So, yeah, I know I'm supposed to be working on updating Destiny and Curse, but this idea came to me a while ago and wouldn't leave me alone, but I told myself I wouldn't post it until I got everything updated. Well two of four isn't too bad, right? Anyway, this is something I mentioned in passing in my one-shot Ducks. Hope you like it. And I still don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! or anything else referenced in this story.
Impractical Gift Wrap
Thirteen-year-old Mana Muto giggled as she snuck up to the entrance of KaibaCorp. "I just saw him leave," her friend Max laughed next to her. "I'll call you if I see him or Aunt K," he said.
"Perfect," Mana slung the long canvas bag over her shoulder and slipped inside. It was easy to sneak past the employees at their desks—they were too focused on their work so their boss wouldn't fire them. And she'd learned the patterns Roland and the other guards used to patrol the building long ago. Within fifteen minutes, she was in the CEO's office standing before her target.
Giggling to herself, she set down her bag and pulled out one of the rolls of wrapping paper from it. Its bright pink pattern starkly contrasted the furnishings of the office, which just made it better. Mana pulled out scissors and Scotch tape and began measuring the first sheet of paper she'd need to cover the desk and its contents.
"What are you doing?"
Mana jumped at the voice and whirled around to face its owner. She breathed a sigh of relief when she recognized the twelve-year-old girl with short white hair. "Airi, what are you doing here?"
"It's my dad's office," Airi Kaiba answered. "What are you doing here?"
"What's it look like I'm doing?" Mana ran a hand through her long, brown hair.
"You look like you're trying to cover Dad's desk in wrapping paper," Airi raised an eyebrow at her.
"Then you guessed right," Mana gave an innocent grin. "Want to help?"
"How about I just call Dad and tell him what you're doing?"
"How about I call Aunt K and tell her you were calling Max 'Puppy Wheeler' again?" Mana countered. Kisara hated it when Airi called Max names.
"Fine," Airi scowled. "I'll do the computer and other stuff. You take care of the desk."
"Sure thing," the brunette grinned. She handed the white-haired girl an assortment of princess, pony, and mermaid wrapping paper.
Airi made quick work of the computer, telephone, and other things on her dad's desk. Mana burned through all her pink paper covering the desk itself. Mana laughed when they were finished. "I can't wait to see his face."
"I can imagine what it'll be," Airi rolled her eyes.
"Nyeh," the brunette stuck her tongue out. "Ooh! We should do the chair too!"
"Fine," the white-haired girl sighed.
It took the remaining wrapping paper they had to cover the chair. Mana fell to her knees laughing when it was finished.
'Whose phone is ringing? Mine! Mine! Whose phone is ringing? Mine! Mine!'
"That's your ringtone?" Airi scoffed.
"Hey, it's from Impractical Jokers," Mana glared at her and stood up. "Where do you think I got the idea for this prank?" She pressed the answer button. "What is it, Max?"
"Get out of there!" he hissed. "Aunt K's on her way up!"
"Shoot!" Mana hung up the phone. She frantically looked between the mess of tubes, scraps, and tape. Without thinking, she shoved the mess into the canvas bag and pushed it and Airi into the nearest closet.
"What are you—"Airi's question was silenced by Mana's hand over her mouth. The brunette could just see the long, white hair of Airi's mother through the crack in the closet door.
Kisara stood in front of the desk, her sapphire eyes drifting from the mermaid-wrapped monitor to the pony-covered tower to the princess-clad telephone and all the other gift-wrapped items in between. "This has Mana's signature all over it," the woman said.
"What does?" another voice asked.
Mana pressed her free hand over her own mouth. Airi's dad had just walked in. She heard his footsteps move closer to the desk and saw his brown hair and white trench coat next to his wife. "For the love of…" he snarled at the desk.
"Seto," Kisara pacified him. She turned in a full circle. "Let me try something." She took out her cell phone and dialed a number.
'Whose phone is ringing? Mine! Mine! Whose phone is ringing? Mine! Mine!'
Mana scrambled to muffle the sound of her phone. "You didn't turn the sound off?" Airi hissed.
The brunette didn't get a chance to answer as the closest door was opened and a pair of deep blue eyes glared at them. "Care to explain what this is?" Seto Kaiba gestured to his colorfully wrapped desk.
"Well, to be fair, the plan was to sneak out before you got back," Mana gave a sheepish grin. "Then I was going to send you a text saying 'You should never have left your desk.' It was going to be great."
"She made me do it," Airi stepped away from the brunette.
"Gee, thanks," Mana glared at the white-haired girl.
"Get rid of it," Kaiba scowled at them. "I want this mess gone by the time I get back."
"Yes, Dad."
"Okay, Uncle Seto."
"Good," he turned and left the room.
"I'll call Yugi and Tea," Kisara took out her phone. "You girls get started." She stepped out of the office.
Before they started, Mana took out her phone and snapped a picture of the desk. "I might as well have a keepsake of this," she said. Airi tore the pink wrapping paper off the desk. Mana ripped off the paper covering the items scattered over its surface. Soon, the remains of the prank were in a pile on the floor.
A green-haired guard came in with a large trash bag. "Thank you, Roland," Kisara took the bag and handed it to Mana. Frowning, the girls shoved the used paper and tape into the bag and tied it shut. "Now take it to the dumpster downstairs," Kisara instructed them. "Roland, I have to get to a meeting. Can you make sure they do it and then take them home?"
"Yes, Mrs. Kaiba," Roland nodded.
"Thank you," Kisara left the office.
Under the watchful eye of Roland, the girls lugged the trash bag to the elevator. Airi glared at Mana the entire time, silently blaming the brunette for the trouble they were in. The elevator dinged, and the girls continued lugging the bag to dumpsters in the basement. Together, they tossed the bag into the nearest bin, ending their chore.
"Come with me," Roland instructed. "I will drop Miss Mana off first, and then I'll bring you home, Miss Airi."
"Yes, Roland," they nodded and followed him to the limo.
"You'd better hope I don't get grounded for this," Airi scowled at Mana.
"Oh, boo hoo," Mana glared at her. "We both know I'm going to get the worse punishment. You're just an accessory. I'm the real perp."
They continued to bicker until the limo pulled up to the Mutos' game store. While not as tall as Airi's parents, Mana's dad was an imposing figure in the doorway. "Thank you, Roland," Yugi nodded to the guard. He gestured for Mana to get out of the car. "Come on, Mana." She complied, and the limo drove off.
'Whose phone is ringing? Mine! Mine! Whose phone is ringing? Mine! Mine!'
Mana pulled her phone out to answer it, but Yugi took it first and pressed the speaker button. "Okay, they're gone. Are you still inside?" Max's voice rang out.
"No, she isn't," Yugi said and hung up. He raised an eyebrow at his daughter. "So Max was in on this too?"
"Only as a lookout," Mana rubbed the back of her head. "I was going to wrap everything myself, but Airi showed up, and I convinced her to help."
"I see," Yugi found the picture of the desk on her phone. Mana caught the briefest glimpse of a smile before frowning at it. "Well, first, this is mine for the next two weeks," he pocketed the phone. "Second, during those two weeks, you are to come here right after school and work in the shop until dinner. And no getting Atem or Joan to help. No Max either, assuming he's able to after Mai finds out what he was up to. Understood?"
"Yes, Dad," Mana lowered her head at her punishment.
"And lastly, no watching Impractical Jokers for a month," Yugi finished.
"What?" Mana's eyes widened at the last part.
"I remember that episode," Yugi crossed his arms. "I know this prank came from that punishment on Joe."
"Fine," Mana crossed her arms and pouted. "I'll go start stocking shelves."
"That's a good idea," Yugi opened the door for her.
'Whose phone is ringing? Mine! Mine! Whose phone is ringing? Mine! Mine!'
Yugi grimaced and turned the phone off.
I think it's safe to say that the prank stories I write are likely to be the most random. I also enjoy messing with Kaiba. XD. Let me know what you think, and I'll get back to working on Destiny.