I DO NOT OWN YU-GI-OH!

Heart of the Cards, Kaiba


Chapter 1 – I'm Just a Girl in the World


Tea Gardener was nervous. There were so many things on her mind.

It was the end of the year, her last year at High School. She was thinking about finals in a few weeks, dance college, money for dance college, a sponsor for her dance club! Everything! She felt like screaming!

True it wasn't running for your life in a virtual prison or a city full of monsters, let alone putting up with shadow realms and being a mind slave. Or even trying to escape Kaiba's island that he blew up. Or being stuck with Kaiba on his blimp.

But being back in school and not facing life threatening situations all day was still hard work!

Kaiba. Oh, she hated him.

Why was he such a jerk? Why did he like to blow up whole islands?

Why did he have a blue eyes white dragon jet anyway?

Thank god he had graduated early, and wasn't in school anymore. The least she saw of his face, the better.

It was after school, and she went to her dance club's meeting room. She walked in the door, and saw the president of the club looking very distraut.

"Tea!" The taller girl grabbed Tea and stood her in front of everyone. "Tea is going to find our sponsor, right Tea?" She patted her back roughly.

Obviously she had been yelled at by the others in the dance club, and was now taking it out on Tea.

"What?" Tea exclaimed, surprised. "Even if I was, Ally, there is practically no one left to be sponsored by. All the companies have been claimed by other clubs, even the Game Shop is sponsoring someone! There's no one left! I've already looked."

Ally frowned. That was not the answer she wanted. "Tea, we need a sponsor, and I thought you took charge of that situation."

Tea frowned. "I said I would help try and find a sponsor, but I can't find any. What am I supposed to do? It's impossible, it's too late! We won't have a sponsor for the end of the year activities."

"You should ask your boss at the restaurant to sponsor us." Spoke up one girl, knowing Tea worked as a waitress for a small, high-end, Italian restaurant.

Tea scoffed. "Yeah right! My boss? That'd be like asking Kaiba Corp to sponsor us." She laughed out loud, holding her sides, but then noticed no one was laughing with her.

She looked around at the serious faces.

"Tea . . . . . you are so smart. Ask Kaiba Corp to sponsor us! You know the guy, right? Maybe you could convince him!" Ally said, and everyone else nodded eagerly.

If they could get Kaiba Corp to sponsor them, they'd be invincible at the end of the year festivities! Not to mention their table status at the prom! This almost made Ally drool, and she shook Tea.

"You have to get that sponsor! We need Kaiba Corp!"

"You guys are nuts! Ask Kaiba to sponsor us? Seto Kaiba? Do you guys even remember him from class? Quiet jerk in the back of the room? Those evil blue eyes! That cold stare! He used to call us 'mindless cheerleaders' and 'ignorant fools'! I am not asking him." She stated, but the stares got angrier. "No! No way in hell!"

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She found herself in front of the Kaiba mansion, looking up at the tall, sleek building. The gates were huge! There was security out and about, guarding the entrance.

Why was she even here? Oh yeah, those stupid girls in her dance club had practically thrown her out of the car. Even if she did attempt to ask him to sponsor them, she was still unsure of how to convince him. She would have to prove her worth. What would she do?

She found herself approaching the gate, and a guard raised an eyebrow. "What business do you have here, miss?" He asked in a deep voice.

"Uh, I wanted to see Kaiba. I want to ask him something."

"About?"

"Uh, duel monsters." She said, and the man frowned, not believing her. "Look, just say that Tea Gardner is here to see him. He'll know who I am." She said, and the guard raised an eyebrow and talked into his headset.

Tea felt like even if she couldn't talk to Kaiba, it would be a good thing. She really didn't want to see him anyway.

The man listened into his headset as someone was talking to him. He looked around Tea, as if trying to find someone else.

He pressed his headset again. "No, she's alone... yeah, I'm sure. Okay, I will." He turned to her. "He can see you, but he doesn't have that much time. You better get in there quick."

She nodded, and the gates opened. Great, she really would have to ask him now. Although, she could probably chicken out anyway, and no one would be the wiser!

She found herself scurrying to the door, though, and before she knew it, she knocked on the large doors. A man answered, and seemed to know exactly why she was there, and led her to an elevator next to a large flight of stairs.

She saw as the large stairs went up several stories. She was glad she didn't have to walk up that thing. The man got in with her and they went up several stories, and finally reached the floor, and the elevator door opened. The man led her to a big, dark office.

And there he was, looking as gloomy and determined as ever. He was at his desk, typing at his computer, not even looking up to acknowledge them.

The man spoke softly, with an accent, "A miss Tea Gardener, sir." He said, and then left the room.

She was now with Kaiba, alone. Was this really the first time she had been with him alone, and not the others? To her memory, it was. She felt really uncomfortable.

He sighed impatiently.

He finally looked up at her, and yet still seemed surprised that she was alone, and not with her regular band of fools. He half expected that dog, Wheeler, to jump out from behind her. He even tiltled his head slightly to prove he was wrong. And he was.

It was just her, alone. What could she possibly want?

"Well? You wanted to talk with me? Is it about the idiot brigade? Because if it is, I really have no intention to deal with them. Unless you have Yugi's god cards with you to give to me, then what could you possibly want with me?" He asked in a dead-pan, monotonous voice, and she bit her lip.

He really was an insensitive jerk! "Not everything's about duel monsters, Kaiba." She snapped. He frowned. Uh-oh, she had really done it, because she knew to Kaiba, everything was indeed about duel monsters.

"What do you want then?" He asked, suspicious. His voice seemed slightly agitated now.

"I was wondering if you –Kaiba Corp, I mean- would sponsor my club." She said, and there was silence.

She looked over at him. His steel face didn't change the slightest. He was just staring at her.

At least she had asked him! She wanted him to reject her so she could leave and finish packing for the trip tomorrow. But he wasn't doing anything! She at least expected him to break out into a fit of evil laughter.

Silence. 'Heheh, reject me, you idiot!' she yelled in her head.

"On one condition." He said coldly, and she nearly fell to the floor in both surprise and shock. "Beat me in a duel." He said calmly, a small smirk on his face.

Her jaw dropped. 'God! Everything IS a duel monster's game for him!' She screamed in her head, flabbergasted. She folded her arms, though, determined. She wasn't about to let Seto Kaiba get the best of her. If he wanted a duel, he was gonna get one!


A/N: OMG -it's back! It's off of hiatus! yay! BUT -it has a new plot. don't hate me! I promise this will be more promising and enjoyable. Everyone was having problems with the last plot and the whole amnesia thing, and frankly -so was i, so i decided to change it. This is gonna be so much more fun, so please bear with me and continue to read!