Game Over

Chapter Forty [A Slice of Cake]

Seto nodded. Experiences of abandonment and long-term separation lead to the detachment of the supposed father-son-bond that should have been exhibited given the precedent. "So the Clarks, you view them as your family, you'd rather be with them, than here at the AHD."

"Well..." Jason contemplated, "Wh-what about you, Seto sir? Did you take over your job from a family member?"

Common subject change tactic, he could indulge. This was easily accessible knowledge anyways, "I became a Council Member after my mother passed, but I joined the AHD of my own volition."

"Did you want to?"

Seto thought about his answer, there was no reason to hide this either, "No, but it was the only way to get what I wanted."

"What...was that?"

"The chance to eliminate Enders from existence."

"Th-the Enders, you mean those people below the surface?"

"Monsters, not people,"

"R-right, monsters...do you think...that they are evil or that maybe it is possible they are good like us?"

"They are murderous, bloody monsters, anyone who thinks otherwise is a fool."

There was silence.

"Did someone you love die because of an Ender, is that why you hate them so much?"

Seto looked up from his book, he stared at the wall in front of him and thought for awhile, "I don't remember. I just hate the Enders."

Jason shifted on the ground and stretched his legs out. He leaned back and placed most of his weight on his hands that supported his upper body.

"What about your dad? Did he make you do things?"

"Why do you have all these questions?"

"You haven't told me why you needed me here."

"It was for your cake."

"Wh-what? Was that really all, is there no other way I could help you?"

"As the sole magic user in Rekrium, I am the only one who can carry these tasks out...so no."

There was silence.

"You know, you're really nice."

Seto looked at Jason who smiled at him, "Nice? What gave you that idea, I'm cursed to lack feeling. There is nothing nice about me, I'm simply returning what was yours...and besides I ate most of the cake anyways. How is that nice?"

Jason chuckled, "Lacking the ability to express feelings shouldn't technically mean you lack feeling. You just can't physically express those feelings, but I'm sure they are still there--I hope I can be as nice and as kind as you."

Seto turned back to his book. He skimmed the words, but he wasn't really reading. He wondered if he could feel emotions at this moment, would he be smiling or frowning? He wasn't sure what he would rather want it to be. He couldn't remember what it was like to truly smile or even frown. He was sure that either one would be equally puzzling to him. In the end, all he could do was mimic the expressions.

"You should do what you want to do, if it gets you what you most want, then follow that path. Regardless of what your father wants, do what you want..." Seto said at last.

Jason smiled. He stood up and walked over to the box that held the last slice of his cake and carried it back to where he sat previously. He sat down and opened the box to see a set of clean silverware inside. He smiled again and quietly dug in as Seto worked in silence.