because I was too embarrassed to post here at the time :']

[somelazyassartist]

Oh shit I've been out of the TAZ loop for MAYBE two weeks bc I've been temporarily focusing on Dungeon Meshi and in that time nobody told me TAZ Live! in Seattle came out????

[discoreptile]

Beasties of Greenhollow soundtrack! Some tracks on this are from older projects like elphame but all of them have been reworked in some way. Most of them are entirely new. Enjoy!

[asideofkimchi]

Hey... Do you know the song sung by the voice actor from the pilot Hazbin Hotel? Called Thank you and goodnight. Weirdly this song reminds me of Mystic Messenger, despite being a new fan and having been into this game until this year 2024 I already felt a connection, seeing old posts about this game from an old fan somehow makes me tear up. Despite I'm a fan of 2024, I somehow feel nostalgic about this game despite never actually experience it before

i haven’t seen hazbin hotel, except for when I watched the pilot some years ago, so I had to go look up the lyrics:

“Well, it's been a wild ride And we've enjoyed every insane minute of it We don't know what the future holds But we're grateful for every moment we got to spend with you […]

It's been a blast, been a slice Been a hell of a ride We've had some laughs, had some fights Even some of us cried But all good things must come to an end And I guess this is our time So, so long, farewell, and we'll see you on the other side”

I like the beginning of this song. Mystic Messenger was a roller coaster of a game for me. I did not think it would make such a mark, I was actually reluctant to play it at first! And I certainly didn’t expect the first playthrough to fundamentally change my life! (Love you Yoosung 💚) and I think the sentiment of these first two verses feels like it could be said from the MM crew- rfa and mint eye combined (and Vanderwood too. Still waiting on my crack Vanderwood route.)

the game is turning 8 this year. Fans have come and gone. I can only hope most of the fans can look back fondly at this silly absurd game, at least enjoyed it while they played. It’s wild to think there are newer fans too, like you! Wow! The game is somewhat a product of its time, and it can be frustrating, but I hope you enjoy it. I hope this is an experience you can look back on fondly.

[idiosyncraticrednebula]

Ngl, I would love to see a Lego video game adaptation of all the Disney Princess movies, although I have zero idea how the devs at Lego could make that work properly. If not that, then at least an adaptation of the Renaissance movies or even some of the Post-Renaissance/Experimental and Revival ones. A combo of the three eras, perhaps? The possibilities are endless!

[theaggresivepacifist]

luthen, andor, and rogue one

The doom has finally come upon me, I care about a piece of Star Wars media (everyone who’s here for Stranger/SF, forgive me and avert your eyes from the spectacle that’s about to follow, unless you too share my obsession with the above topics)

We have to wait until 2024 apparently so please excuse me while I scream into the void about LUTHEN in the context of Rogue One - 

- or more specifically his ghost, how Cassian becomes for Jyn Erso what Luthen is right now for him, because I’m obsessed. (Forgive any minor inaccuracies as, as I say, I have never really paid attention to Star Wars much before now, other than when Rogue One initially came out.)

We know that by the end of Andor S2, everything will have to have gone to absolute hell for the Rebellion and specifically Mon Mothma, who is forced to go fully into hiding with the Rebellion, and Saw Gerrera, who is badly injured and breaks away from the mainline Rebellion. There are apparently canonical reasons for that that are way too far over my head right now, but what interests me is that Luthen Rael, “Axis,” the master of the Rebellion’s spy network, one of its key strategists and financiers, who brought in the man who helps to ultimately secure the Death Star plans and turn the tide of war, is gone by the time we make it to Rogue One/the end of Andor. I can only assume, based on the foreshadowing we’ve seen so far, that he’s dead (more on that later). 

Now enter Jyn in Rogue One. Like Cassian at the start of Andor S1, the Empire has separated her from her family. She too has been in the Empire’s prisons and what appear to be some kind of labor/mining camps. She’s been a child soldier, like Cassian in “the mud at Mimban.” She’s still hoping to be reunited with her father, just as Cassian is looking for his sister. She’s so beaten down that at this point, all she cares about survival, not rebellion. Sound familiar? And just as Luthen does for him in Andor S1, Cassian is the one who encourages her to take this war seriously, “to fight these bastards for real.” He becomes her handler, as Luthen is his, and works with her as she discovers her own reasons for wanting to fight the Empire. 

And Cassian, from the first moment we see him in Rogue One, is the one making all of the horrible, messy, secret choices and sacrifices necessary to keep the rebellion going - killing his injured comrade rather than letting him be captured, using Jyn to get him to her father so that he can (unbeknownst to her) take him out. The kind of vicious, tragic decisions that Luthen had to make, or felt he had to - his “I’m damned for what I do,” Cassian’s “We’ve all done things we’re not proud of in the name of this rebellion.” Cassian knows about and has some kind of precarious dealings with Saw Gerrera - who was Luthen’s contact, as well as Jyn’s guardian, and now Luthen is gone. And as many people have already pointed out, Cassian and Jyn end up dying in the very goddamn poetic sunrise Luthen said he burns his own life for, and will never see. ARGH

In closing, a few theories on what might have happened to Luthen based on what we’ve seen so far, because I live for the angst and GOD I NEED TO KNOW:

1) Mon Mothma betrays Luthen to the Empire for some reason in the name of the greater good of the Rebellion, cementing what we already saw at the end of S1 re: her daughter – she’s beginning to take initiative in making ugly sacrifices for the cause.

2) Luthen dies for Cassian in some way, whether that’s protecting him or allowing Cassian to kill him, cementing his growing sentimentalism/that he’s tired of hiding and sacrificing love and connection, and wants to be a more humane person – to make the Rebellion more humane.

3) Luthen dies in some kind of fallout with Saw Gerrera, cementing the tensions there and the break with the main Rebellion. (Also, if this is not the case – the fact that Saw outlives Luthen is so ironic given what we know about them so far, how isolated Saw is and how central and well-connected Luthen is, and I wonder if that influenced Saw’s decision to leave the Rebellion. That would especially be true if Mon Mothma or someone else sold out Luthen.)

4) I doubt it, but Luthen betrays the cause because he’s tired of sacrifice, and either disappears or gets taken out by Mon Mothma, Cinta, etc., or Cassian (also would cement Cassian’s growing coldness and allegiance to the cause that we see in Rogue One, when he kills his own injured operative).  

He could also just die in some tragic random way, which wouldn’t fulfill a narrative arc but would speak to the cost of war, and how even the greatest among the great can be brought down by chance, by a single cog in the machine, even by someone who’s just scared or following orders or unaware of what they’re doing. The show certainly has killed off a lot of its compelling characters quickly so far. There’s also potential for the arrestor cruiser incident to come back to bite him, because that was extraordinarily close and showy by Luthen’s standards, but that seems like too much of a stretch.

Anyways, I CAN’T BELIEVE I JUST WROTE 900 WORDS ON THIS and am so mad we won’t have closure until end of 2024, ow. 

[tamisdava2]

I think it would be funny, if from Baumeister siblings only Tita would be able to wield equivalent of Mingrelian and she would wield it well enough to argue with her mother in Mingrelian.

[lord-squiggletits]

Speaking of stupid reasons to criticize the Autobots (or rather, the opposite), I actually find the ““““problematic”““““ nature of Cop IDW Optimus and other elements of the plot to be quite essential to enjoying the story and seeing it as a balanced, nuanced story.

Because like... in other continuities, the story of revolution seems to be very much “there were good revolutionaries and there were bad ones, and then the bad ones wanted to be in charge and then they fought about it for 4 million years.” Which seems very weak to me not just in the “revolution bad” sense, but it makes me wonder how the war could go on for millions of years when the Autobots and Decepticons literally had the same goal and achieved it, now they’re just fighting over who gets to be in charge.

But like, in IDW1, the Autobot insignia and stuff already existed as a badge for the previous regime of the Prime/Senate. Orion Pax (now Optimus Prime) was a lackey of Zeta Prime who was either his loyal puppet at best or being groomed for the position of Prime at worst. Most of the people Optimus Prime recruited to help him fight were other police officers and military members he was affiliated with, who were already cracking down on the Decepticon movement as it became more and more violent.

With that base of Optimus/the Autobots being actually ~problematic~, I can absolutely see why the Decepticons wouldn’t consider the war over and would continue fighting. I mean, why the hell would they trust a police enforcer/military officer who was lackeys with the PRIME? Why would they think Optimus actually believes in peace and equality?

Of course, the Decepticons have their own problems as well. What was once a universal political movement (because remember, the Decepticon movement began with Megatron’s writings but he was NOT the leader of a militarized faction until Megatron Origins) was taken over by essentially an underground criminal gladiator organization that began engaging in weapon trafficking, crime, and terrorism. From the Autobot perspective, the Decepticons are allies for equality gone bad due to Megatron’s violent influences and the gladiator/criminal aspects overtaking the actual social equality vibes.

I just think that the premise of IDW1′s Autobot-Decepticon war is so good because like, the Autobots and Decepticons existed in a way BEFORE either Megatron or Optimus became the official leaders of those two specific, organized, militarized factions. But the society that created them and the two different social classes they came from doomed them to distrust each other. It wasn’t ever a fight about who got to be in charge, it was a war between two different factions of people who had every reason to distrust each other and think that the other faction would subjugate them if they allowed them to gain power.

[binnie]

[universestreasures]

That Haunting Emptiness (Drabble)

Prequel Drabble To This Thread With @shacchou

Looking back, he should have said more. Mokuba was well aware of how important this entire endeavor, this entire search for Atem, was his to Seto. He...He needed to find him; to have that final duel and resolve the rivalry they had developed over the years. It was just something his brother wouldn't just 'get over'. When his brother was obsessed with something, he was obsessed with it till it was seen through. This Mokuba knew well by now.

But...he still can't help but feel regret deep down in his soul for not trying harder to stop this. The chance of success with an untested prototype, no matter how brilliant the design, was not certain. Mokuba knew that. Seto knew that, and yet...his brother still went and did it anyway, left this realm for the world of the afterlife to see his rival again.

This left Mokuba on his own truly for the first time since his brother's coma. Sure, they had times they were separated, such as when they had that confrontation regarding their past where he sought aid from his friends, but...Seto was always there. He was always in the same realm as him. That wasn't the case here, for the two brothers were whole realms apart, separated by the barrier between life and death.

And despite his best efforts to run Kaiba Corporation in his brother's absence on top of his work at school, he...he wasn't handling it well. As the days turned into weeks and the weeks turned into months, Mokuba's condition physically and mentally worsened. He was barely eating, barely able to sleep, barely able to live. How could he...when his brother, his other half in many ways, his major reason for living, was not with him right now with no guarantee of a return?

Regardless of the circumstances, however, the young boy remained hopeful. His faith in his brother was unmatched, stronger now than it had been years before. His brother would come back. He had to. He couldn't...

He couldn't abandon him...not again...

Mokuba found himself in Seto's office, having taken residence there in his temporary role as acting president. Mochi was in his lap as he stared aimlessly at the computer screen, sitting comfortably there as he petted the soft fur of her back. Normally he wouldn't bring his therapy cat to work daily, but it had become a necessity. Having her around gave him a sense of company when his friends, such as his Buddyfighter crew or the Blue-Eyed Maiden herself Kisara Utahara, could not be present. It was company he desperately needed during these times.

In addition to his feline companion, Mokuba had other items with him. On top of his and Seto's pendents that he wore hidden one of Seto's old blue ties, he also had been given the responsibility of holding onto Seto's physical deck, considering his new Duel Disk system used virtual cards. This included his three trusted Blue Eyes White Dragons, cards Mokuba had always loved. Having those mementos, along with bringing his scrapbooks to work, made things both easier and harder for him. He missed his big brother so much, more than he ever has in his entire life.

Why wasn't he back yet?!

Mokuba's purple hues are then widened as he hears the sound of panicked footsteps from outside the office door, soon enough glancing upon Isano who appeared to look distressed. His face was pale, sweat dripping down his face. Something was wrong, very wrong.

"Master Mokuba! You're needed at the Space Station! Mr. Kaiba...Mr. Kaiba is...!"

The vice president doesn't even let him finish. He's out the door as soon as he hears his brother's name, leaving Mochi in his care. He is pushing through every person in his way, not caring about anything more than being quick. He had one goal in mind: seeing his brother.

"Where is he?! Where is my big brother?!" Mokuba demands as he arrived at the control center for the station, his voice not sounding too unlike the CEO's.

"H-He's up there still, M-Master Mokuba, b-but you should-"

"Then send me up there right away!" He says as he makes his way to the elevator, slipping through the coated scientists who were attempting to block the entrance.

"B-But sir! There is something-"

"I said send me up there, now!!!"

His voice, one akin to a dragon's roar, silenced the workers, all of them moving silently as Mokuba sits down and prepares himself for the ascension into space. Truth be told, he's never actually been up here himself. The elevator only had a single seat, after all. Not only that, he had been wanting to wait for a special occasion to see it for the first time, like his fourteenth birthday that wasn't too far away from now. Seems like that plan would have to be thrown away, for the current situation was more pressing.

As he is locked in and the chair starts moving up towards the stars, his heart raced out of his chest. He isn't sure what he's feeling right now other than the adrenaline. He should be joyful, happy that his brother was back, but Isano and the staff's expressions made him doubt. The boy shakes his head, suppressing all of those thoughts as he approaches the top, the top of the elevator his brother had created.

Upon reaching the station, he jumps out to head to the room where his brother's prototype should be. Despite never having step foot in here, Mokuba had been present during the entire design process. He knew the entire layout by heart. It's why it doesn't take him long to find the room, the doors slowly opening with no sound in the room other than the sounds of the computers humming.

And that's when he sees it, before his very eyes, his brother's prototype...and the person that was inside of it.

"Seto!!!!" The name escapes his lips easily as breathing as soon as the sight of his brother reaches his now watery eyes. Mokuba wastes no time running to his side, pressing the buttons on the side to open the pod. "Thank goodness you're back! I knew you'd come back, Seto! After all, we promised that we would always stay to-"

It is at that moment when the boy's blood runs cold, the euphoria he felt due to his relief all but drying up in an instant. For before him was indeed his brother, but...not in the way the younger brother had hoped. Seto's body was in a rough shape, his clothes torn and covered in a red liquid that Mokuba soon saw coming from the corner of his brother's mouth. The smell of the iron from the blood hit his nose, confirming that what he was seeing was...

"No, no, no! Big Brother? Big Brother!?" On instinct he holds his brother's hands, feeling their coldness immediately upon contact. The tears from his eyes flow into streams, flowing down his cheeks like a river. This...This wasn't...

"HQ? HQ?!" He calls out to the monitor in the room, praying that someone can hear him. "Someone...Someone send a doctor! A doctor up here, now! Seto...Seto needs help! The transport must have been too intense for his body! Hurry, or else he...!"

"Master Mokuba. There is something...we've been trying to tell you."

It is then that Isano, holding Mochi in his arms, appears on the screen, his signature sunglasses having been removed as the other Kaiba Corp employees behind him hung their heads low. Never had Mokuba seen his brother's right hand man without those glasses on, an unpredicted sight that made the pit in his stomach grow larger by the second.

"Master Seto...His..."

"Don't...Don't..." His grip on his brother's hands tightens as his gaze shift's to Seto, his eyes shut and unable to look back at him.

"His heart rate was... non-existent the second we saw him re-enter the station. I...I am sorry, sir. There is...nothing we can-"

"Shut up..."

"But Master Mokuba-"

"Just shut up!!!! My brother isn't...My brother isn't dead!!! He...He can't!!!! He promised!!!! He promised me we would always stay together! Always!!! That he'd come back to me after his stupid duel with a dead man!!! He'll...He'll prove you all wrong!!! Just watch!!!"

His arms then move to hug his brother, not caring that his off-white suit was to be stained with the color of red roses. Tears fall from his eyes and onto his brother's face, his breathing heavy and his body shakes. This...This couldn't be...

"Seto...Come on...Wake...Wake up...Show them that you're gonna be okay...Wake up...Wake up!!!"

But...his pleas went unanswered, no matter how much or how long he cried next to his brother's empty husk. Nothing he nor Kaiba Corporation's resources could do could change the situation. Nothing could change the reality...that Seto Kaiba was...was...

"Seto!!!!!!!!!"

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Mokuba screams awake, scaring his feline companion who had been attempting to wake him up the moment he started talking and yelling in his sleep. He was not up in the space station, not next to his brother's corpse, but instead back at home...in Seto's bedroom. He had taken to sleeping in there since his brother left, a way to feel closer to the person he wished was at his side.

Mochi finds her way closer to Mokuba, performing her usual repertoire of soothing behaviors to try and help him calm such as kneading his palm. His breath was heavy, his body was shaking, and he felt like sick to his stomach. A hand was over his mouth, as if trying to prevent himself from throwing up as the flashes of what he witnessed replayed in his mind over and over.

He couldn't get the image of his brother, cold and covered in blood, out of his head...

The ever-resourceful kid moves to his phone, checking if any correspondence or updates about his brother's status had been made. Thankfully, or unthankfully depending on how one might see it, there was nothing. His brother...was still missing, but he wasn't...

He drops the phone then to instead open the pair of lockets around his neck, staring at the pictures of himself and his brother intensely, the pictures he clung to during desperate times like this. Seeing Seto's smile, the smile he cherishes, does a bit to help quell his panic. Though, that sight nor Mochi's assistance could do little to fix the fear that had surged through him, the fear for the future that had manifested in the form of this night's nightmare.

A future where Seto...broke his promise. A future where he...died and left him all alone...just like his mother and father did so many years ago...That's what he feared more than anything, and the current situation only made that fear he's had for years...worse...for it seemed more probable now than ever before.

But...Mokuba, despite his struggles and traumatic experiences, was a strong kid, a strong kid because his brother had allowed him to become one through his guidance and selfless protection. It was because of Seto that Mokuba was still able to have hope, still able to believe in the impossible. And it was that feeling, one that slowly was coming to the surface, that guided him to stand up from the bed with Mochi in his arms. He goes to open the curtain in Seto's room, purple hues staring at the stars he could see through the city's skyline.

"Big Brother...I believe...I believe that you're still alive...I don't know when but...we will be together again...I...I just know it..." Despite the shakiness of his words, his conviction is clear. "And I'll wait for you Seto...I'll wait for you...forever if I have to...Just...Just please come home...someday. I...I need you here, just like...I know you need me, too."

It is at that moment, without the boy's knowledge, that a supernatural phenomenon occurred. The boy's strong feelings for his brother, ones of familial love and hope, seemed to have awakened someone. Or more accurately, the parts of the soul of someone who cared for Seto as much as he did.

For inside his brother's deck, sealed protectively in the suitcase on the other side of the room, his three dragons began...to faintly glow, a glow that would soon...light the way for these two brothers to....be reunited.