He shivered a little, tugging his jacket closer around him. Was it the chill in the air? Air conditioning up too high? Or maybe it was just him and this whole situation giving him the creeps. Seto had already talked with Police Chief Nakajo about it all. Supposedly, Mokuba was normal by now, but still...just the thought of someone like him being the one going around shooting, stabbing, etc. everyone was more than mildly disturbing. He was pointed in the direction of the cell, after being let in by another officer, and he stopped at the second cell. Seto bit his lip, standing in the middle of the hallway looking in. "...Mokuba?"

Mokuba was lying on the bed, bored as hell. He couldn't do anything and he hated having nothing to do. They wouldn't even allow him pencil and paper to at least do some sketches to occupy his mind. So he had to content himself with staring at the ceiling and imagining all the clothes he would make once they let him out. He was so occupied that he didn't hear the footsteps approach his cell, but he did hear the voice. Mokuba turned at the sound of his name, his eyes going big at who he saw. "Big brother?" He hopped up from the bed and quickly walked over, halting barely in front of the bars. However, when he got closer to his brother he couldn't quite look him in the eye. "Um, hi."

"...Hi." Well, at least it was Mokuba speaking. It felt a little weird standing so far away, but something held him back anyway. "...So...um...how're things...going for you here?" Well, THAT was a stupid question, but it was really the only thing he could think of at the moment.

"It sucks. They don't treat me very well, and I've been poked and prodded and talked to enough for a fucking lifetime." Mokuba tried not to take it personal that his brother was standing so far away. They had never been close, and it was silly to expect that know. Still, it stung. He hid it all under a wavering smile. "How are things back at home?"

"Well, they're...hectic, a bit." He scratched the back of his head a little uneasily. "I mean, I had no idea what was going on when the police came by, and I was freaking out about where you had gotten to. You weren't there last night when I was going to go check on you, and...yeah... Heh, I think Isono's about to actually have a heart attack this time."

"Oh." Mokuba hoped Isono was all right. "Well, hopefully it'll bring good publicity, right? But, um." He cast a quick glance at his big brother before looking at the cell behind his shoulder. "Sorry about that. And for shooting you, even if it wasn't really, you know, me."

Seto twitched a little. Good publicity? What the hell kind of--how could he think of such a thing at a time like this? And as for the publicity, it was sure to be bad! But he chose not to voice any of this. "Yeah, well...I mean, it wasn't you, so it's not really you I'm mad at or anything..."

"That's good then. Do you think that other people might not be mad?" Or did he have to pay his ninjas triple now to guard him?

"I think there's still some group--or maybe it's just Siegfried--who want to kill you, and I don't think, even when people realize it's not you, that it'll be easy for anyone to forgive you." He shrugged. "You DID do some pretty shitty stuff as Shadow."

Mokuba kicked the bottom of the bar. "That's true. But who can be mad at a face like this for too long? Though, uh, you'll make sure Siegfried stays away from me, right?" He couldn't help but think back to those journal entries he read. They had scared and amused him then, but now he was fairly petrified about them.

"Yeah. I think I'll make sure he stays away from everyone before he tears someone's head off." He took a few steps closer now. "So...you really didn't know about this at all? You just thought you were sick and bedridden the whole time...?"

Mokuba nodded. "At first I thought it was just the flu because I didn't feel so great and my stomach hurt. Then I started waking up and there were…" He could barely stand the thought that his body was scarred now. His beautiful skin now flawed. "I didn't know what to think! I thought maybe I got a disease from the cruise, and I didn't want anyone to know. Imagine trying to sell a clothing line when you're being eaten away by something."

"Ah..." He nodded. "Makes sense, I guess. Really creepy... You COULD have at least seen that doc you said you were going to..."

"I said on Friday I would, and that was just to make Isono shut up. So, um, did you bring me any candy or anything? Moki tried bringing me some earlier, but they took it."

"Um, no, I didn't think to do anything like that. Sorry."

Mokuba sighed and shrugged. "It's probably for the better. I bet they're out there eating it. Stupid police."

"So...you can come home in a day or something? I heard you're going to be under the watchful eye of someone for a bit."

"Yes, which is stupid, but at least I won't have to be in this hell-hole anymore. They said if I do okay tonight...you know, no Shadow...then I can come home sometime around noon. So I'll need the limo here."

"Of course. It's not like I'm going to just LET you walk out in public." He shuffled his feet a bit. "I mean, with everyone knowing and all...things aren't going to be pretty."

"Well, it isn't like anything was intentional. I think we just need to be adults about this." Mokuba turned around and put his back against the bars. "Do you think I can still go to the Thanksgiving party?"

"Sure. Hell, I'd force 'em to let you, even if they didn't want to." He cocked his head and came a little closer. "Hey...are you gonna...be okay, you know, with all of this?"

"...I don't know. I don't want everyone to hate me." He turned around to face his big brother. "Should I send out gift baskets? As a sorry?"

He shrugged. "Honestly? I dunno how you're going to get yourself out of this one. If I were you, I'd hide away in the safest place I could find--while still managing my business, of course--until this thing kinda blows over, but then, that's just me."

"Maybe that advice isn't so bad. I got bored hanging around in my room all that time, though. I don't know how long I could put up with it. But, uh, could you do me a favor?"

"Sure, of course," he replied at once. "What do you want me to do?"

"For tomorrow, could you ask Rishid to make the peach cobbler he made when he was hired? It was really good, and the food here is crap and I refuse to eat it." He looked up at his big brother with big, pleading eyes.

"Sure, no problem. I bet the food sucks." Seto scrunched up his nose. "Worse than hospital food, I'd guess."

Mokuba gave him an odd look. "I wouldn't know. It's probably safe to assume that they're at least equal in bad taste. I mean, the outfits they make you wear at both places is horrible, you know they can't do better with food."

Seto wandered over to the bars finally, seating himself on the floor to get a better look at his brother. "Yeah, I would guess so. Blue really isn't your best color, you know. ...Look, things are gonna be weird for a while, you know. I don't want you to think that things aren't gonna go back to normal or anything, I'm just saying, don't expect them to right away."

He smiled when his big brother sat in front of him. "Yeah, I figured that. I guess I can understand. That doctor told me to put myself in the other person's place." He grimaced at the memory of that. It was very unfair to ask him to pretend to be some common person, but he did it to make her shut up. "I would be upset too. But at least you're by my side. Truth be told I didn't think you would be."

"Well, to tell you the truth, I didn't think I was going to be when I learned it was you. I mean, honestly, I got shot and stabbed and all of that other wonderful shit. To think that it was you, of all people...well, I mean, I know better now. It's just...kinda...just a little weird."

"Yeah, well, it isn't like it's easy for me, either. I have wounds too, you know. I got stabbed and someone carved something in my neck." He pulled down the blue collar to show the scarred mark. "Do you know what the hell this is anyway?"

He shook his head. "No idea. Looks like someone Malik would do or something, but you've got me."

"That's just great of him. At least the other ones I can cover with a shirt, though anyone who takes it off will be able to see. But this! I can't even cover it with make-up for a while. The doctors said it'll get all infected if I do."

"What about turtlenecks?"

Mokuba rolled his eyes. Obviously his brother wasn't getting it. "What about summer? What about the fact that I had a very wonderful neck and I can't just show it off without slathering cover-up on it?"

"Reconstructive surgery," Seto suggested with a shrug. "I dunno, you could always do something so bold as to live with it."

"I'll play it off some way." He smiled and added quietly, "Moki won't mind it."

"Not if he loves you, which I'm sure he does." A smirk. "You could say it's a battle scar and make up some dramatic and heartwarming story or something like that."

"He says he does. But I can't tell him a story like that. He knows what happened, but I didn't show him this scar, though. Maybe the others." Mokuba shook his head. He was having a hard time remember things. "I guess I could do that if I meet up with someone else, though. Is that what you do?"

"Um...well, normally, I just say 'fuck you' and change the subject, but I guess that'd be a bit suspicious and inappropriate, hm?"

Mokuba laughed. "Suspicious, maybe. Inappropriate? Not at all. More people need to be told 'fuck you' in this world."

"Agreed. It's a shame most people don't listen when you say that, anyway, but at least it feels good to tell 'em off."

"Yeah. Oh! Did you decide what you were going to make for the party?"

"I dunno. Either help around with those pies or, y'know, something easy to make. Mashed potatoes maybe. Something where I run a lower risk of setting things aflame, you see."

"Potatoes are good. I'm going to make stuffing. Maybe when you make the potatoes I can make the stuffing? Because, even if it's sort of weird, I don't mind hanging out with you as much as I thought I would."

"Really?" This was surprising. More than surprising, really. They used to be close, but for years now, they'd just been drifting farther apart. Neither really seemed to mind it, but this...was a nice feeling. "Well, I'm glad you think I can be seen alongside you for at least a little bit, heh."

"We can wear cooking clothes. Maybe even aprons!" He couldn't wait to do some shopping online, since that seemed safer then going out to the stores. "I still need to look up a recipe. I have no idea what's in stuffing besides bread."

"Eh, neither do I. I'd say to wing it, but we wouldn't want to accidentally poison anyone, eh? Maybe Seth left some cookbooks or something we can look through."

Mokuba froze. "That wasn't very funny."

"What?" He blinked. Then it dawned on him. "...Oh. OH. Right. Whoops. Sorry, I didn't even mean it like...yeah, wasn't thinking, sorry."

"No, it's okay. I shouldn't be so touchy about it. Time to move on, right?"

"Well, I mean, you don't have to yet, if you're not ready, you know. I mean, hell, you just found out about all of this stuff, what, last night? Don't rush through things." Then he realized how hypocritical that sounded.

Mokuba sighed and sat down on the floor. "I guess. I think I'll just feel a little bit better when I'm back home. I don't want to be here anymore. I tried telling them to let me out, but they said no."

"They're just trying to make sure you won't go psycho on anyone, that's all. It's not like they're really trying to punish you. And besides, you'll be out of here in no time. You'll just have to go back to staring at that ceiling for a while more, yet."

Mokuba nodded. "So I'll see you at home then, right? Sometime?"

"Sure. Heck, I'll be there when you drive home, okay? Waiting there in the limo. And remember, if there are reporters, ignore them unless you REALLY have something good to say."

"Like fuck off?" He smirked.

Seto chuckled. "Well, y'know, I'm not sure they're going to take too kindly to that."

"True. I guess I'll just keep quiet then." Mokuba stood up and leaned against the bars. "I'll see you tomorrow, then, in the limo."

He stood as well, dusting off his clothing as he did so. "Right, tomorrow. I'll try not to angst too much while you're absent."

"That sounds like the impossible." He went to give his big brother a hug, but stopped. He shook his head. Jail was making him weird. "Maybe you could wear one of your new outfits tomorrow?"

"Sure, one of the ones I actually like." A roll of the eyes. "At least I wasn't greeted by a closet full of tight, whore-like outfits."

"Like I want to see you walking around dressed like a whore. I think I'd be scarred for life."

"Well, YOU do it more often than not, you know."

"I do not! Well, not all the time. Besides, people don't mind seeing me dressed like that. They'd probably think someone was up if I started wearing baggy jeans and sweatshirts."

"There's nothing wrong with baggy jeans and sweatshirts. But whatever." He cocked his head. "I know you probably don't trust my fashion sense at ALL, but just a heads up, earthy colors are really making it big. Golds and browns all over the place."

It took a moment before Mokuba's opening and closing mouth was able to actually have sounds come out of it. "You....you follow fashion?"

"...Um, yeah?" He blinked. "I mean, I don't go to every clothing store I can find to follow trends, it was just something I'd noticed. Come on, I really DO care about the way I look, you know."

"Well, I suppose you don't look so bad most of the time. I still think you could look better. You might be able to get a boyfriend if you take that extra step." He winked.

"Oh, come on, you know I'm happy with Seth. Y'know, if he ever decides to come back since poor Anja hasn't returned from going AWOL. I've got plenty of people wanting a piece of me, for your info. All that fanmail isn't just for you."

"When they realize they can't have a piece of me, they default to you. You know, you should just get with someone else while Seth is gone. I don't mean to pry into your lack of personal life, but you should do something fun with someone."

"Well, yeah, I know, so I've been told." He rolled his eyes again. "MAYBE I'll end up taking that advice."

Mokuba grinned. "Good. Anyone you think you might ask?"

"No, not at the moment--hey, why are you so interested, anyway? I thought anything to do with romance, sex, and me grossed you out immensely."

"What, you think I like seeing you all depressed around the house? That's why I hardly ever want to be around you. And it isn't like I'm asking you to share your sex life. Sorry for being curious, geez," Mokuba huffed and crossed his arms.

"It's not like I TRY to be depressed, y'know. Geez, even my own brother things I'm that way too much." He sighed. "Guess people are right when they think me crazy and depressing, huh?"

"Should they think you sunshine and rainbows? I just think you should be a little happier sometimes. Sure, depression is probably part of your character, but to crack a smile every now and then wouldn't kill you. And then some of us wouldn't be sucked into your gravitation pull." He reached out and grabbed his big brother's jacket. "If you wore brighter colors like I bought you, then things would be better."

"...I don't DO those colors, Mokuba. I do darks. Blacks, dark blues, grays...I wear the occasional white, but y'know, that doesn't really count." He shook his head, incredulous look on his face. "That does it. Mokuba's now telling me that I need to cheer up. I think that settles any doubts in my mind that I've been emo way too long."

"You needed my confirmation? If I knew that I would have said so sooner." The jacket feel from his fingers. "I'll have my company make some good clothes in those colors for you. If I can't get you to wear good colors, I'll at least get you wearing good fabric."

"What's wrong with black? That'll never go out of style. Like leather. Okay, maybe my trenchcoats, I'll admit..." He smiled for once, and not just because Mokuba had told him to. "Well...I guess I'd better get going before they drag me out of here for staying too long or something. ...See ya, then?"

Mokuba sighed, but smiled. "Yeah, that's probably the best idea. I'm sure they'll have to take me back for something once you leave. So, yeah, see you tomorrow."

He gave a small wave and went back down the hall, rapping twice on the door and being let out a few moments later. The kid was going to be just fine, he concluded. It was just everyone else that was going to need convincing, and if they weren't, well, then the kid was going to be fine in very many separate pieces.