Heart of Kaiba
Seto Kaiba, major shareholder and CEO of the Kaiba Corporation didn't think he was heartless, he just considered himself a realist.
At times he may state his point a little harsher then he truly needed to, but more often then not it was the simple human nature of not being able to handle the truth that made others not like him.
Not that he cared much about that, honestly it could matter less what others thought of him, he was what he was and there was no reason for him to change that.
Now that actually was something that bothered him.
On all fingers Kaiba could count the times that Yugi or the rest of his useless lot told him that he should change his cold ways, and that he should "trust in the Heart of the Cards".
What a poetic thought, and exactly what good had trusting in this so called heart of the cards gotten him exactly?
Having his soul stolen by that effeminate bastard Pegasus?
If that was the end result of actually being naïve enough to believe that laminated pieces of paper had hearts then he'd rather stick with the cold hard fact that just like any other card game, drawing the winning card was all a matter of luck.
And Kaiba knew he was indeed a very lucky man.
Not only did he posses the money and prestige to have practically anything he could ever want, but he had assured his little brother Mokuba an easy path when he eventually inherited the company from him.
Kaiba leaned back into his comfy chair and intently studied the mural of a Blue-Eyes White Dragon against the opposite wall, wondering about his ancestor's infatuation with the beast, the same which had been passed onto him, when there was a knock at the door and the voice of one of the many security guards stationed throughout the building.
"Kaiba sir, you have a guest, she claims she's a friend."
She?
Kaiba would admit above anything else he was far too busy for someone his age. Not that consorting with the opposite sex had ever been a high priority on his to-do list especially when he had a little brother to look after.
That pretty much limited down the possibilities of this person to two people.
And one he knew for damn sure didn't consider herself his friend, the other he couldn't possibly imaging to why she would be here of all places.
"Did she give a name?"
"No, she just said she knew you would know who it was."
Kaiba snorted, nearly chuckling "I thought so..."
"If you don't mind me saying sir, ignore the Cloaks and Daggers convention getup she has on, and I'd say she was definitely worth your time."
"Duly noted, just let her in." Kaiba stated dismissively.
"Yes sir." Was the reply, and after a few moments the door to his office opened.
Standing in the doorway, was a tall, lean figure wearing a thin light colored cloak that was only a few shades lighter then her own tan complexion.
She wore truly luxurious jewelry, the most precious of which being the powerful millennium item around her neck, the Millennium Necklace.
"Welcome Ishizu Ishtar." Kaiba somberly greeted, "To what pleasure do I owe this truly appreciated visit?" the last part of his statement not sounding the least bit earnest.
Ishizu only grinned at his improper greeting however.
"Seto Kaiba, I see you're still about as welcoming as an asp in its death throes."
Kaiba only shrugged, "Sorry to disappoint you, but nothing's changed since we defeated your manic bro--"
Those piercing blue eyes of hers sharpened before he could even finish his sentence.
"Do not even begin with that Seto. My brother's soul is no longer fueled by hatred and I won't let you talk about him as though all of what happened was all because of him."
"Oh really? So I suppose it was someone else who made your brother go crazy with lust for power."
"You weren't so different from him yourself Kaiba," Ishizu immediately snapped back, "or perhaps you don't remember your first duel with Atem?"
Before Kaiba could say a word, the Millennium necklace around Ishizu's neck glowed and Kaiba's let out a curse as his mind was barraged with images of that very duel.
His eyes wild with insanity and bloodlust, only to turn soulless as he was handed his first defeat at the hands of the spirit that was within Yugi.
"Enough!" Kaiba snapped, and instantly the images faded from his mind and he was left staring angrily at mystic before him. "If leaving this building the same way you came in is your intention, I would suggest you not try that again!"
Ishizu ignored the threat. "Just proving a point Kaiba, you, just like Marik, were tainted by madness, so you shouldn't be so quick to pass judgment on others."
Kaiba rolled his eyes. Is it possible she was comparing ripping up a playing card to trying to steal some ancient power?
"I assume you didn't come back from dusting pyramid walls, all the way here just to annoy me Ishizu?" he stated disinterestedly, again eying the Blue-Eyes White Dragon mural that was right behind her, "I'm a busy man."
Without asking, Ishizu pulled out and sat down in the chair on the opposite side of Kaiba's desk. "Of course, I wouldn't think of wasting your time with talk."
If that was true you would've just given me the Egyptian God card instead of wasting my time with your little history lesson, Kaiba snidely thought.
"The reason for me being here," Ishizu said, "Is this: Seto Kaiba I challenge you to rematch of our last duel."
Kaiba raised an eyebrow. "A rematch?"
Ishizu nodded. "Yes."
"And exactly what purpose would another duel with me serve?" Kaiba asked, "I've already proved that even with your own millennium item you're no match for me." He said quite pointedly.
Ishizu narrowed her eyes. "What you proved is that there is still a link between you and your ancestor's Millennium item Kaiba, otherwise you would not have beaten me without it."
Kaiba scoffed, "Is it that or did I just prove that pretty little necklace of yours is useless?"
Ishizu stood to her feet with an anger in her sapphire eyes that Seto had never seen before…
It was almost attractive.
"Then accept my challenge Seto Kaiba! And prove what you say is true!
Kaiba looked at her for a long moment.
Then a small grin formed on his face.
"No."