I changed my color for you
I shed my coat with caution
I lack the beauty you display
See here there are the bruises
And some were self-inflicted
And some showed up along the way
So I nod my head
I'm ready for the world to see
The secret I kept here inside the man you thought id be
Slip into coma calm
The coma where I calm myself down
Here comes excuses why I let you down

Stand by for another breakdown
Sound off the alarm
Is this the chameleon boy I swore I wouldn't become
Chameleon boy
Chameleon boy

So now we've come upon the hardest thing I've ever done
Its telling you that I'm a mess
That sort of mess I mean
Is self-destructive gasoline
The kind that strips you of your best
And while I play the way that most would end up dead
You sleep alone at home and wish that I was in our bed
With this I'm telling you
My color changes back to blue
How do I ask you this
Will you help me through

Stand by for another breakdown
Sound off the alarm
Is this the chameleon boy I swore I wouldn't become
Stand by for another breakdown
Sound off the alarm
Is this the chameleon boy I swore I wouldn't become
Chameleon boy
Chameleon boy

-'Chameleon Boy' performed by Blue October

§

Yugi Mouto was frantic.

No, actually he had been frantic an hour ago when he stayed on hold for forty-five minutes while the KaibaCorp secretary tried to unsuccessfully locate her employer. Then he had seen the news broadcast.

Now he was crazed. Yes, absolutely bonkers. Because anyone who snuck into Kaiba Manor had to be completely whacked or suicidal. And seeing as he was creeping around the high-tech security cameras, he had to assume there was some sense of self-preservation there.

"Security right around the left bend," his accomplice whispered in his mind.

The boy ducked under one of the few blind spots, behind a slick metal crate filled with god-knows-what. The suited, impressive man stalked by the area, looking around before speaking into his ear-piece.

"No sign of either Mr.Kaibas here, continuing sweep;" He strode by, a stubborn frown on his expressionless face.

Yugi breathed a long sigh of relief. There were some perks to being built short.

"It's all clear." He heard Yami's voice once again.

For anyone else, intrusion would be impossible. However, the spiky-haired rival had an edge in the form of a phantom that could sneak around the grounds and inform him of everything afore. That, and Kaiba had once showed him a secret entrance when Pegasus took over the young CEO's company.

"And counting on Kaiba's natural paranoia;" Yami added slyly, "he didn't tell anyone else about it except his brother."

"Stop that Pharaoh," The boy mentally replied; "both of them are missing. I'm worried. Who knows what could have happened!"

"Something did happen, Yugi." Yami reminded him carefully. "He's being accused of murdering a girl."

Yugi mentally furrowed his brow. "You don't really believe Kaiba did that though, do you?"

The spirit was silent for a stretch. "I think Kaiba has a dangerous temper and an occasionally unreasonable determination… But no, I don't think he would kill anyone out of cold blood."

Yugi took in the words. "There has to be an explanation to all this—both brothers disappear and now one is charged with murder. We have to get into his house and try to find out what's going on!"

The spirit digressed, sending himself ahead again. "All clear to make a left."

Violet eyes peered over the side of a building, sweeping around before sprinting towards a small, very misplaced grove of trees in this structure of steel and modernization. His spiky hair vanished behind one of the taller poplars as he dived out of the vision of the camera.

His knee scraped against the hardened bark and Yugi winced. "Sure you can't go and disable the security cameras?"

The Egyptian chuckled. "With what substantive body?"

The teen picked himself into a crouch, already peering toward the spot he remembered as his rival's secret base. "Point taken."

"You should have brought Joey for that." Yami made a swift aside to their previous argument before he sent his spirit self to check around the lone trees.

"You know I can't do that Yami," The dueling prodigy protested. "I don't like putting you in danger, and I won't involve anyone else if I can help it. Besides, Joey and Kaiba never exactly got along."

"Neither have you and Kaiba," The older man reminded him gently as he returned to his host. "There's a pair doing a sweep just left of here. Stay still and they shouldn't spot you."

The small frame stiffened up. "I don't mind Kaiba. He can be selfish and stubborn sometimes; but he really does care about his brother and he's helped us out quite a few times."

The parasite made a faint sound of disagreement. "Be that as it may, I doubt he feels the same way. Though Mokuba is quite fond of you."

"He's a good kid," Yugi responded with a fair level of worry; "all clear?"

He felt the Pharaoh depart again for a moment, and then return. "Yes, you're good now. Just be quick because there is a camera pointed straight at the doorway and you'll be in plain sight for a moment."

Standing up, the Mouto grandson darted through three trees to the stretch of unremarkable grass. It was so well-disguised that unless you knew it was there, the door would be nearly impossible to find. His heart pounding, Yugi threw himself at the ground; feeling for the near invisible cord that would spring the opening. He scrambled for a few moments, panicking while Yami whispered words of calming in his head. Finally finding the rope, the intruder gave a sharp pull.

"Good job," The spirit murmured in his ear as Yugi dove into the hole; sliding the trap-door shut behind him.

"We're in."

§

"Are you sure we can trust this guy?" Kaiba asked for the second time, a wary scowl on his face as he stepped out of the car.

Kestrel shot him a half-exasperated, half-amused sort of look. "I assure you Mr.Kaiba. Too much is at stake for me to put this search in the hands of a possible enemy. He will help."

Still restless, the CEO followed her quick, determined step into a shady-looking pub. If the press ever saw me here…

…It wouldn't matter. If the press does catch me, I have bigger things to worry about then falling stocks. Seto gritted his teeth; recalling his stock chart. It's already got to be falling from this criminal bullshit.

Snapping out of his thoughts, the brunette found himself quite out-of-place in the dingy pub. The lighting was poor, and the dirty state of the few windows didn't improve that state. The small bar was occupied by three fat, balding old men with flannel; hole-checked clothes and equally stupid and bitter looks. The patchy-looking tables were empty except for rather cheep arrangements of plastic flowers and cracked chairs. A frightened looking family was eating at a washed-out red booth.

Disdain crept into Kaiba. This was a place for bums to come and drink away their worthless lives. He turned around to lecture Amun for bringing him into such a dump; and saw her confidently stride over to one of the empty barstools.

The barkeeper, a skinny, sickly looking man, blinked twice at the young woman and man who had just entered. They were the brightest and cleanest things in the pub.

"I-Is there anything I can get you?" He finally asked to the patiently waiting woman.

Smiling gently, Kestrel nodded. "A shot of vodka if you would. Oh, and can you get Hajime out here? He's a good friend of mine and I'd love to see him since I'm passing through town."

The barkeeper blinked again; processing the apparently astonishing revelation that this person knew Hajime. "R-right away," He cast her a confused glance before passing the shot glass over to her and walking out of vision.

Seto, still dressed in his white business suit, stood imperiously against a pole and watched the medic calmly pour herself another shot. The three men she was sitting besides were casting rather lecherous looks at her slender body; and the brunette felt his blood rise when one of them smiled broadly and punched his buddy; nodding towards the woman.

Kestrel ignored their antics, instead twirling the amber liquid around in her slightly dusty glass with a vaguely interested look.

Stupid girl, doesn't realize what those animals could do to— Seto stepped forward when the man closest to her turned around in his chair and blatantly stared.

Golden eyes turned sharply in a small motion, catching his own blue ones.

"No," they said silently. "Just stay there for a moment."

Smoldering silently, the man returned to his rigid post on the pole; glaring at the other three. He watched the family hurry out of the pub from the corner of his eye.

"So babe," The man started, his cheeks flushed slightly. "You got a friend here?"

Looking disinterested, the businesswoman responded politely; twirling the glass in her hand. "Ah, we haven't been in touch recently, but I am hoping to catch up today."

A different man guffawed as if this was the funniest thing he had ever heard while the one talking smiled malevolently. "Well you know, I could take you home and we could get 'in-touch'."

Seto restrained a snort from his watch. If that's not one of the worst pick-up lines.

"Thank you for the offer," Kestrel downed the glass; "but I have made plans already to meet with someone else."

A baffled look stopped the laughing from the drunk; and suddenly his girth scooted closer, looking imposing. "Who said that was a suggestion, sweetheart?"

Sensing that the conversation had turned violent, Seto moved sharply between the two barstools; glaring at the man from his height advantage. "I did. A poor one too."

The drunk and his two buddies stood up, menacing. "And who the hell are you, pretty boy?"

"HEY!" A booming voice responded instead, followed by a fit, grizzled man with a rugged, casual sort of beauty about him. His toned chest was exposed from the partially-opened t-shirt he was wearing over a loose pair of slacks. Floppy black hair fell across his forehead and into one dark eye. "There's no fighting in my bar. Get the hell out of here—you three!" The stranger pointed to the fat trio. "If I ever see you in 'ere again I'll take care o' you myself! Now! MOVE YOUR FAT ASSES!"

Looking mutinous; the men complied; slamming the door of the pub as they left.

Turning back to Kaiba and Amun the man swept over the brunette and smiled at the blond. "You know, you really should phone ahead so I can get those dirtbags out o' my bar before you come. And," He glanced back over at the taller man; "teach your friend some control."

Before Seto could retort, Kestrel had stood and pressed her hand against his forearm.

If you want to help Mokuba, shut up for a moment. It said. He snapped his mouth shut.

"Sorry about that Hajime," The medic winced; "He's a bit out-of-place. This really isn't a pleasure visit."

Something passed between the two and Hajime nodded; winking. "Well come into the back. Anytime I get to see my favorite gal is a pleasure." He loped a lazy arm around her shoulders and Seto followed; feeling his stomach burning unpleasantly with some resentment he couldn't identify.

§

"Stop!" Yami hissed mentally none-too-soon. A frantic-looking maid rushed past the hallway, just missing the hidden youth.

Yugi released a breath, waiting for his partner's conformation signal.

"Alright, go ahead. His room is directly left of here."

Stealthily, the boy crept toward the large steel door around the bend and to his left shoulder. He came face-to-face with an unmarked wall of metal.

"How do we open it?" The host asked with growing anxiety. This building was his house and the security is tight. Breaking into his company would be nearly impossible…

"Hold on," Yami replied; wavering away once again. "Go out of sight for a moment."

Complying, Yugi stuffed himself in the nearest cupboard, thanking the gods that even Kaiba's maids needed something as low-tech as a broom room. After moments of heavy breathing in the dark, dank place smelling of bleach and scented powders, he felt the spirit's conscious return.

"Okay," The Pharaoh relayed; "I turned visible enough to whisper into the guard's ear something about leaving his coat in Kaiba's bedroom. He'll return to the room. Sneak in when he slips in with his key-card and knock him out."

Footsteps reached from the outside and the dueling prodigy cracked the door to poke an eye out. The guard was close now… Yugi started to sweat.

"Yami… you know I'm not the best fighter."

He felt the spirit smile at him. "Don't worry Yugi. Let's switch. Your size has been useful up until now; but I think I should handle this."

"'Kay," The wide-eyed teen switched into the older, darker features of his counterpart.

"Alright," Yami stepped out of the cupboard when he spotted the security guard enter the room with his key-card. "Let's go."

The man seemed nervous enough, and as intent as possible to enter and leave the room. He never spotted the light-footed figure enter the room behind him. A swift punch in the nape of his neck and he went down; still worrying about leaving his jacket in his unconscious.

"Now," The spiky-haired phantom stepped over the body. His violet-red eyes swept over the modern, soulless bedroom. "let's go find some clue of where Kaiba went and why he left."

"We have to hurry," Yugi's voice echoed softly in his mind.

"I know." Yami replied quietly, digging through the metallic drawers against the wall. "So let's go."

§

The back room was cleaner and a bit newer then the rest of the pub. It had a decent sofa with only a red wine stain on its green suede; though the lighting was still dull and the air was filled with smoke. Hajime lay across a futon, lighting a cigar and taking a few whiffs before looking up at his two guests.

"Cigar?" He offered them.

Seto glared and Kestrel shook her head. "Sorry Hajime, but it's hardly fitting for a physician to smoke."

"Oi, is that wha' you're into now, gal?" The owner ruffled his black hair, the one visible eye widening slightly in surprise. "Well you were always a gifted one I 'pose."

Blue eyes searched her face. This guy doesn't even know her career? It takes years to become a doctor…. What exactly is their relationship?

"It's an enjoyable job." The tawny-haired medic replied softly.

"Ah," Hajime sighed and sat up, "now why are you 'ere again gal, except o' course to be in my magnificent company?"

"We don't have time to waste on this bullshit." Kaiba snapped before she could reply. The black-haired man looked at him as though he had completely forgotten about his other guest.

"Mr. Kaiba, I assure you that this is necessary." Amun replied with certain firmness in her voice that stopped his argument.

"Hm," The brunette settled back with his arms folded and an impatient stare.

"She's right you know," Hajime rubbed his grizzled chin in slight thought; "there 's no way you're going t' avoid the police for long the way you are now."

The duelist's eyes flashed and the doctor frowned. "You know?"

"His mug is all o'vr the news, Kess." Hajime answered with an apologetic tone.

"I can explain," Kestrel admitted after a moment, looking like she would rather not explain.

Seto opened his mouth to protest but Hajime beat him to it; waving his hands in the air in dismissal.

"I don't need t' know. 'f you trust this man, that's good enough for me gal. You know I'd help you."

Weary relief slid across her face. "Thank you, Hajime."

A look passed between the two and then the man stood up; rubbing his hands together excitedly. "Now then, where t' start with you two? Hm… I think the clothes should be first…"

Clothes? Kaiba wondered.

"…and he'll need some face-work; far too easy t' recognize. You should be 'kay there…"

Face work?

"…After that I can take both o' your pictures and have fake ids ready in a' hour. You'll want to use yours primarily Kess; you're easier t' fudge then pretty boy over there…"

Fake identifications?

"…Anything else? Hm.. AH! I'll pick up some new cell phones fo' you both. You can keep your old ones but don't use them. Too easy to detect. Same goes with credit cards and computers. 'kay, let's get started!"

"Wait!" Seto hissed a little-too-late as he was ushered off by a scantily-clad assistant to the dressing room.

Damn that Amun.

§

"Nothing," Yami hissed as he roughly shut the desk drawer.

"Careful," His host reminded him with a soothing voice. "Nothing good will come of being caught."

"We've been searching for over fifteen minutes and there seems to be no trace of Kaiba—even signs that he ever lived here!"

"I know," Yugi gently replied. "Maybe he doesn't spend a lot of time here."

The Pharaoh stopped rummaging through the bed sheets and stood with a start. "That's it..."

"Yami?"

"His office! Kaiba would spend most of his time in his office! We have to get there!" The spirit sprinted off down the hall.

"Wait! Yami! Security!" Yugi cried out mentally without response. "Guess we'll have to rely on luck this one."

Running quietly through the corridors of steel and silver; Yami recalled the house structure from his out-of-body excursions. "Left… two hallways down right…. Another right at the third floor."

The house was huge, unlived in, and modern. He might as well have been in a city for all the direction he got from surroundings. Trusting his memory, the intruder darted around dark bends and through less-inhabited corridors. There were several close-calls with more perceptive security sweepers and one moment when he clipped the sight of a camera; and had to wait in anxious silence for the watcher to pass again, writing the flash of movement off as boredom and weariness. After nearly five minutes of careful navigation, the duo reached the doorway to Seto Kaiba's office. It was, luckily, open.

The phantom spotted the pair of goons sweeping the office, and waited with baited breath for an opening to enter the room before they left and locked it behind them. They looked big enough to be able to take him out.

Finally, however, one of them turned to talk to the other and Yami managed to dive under his rival's desk, where the men had already checked. They departed, shutting the spiky-haired young man in the sterile, crisp room.

"There's got to be something in here that gives us a clue about where Kaiba's run off to." Yugi whispered urgently.

Nodding absently, Yami carefully disengaged the bugs around the office before he trusted his hands to dig through the numerous files and technological pieces in the room.

A quick rifling of the end-desk came up with nothing more than empty bills and other business documents. In the shelves, there were usb ports with more business tracking, a few prototype designs of nanochips, and a vanilla envelope of schedules and such.

It was in the main desk, that he found it.

Yami had located a strange box which would not open in the desk drawer; and intrigued, attempted to open it. This led him to find a tight wad of maps and red-marked credit bills. There was a half-written missings person paper for one Mokuba Kaiba as well as one for Talla Amun; a scattering of photos.

"Yugi," The Pharaoh poured over the papers. "I think we found something."

§

"How's it going?" Seto heard the long drawl of Hajime through the changing curtain as he changed his pristine white suit for a pair of well-fitting jeans and a t-shirt with some obscure brand logo pasted across its front.

"He's just picked out an outfit from the racks. I've fitted his contacts and gotten a hair dye while I was waiting;" Came the muttered voice of the female assistant.

"Thanks Madoko. I'll take it from here. Go strip Kestrel's hair fo' me; won't you?"

"Ah, sir;" She chirped, her steps fading away.

Kaiba threw on a black jacket to complete the outfit and stepped out of the changing room. Hajime turned his visible eye toward him with a smile.

"Well then, Kaiba, I 'ave colored contacts and hair coloring t' do next."

Scowling, the brunette sat down on the stool the bar-owner pointed to.

"Sos, Kaiba," Hajime spoke lightly as he propped one blue eye open and held a circular film beside it; "what is your relationship with that gal?"

Expertly, Hajime placed the contact on the blue eye with his finger. A cool, wet feeling passed through his face and the CEO blinked. His vision cleared to see the black-haired man poising to put the next one in.

"We're business partners. That's all." The elder brother stated curtly as the other contact was stuck in.

The man's fingernail grazed his eye and Seto gritted his teeth. "Watch it."

"Oops, sorry!" Hajime exclaimed without looking a bit apologetic. He began to mix a bowel of chemical-smelling substance with a golden-red color. "However, I can't help but think you're not being honest wit' me Kaiba. Kess is, at times, stupidly kind, but I do not think even she would break the law fo' a business partner."

Seto frowned. What was his relationship with the Amun woman? It was just business right? A mutual alignment to save two kids; both sides benefited. That was business.

"It benefits her as well as me." The businessman spoke coldly as Hajime brushed the dye through his straight locks of coffee-colored hair.

"Ah, I see;" Hajime replied without sounding convinced. He finished brushing the hair, leaving the other man's neck feeling saturated and heavy. "Well I 'ave a request o' you then, Kaiba. Just take it as payment fo' all this illegal help I'm giving you." He winked a dark eye.

The owner of KaibaCorp narrowed his eyes. "I don't do favors."

"Well this isn't the favor you're thinking of; I'm sure." Hajime replied lightly with a firm look. "I want you to watch ov'r Kess."

Seto didn't make a sign of his surprise as Hajime turned away from his, cleaning up the eye and hair coloring.

"I could tell that gal t' be careful a million a' one times and she'd still come back bleedin'. She's brilliant, mind you. Beautiful and clever and resourceful… but she cares t' damn much. Even when she knows something will hurt her, that gal would still do anything t' help someone else. That's just the way she is; and no one can change that. Sos…" He turned to Kaiba, winking. "…it's our job t' watch out for her since she won't watch ov'r herself; got it?"

For a moment; the businessman didn't reply. Despite his casual pose, Seto realized that Hajime was deadly serious.

"Hm."

"Good," The pub owner took this noise as an agreement and smiled once again. "Now, let's go get your new identifications an' credit cards, shall we?"

Silently, the elder brother followed the taller man out as he talked.

"We'll take a transfer of money from both o' your bank accounts into a safe account as a bill. Then we'll attach the credit cards an identif'cation names to the account so it'll essentially be your money; just impossible to track…."

They passed a mirror and Kaiba caught a glance of himself. Grudgingly, he admitted that Hajime had done well. He no longer looked like Seto Kaiba, technological genius. Instead he was a handsome young man in his twenties with crimson, dark red hair and piercing olive eyes dressed in street clothes. He was attractive, but less remarkably as the color palled out his skin and a bit of dark powder amplified the paleness.

"Mr.Kaiba," Amun walked toward them, following the female assistant. Her tawny hair was a fair, beach-colored blond and wearing a pair of jeans and a simple button-up top. Make-up had been applied to highlight her cheekbones and made her smooth face seem more rigid then it was. Again, pretty but not commemorative.

"Tch, no, no, no," Hajime waved his finger at her. "Not any more. He is now Mr. Akio Shinobu; and you are Mrs. Rina Shinobu."

§

A crack of dusty light wavered through the bars of the foot-wide window. It fell across the dirtied face of a young boy. He flinched, as if it hurt him, and then slowly opened his cerulean eyes.

"Seto…" He murmured, his voice parched.

Suddenly, the boy sat up and blinked away the sleep. His dark hair was lank and his lips were chapped; but he was alive and whole.

"I must have been dreaming again…" He spoke louder this time, gazing out toward the barred window and the cement walls surrounding him. The gray walls were cracked and a dying vine grew in the corner. It was completely devoid of any furniture and the stone warmed in the day and froze at night. Metal bars kept him in.

"Big brother…" He whispered into the chilly morning air, hugging his knees to himself. "Come get me soon."

Footsteps sounding on the stone made him look up, blue eyes taking in a strange; crazed-looking man with silvery eyes and a twisted smile.

"Hello Mokuba," He spoke with a velvety accent. "My name is Leon Tabar."

§

A/N: Whew, sorry for the long wait. Summer's been crazy. Fun, but busy. Anyways, I'm leaving (again) tonight so I'll try to update before the end of this month. Luv ya all and please review.