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The clouds threatened rain all morning. It was as if the heavens themselves were ready to weep at the suffering that lay within its view.
A drab gathering of individuals stood assembled in the Domino Cemetery in a half circular formation around two finely polished coffins. The first was a slick and shiny black and the second a natural wood color that looked almost like amber. The collected mourners all seemed to huddle together in cliques similar to the ones in which they always found safety.
From the side of the amber coffin, the tall and commanding figure of Seto Kaiba surveyed the scene with emotionless eyes. His full length black coat ruffled only slightly in the breeze and was not in its usual gravity defying manner. Actually, Seto wasn't in his usual manner either. Around his neck in stark contrast to the all black outfit he had donned for the occasion, he wore his usual locket that resembled a dual monsters card and contained Mokuba's boyhood picture, but also of note were a set of dog tags. His fingers were absently toying with them as he listened to the drone of the minister. The metal was cool in his hands. He could not recall them ever being cool when he had absently toyed with them before, but then they were securely around the neck of their actual owner. His eyes began to move over the crowd that had assembled.
At the head of the black coffin, stood his wannabe clone, Seth and that green-eyed woman whose name he just could not remember. He knew it was not Ishizu because Ishizu and her brothers were next to them along the side of the black coffin. Seto's fridged glare bore down on the green-eyed woman. He remembered Seth telling him once that she was a seer. He called her the high priestess of the oracle or some such nonsense. “If she was able to see the future then why in the hell didn't she see this and stop it from happening?” Seto watched as she pushed herself closer to Seth who responded by placing a protective arm around her shoulders and glared back at Kaiba.
In between the two coffins opposite where the ceremonial minister stood, sat a very pale Yugi Mutou in a wheel chair. Yugi's usual animated expression had been replaced with empty vacantness. It was this empty vacantness that had moved some nameless emotion kin to pity within Seto Kaiba's heart. The billionaire boy paid for everything from Yugi's hospital bills to this double funeral. Some part of him knew that the departed souls would have wanted it that way.
Seto studied Yugi and his eyes softened slightly. Only Mokuba or those who had spent significant amounts of time with him would have noticed the change. He knew that Yugi's pain was the greatest among all of them. Yugi had lost his two best friends. Two friends who had sacrificed their lives and their futures to save the King of Games and the one true friend to both of them. The doctors had told Yugi that he would never walk again, but that he was very fortunate to be alive. Seto had been there as Yugi scoffed at being alive when two had died so that one could live. “Isn't it supposed to be the good of the many out weighs the good of the one, Kaiba? Shouldn't their own safety have been more important then my life? Why didn't they just let me die? Why did they have to be heroes and leave us behind?” Seto merely stared at him blankly. He had no answers for young Mutou. “Didn't they know how much we loved them and would suffer without them?” The last question burned in Seto's mind for days and no answer would come to him. Not even now as they stood in the cemetary at this funeral would the answer come to him.
With Yugi stood a never ending water works that resemmbled Anzu Mazaki and the only slightly less emotional, Hirto Honda. Sugoroku Mutou stood next to Yugi weeping the tears that his grandson could not. Seto distinctly recalled how stunned the old man had been when he discovered that every penny of his grandson's costly medical treatment had been paid for in full, by none other than himself. Had circumstances been any different, Seto would have allowed a very self-satisfied smirk to play at his lips.
He continued gazing round the collected group to his right stood Shizuka. She was weeping a constant stream of tears. Her new fiancée, Ryuuji Otogi, held her close to his chest as she wept. Her pain ripped at Seto's heart. She was the only one who could know or come close to touching his heart and the suffering that he held there. They shared a common loss which was now overshadowing her joy. She should be happy to be newly engaged and preparing for a joyous wedding instead of mourning the loss of someone so dear to her heart and vital to her happiness. “Whatever it takes to make you smile for your wedding, Shizuka, it will be yours. He would want you to smile on your wedding day and not weep like you are now. I may not be able to bring him back to us, but I won't fail him in taking care of you.” It was Seto's silent promise to the only person who could even possibly sensed what was in his heart.
Seto finally came to his own family. Mokuba stood with him as always and gazed periodically up at him with eyes swimming with concern and brimming with tears. The new suit that was purchased just the day before did not seem to make him to uncomfortable. Seto had been amazed at how much the boy had grown in just a few months from the last occasion he had to wear a suit. He gave a slight nod to Mokuba in acknowledgment of his concern. As the ceremonial leader entered the last of the prayers, Seto fixed his gaze upon the two coffins before him. Both individuals had been his rivals, his friends and his lovers. He had shared so much of himself, his heart, his life and his family. They had shared ends that always led to something better. But these ends would not bring forth something better for a long time until all of the grief and suffering passed.
The ceremonial leader finished and stood aside to allow to individual expression of honor and respect for the dead. The Egypations, Seth, the green-eyed woman, Ishizu Ishtar, Marik Ishtar and Rishid Ishtar, all joined hands and knelt with their right knees touching the ground and their left knees facing the black coffin. Seth began a chant that the others repeated. It was a death chant in honor of the fallen Pharaoh, Atemu, who in this life time was known as Atemu Mutou. He had be Yugi's best and dearest friend and in the time before his death, Yugi's one true love. Yugi curled over in the wheelchair and began sobbing uncontrollably. Sugoroku went over to the grave marker and lit a candle and painted the Kanji of Atemu's name in red. He did that which Yugi could not do himself. The Kanji would remain red until the day Yugi joined Atmeu in the afterlife.
Shizuka walked over to the amber shaded coffin and placed a red rose on the glossy surface. “I love you, big brother.” Her voice was hoarse with all of her tears and weeping. Ryuuji simply bowed his head in silent respect as he pulled Shizuka close to him to comfort her. She walked over and lit the candle on the grave marker before turning to face Seto. She locked gazes with him for a long moment before moving to leave.
Seto Kiaba, one of the most powerful men in the world stepped forward and removed three roses from the inside of his black coat. He moved to the black coffin and placing the white rose on it's shiny surface, began to speak, “Atemu, Pharaoh, we were bitter rivals and you pushed me to be my best or better than Seth. I rose to your challenges. We had our rivalry, our friendship, our passion and our friendship. I truly believe that our end was only the step for you to have someone and something better than me. Yugi gave you joy that I could never share with you. And you gave your life for him. May this end bear you to peace in a far better place.” Seto bowed reverently to the coffin.
Turning to the marker of the second grave, he walked over and painted the Kanji in with red. Small gasps of shock went up from the collected group of mourners. He turned to the amber coffin and gently, with slightly trembling fingers, lay the two red roses upon the surface. After a moment of transfixed staring at the coffin before him, Seto Kaiba began to speak. “Jonouchi Katsuya, mon chiot, vous avez volé mon coeur et je ne pourrais pas m'aider. Pendant que notre rivalité fondait dans une amitié cruelle, votre compagnie a fondu mon coeur dans une émotion que j'ai jurée que je pourrais me sentir pour aucun hormis Mokuba. Nous avons célébré la joie, nous sommes soulagés dans la tristesse, avons aimé par les cauchemars de notre passé et avons conquis beaucoup ensemble. Cette extrémité n'est pas une extrémité qui embrassement de goût de I. Vous étiez noble et héroïque et ainsi les vos vies et moi d'ami continuons avec mon coeur cassé. Je , pour mon amour de vous, soin pour Shizuka, comme si elle étaient mon propre sang. Elle ne veulent aucune chaque joie et veulent pour rien. Vous ne l'avez jamais demandée que de moi, mais d'elle est simplement ce que vous avez voulu pour son beaucoup comme je veux pour Mokuba les mêmes choses. Reposez-vous maintenant dans votre propre extrémité, mon amour mon coeur.” ("“Jonouchi Katsuya, my puppy, you stole my heart and I could not help myself. As our rivalry melted into a cruel friendship, your companionship melted my heart into an emotion which I swore I could feel for none aside from Mokuba. We celebrated joy, comforted each other in sadness, loved through the nightmares of our past and conquered much together. This end is not an end which I relish embracing. You were noble and heroic and so your friend lives and I carry on with my broken heart. I will, for my love of you, care for Shizuka, as if she were my own blood. She will know every joy and want for nothing. You never asked it of me, but it's simply what you wanted for her much as I want for Mokuba the same things. Rest now in your own end, my love my heart. Katsuya, I love you, my puppy.") Seto paused for a moment, “Katsuya, aishiteru, koinu.” (Katsuya, "I love you puppy.")
After a few moments pause, Seto turned and walked toward the waiting limo. “Don't be too long Mokuba,” he whispered as he passed his little brother.
Mokuba stood silently before the coffins. His mind swirled with thoughts which tumbled over and around making all the sense in the world and no sense at all. He too had roses which he had been holding behind his back. He walked over to the black coffin of Atemu and placed a yellow rose with pink edged petals. “Nii-sama, made peace with you and I never stopped loving you. Rest in peace brother Atemu.”
Mokuba turned his attention to the amber coffin and stared for a long while. “Baka, Nii-sama, waited too long.” Mokuba stared at the coffin. “And yes, I think he's an idiot for not telling you all of that before you reached the end of your life.” Mokuba grew quiet. “You filled something in Seto's heart that I don't even think I could begin to understand. Maybe if you had known that you wouldn't have died. Maybe if you had known that we'd still be a family and the happiness wouldn't have to end. Maybe if you'd known all that you would have been more careful in rescuing Yugi and you and Atemu would still be with us. Maybe if you had known how deeply he felt for you, I'd still have my fun brother and Seto would have his laughter. I'll miss you, Katsuya.” Mokuba went over and hugged the coffin before walking in the direction of the limo to join Seto.
As Mokuba approached he noticed that Seto was speaking with Shizuka. “Now, is not the time, but when you and Ryuuji return from your holiday, there are somethings we need to discuss regarding your wedding. Katsuya and I discussed several things and I have every intention of honoring his requests and wishes.”
“Thank you, Seto,” Shizuka sniffed. “I'm glad Katsuya had the opportunity to share a part of his life with you before his end. I just know that you made him so happy. “ Shizuka stood on tip toes and kissed the unmoving CEO on the cheek. “We'll be in touch with you when we get back to Japan.” Shizuka and Ryuuji slipped into a limousine of their own. Seto and Mokuba walked toward their own limousine.
“Nii-sama, I'm not asking what you said cause I think I know what it was in my heart, but why did you say it in French?” Mokuba asked as he ducked into the back of the car.
Seto sighed as he entered the limo. “Mokuba,” Seto began a bit of weariness creeping into his voice. “Must we discuss this. I just want this whole ordeal to end.”
Mokuba paused for a long moment, “It's not like you can simply dismiss this like an insubordinate employee.” Mokuba looked up at him. “Did you use French because no one would recognize it?”
“Apparently, you recognized it.” Seto leaned back in the limo almost slouching like his puppy used to when he was tired.
“Only that is was French not the specific words.” Mokuba stated. “I'm not advanced enough in my language studies to follow your speaking. So why French?”
Seto sighed and closed his eyes. “Katsuya, used to sit on my desk at Kaiba Corp and just hang on every sound when I was working business deals in French. When the call would end, he would ask me to keep talking to him in French because he loved the way it sounded.” Seto paused as if reflecting on a memory. “Not Russian, Spanish, Arabic, Hindi or any other dialect fascinated him as much as my speaking French. I was like the pied piper's piping. Katsuya would just wander from the couch to sit on my desk anytime I would talk French and always asking for it not to end with the end of the call.” Seto looked at Mokuba and the pain that he was hiding in the cemetary now found it's way to the surface. “I just thought he should hear it this time,” Seto grew silent before speaking in what was nothing more than a whisper preceeding his tears, “I didn't want it to end.” The ride back to the mansion continued in silence while the end hung over the city and the clouds began to weep.