A steady steam of water rolled down the large windows that framed the office. It had been this way for the past couple of days. The rain poured all day and stopped often at night, only to continue the next morning. Right now though, it was like a fine mist that made the neighboring sky scrapers look blurred and indistinct.
It was gloomy to say the least. Rain non stop every single day? 'Well at lease the sun isn't blinding me' Kaiba thought grimly, looking outside.
His expensive leather chair was facing the window. Papers were stacked in a neat pile- still left unattended- and a cold cup of coffee- untouched- stood on the desk to the far left beside his pen.
The papers lacked his required signatures, and glared daggers in the back of his head, but for the first time in his living memory, he had no desire to work. It seemed to come with the unusual summer rain, this terrible laziness of his. From the moment this drastic change of weather occurred, he felt irritable and uneasy.
His elbow rested on the arm rest and his chin, on his knuckles. His other hand was thrown across the second arm-rest, tapping restlessly.
His mind was far away and yet focused on nothing in particular. A buzzing at the back of his mind- that if left ignored- morphed into voices sprouting horrible lies. The voice would whisper harshly, that he was submerging himself in work to ignore something else. But this could not be true.
He was always the head of Kaiba Corp ever since he bought it out from his step-father. But now it was official. He was eighteen and in complete and utter control.
As soon as he had finished high school, he put all his focus on running the company. There was no need to further his studies. In his mind, that was for the sole purpose of ensuring and securing a substantial job and position in life, which he already had.
His mind was always on business or Mokuba's well being, so needled to say, this haze of his mind puzzled him greatly.
He needed to get these things done…so why then had he no inclination to lift his hands?
He stared morosely at the rain drops rolling down the window and sighed. 'Something is wrong'.
All his life, work and business pertaining to work, made him feel…satisfied. It is all he needed. It was all he needed. But now?
Now what?
Was he not…satisfied?
It was alarming to think that he wasn't. Why wouldn't he be? He had money, power and a goal in life. There was nothing- in his opinion- that he lacked. He bought everything that he needed, wanted, or simply on a whim, desired.
He made sure that Mokuba never had to ask for anything and when he did, it was available as fast as humanly possible.
He provided everything for them. His business was at the top of its game. So why then? Why?
The buzzing sound in his head got louder and his eyes that had been closed in thought, snapped open. He spun his chair around and glared at the flashing red light on the phone. It would not relent under his stare so he pressed the button irritably. "What is it," he demanded coldly, rubbing his strangely tired eyes.
"Uh…Mr. Kaiba…sir?"
"Yes Kuzuma. Who else would it be," he snapped.
"Of course sir, my apologies. I was just…concerned b-because you were, I mean you are-"
"What do you want." Kaiba cut the stuttering woman off sharply. He winced at the sound of his voice. He really didn't intend to sound so sharp but he certainly couldn't apologize to her. He was the boss.
A headache was creeping between his eyes.
There was a choking noise and he could almost see her stricken look.
"Sir, I wanted to remind you that you have a meeting in five minutes about the new project schematics." Her voice was forced calm and Kaiba almost sighed. Yet another meeting. Would they not end? It seemed the whole purpose of his life was to attend some sort of meeting.
"Thank you," he replied quietly, releasing the button and letting his head fall to his hands. The air conditioned room felt stifling and his high collar shirt felt too tight and constricting. It was as if his body was growing tired of the material.
He worked seven days a week and well into the wee hours of the mornings each night. How could one sleep when there was work to be done?
He needed air. Air that was not in this office filled with dark colors, and dark furniture and…work. Quite suddenly, he threw his chair back and got to his feet. Sweat prickled on his palms. He snatched up his keys and left his office, slamming the door behind him.
His mind barely registered the word 'meeting' when his stomach gave a jolt and the elevator moved downward. He didn't care though. He arranged the meetings, even set the time and purpose for said meetings. Hell, he'll just reschedule. One of the perks of being in charge. He would smirk arrogantly if he wasn't so nauseas.
The lift stopped with another jerk in his stomach and he stumbled out, clutching the walls and ignoring the stares. He was out through the impressive revolving doors in record time.
Fumbling somewhat with the keys, he hastily opened his car door and climbed inside, immediately placing his warm forehead on the cool leather steering wheel.
He was out but he wasn't safe.
He inserted the key and the engine roared on. Thrusting the gear stick forward, he sped down the empty street. Fingers squeezed and his foot heavily pressed on the gas, unaware of the swerving and erratic movements the car was making.
He wasn't aware of how long he'd been driving when his car finally ran out of gas and stopped.
Kaiba's fingers felt glued to the steering wheel and he was panting. But why? The windshield wipers did their dance and in the brief moments of visibility, he realized he had driven into an old parking lot.
He got out of the car and raised his head to the sky. Drizzles fell into his eyes and clung to his hair but it felt refreshing. He was in the shadier part of town where vagrants and crime was in abundance. The buildings here looked perpetually old and unkempt, and an odor lingered.
Had he not been tired and his body not ached so much, he probably would have wrinkled his nose in disgust. But he didn't, he just blankly obliged to the motions of his feet as they carried him through grimy alleys and streets that reeked of garbage and something else he would rather not fathom.
The rain barely drizzled now but his suit and shoes were soaked through. He would probably catch his death of cold.
Kaiba pressed his back onto the dirty wall on the backside of an apartment building. Warm light spilled through an open window from one of the small antique shops that lined the narrow alley. The light it casted illuminated the puddles of water that his feet were in.
His shoes would surely be soiled after this. It didn't register in his mind to care though; things like those were easy enough to come by. He was just glad for the welcomed anchorage that the wall provided when he slid down to the wet ground.
With his hands folded on his knees, his head lolled limply. For minutes he simply watched the water drip from the ends of his hair into the puddle beneath him until someone spoke, disturbing the silence.
"Are you all right, stranger?" A voice asked curiously.
"Fine," Kaiba answered sharply, hoping that his tone would deter any more intruding questions.
It didn't.
"Funny, you sure don't look fine to me," the man persisted coolly. Kaiba gave a low growl but didn't bother to raise his eyes. This man was nothing but an annoyance, most likely some vagrant looking for conversation in the wrong place.
Kaiba had no intention of speaking with him. The man however, seemed to either be very dense or incredibly persistent because he felt a warmth beside him. The man had sat down.
Kaiba was definitely annoyed but the man's tenacity aroused his curiosity so he glanced at him. He was average build, definitely bigger than Kaiba himself. His long blonde hair was damp and looked almost brown. He had the sense to wear a coat over his head but he wore large sunglasses, something which Kaiba found very strange.
When the man spoke again it was with a low and serious voice.
"I recognize you from T.V. Seto Kaiba right?"
Kaiba allowed himself to snort in amusement. "You have television?"
The man chuckled. "Why, of course. Why wouldn't I?"
"I didn't think vagrants had television," Kaiba replied bluntly.
"Neither would I," said the man chuckling, "but I'm no vagrant. I own a shop of sorts."
Kaiba found this hard to believe but didn't bother to reply, feeling the concealed gaze burning into him. After a minute of silence the man spoke again in an even voice.
"You know Seto Kaiba; I've seen a lot of people like you," the man continued, "those whose paths suddenly become unclear, throwing them into confusion."
What the hell? Where did this come from? Kaiba tried to contain the shocked look on his face, but the man's now knowing sneer told him he'd failed.
"What makes you think I've lost my way?"
"What? Other than that obvious sign stamped across your face?"
Kaiba's eyes narrowed. This man…who was he? He talked like he knew him. It couldn't be that obvious could it? Well Billionaire Business man Seto Kaiba sitting on the ground in an alley in the rain isn't an obvious sign of a problem…it's simply….not normal! This man didn't know him. It was ridiculous.
"It's really none of your business," Kaiba gritted out. "And I'm fine."
The man however, surveyed him seriously, or at lease Kaiba thought so. It was unnerving not to be able to see his eyes. The man continued like Kaiba hadn't even spoken.
"They often stumble into my shop looking for something to assuage the pain and…coax things in their favor. Certain magical items…"
He touched a sore spot.
"I don't believe in that magic nonsense."
"Oh? I think you do."
Kaiba snorted. "You're wrong. You don't know me! I believe in logic and magic defies logic, therefore magic does not exist."
"Kaiba, there are all kind of magic. It surrounds us everyday and assists us in mysterious and sometimes unknown ways. It's necessary. I'm afraid you're blinded by your fears and insecurities. A pitiful way to live really…"
Kaiba wanted to cover his ears but his hands wouldn't move. His eyes couldn't tear themselves away from the man's mouth sprouting theses words. His body couldn't stop trembling at the cold that hit him like a smack to the face.
"Kaiba, you are pitiful. A little magic is never a bad thing. Like a rose springing from concrete, it can do wonders. But, like all things…it comes…with a price. Sometimes a heavy one but, the outcome is always…wroth it…as I'm sure you'll soon find out…"
Kaiba noted the level and low, dry hiss of his voice. Like a snake, slowly hissing to bewitch and entrap its prey before devouring it. What a strange thing to think at a time like this. His brain felt heavy and unresponsive and his eyes began to close.
When he realized what was happening, he snapped his eyes open forcefully and jerked his neck up.
The man was gone.
Strange, he didn't hear him leave. There was a tingling sensation at the back of his head and he touched a hand lightly to it. Blood?
The sight of it made his head feel light as air. He scrambled to his feet and froze when something caught his eyes. Bending down to pick it up, his fingers flinched momentarily.
A duel monsters card? Kaiba blinked a few times in surprise. He could safely say that he had never seen a card like this one. He couldn't tell if it was a monster or magic card. It only held the name at the top; The Beast Within.
What kind of card was this? He knew every single card that existed. Well maybe hat notion was a bit farfetched but still, he would have heard about such a card. It looked in pretty good condition and no doubt rare.
He stared at it intently, anything than to focus on the red mixing with the water and dripping down his hand.
His head suddenly snapped up on high alert. It wasn't here just now. Did that man lose it?
Drop it?
He said he owned a store. Kaiba griped the card firmly. "Ah well, his lost."
As soon as the words left his mouth a searing pain sliced through his head, rendering him to his knees. His eyes bulged as his brain felt as if it had been lit on fire. Desperate fingers clutched at his hair but the pain only doubled making him release the scream that he was holding in. His vision blurred and the last thing he saw was the card- now completely charred and smoking- before his eyes rolled back in his head and he collapsed.