Seto Kaiba has hit a rut in his career. The ideas didn't come to him as easily as they once had. When he grabbed a pen, he could barely get the inspiration to write his own name. Kaiba focused his attention at the blank screen before him. He typed: "The Next Big Thing is..." and then nothing. Nothing would come to his mind. This had never really happened to him before for such a prolonged period. Could he really be already washed up? Kaiba ran his long, slender fingers through his short brown hair. With a heavy sigh, Kaiba closed his laptop and stood up from his desk.
As Seto Kaiba climbed down the stairs, instead of using the elevator, he thought of what needed to be done with his creative team. With every uninspiring tap on the steps the ideas became clearer as to what he must do to keep his company successful. It was the sad reality of his job. The responsibility for the success or failure of the gaming cooperation known as Kaibacorp rested solely on his shoulders. Although people frequently would tell him what was working, it was rare when he would hear a small voice pipe up from with in the company to tell him what was not. People always tip toed around his seemingly icy nature. when he first took over the company as a teen, after his adoptive father's passing, Seto Kaiba was intimidating to even the most hardened of grown men in the business world. And if they weren't at first, they certainly were after they witnessed just how vicious of a businessman Kaiba was and could be.
A board of twelve creative executives awaited Seto Kaiba In the room where he had called the meeting. They all stood up like soldiers at attention upon his arrival. "Sit," Kaiba commanded were because they were dogs. They all sat. The room was tense with nervous energy. Kaiba wondered and in a way hoped they had prepared for what he might do if they didn't present him with good ideas. "Now," Kaiba walked past them all, going towards the head of the table, "we need some major release ideas. Do any of you have anything prepared to show me?"
One of the men timidly raised a finger and said "Mr. Kaiba, what is the goal of this meeting? Normally, you-you-"
"I can't always have the initial ideas," Kaiba bluntly admitted. "If I did, you wouldn't have a position in my company, now would you?" Everyone on the board looked at each other, hints of fear registered openly on their faces. "Show me something amazing." Kaiba looked coldly off to one side. "Right now." His command rang in the ears of his employees. It was apparent that none of them were prepared for Kaiba himself not having an idea, a plan, something to save them from having to do anything that required their own thoughts.
After a few minutes of silence, "People really like RPGs Mr. Kaiba," the man with the red tie said.
"Fine. Come up with everything yourselves. Divide it up based on your skills, talents... if you have any. Come back to me with a full plan by Friday." Kaiba turned his back on the team.
"But that is only in two days-"
"Friday. It better be good or you are all fired," Kaiba hissed and stormed out of the room. He pursed his lips trying to hide the real emotions he was feeling. His weakness. Stabilize yourself, Kaiba thought. That pang of terror of not a single thoughtful idea combined with his desire to create something out of nothing, make nothing into something, do something, He was on the verge of a total break down. Keep your eyes forward. Your head high. No one will know. Business as usual. The numbness these thoughts brought to his everyday life was comforting. Feeling nothing is better than feeling bad. His personal failure was about to show if he didn't do something and fast. The only remedy: new minds, a complete reworking of how his company operated. His creative team would need to be made stronger and more self sufficient. The only way? He mentally tore up the plan in his mind. Rewrote it entirely. There had to be some other way. If his adoptive father taught him anything before his death, it was that business is a messy thing that required a strong hand. When Kaiba was a teenager, the ideas used to just come to him all the time and he could send people on those ideas to expand on them for him. In a more amazing time in company history. Everyone wanted a Kaibacorp game or product because it was fresh, new, and had the hottest technology on the market. He had to become that once more.
However, it wasn't all going down hill. There were still other sub-companies that he owned that were doing well. His various children's charities were also going at full speed. But those didn't matter. The gaming portion, a rather recession proof business provided new and wonderful things were coming out, was all that mattered.
When Kaiba reached his office, he fell limply into his big comfortable chair. Kaiba twirled a pencil between his fingers and then made a guilty spin in his office chair. The third time he stopped himself. He had work to do. He picked up the little rake and sifted the sand in his zen sandbox. A lot of work to do. Can't be screwing off, Kaiba thought. He placed his elbows on his desk and held his head. Breathe...
Laughter. "Bro, are you grumbling again? How many times have I seen you like that this week?" the teasing voice prodded.
"You haven't." Kaiba sat up, trying to look as if nothing were wrong. A man with long black hair pulled into a ponytail stood tall in his office. He wore a dark grey suit with a forest green tie. The suit had clean lines and fit him perfectly and smirk that played on his face was an indicator that he didn't believe Kaiba. "Mokuba, I am fine. I wasn't... grumbling you so lightly put it."
"No, not you. Never," Mokuba laughed. Mokuba approached Seto's desk. He sighed. "You need some rest. Look at yourself. Did you even do a proper morning routine to get yourself looking nice? You sure don't look nice now."
Kaiba flashed his brother an irritated look. "I was here all night as I should be in times like this."
Mokuba understood what his brother said. With the economy tanking, he knew his brother would do everything he could to keep every last asset afloat. Ten years ago Kaiba would have had no issue firing whoever he felt wasn't part of the team/being an adequate team member. In his quality of KC VP, Mokuba did have worries as well, but his anxieties about the company were quelled far more easily. Sure, Kaibacorp became a little bit smaller, however, Mokuba knew that they could get back to greatness fairly easily with the next big project to be released. They still had many hit products such as the Duel Disk that would never fall in popularity, and the company managed to maintain a good reputation over the years. Going down a few points wasn't going to truly affect their status in any way.
"You should come home with me, Seto. It is five o' clock. No one is going to frown on it even in times like these if you get some rest. Besides, our company isn't going down overnight."
Kaiba tensed up even though he knew what Mokuba was saying to be true. He picked at his hair instead of granting a response to his brother.
Mokuba walked behind Seto's desk and grabbed his arm. "Seto, come on." He pulled him. "Come on."
"Nhhh," Seto whined childishly. He did everything in his power to stay put: anchoring his feet, gripping the desk with his free arm, pulling against Mokuba with the captured.
Mokuba let go, giving his brother the 'you realize this makes you totally pathetic' look. He wasn't playing this game. "And you're my older brother?"
Seto huffed. His younger brother had won. "Fine. But don't think you have won. I will be working at home."
Mokuba rolled his eyes. If it weren't for him, he wondered if Seto would even remember any of his humanly duties to himself such as eating and sleeping. Sometimes Seto made him to feel nothing more than a glorified babysitter rather than the vice president of Kaibacorp. Mokuba jerked his head toward the door. Kaiba packed up his laptop and followed Mokuba out of the office.
A/N: So, that was the first chapter. Hopefully it isn't too confusing at the end there when I started calling Kaiba, Seto. There is no pairing in this story. No romance. But it is going to become a fantasy story with some supernatural elements. ^.^; I am sure certain Kaiba lovers will rejoice at the no pairing or romance thing.
