Hey everybody! I'm back after a long break. I have been suffering from writers block! I was putting off updating this so I wouldn't have to deal with it but.. I couldn't put it off forever! And so! drum roll it's chapter 7!

Once again, only one review. sighs dramatically oh well

scolds readers no seto plushies for you this time! I might consider throwing them around again if this chappie gets more reviews than the last one!

Thanks for reading!

Chapter 7

Yuka sighed once more. No, that would never do. She would have to present it in a different way…she needed some sort of plan…

And that was how, after many days spent locked in her room and pondering carefully, save for having to get up to drive Jou, Kaiba and herself to school (with much of Jou glaring and Kaiba smirking) Yuka finally found herself walking out the front door and strolling down the street. But she wasn't headed in just any direction. Oh, no! She cackled to herself evilly. All those hours of pondering would finally be put to good use. It was time… to execute the plan. Of course, upon opening the door to her room she had been practically attacked by Jou, who had all sorts of questions ranging from where the bathroom was to the fact that he had forgotten to pack his toothbrush, but Yuka had brushed him aside purposefully and told him to wait until she got back. If she ever got back… which, knowing Kaiba, was a definite if. Yuka shivered slightly. She would hardly be surprised if her master plan blew up in her face.

Walking in silence for another 20 minutes with only her thoughts for company, Yuka finally turned the corner onto the street she knew all too well. She glanced across the street, and her eyes met the very bushes through which she had first seen the proud Seto Kaiba. Running after his brother trying madly to recapture his precious diary. Erm…journal. Mwaha.

That was also the first time she had met Mokuba…which brought her thoughts up to speed. This was the first part of her task. She had to somehow get into Kaiba mansion unnoticed and find Mokuba without arousing the attention of Kaiba. Which was easier said than done, considering the security measures the older Kaiba took with his younger brother. Yuka was beginning to wish she had taken that into consideration when she first thought of The Plan. Oh shit.

But wait… was that a chorus of giggles she heard coming from the grounds? Yuka tried to imagine Kaiba or his black-suit-clad security guards frolicking about the lawn giggling, and found it rather unlikely. No… there was only one person in the whole of Kaiba mansion who giggled… and that one person was none other than Mokuba Kaiba. She was glad to have found him. After much consideration, since Mokuba would be most likely to help her, she decided to tell him Jou's story. She felt that she could trust the younger Kaiba to keep it a secret, and now that she had found him she could tell him what had happened.

Cackling yet again, Yuka slowly crept towards the bushes on either side of the high fence that guarded the front of the long driveway. Walls… erm… bushes… wouldn't stop her! But this seemed rather tricky. Kaiba must have planned it that way. The bushes were too thick to climb through, and yet too sparse to climb over. How masterful… how devious. Yuka was thoroughly irked. And yet, perhaps a simple plan would do. One that she would execute immediately, so as to not waste time. Yuka breathed deeply, and braced herself.

"MOKUBAAAAA!" she bellowed. The giggling ceased, and she heard the slow patter of footsteps moving towards her across the grass opposite those hateful bushes. She had half a mind to go home and get the weed whacker… but no, there were more important things to be done at the moment. Perhaps another time.

"Who's there?" Mokuba's voice echoed across the distance uncertainly. Yuka decided he had been kidnapped one too many times for him to be entirely sure he was safe from strange voices emanating from the bushes sinisterly. Or perhaps just loudly. It was time to announce her presence… she would simply have to do it in a way that did not draw attention to herself.

"It's me, Yuka," she said quietly, attempting to poke her head through the bushes so as to converse more easily. No, the branches were too thick, and she seemed to have gotten her head lodged halfway through those damn bushes.

Oh you're smug now, but wait until I get that weed whacker, she directed the menacing thought towards the branches before giving a final heave and wrenching her head free.

The giggling resumed. "Oh, I know you! You're my brother's new chauffeur… but what exactly are you trying to do to the bushes? No, never mind. Was there something you needed?" Yuka couldn't see him, but she heard the innocent curiosity that seemed to be a constant with Mokuba. Which was precisely why she needed to enlist his help. The kid seemed to have a big heart, and Yuka was sure he would want to help Jou out. She had also noticed that for the most part, Mokuba got what he wanted. Not even Seto could refuse the younger Kaiba when he had that expression… how to describe it? Like an adorable, fluffy little stuffed animal. Yes, Mokuba would be sure to help her.

"Well, actually, there is something I could use some help with," she said.

"Allright," she could hear the laughter in his voice, "but do you want to come in? I wouldn't want you to injure yourself any further on the shrubs my brother had planted."

It just figured! It just figured that it was Kaiba who initiated the planting of those horrid things. Shrubs? Shrubs! The word hardly did them justice. Ah, well. She had better answer Mokuba before he thought she'd gone.

"Yes, that would be fine."

Once again, Yuka heard the footsteps receding, until a minute later the enormous iron gates swung open noiselessly to admit her. She walked towards them uncertainly, before stepping through and surveying the Kaiba mansion once more. It really was quite impressive. It was surrounded by huge, sweeping lawns with perfectly green grass that billowed in waves with each new gust of wind. Willow trees dotted the grounds, their branches twirling and sighing softly. And the mansion itself was a sight to behold. It was three stories high, which magesticly carved pillars supporting the balcony in front. Beautiful, mahogany double doors graced the front of the house, with a wraparound deck so as to provide the inhabitants with a full view of the grounds.

Yuka's thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of the small raven-haired boy. He bounded over to her across the lawn, eyes dancing with laughter.

"Hi, Yuka-chan!" he chirped, finally reaching her and bouncing up and down in place. Yuka smiled.

"Hey Mokuba. How've you been?"

He grinned at her sunnily. "I'm great! What did you want to talk about?"

"It's a long story," he then looked at her expectantly, plopping down on the grass to listen "Allright, I'll sit down too. Well, here goes. I came to tell you about a problem one of my friends is having, and to see if you can help him. I'm sorry to ask you for such a big favor, but I don't know who else…" she trailed off.

"It's allright, Yuka-chan, I'll do what I can to help! Can you tell me the story?"

She nodded. "Okay, thank you. The friend I was referring to was Katsuya Jonouchi. Do you know him?"

"Yeah, I know Jou!" Mokuba told her.

"Okay, that's good. I'm trusting you to keep this confidential, okay? Well, Jou's been having… problems… at home. His father is an unemployed alcoholic, and he's been forcing Jou to sell… illegal substances… in order to buy drinks for himself. Jou can barely put aside enough money for them to pay the rent for the tiny apartment they live in, already. I'm sure you know that what Mr. Jonouchi is making Jou do is completely illegal and if Jou was caught he would go to jail. When I found out about it, I didn't want to be too nosy, but I was worried about him. I think the best way to deal with the problem is to get Mr. Jonouchi help for his problem. 7-step programs and AA meetings and such, you know? If he really tried, he could break his habit… but it would be a difficult process and if he was to stay in a rehabilitation facility until he had recovered, Jou would need somewhere to stay. Right now, he's staying at my house, but we couldn't explain the situation to my mother, because he doesn't want anyone to know that would take his father away from him. I couldn't say for sure, but my mother might make one of those it's-for-the-best decisions, and ruin everything. We had to make up a story about him staying with us for a school project, but that will only last a couple weeks before she gets suspicious. I tried to think of anywhere else he could possibly stay and… I really hate asking this… it's such a huge favor… but I thought since you have so much extra room in the mansion… maybe, he could…stay with you?" she squeaked out the last part, feeling suddenly very guilty to ask for so much.

Yuka glanced at Mokuba to try to judge his reaction to her request. He looked rather thoughtful.

"I don't know, Yuka-chan. I think it's a good idea but… my brother… well he and Jou hate each other. I don't know how we could ever get him to agree to it."

Yuka smiled. "Well, I did have some sort of idea… it could use some honing but we could give it a shot…"

He brightened. "All right! What did you have in mind?

Yuka opened her mouth to answer when she heard a whooshing from somewhere far behind her. She turned around to see the front doors swing open, and a tall, brown-haired figure stepped gracefully out onto the front stairs. The figure turned to examine the lawns, seemingly looking for a small figure with pitch-black hair. The tall man spotted him.

"Mokuba!" he called, and then "…who is that you're with?"

Uh oh.

It was Seto.