Arena Gregory sat at her desk, watching idly as the tall gentlemen walked past her office window, several, like her cousin and grandfather, deep in discussion as her uncle Nicholas spoke with the younger man out of the visitors, actually engaging his attention.

His blue eyes caught her watching and a welcoming smiled appeared on his face as he raised a large hand in greeting, not once breaking the conversation with the brunette beside him. Arena couldn't but smile back, despite the dull throbbing from the back of her head.

She noticed the tallest of the bunch, the brown haired Seto Kaiba, glowering in front of him as he stalked impatiently towards the conference room. As ruthless as he was tall, the young CEO had a reputation that preceded him no matter where he went. And having grown up around her duel-mad cousins in their close knit family, Arena knew he was an adversary that only the best could face down and not once tremble.

Glancing back at her computer screen, she stared at the personnel check she had done as required. Well it wasn't really required for such well-known visitors, but it was a habit she had gotten into through her years of using a computer and listening to her father ramble on about security issues at their large multi-billion dollar firm.

She could see that Seto Kaiba was still considered one of the best duellists ever although he rarely graced the game anymore. In fact, she hadn't read about a match from him in many a year. Following his repeated defeats at the hands of Yugi Moto, Kaiba had retired from the duelling side of things, preferring to update the software and hardware used by the new generations of duellists.

In fact, two of Arena's younger cousins attended Kaiba's school he set up not long after retiring from professional duelling. Bryce was in his first year and clearly feeling nervous about it. Atlanta had told her that he had had to pull out of the written exam half way through. Of course, none of the other cousins knew about this as to save face for Bryce. Aimee was in her second year and apparently had caused trouble in her first year by refusing to where the blue uniform with the skirt, citing that it she had to build her own facilities with her father's money then she would do.

Aimee was a clumsy girl who never wore skirts unless for special occasions. Always accidentally knocking into and over things, Aimee learnt from a young age that it didn't pay to get annoyed over things, so she thus developed a pride the size of Manhattan and an aloofness that was borderline freezing temperature. Area could understand, after all, she was often to confused with things in her own mind and thus never really having time for men or a proper social life so she had been called cold in her time, but not like Aimee who was just plain stubborn.

Humming to herself, Arena took one last glance at the postcard beside her laptop, before returning to her work, authenticating the security on her grandfather's program files. Atlanta was going to be late it would seem. If those rushing footsteps were anything to go by. Arena had to suppress a smile as she glanced up to see a whirl of damp hair as the door opposite her own office was flung open to permit the fur ball entry. The great sounds of rummaging and then a frustrated grunt followed before the door was flung open again. The girl stopped, pausing as her green eyes met Arena's before she waved brightly then carrying on towards the conference room. Arena heard her call out to Jen as she went, as Arena carried on with her work, sad that she'd miss the confrontation between Peter and Atlanta, that was always an entertaining time of day.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

The boardroom was nothing special, with its large table, leather chairs, large clear windows and smart board at the far end of the table. Of course, to a normal person, this would look pretty impressive, as not many offices were decorated with such modernised tastes and decorum. But to Seto and Mokuba Kaiba, it was just another boardroom, belonging to another company.

Mokuba, the younger brother, with his long wisps of black hair, did like the style of the room, silently appraising it with his large twinkling eyes. As he expected, his brother sat there with what seemed like a scowl, but in his experience, his expression was pleasantly neutral for Seto, the CEO just never smiles.

Smiling into himself, Mokuba looked to the others present, still wondering what they were doing in this corporation. It wasn't like Gregory Co. was a rival gaming corporation, they were one of the world's leading steel and oil producers. Although, he had heard rumours that the company was taking a new direction in some aspects, although nobody knew what that new direction was.

The man at the top of the table was an older man, probably over the retirement age, although from his laughter as he conversed with the younger man beside him, showed he still had spirit and wasn't ready to settle on some random little desert island somewhere to spend the rest of his days. Mokuba knew this man's name was Harold Gregory, current Chairman of the corporation he and his brother now sat in. He had a reputation of a firm but fair leader within the social workings of the business world, one you couldn't quite place if you seen the merry laughter that now danced in his deep brown eyes.

"That girl would resist all temptation itself if it meant she'd be early for this meeting." His age old voice carried across the room as he spoke to the man on his left that Mokuba knew was his eldest son, Nicholas Gregory. He was a middle-aged man with thick, dark hair that was sprinkled quite liberally with silver hair. Nicholas blinked at his father's amusement, a small smile evident upon his otherwise expressionless face. In contrast to his father, his eyes were a deep blue, and held a certain calmness his father's lacked.

To his left, sat a much younger man, his sky blue eyes watching the Chairman, with a severe amount of respectfulness and seriousness. His hair was auburn, longer than average, combed back from his lightly freckled face. "I don't see why she has to be here, she's not happy about it, these are her holidays after all. We could just start without her. We should have really gotten Arena, at least she'd have been early." With that he glanced to the empty seat that separated him from an even younger boy, who looked out of place in the large room. Not that this boy, who had mid-length brown hair that had natural highlights, seemed to mind. He was staring at the table with a concentrated expression, making Mokuba guess he was listening to music through some earphones.

Except Seto and himself, there were another two men in the room, neither of which Mokuba recognised as anyone important enough for him to have been familiar to him. The group sat there, not feeling much discomfort, evidently waiting on the appearance of a tardy individual that was to occupy the seat opposite Seto, beside the young boy not paying attention to anything else.

Everyone, except the boy, looked expectantly up the table, as the buzzer of the com went, beside Harold Gregory. The chairman pressed the button to allow the other person to speak. "Mr. Gregory, sir, Miss. Atlanta has arrived." came the voice of the chairman's secretary.

A smile beamed across the old, balding chairman's face, "Excellent Jen, allow her to enter." The subject of matter came in the form of a small, young woman, her back turned, nudging the door of the conference room open with her rear while seemingly preoccupied with chatting to the secretaries, as her fast paced voice drifted into the room.

"…was so lovely of you, you really shouldn't have. Better go before I get vocal chords ripped out by Big Perry, will catch up soon." She finally turned around, allowing Mokuba to get a better view of her appearance. Unlike the adults in the room, she wasn't wearing a suit, rather straight black trousers and a light blue jumper up top. Her pretty face was bare of any make-up, making her look that little bit younger at first glance. Her hair was long and brown, and it hung down her back in large curls. Mokuba realised her hair was quite damp so estimated that her hair was probably a lighter shade of brown than what it appeared right now.

Without glancing at the group, she bent and planted a kiss on the chairman's cheek then went to kiss his son too, who evaded by sitting back and surveying her through deep set eyes. "You are late again, Atlanta, I see your time keeping hasn't improved." Nicholas Gregory commented, surveying the young woman, who had by now straightened to stand behind Harold, with strict, blue eyes.

The woman, Atlanta, stared back, laughter dancing in her large, deep sea green eyes. Slowly, she walked around the table, placing a small hand on Nicholas's head, gently muzzling his hair, "Well sorry St. Nick, but I am only five minutes late! That sounds like an improvement to me that does!" As she carried on past, she lost her footing a little only to catch herself on the red-head's chair from behind. "Whoops, that was a close one!" she smiled again as she sat beside the young man, whose eyes were shooting daggers at her, although she seemed to ignore him. "Besides, if somebody had informed me they were taking my notes up here, I wouldn't have wasted more time going to the Unwanted Room."

The young man spoke then, "As opposed to wasting time swimming and forgetting the time again?"

"Boy, you're right Perry, I should get a water-proof watch so I can tell the time anywhere! Thank you for your kind suggestion!" Atlanta was still not looking at the man she had referred to as Perry, instead reaching across him and pulling some papers towards her, looking interested.

The young red head was still glaring at her, lightly flushed in obvious anger, "Don't call me that, my name is Peter, not Perry."

The woman, Atlanta, shrugged in a non-committed fashion, "If you were all desperate you should have gotten Arena up if someone was really needed. Oh, by the way Grandpa, Abigail rang earlier, she says hey. Says that she's thinking of returning home soon. Good news!"

Judging by the way his brother shifted in his seat a little, Seto was getting a little impatient with this little exchange that was going on. Mokuba was finding it highly amusing, however, as the newcomer seemed like a regular simple person, probably resembling a lost person if she hadn't been recognised by the members present. By this time, the young boy had gently nudged her shoulder with his fist, obviously a sign of greeting as she replied with another great smile before returning her bright eyes to the sheet below her, her eyes soaking up the contents on the page.

The meeting seemed to commence when Nicholas Gregory stood up and started into a speech. "We are here today to discuss and negotiate ideas on the new SiM project Gregory Corp is hoping to manufacture in the future."

"And what, if I was so bold as to ask, does Kaiba Corp have to do with this new project of yours?" Seto's arrogant voice dripped with hidden annoyance as he spoke.

Atlanta stopped what she was reading and looked to the man that had just spoken. She had heard of Seto Kaiba before and was well aware of his acute attitude towards others while being obtuse about his motives. When she looked up, she saw the young CEO, dressed in his white, crisp business suit, sitting with arms folded, almost glaring at Nicholas, obviously impatient with the proceedings. Before he could reply, Atlanta smiled and piped up, "Patience is a virtue!" With this, she earned a glare from the young man herself.

Before the cold eyed stare was followed by a quip, Nicholas stated, "You are here for specific reasons that we will outline when we come to them. It is essential we explain or position first." Nicholas turned his gaze on Atlanta, steady and firm, "I don't think that question was particularly directed at you."

Mokuba almost laughed when the girl just held his brother's gaze, not even looking to the other man, "Nothing ever is St Nick, nothing ever is!" Her deep eyes narrowed in on Seto, who closed his eyes, a smirk appearing on his face, as if he couldn't care less about the whole situation.

"Must you call me that? I've told you, I prefer Dad, if it's not too troublesome for you to remember." Nicholas replied to her, before continuing. "Archer, you have the relevant details, why not dim that light and show us your designs so far."

A burly man on the right of Harold Gregory, stood up, a remote in his left hand that he used to dim the lights and turn on the smart board over head. "As you can see, our designs for the SiM are historical based, as sir Harold requested." Everyone turned to look at the smart board, except Atlanta and the young boy, both of who continued what they were doing before, Mokuba noticed out of the corner of his eye. "It's designed to give people an experience of life before modern times. There will be several SiM's, set in different times. We have begun work on the first, which will be set during different times in Ancient Egypt." At this, Mokuba almost felt his brother tense behind him, as they watched blue prints and screen shots appear on the screen. "Of course, it's designed to meet everyone's needs, so we hope to develop a game for younger people, set within the virtual world, with obvious safety measures and such. They'll have the power to go online as it will probably be an RPG, where they meet different characters and carry out quests." The burly man, Archer, continued.

Mokuba wasn't really interested in what he was saying, he'd lost the train of speech when he saw the young woman, Atlanta, pull some sort of micro chip or memory slip, out of her pocket and hand it to the young boy next to her. The boy took it, smiled and took out a little gadget from his pocket and insert the card into the machine. Whatever it was, it completely transformed the expression on his face, the bored expression lighting up with whatever he was doing. The woman was watching him and had a small smile on her face, until something caught her interest when she looked up, a puzzled expression on her face, "That name will have to change."

This confused Mokuba, but he was aware of the expression of the others present, all of whom held the same expression as how he felt. It was the burly man who replied, " Sorry Miss. Gregory, but what will have to change?"

"Oh it's no big detail, just the fact you've got one Queen mixed with another Queen from the preceding Dynasty, that's all." Atlanta smiled, a little embarrassed. She shouldn't really have spoken up then, it wasn't a major factor, and could easily be edited out later. Noticing all the eyes on her, she gave a little shrug, leaving a smile for the younger man with long black hair she knew to be Mokuba Kaiba. She knew he'd lost the train from the way he'd been watching Bryce not so long ago.

She allowed the meeting to continue, noticing a number of impatient coughs, and went back to watching Bryce play the game she'd just handed him. It was a game they'd often played together when they'd grow up together, and she'd just gotten her hands on a new expansion of it, even though it was yet to be released on the market. She was so absorbed with watching her brother play that she hadn't realised she had been spoken to until her grandfather murmured her name patiently, which made her look up.

"Sorry?"

The old man smiled, "The reason I asked you here, concerning the programs we'd need to make this feature work."

Realization dawned on Atlanta, and mentally kicking herself, she looked at her sheets as she spoke, "Ah yes, through research and such, I've found that Mr. Kaiba's technology, which he developed a good number of years ago, would be the best for our project. Of course, we want to expand on it, and I don't want to change or alter anything without Mr. Kaiba's knowledge and permission, both in word and legal document of course, to do so. Of course, all acknowledgements towards Kaiba Corp will be made, so the world will know that we are not trying to rip off or design any new technology in the gaming field, since this is primarily a simulated project, not really concentrating on gaming at all, just as activity for children to do as well as the adults this simulation will be primarily directed towards."

Kaiba was staring at her, cold eyes interested in her words. When she finished her little speech, she continued to look through the papers in front of her, violet eyes, periodically glancing at the gadget in the little boy's hands. "You are aware that I stopped using that technology all those years ago, correct Miss Gregory?"

At her name, which he muttered in his usual cold, condescending tone, she looked up, eyebrows raised. "Well yes, I understand there were a number of bugs."

His gaze narrowed in on her, "Yes, bugs that made the technology dangerous, in the wrong hands."

She blinked, then smiled, not seeming to even quiver under his cold gaze, "Yes, I have looked these bugs over, and with present day advancements, I am sure we can make the game user-friendly enough for the people of the world to use. Believe me, we don't want this project to be potentially life threatening or harmful to anyone."

Mokuba was already bored, he wasn't one for reading up on his brother's project in a technical sense, he just concentrated on using them. The meeting droned on, and in the end, it was decided that the companies would keep contact through their lawyers, deciding how much info about the technology and software would be allowed to be altered. Mokuba sighed in relief as the meeting came to a close. He was sure he and his brother would be the first to leave the room, they never dwindled for long after meetings with other companies.

He was surprised, however, to find the young boy and woman had risen first. The young boy reached up and took a piece of hardware out of his ear. He looked up to the woman before him, "Cool new graphics system in this, nice! Dad, we're going to play some 51-Auto Clone in B6." The boy was taller than the woman, making Mokuba re-evaluate the age he had originally put on the boy, he was obviously in his mid-teens.

The middle-aged man, Nicholas smiled, "Ok Bryce, you behaved well, thank you. Although I believe you would have learnt more if you had of paid attention to the meeting."

The girl shrugged, "Well St Nick, we're not all like Perry and interested in the family business as a career. Some of us have broader prospects, you know!"

This earned her a nudge on the back from the young boy, Bryce, who said, "Come on, I've been bored all morning, time to see if you still can handle the gun, or have your hands deteriorated into the frail old woman's that you have become."

The red haired man laughed, finally looking relaxed, "He's got you there Lantis, you old woman you." he too nudged her, playfully with his fist.

The pretty girl put on a mocked expression, "Please boys, you never do cease to gang up on me, I thought you'd have put your jealousy behind you, I can see not." she stalked round the table, smiling as she went. Mokuba watched as the teenager gave the red-haired man a high-five. The teenager followed Atlanta out of the room, laughing as he went.

Kaiba stood up, "Come on Mokuba, let's get out of here." He glared at the others in the room, "My lawyers will be in contact." And he turned toward the door, feeling agitated. He didn't like thinking about his past, but talking about the virtual technology he had created while still a teenager brought his past straight back in full glare. Stalking, he continued for the door, his brother behind him. He exited the room, and walked along the corridor, barely noticing the boy, who stood, leaning on a door looking into one of the offices.

However, before he got passed them, the woman Atlanta came out, dressed in casual slacks and jersey. Her long hair was tied up, only a few curly strands hung around her face. As Kaiba went to go passed, she looked pale and his eyes narrowed in on her face as time seemed to slow down.

Her eyes seemed to roll back and she weakly started to collapse. His swift reflexes meant that he caught her small, limp body in his arms.

"Atlanta!" the young boy exclaimed, clearly surprised by what had just happened. His voice held concern, but Kaiba ignored him as he checked her wrist to find her pulse beating strongly.

"Relax kid, she's just fainted." Automatically he looked into the room to see the office had a sofa against one of the walls. Lifting her body, he carried her over the threshold of the door and lay her body on the couch. He stood up and realised Mokuba and the boy had followed them into the room. "Someone should get her some water." He looked over to the boy, who was staring at his sister, very pale. Slowly he turned to the messy desk and hit an intercom.

"Jen, could you bring some water to Atlanta's office?" The boy's voice was shaking, he continued to stare at her form. Even as he lifted his finger off the he noticed his sister begin to move as Peter walked passed the door only to do a double take and enter the office.

"What happened here?" he asked, his blue eyes looking at Kaiba suspiciously then to Atlanta to see her eyes flutter open.

Kaiba glared at her, "Are you ok?"

It took a number of seconds for her eyes to focus, then she looked to Kaiba, looking slightly puzzled, "I think I'm ok, just a little light-headed. Heh, must have fainted."

Mokuba crouched down beside her, "You gave us quite a scare, there was no warning, you just collapsed. Lucky Seto was there to catch you."

Peter came forward, "Perhaps you shouldn't over-exert yourself at the minute, especially in your current state."

"Bah!" Atlanta smiled, "I'm fine, I just fainted its not the end of the world."

The youngest came forward, smiling at his older sister, "Maybe Pete's right, I mean, your current condition…"

"Shall remain a private issue!" Atlanta spat then, irritation in her voice as he indicated Kaiba and Mokuba then glaring at her younger brother.

She needn't have worried because Kaiba couldn't care less about her current health. Still glaring, more with impatience, he nodded towards her, "Come on Mokuba!" He left the room, not even glancing back at the girl and her brothers. He went to the lift that led to the bottom floor and both he and Mokuba got into it together.

"What a waste of my time." Kaiba commented, making Mokuba glance at him speculatively, "They're lucky they're paying big money."

Mokuba frowned, "Well at least they were good enough to actually make sure you understood what they were planning on doing with your software and professionally enough to actually ask you in person."

He felt his brother's grunt of impatience as the lift finally opened their doors, "What they did was waste my valuable time during which I could have been working back at the company."

"It's interesting that old Harold Gregory is actually taking time out to do this historical simulation," Mokuba spoke conversationally, walking alongside his older brother with his hands in his pockets, glancing at the young receptionists as he passed, giving a particularly pretty one a little playful wink. Atlanta Gregory, somewhere in a distant memory, he'd heard that name somewhere before. He relayed as much to Seto as they slid in the limo.

Seto folded his arms and glared out the window, "The name does not really ring a bell if I honest Mokuba. I have better things to do with my time than looking up silly little girls that quite obviously don't eat enough."

These words surprised Mokuba as he frowned and stared out his own window. "She looked ok to me," he commented cheerfully, "She wasn't too skinny, just right actually, curvy in the right places."

"I wouldn't have noticed," Seto replied, fixing his coat under himself in his seat. "But the fact she fainted probably points to a girl obsessed with self image even so far as to starve herself of proper nourishment."

Mokuba laughed, he couldn't help himself as he swung round to stare brightly at his older brother, "You really delve too deeply into things Seto. She fainted, it could have been for any reason. It doesn't necessarily mean she has any sort of eating disorder. She could be anaemic or anything."

He received as cool glance from his brother, before blue eyes returned to the window, "And you say I delve too deeply into things. If only you'd actually delve into the company on some deeper level."

Mokuba rolled his eyes, preparing for the same old argument, "Look, Seto, I've told you before, I don't mind taking over from you if crises strike, but I don't really want to plan on making the company my future. She's been yours since the off-go, I wouldn't know how to control her long-term and I'm not really interested in all the programming and such. I'll just stick with the public image sector, it suits me fine. Besides, someone has to put out a friendly face for the company and I doubt it'll be you."

"I'm not really bothered," Seto replied, staring even more determinedly out of the window, "As long as the shares and stock stay up I'm content."

Mokuba slapped his brother's shoulder, "And that's where I come in! We're a great team, with you at the reins and me in the magazines. Besides, you can train up your kids to take over the company when anything happens to you."

He earned himself a hot sapphire glare from Seto with the last sentence, "I don't intend on having children. You and your offspring, as endless as that family would be all over the world, are the company's future."

"Whatever." Mokuba rolled his eyes, elbowing his brother's side, "I can't wait until the day a lovely girl sweeps you off your feet Seto. Celibacy is not going to be your eternal damnation, I swear it."

"It sounds more like paradise to me." came the sardonic reply making Mokuba sigh with frustration.

How the hell did a guy, as good-looking as Seto, go through his life without actually ever striking an interest in girls. Here he was, thirty in a number of years, and he had never even paid a girl an honest compliment, not including those social gatherings required for certain business deals, but even then, Seto remain aloof and away from the women that paraded themselves trying to get his attention. Still, everyone of them failed.

Still, Mokuba refused to give up hope, Seto would need someone else to look after one Mokuba started moving on with his own life. Without anyone to watch, Seto's life would be empty, after all, he had spent his adolescence and adulthood looking out for Mokuba, making sure he had the best life possible. Actually, it was better than most lives, despite the fact he was an orphan and had never met his mother.

"One of these days Seto, you are going to meet your match and I'm going to be best man at the wedding!"

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Aimee sat in her room, sifting through her deck, not really seeing the cards in front of her at all. Her mind was preoccupied with what she'd seen before. It was too freaky to think about what had happened at the school. It had been somehow taken into another dimension and somehow, she had been left behind while still in her dorm room.

From the stories she had heard, she really was glad that she had been left behind, she wouldn't have enjoyed taking out duel ghouls and such. And now she sat alone in her room, getting away from everyone. Even Arianna had stayed to hear all the stories about the returning students who had disappeared not long after the school had returned.

This time Atticus, one of the only students to have been left behind the first time, was one of them. He had ventured out to guard his sister. But they had returned, and boy had things changed. Jaden Yuki was now the only one out of his friends dwelling in Slifer Red, but at least, if anything happened, he'd be there to defend that dorm….especially when Bryce got back.

Aimee didn't like all the weird stuff that had been happening lately, it made her feel...on edge

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Here's today's mail Mr Kaiba, some of it arrived late." Lorna, his middle-aged secretary sat a collection of envelopes on Kaiba's desk with her usual briskness and efficiency. Barely glancing away from the screen, Kaiba nodded his thanks, surprised to find Lorna continuing, "There seems to be an important and urgent letter from the sperm lab sir."

Kaiba looked up from his screen, staring at Lorna with a confused frown on his face. Slowly, he nodded for her to leave before turning his attention to the letters in front of him. Cautiously, as if the letter contained a bomb, he lifted the envelope with the sperm lab's stamp on the front. Possibilities were running through is mind, what could be so urgent that they'd stamped the word on the front? Could he be ill?

After all, that had been the purpose of these tests, in order to check his health. But to have confirmation of something like this. Obviously, this was going to be an invite, they wouldn't give you information that important and private in a letter that could be intercepted.

Slowly, he ripped the envelope open and begun to read the formal letter, his usual frown deepening into a fierce scowl as he read the words. Swiftly, he buzzed for Lorna demanding, "Bring me the Gregory files immediately." He had some shifty business to take care of. He dialled the number of the lab immediately, waiting impatiently for the doctor to appear on the screen, someone was going to sot this situation out, now!