The cool sea breeze softly wrapped it's arms around the slender, yet lanky, form of the infamous Pegasus J. Crawford. The sky was a large canvas with brightening shades of red, purple, and gold, casting glittery dances along the crystal waters. The unusual cumulonimbus clouds inched slowly along the sky, making way for the delicate blue that would soon envelop them in it's warm, tropical features. Sea gulls quietly called out to the sky as dolphins rose to the top of the water, ready to entertain any boaters seeking fun.
Nothing he had ever seen was so glorious, so perfect, so magnificent.
Yes, for a toon-obssessed duelist, Pegasus did have a soft spot for beauty and nature. It all reminded him of his Cyndia. Beautiful, gorgeous, perfect Cyndia. Although he had lost her, he somehow managed to move on in life, keeping her never-dying spirit close to his unusually warm heart.
The white wine in his crystal glass swirled solemnly as he raised it to his lips and took a sip, savoring the sharp yet loving taste as it sweeped over every part of his mouth, then coolly inched down his dry throat. He placed it on the table beside him, lowered his head and shut his eyes.
He was exhausted.
The day had been long and sleep had dodged him since he had traveled to Domino a few weeks ago. A young woman had been calling to him in his dreams. She had been asking for him. And although he had resisted her bidding, she continued to call to him, until he had given in and sent away for his ship to take him. He had called around three in the morning, and beginning to wonder if he had made a 'sleep-resistant-' mistake at doing this.
"Master Pegasus, Sir, we are to reach Domino in five minutes." Crocketts said with a deep bow.
Pegasus merely nodded, amused that a fool like Crocketts couldn't see the beauty he himself saw.
"Crocketts," he said softly, "have you ever taken time to actually look at life, and the world around you?"
Confused, Crocketts slowly shook his head.
Smiling, Pegasus waved his hand over the vast amount of water.
"And neither did I until I lost my Cyndia. Then I realized I could be gone as well. That's when I figured I needed to take a second ticket on life and start over." His voice slowly faded away as he lowered his hand and placed it on the rail. "Never in my life have I wanted a woman to hold so badly. I love Cyndia, and I always will, but something is telling me there is another one out there; and she's waiting for me to receive her."
Crocketts frowned and began to slowly leave, figuring that he was like this because of the wine. As Head of Security, Crocketts made sure that no harm was to befall Pegasus. But when he was acting like this... well, Crocketts couldn't protect Master Pegasus from himself...
Realizing he was alone again, he allowed an exasperated sigh to escape his slender lips. How that word tore his heart apart like a coyote eating its meal of freshly caught rabbit. The word was daggers when said to him, or even when he thought it. How could he, creator of Duel Monsters, President of Industrial Illusions, wonderful artist, feel so alone? And why was he suddenly having these strange feelings? Sure, he had felt like this after Cyndia passed, but these feelings were stronger... and rather scary.
"Master Pegasus, I am pleased to inform you we have now arrived in Domino City."
Pegasus nodded and thanked the captain and crew, then slowly made his way down the ramp laid out.
Now he would find what that tugging at his heart was. Find out if it was love, or maybe if destiny had decided to use him as a pawn for its own lustful desires...
"Get out of my head!" The brunette sat up suddenly, icy blue glaciers wide open, breath sharp and rapid.
He had the dream again.
He raised his hand to his forehead and brushed aside the hair that was stuck with sweat to his pallid skin. He inhaled a deep breath and exhaled slowly. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale.
What was wrong?
The chaos of green numbers on the clock beside him read 5:45. Still morning.
He slowly drew his long legs over the side of the bed and tiredly ran his hand through his tousled hair. Dressed casually in a pair of sea-blue pajama bottoms and black socks, he looked more like a teenage college student then CEO of Kaiba Corp.
He slowly made his way to the window, threw back the cashmere curtains, and looked at the rising fire ball on the horizon.
What was this dream that occurred in his mind every night? Who was that girl haunting his dreams? Why was she haunting them, exactly?
"I'm a fool. Maybe I have been working too hard." He told himself for the umpteenth that time week.
"Big brother?" Mokuba walked in, looking like a young child in his Blue Eyes White Dragon pajama's and matching socks. "I heard you yelling and I thought something was wrong."
Turning, Seto half-smiled at the little form of Mokuba.
"I'm fine, Mokie," At this, the boy smiled. Seto rarely called him Mokie anymore, "just had an odd dream again. That's all." He made his way to his bed, sat down, and motioned for Mokuba to sit next to him.
"Oh, is it the one where you defeat Yuugi-kun in a duel and then he haunts your mind?" The boy asked as he hopped onto the bed and leaned against his brother.
Nodding, Seto wished that he did have that dream.
"Well, you won't have to dream much longer. You'll beat Yuugi in no time, and if he even dares haunt you, I'll...I'll..." He fell asleep mid-sentence, his raven head leaning against Seto's muscular shoulder.
Seto patted the dark haired boy and laid him in his bed, pulled the soft blankets over his small frame, and quickly left the room.
There was work to do. No more time to think of this strange girl and why she was messing with his mind.
He stepped into the bathroom and looked in the mirror. The bags under his eyes had steadily grown darker over the past week. What was happening to him?
He wet a cloth with warm water and washed his face, stupidly figuring that it would wash away his thoughts and replace them with what was really important.
No such luck.
He groaned and moved to the shower, switching on the water to as hot as it would get, then moving swiftly to the door and locking it. The steam hurriedly rose from the glass stall, sending cirrus-like 'clouds' overhead.
He stripped from his pajama bottoms and socks and stepped it, grateful for the warmth and relaxation that the clear, clean liquid sent over his body.
Well, that didn't last long either.
He let the water flow over his dark hair, turned his face downwards, and leaned with one hand against the wall. The water dripped softly from the ends of his hair, ears, and chin, tickling random spots on his face.
He watched as the water swirled down the drain, and compared that to his mind. Why was this happening? He was Seto Kaiba, CEO of Kaiba Corp., and the only Duelist who even was considered a rival to that fool of a duelist Yuugi Mutou.
He turned to switch off the water, pushed aside the curtain, and stepped, dripping and steamy, onto the plush green mat that lay below.
He grabbed a towel and quickly dried himself off, slipped into his usual attire, and stopped to look at himself in the mirror. He ran a hand through his tousled hair and did his best to straighten it, even using a bit of Mokuba's gel to keep it from falling.
He groaned quietly as he made his way to his office, a tired yet determined look upon his handsome face.
He would find out who this mystery girl was. He would find out today. He would find out now.
He sat at his desk, hands clasped, eyes straight ahead of him. He would retrace his thoughts, trying to see if he knew this girl in person, or if she was a mere figment of his imagination.
"Let's see..." He mumbled to himself, shutting his eyes and staring at the darkness of his eyelids, which soon became small movie screens for the vivid memories flooding back to him.
"What happened over the past month...?" His lips whispered as he laid his forehead on his hands.
He searched his mind, then finally remembered what he had done exactly
I spent all day working on strategies to defeat Yuugi, so I stayed in my office all day.
Thursday I worked on the finishing touches for Mokuba's new game player, since his birthday is in two weeks. So I was in the basement all day, too.
Friday was the Duelists Convention...I saw Yuugi, Anzu, Honda, Ryo, and The Mutt. But there was another girl...younger, fifteen, perhaps...what was her name? The Mutt told me to stop staring at her when he caught me...then we dueled and I kicked his Doggy ass...she smiled at me although I insulted Dog Boy...she's his sister, then. But what is her name!
Seto racked his mind for the answer to this, but to no avail. Deciding to ask Mokuba later, Seto turned on his computer and silently began to design a new twist to Mokuba's game; although he knew he would have to redo the entire gaming system if he added anything.
Oh well. Whatever took his mind off the girl until Mokuba awakened.
"Master Pegasus?" Crocketts inquired, looking confusedly at the man sitting across from him.
"Hmm?" He looked over at the man, wondering what he wanted.
"You were staring into space, Sir. Thinking of something?"
"Crocketts, what did we do when we were overin Domino a few weeks ago?"
"We looked at the Egyptian Exhibit, talked over a few new plans with Mr. Ryuuji, and went to the Duelists Convention."
As if a sudden bright idea came to his crafty mind, Pegasus turned fully to stare at Crocketts.
"Who did we see?"
"Erm..." Crocketts thought for a moment, then counted them off on his fingers, "Jonouchi, Honda, Yuugi, Anzu, Ryo," at this, Pegasus shuddered as he thought of poor little Ryo's alter ego, "and Jonouchi's younger sister...Shizuka, I believe it was."
"Auburn hair, warm chocolate eyes, and looked about fourteen or fifteen?" Pegasus questioned him.
He thought for a moment, finally replying, "Yes."
Pegasus sat back with a sigh. He knew who she was. Finally. And later he would find where she was. And why she was in his dreams. But most importantly, she would be his...
"Master Pegasus?" Crocketts inquired, looking confusedly at the man sitting across from him.
Whilst these two men thought curiously about their 'Dream Girl', the young Shizuka lay in her bed, a smile upon her angelic face, completely oblivious that she had caught the love, attention, and affection of two of the most prosperous men in the world...