#warnings for

Not that Seto could truly be aware of being knocked out- one doesn't usually realize they've lost consciousness until they wake up, and Seto doesn't wake up in any situation that would give him the impression he was knocked out manually.

No, this time, Seto wakes up to a familiar alarm, in an uncomfortably stiff position, from a light and fitful sleep that didn't last nearly long enough and never has. Hobson knocks at his door, perfectly on schedule as always, after just long enough for Seto to have made his own bed and gotten dressed for the day's studies; he's brought the boy black tea and a simple breakfast, which Seto takes with a quiet expression of gratitude. He doesn't have time to sit and eat at a proper breakfast table, at a reasonable hour, with his brother and adopted father like a real family- no, today, like every day since Seto and Mokuba were adopted by Kaiba Gouzaburo, Seto will spend studying, taking notes, and being lectured by his guardian about the intricacies of international business and how to run a multi-billion dollar corporation.

This day in particular has Gouzaburo greeting him with a smack to the face and a variety of colorful insults. It's not unusual, but rare enough that Seto doesn't expect the abuse, and the boy loses his grip on the breakfast tray from the shock of the blow. "YOU COULD NEVER DESERVE TO BE CALLED A KAIBA! YOU WILL NEVER SUCCEED ME LIKE THIS- YOU MAY AS WELL STILL BE ■■■■■ SETO!"

Gouzaburo screaming at his downturned, stinging face, however, is not nearly as uncommon as being physically struck. The boy holds his cheek for a moment as the shock settles on his nerves, steeling himself anew for the day's tribulations, until he's certain he can kneel and clean up his mess without letting an ounce of feeling show on his features. He can't let Gouzaburo see that he's affecting him- if he sees it, then Seto loses today's battle of wills, and if one loses, they might as well be dead. 

Seto can't allow himself to lose.

The rest of the day passes before Seto really has time to process the encounter, lunch and dinner both eaten in haste around his studies or entirely skipped, until it is his inability to read and comprehend a sentence that finally drives Kaiba Seto to retire back to his bedroom for a few, fitful hours of rest.

The day replays itself in his dreams, Gouzaburo's abuses becoming louder and more scathing each time. "FAILURE! YOU WILL NEVER BE MY SON!"

"YOU CHILDREN WOULD STILL BE ROTTING IN THAT ORPHANAGE, IF NOT FOR ME, AND SO HELP ME I WILL RETURN YOU TO IT!"

"MY OWN FLESH AND BLOOD WOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN SO USELESS, SO WEAK! YOU ARE NOTHING!"

Until one day, something changes. This time, Gouzaburo encourages Mokuba into the room and forces him to watch Seto clean up his mess. "You see this, boy? Your brother will never be anything greater than what you are now: a sniveling, worthless mistake. But you…" Gouzaburo's hand grips Mokuba's shoulder in a manner that should be painfully tight. Both appear to be giants to Seto, looming over him, making him feel as weak as Gouzaburo claims. "You could be so much more, Mokuba."

Seto seethes, shaking gently, and imagines instead throwing the mess he is cleaning into Gouzaburo's horrible face. Instead, he holds himself back, swallowing hard. Gouzaburo laughs at the young man.

"You see now? He trembles with fear; he knows his place will never be by my side, but that yours could be. Consider it, Mokuba."

When next Seto wakes, he is older- more experienced, unafraid, ruthless. He has been working on something that will ruin Kaiba Gouzaburo's life, forever: Seto and the Big Five, together, own 49% of Kaiba Corporation. A hostile takeover. Kaiba Seto will own KaibaCorp and finally save the world from Gouzaburo's lust for wealth and power. It doesn't matter that there was a leak; it doesn't matter that he hurt his brother yesterday, only that Gouzaburo will try and use him to turn the coup back on Seto… and Mokuba will betray him, giving the majority stake in the company to their side. 

Kaiba Gouzaburo will finally lose the game they've been playing since he adopted Seto and Mokuba.

Everything according to plan, Seto and the Big Five confront Gouzaburo in the board room with their ploy. Predictably, Gouzaburo believes that Mokuba's 2% stake in the company is still his, and their takeover is meaningless… Then declares bankruptcy on behalf of Kaiba Corporation. 

Of course he would. Seto calculated all of this into his plan.

Gouzaburo launches into an explanation of the stakes: "With your stock holdings worthless under this bankruptcy, you will have no choice but to mortgage your life to me, Seto! You will be in debt for eternity!! You LOSE!"

Seto and the Big Five stand in what appears to be shock, but Seto is simply

waiting. A beat passes. Something is wrong.

Mokuba hasn't shown up.

There are no young footsteps running down the hall, ready to burst into the room and side with Seto, completing the coup.

Gouzaburo raises a dangerous eyebrow and barks, "WORTHLESS! ALL OF YOUR SCHEMING, YOUR DISDAIN FOR OTHERS, IT MEANS NOTHING IN REAL LIFE! YOU ARE NOTHING, SETO!"

Seto falls to his knees, all bravado and confidence sapped from him, leaving a cold pit in his stomach. In trying to prove his adoptive father wrong, in trying to enact meaningful change for the world, Seto only proved Gouzaburo right. 

He's lost everything.

The boy stares blankly at the floor, in true shock, trembling in true fear.

This isn't how it was supposed to go.