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The bright animated advertisement flashed behind Kisara. Her white hair was pulled up into a messy bun and loose strands were tucked behind their nearest ear. With one hand Kisara dragged her suitcase and duffel bag along. With the other she juggled a protein bar and her smartphone. She frequently shifted her gaze to different arrows and cues directing her to the exit. After spending most of her day at the Washington airport and then the New York airport, she was eager to get out into fresh air. She was starved and her scrawny figure trudged along with the large suitcase clonking behind her. She blew a stray strand out of her eyes and headed towards what she assumed was the nearest door to the outside.
*BANG!*
Before she could register what happened she found herself on the ground. Bruised and annoyed the white haired woman slowly collected herself. While getting up she spotted what had brought her down. A tall and slim man in a sleek navy suit was collecting the belongings of his now emptied briefcase. Kisara began to gather up her own possessions as well. "You know, you could apologize." Kisara hissed quietly to herself although the sentiment was directed at the man. She clutched at the sorry mushed remnants of her protein bar and snatched up her bags and phone.
"Why would I apologize when it was clearly you who wasn't paying attention to your surroundings?" He responded patronizingly. The man scoffed before standing up fully and dusting himself off.
"I bumped into you?" She asked sharply. Her irritation had risen considerably at his condescension. "Honestly if-" She cut herself off. "You know what forget it, have a great day asshole." She stomped past the man in an angry huff. A few choice obscenities were directed back at the man over her shoulder as she walked away. The man watched her for a moment. The tiny, stomping, white haired woman was amusing but also felt… familiar. The man shook his head. He was on a business trip and he couldn't let his head get filled with nonsense.
"Monsters and Magic! Relive the battles of History. Get the new set of 'Duel Monsters' cards at your local game shop."
The poster on the side of Kisara's taxi was peeling and looked weathered and old. With the help of the taxi driver Kisara managed to lug her heavy suitcase and duffel bag up the stairs to her new residence. The two then stood outside the taxi, while Kisara scrounged up the change to pay the taxi driver. "Forty dollars and twenty three cents." Kisara placed the money in the hands of the cab driver. He nodded and mumbled thanks through a heavy eastern European accent before settling back in his cab and driving off.
The young white haired woman sighed deeply before heading back into her apartment. It was small, the best the department could afford. But it had a cozy feel and was quaint. Despite hearing some terrible rumors, Kisara was pleasantly surprised to find a mostly functional and complete kitchen. The windows weren't large but they at least had a view of a street instead of the brick wall of someone else's house. The bedroom wasn't large either and the bathroom looked like it had seen better days. Kisara was pleased though; the apartment was a lot better than the roach trap she was expecting.
She set up her laptop on the kitchen table and started it up. Within minutes she sweet Jazz playing and it filled up the quiet room. Kisara unpacked, cooked a meal and then checked her emails. At around four in the afternoon, while Kisara was playing a video game on her laptop, her cellphone rang. She glanced at it uninterestedly before realizing who it was. Immediately she left her game and rushed to answer the phone.
"Professor Morte!" Kisara answered excitedly. "Yes I'm settled and haha no the place is not bad" She paced into the hallway leading to her bedroom. "Tonight?" Her single suitcase lay in the middle of the room. It reminded her the majority of her closet was left behind in Washington. "I don't know Professor, as childish as this sounds I don't have anything to wear to such an event" She bit her lip while listening to the other end. "Are you sure?" Her brow furrowed. "Well of course I'm excited to see the pieces but." She pursed her lips at being cut-off. "No you're right I'll be there. NYU? Seven o' clock? I'll be there. Also thank you again for this opportunity" She smiled and blushed as she walked back into the kitchen. "Haha I suppose that's true. Yes I'll see you tonight." She placed the phone back down on the table and slumped into her chair.
'This was it' she thought to herself 'the opportunity I always wanted'. She smiled bemusedly. "I better get ready then." She whispered to herself. Kisara stood backup and left to get ready.
"The best way to duel like the Pro's is with your own KaibaCorp duel disc and a pre-made dueling deck by Industrial Illusions. Order this combo online now!"
The young man from the airport was annoyed by the happy voice of the television commercial. The television was left on by the maids that were cleaning the room prior to his arrival. He turned off the television so he could hear the other end of his phone better. He had dropped his suitcase on the table and briefly surveyed his room before making a beeline for the liquor provided by the hotel.
"No Mokuba, I'm not here to catch the sights. You know that. It's strictly business." His navy striped business jacket was draped casually over the chair behind the young man. "The sooner I oversee construction of the new office here in New York, the sooner I can leave." He said in an irritated tone. His phone was now balanced precariously between his cheek and shoulder as he popped open the scotch decanter. "Mokuba if you want to fly here to take in the sights you're free to do so. I don't have time. There's too much going on for me to bother with that." He poured the amber liquid into a small glass.
"Pegasus?" His eyes sharpened. "What does that insufferable man want?" He took a sip of his scotch. "WHAT!?" The scotch was spit out all over everything, including the young man himself. "No. No. I will not do that Mokuba!" The young man yelled into the phone. He paused for a minute to hear the other end. "Well, of course I have my deck but that's beside the point. Tell that useless man that I will not participate in his ridiculous tournaments. If he wants his pathetic company to lose business by not signing the deal then that's his problem and not mine. It's bad enough I have to go to Ishizu's exhibition while I'm here." He ranted while dabbing at his shirt with a silk handkerchief.
"Yoohoo! Kaiba boy!" A familiar voice called out from behind the young man's hotel door. It was followed by a couple of quick, light knocks. "I know you're in there Kaiba boy. I could hear your loud mouth all the way from the elevators." The voice yelled. The voice kept talking about its feelings as Kaiba tuned out and racked his brain trying to figure out his next move.
"How did that clown find my hotel?" Kaiba hissed out loud. "Hmm? Sorry Mokuba I'm going to have to call you back." Seto Kaiba turned the call off and turned his attention back to the knocking and voices coming from behind his door.
In a single motion he crossed the room and opened the door. Outside his room he found Pegasus surrounded by a small group of reporters. "Oh Kaiba boy!" The hair on the back of Kaiba's neck stood up. "You should know it's rude to keep friends waiting." Pegasus crooned. Before Pegasus could do anything more revolting the reporters erupted in a chorus of questions and commentaries.
"Is it true you're participating in Pegasus's tournament next weekend?" A red haired and busty reporter asked. She shoved her microphone uncomfortably close to Kaiba's face. Kaiba cringed and his grip on the doorknob tightened.
"This would be your first event in a duel monsters tournament since your impromptu battle during the opening of your own amusement park." A tall but stocky man pushed the red head out of the way as he said this. "Is your deck prepared for all the new duelists out there?" The cameras swarmed just behind the reporters and Kaiba became increasingly more uncomfortable.
"Kaiba have you gained weight?" A reporter for a tabloid news channel asked. Kaiba was fuming.
"Oh Kaiba boy you really should be wearing cleaner shirts when you're going on TV." Pegasus laughed and poked at the wet scotch stain on Kaiba's shirt. "Looks like my good friend Seto Kaiba is a bit of a slob." Pegasus told the reporters with a smirk. "But I love him anyways, right Kaiba boy?"
Kaiba's face was beet red and he was calculating how much he'd have to pay the reporters to not air him strangling the Industrial Illusions CEO. "Pegasus." He muttered from in between gritted teeth. "I'll join your stupid tournament if you and cronies here leave me alone."
"Oh Kaiba." Pegasus cheered. "I knew you'd come around." The white haired man put his arm around Kaiba. "But first a quick photo op. Say cheese Kaiba boy. It's gonna be a great tournament now tha you're in it." There were flashes and more questions yelled at Kaiba.
"Ok settle down ladies and gentleman, I'll be glad to answer any questions downstairs. Kaiba here has just recently landed in New York and is probably quite jet-lagged." The reporters started desperately yelling questions at Kaiba in an attempt to get some last quotable responses. "Settle down, settle down." Pegasus told the crowd. He started herding them away from Kaiba's room.
As the crowd of reporters disappeared around a corner Pegasus turned back to Kaiba. "I'm glad you came around Kaiba, but please be a bit more presentable at my tournament. My tournament is of a higher class than your current slovenly appearance. Do freshen up beforehand." The older man grinned cheekily. Then Pegasus disappeared behind the corner himself.
Once the reporters and Pegasus could no longer be heard, Kaiba unclenched his fist and released his grip on the doorknob. He turned back into his room and slammed the door shut behind him. Now he was roped into one more ridiculous event. He groaned.
He glanced at the clock. It was six. "Fuck." He muttered. "I'm going to be late to that stupid exhibit." His eyes glanced down at the stain, which was now cold as it occasionally rubbed against his skin, He grabbed the hotel phone and dialed room service. "Hello I need you to get me a dress shirt. Neck, 15 inches, sleeve 34 inches, chest 34 inches and waist 32. I prefer blue or white." He listened to the other line for a few seconds and sighed. "I'm Seto Kaiba, make an exception and make it snappy. I need that shirt in 10 minutes." Kaiba didn't let them reply by hanging up immediately. If he rushed he could shower before the shirt arrived and make it to the event on time. He cursed Pegasus under his breath then went in the bathroom to get ready.
It was going to be a very long night.