Cuteandsweet: Looks like I decided to update a bit early this time around! I don't know if that means I'll be updating every Sunday/Monday (probably not because those are homework/FAIL days) but I didn't have much homework this weekend so I decided to work on trying to get an update in early! Yay! And uw, While We Were Gone, I can't remember much about that story, but I've always loved it's title! It's quite clever, wouldn't you agree? Anyways, thanks for the review and enjoy the early update!
KaelynnD: I can understand that! But it's good to hear from you, love, always good! And my good friend was home schooled, so in a way I feel like I got somewhat of a feel for the experience from what he's told me about it. And I'M SO READY FOR THEM TO GET OUT OF THE WOODS TOO. Thankfully this is the last chapter, the next chapter they'll be OUTTA THERE and we can move onto the cool part of the plot! Whoopee! Thanks for the review!
MythCreatorWriter: Who? Mai? Tight! You know that half the time I'm going off of memory when I'm writing these characters? I don't remember the last time I even sat through a scene that pertained to Mai… haha, I'm such an unbiased author :p GOZABURO'S PLAN IS EPIC. I didn't know what it was till a month or so ago!:D And apparently this story has been up for almost a year… Hot tub and sauna scene… hmmm… you're giving me ideas! We'll see what happens. Thanks for the review and enjoy!
Rena Redhead: Oh darling, you and your questions :3 Hahaha, I love you girlie! Anyways, ummm… how so? Mokuba isn't so much made out to be the bad guy he's just… in the wrong place at the wrong time, most of the time, that is. It really isn't fair. I'd say read For Your Protection and tell me what's fair but then I would just laugh again because Mokuba is treated even WORSE in that one!XD As for the Seto and Noah thing… I think I'll leave that for the reader to decide. I'm gonna be obnoxious like that ;] I'm glad the updates are still enjoyable for you!(I'm sure telling you less makes them a bit more exciting) But anyways, thanks again for another wonderful review and I hope you like the chapter!
Episode 9: Get to the Point
Gozaburo Kaiba was stressed and exhausted, but the long day was finally coming to an end. He calmly walked down the hall with his hands folded behind his back, watching as the employees were all shuffling about and gathering their things to leave. It was 6:30 p.m. after all, closing time at Kaiba Corporation. There was one group of people, however, that Gozaburo expected to find still at their desks and working diligently through the night.
When Gozaburo walked through the door, though, what he expected to see wasn't what he found. He mumbled something under his breath before walking over to the man gathering his things as if he were in some sort of hurry. This only made Gozaburo even more annoyed.
"CRUMP!" The employee froze at the sound of his name and twisted around.
"Mr. Kaiba! I-I didn't expect to see you so soon…" Gozaburo narrowed his eyes and then smiled in a devilish way.
"It appears as though your colleagues have left early this evening… how unfortunate for them. It's good to see I have one employee who cares enough about their job to stay behind and finish the task given to him." Crump's eyes scanned the room. Gozaburo was right; the other Big Five members had left! He cursed silently at them for leaving him behind.
Gozaburo raised his eyebrow, "Something wrong?" Crump looked up.
"Uh, nothing Sir, nothing at all!" Gozaburo rolled his eyes. Crump placed his things back on his desk in defeat. There was no way he could get out of this now. Crump knew exactly what Gozaburo was going to ask next.
"So Crump… how goes the task I gave you and the rest of the Big Five to finish? I'd like a full status report on the matter." Crump winced even though he had known that was exactly the question he anticipated Gozaburo to ask. Again, Crump silently cursed his fellow Big Five members for not only leaving him, but also forcing him to be the barrier of bad news.
"Well Mr. Kaiba, I have good news and I have bad news…" Crump began. Gozaburo's eyes flared.
"Just shut up and give me the bad news."
"Well… the good news is that we bought out all of the Kaiba Corporation stocks that Seto Kaiba owned."
"I said tell me the BAD news." Crump winced again.
"Except for two."
"Two what? Two stocks?"
"Two percent." Gozaburo slapped his forehead.
"You're kidding me. Why didn't you just buy it out?!"
"We couldn't, Mr. Kaiba! This particular two percent is completely locked down. It requires an outside password that can't be found on any of our data bases! The only thing we could find out about it is that Seto Kaiba was the last person to own the two percent, we suspected that he was the one that locked it down and probably has the key to unlocking it." Gozaburo slammed his fist down on Crump's desk and threw his things off of it. Crump's belongings came crashing to the ground. Crump jumped back.
"I'm sorry Sir! We've been at it all day but it seems the code can't be broken unless we have the outside key!" Crump inched away from Gozaburo, suspecting that the man would turn around and strike. A few minutes passed and he didn't. Then suddenly… there was laughter.
"Of course…" Gozaburo said aloud, "I should've known Seto was going to do something like this. After all, I had trained him to be underestimated." Gozaburo laughed again but with such a sound of vehemence that Crump was frightened by it. Gozaburo twisted around. "Did you do a check up on how our cast members are doing in the woods?"
"Y-Yes Sir…"
"And?"
"Well, it seems as though they've already met up with Mai and that they're getting along okay otherwise-"
"I don't care about that! Did Seto say anything about a key?" Crump shook his head.
"He hasn't said anything about the key, Mr. Kaiba." Gozaburo gritted his teeth. Although he should've expected something like this to happen, it didn't please him that this surprise was going to delay him. He had to get a hold of that key soon. Gozaburo thought for a moment how he would be able to do that.
"Crump, what has become of Noah and Seto? How are those two fairing with one another?"
"From the footage I've observed, they seem to be getting along a lot better these days. They've become close in only the last day or so." Gozaburo grinned.
"Good. Make sure to send our crew out there to pick up the cast tomorrow morning. I want them back at the Kaiba Mansion by noon, got that?" Crump straightened up and nodded his head.
"Yes Sir! I'll contact them right away!" Gozaburo left the room after that. He would let them have one more night in the woods before bringing them back. That would give him just enough time to formulate a plan to obtain Seto's key. Gozaburo smiled with delight; the moment Seto stepped back on Kaiba Corp. property, he would be doomed.
The fire was crackling softly in comparison the voices that surrounded it. The night was young, still, but the stars were sparkling all the same. The six teens had gathered together, cooking s'mores and telling stories. Everyone was talkative and excited that night, all except for two within the group.
"Wow, I never realized there were so many other reality TV shows! I guess I've really been missing out on what's all the rage these days on TV," Seth said as he marveled at Mai's tell of the various other reality TV shows she had been on. "Man, if I had found out about those shows a couple years earlier, I would've been set for life, house-wise! And probably wouldn't have lost as many friendships." Kisara turned to Seth.
"You lost the friendships of the people you stayed with?"
"Well, not all of them, but most of them. Think about it though, what person wants mooch of a friend hanging around their house for weeks on end. It's bound to happen. It's a miracle that I was such a social person though, I made friends with everyone." Mai frowned.
"That's such a sad story."
"Ah, it's not that bad. But enough about how I'm on a reality TV show for housing, why did you come to the show, Mai?"
"Oh, that's easy. I came here for the money." Seth jumped to his feet in excitement.
Mai: Why else would anybody waste their time on a reality TV show if they weren't going to get money? Most people don't realize that to some extent, one is entitled to at least part of the profit made by the show… at least that's the theory I go off of when I take them to court. I know some very good lawyers.
"WE GET MONEY?!" Seth's marshmallow flew off his stick and onto Kisara's shirt. At first, Kisara wanted to get mad, but her anger didn't stay for too long… she was much too tired. Seth immediately ran to her side. "Kisara, I'm SO sorry! Let me help you with that." Kisara slapped away Seth's hand.
"No way! Your hands aren't coming anywhere near MY shirt!" Kisara said, backing away from Seth. Kisara looked back at Mai, "Um… hey, Mai? You wouldn't happen to have any extra clothes I could borrow, would you?" Mai looked up.
"Oh honey, not a problem! I've got a couple thing, just look around in my tent and change."
Kisara: Mai really isn't that bad… when she's not near Seto or Seth. Not that I like them or anything… she just starts acting really obnoxiously and I can't handle it. I think it's just the fact that it's so rude, that's all. That's why it bothers me. Not because I like either or them or anything. I didn't exactly come onto this show looking for a boyfriend!
"Thank you!" Kisara dashed off and disappeared into Mai's tent, it had been moved earlier that day onto the camping grounds. Seth sat back down with the rest of the group when he realized that everyone had become more quiet than they had been an hour or so ago.
"Hey, did the kids go to bed?" Seth asked.
"One of them did," Seto said. Seth jumped at the sound of his voice.
"Whoa! Seto, man, you scared me. You haven't said a word all night; I had forgotten you were even here." Seto shrugged and said nothing, not even looking up at Seth. He gazed across the camp fire. Seth did too and was surprised that Mokuba there. "Mokuba, I thought you went to bed a while ago. You've barely said anything either. Is something wrong with you guys?" Mokuba shrugged and did the same as Seto; he said nothing. The camp fire was quiet for a moment.
Seth: All day today, Seto and Mokuba have been acting really weird! I mean, the first couple days we're here, they're practically father and son, and then today they barely talked to one another. I wonder what's been up with those two.
"Um… Mai…" Kisara said, her head sticking out of the tent, "Do you think I could borrow something that isn't, well…" Kisara stepped out, blushing as she revealed herself in a corset. "A corset?"
"Sorry, doll, it's all I've got." Seth couldn't help but stare and Kisara crossed her arms across her chest as a result. She glared at him.
"SETH! YOU'RE SUCH A PERVERT!" Kisara yelled; she would've slapped him if she wasn't preoccupied concealing her breasts. Seto got up from his seat and took off his shirt, handing it off to her like it meant nothing.
"Here, you can put this over the corset." Kisara first looked at Seto and then the hand that was offering over his shirt. She slowly took it and put it on.
"Thank you…" Kisara said with a melting smile. Seth jumped to his feet with that and took off his own shirt, heroically holding it out to Seto.
"Here Seto, you can have MY shirt!" Seth said with pride. The rest of the group stared at them in awe.
Seth: I couldn't just let Seto stand there, offering Kisara his shirt, and getting all the glory! I don't know if everybody's been keeping up, but I'm trying to win that girl's heart! I might've kissed her, but that doesn't make her mine just yet and with another male around, I have to make sure I keep up my gentlemanly appearance for her.
"Wow, you're bodies are practically the same," Kisara commented as she marveled at the similarities between Seto and Seth. Mai chuckled.
"Except it's clear who works out more." Seth grinned until he looked over at Seto's chest. Seto's upper body was slightly more toned than Seth's and even in the slightest, it made him look out of shape. Seth was horrified and angered. He glared at Seto.
"You think you're better than me?" Seth asked.
"Pretty much," Seto said, laughing as he turned around to grab more marshmallows. The moment he did, however, there was a gasp and the entire group grew silent. Seto turned back around. "What? What happened?" Mai was covering her mouth and Kisara's face was dark with shock.
"Your… back…" Deep indents on Seto's back, although faded, could be seen going all down his spine. Scars of all shapes and sizes covered his bare skin and caused everyone to become speechless. No one knew what to say. Seto immediately felt ashamed the moment he figured out what it was everyone was gasping at, grabbing Seth's shirt and putting it on.
Mai: To see the things practically engraved on that guy's back… it was truly horrifying. What kind of horrible human being would do such a thing to someone else? It became obvious to me, then, that there was a much darker side to Seto Kaiba's story than just growing up to be the youngest co-CEO in Japan.
"I'm getting more fire wood," Seto stated with a shaken voice before taking off into the woods. Mokuba got up immediately afterwards.
"I'm going with him."
"Mokuba, wait!" Kisara said, but it was too late. Mokuba had run off in the same direction that Seto had gone. She sighed. Kisara hoped they would be back soon.
Kisara: Of course I had wanted to go after Seto myself, but I had a feeling that Mokuba going would be best, although things between them have been so strange lately that I'm not sure what to think. I guessed that the only thing I could do was to remain detached and let the two of them work it out amongst themselves.
Out of the camping grounds and through the woods, Seto wasn't exactly running nor was he walking. He guessed he could call it power walking, but it seemed a silly term to call it at a time like this. Seto decided to stop all together when he was far enough to rest. He just needed some time away so that the whole thing would blow over and people would forget… or at least get the idea that he didn't want to talk about it so that no one would bring it up.
"Seto-sama." Seto turned around and saw Mokuba had followed him. Seto turned away.
"You should go Mokuba…"
"Your step father…" Mokuba panted, "He did that to you, didn't he?" Mokuba took a long pause to try and catch his breath. Seto stood still, staring at him, becoming a bit frustrated.
"Mokuba, I want you to go," Seto said in a stern and serious voice. Mokuba held up his hand and straightened himself when he finally caught his breath.
"Hold on, I may know how to make things right." Seto was confused.
"What are you talking about?"
"I see the way you tense up when he walks into the same room as you. I notice it happen again every time comes near you." Seto was deadly silent, becoming angrier by the second. What right did Mokuba have to bring about this? What good did he think talking about his issues would result in? Seto was frustrated at the fact that Mokuba was pointing out all of this in himself. Seto just wanted him to go away. Mokuba didn't.
"I know it's just a reflex you've developed, something you can't control. The fact that it happens doesn't mean you're weak, Seto-sama, it's just psychological." Seto's rage softened a bit.
"How would you know about this?" Seto asked, still suspicious.
"I've been around the block a few times…" Mokuba took off his shirt to reveal his own injuries. Seto's fists became un-done and his anger disappeared. Now he was just astonished. Mokuba explained before Seto could ask, "I was adopted a few times in the past… by some bad people. Eventually it became a matter of time before the authorities figured it out and sent me back to the orphanage."
The two of them were silent, staring at one another. It was different this time because… they understood. That was when Mokuba gulped and decided to take a chance.
"Seto-sama… I know this will probably sound stupid but… do you like Noah more than me?" Seto stared at him, speechless. Mokuba wanted to explain everything before Seto could interrupt him, "Just cause I saw you with him and I know there's not some rule about hanging out with Noah, but I thought we were… I don't even know! And I hated to think that I was just going to be here for six months pretending to finally have found someone that cared about me only to be sent back to an orphanage where everyone hates me and I'll understand if maybe this isn't what you wanted me to see you as, but I just needed to know so that I can-"
Seto knelt down in front of Mokuba and pulled him into a hug. Mokuba was stupefied and petrified. There had only been one or two instances where a gesture like that had been made towards the boy, and they had happened so long ago Mokuba couldn't even remember what it had felt like or what he was supposed to do in response. Instead, he just did what felt natural to him, he let go and hugged Seto back. Mokuba buried his face into Seto's shoulder.
"I know that growing up in an orphanage has made it hard for you to speak up, at times, I still think that's the reason I have a hard time doing it as well. But… I'm really glad you came and talked to me, Mokuba."
"I don't want to go back to the orphanage…" Mokuba mumbled softly into Seto's shoulder.
"And I promise to you that will never happen, no matter what it takes." Mokuba looked up.
"Really?"
"Yes… by the end of all this, you're going to stay with me." Mokuba didn't have to ask what Seto meant; it was all clear to him. Mokuba wrapped his arms back around Seto and they hugged each other for a moment longer before going back to camp and going to bed.
The next day, they would be leaving the great outdoors and returning to the Kaiba Mansion where danger surely awaited them.
A/N: BOOM BABY! Heck yeah, early updates rock my socks and it's not even midnight yet! (Which is great because I have a 8 a.m. class tomorrow morning which means I wake up at 6 a.m. x.x) Another reason why I should be in bed, but instead I'm writing to all of you! So how did you like it? No, scratch that, how much did you LOVE it? I don't know about you guys, but I'm excited! I'm so glad this story has a plot or else this story wouldn't be half as exciting, let me tell you! I think I only feel this great because for the longest time I didn't know what to do with this story. But right now I've already got a time line set up and a great chapter coming up next! For now, I hope you liked this one and thanks for reading it! I look forward to reading your comments.
