Disclaimer- I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh
Melting the Ice
Chapter 29
Winner Takes All
Anzu took a deep breath. Today was the day. She would have to perform for the judges. Everything she had worked so hard for would be decided. It was for everything or nothing. Her ankle still was swollen but in a much better condition than previously. Still there would be no easy way to dance on that ankle.
She packed all her things into a duffle bag for the performance. She marked off the items mentally as she placed them in one at a time in her bag. Her shoes, her leotard, her music were just a few of the things she needed. When she was done, she zipped up her bag and reached over for her cell phone. Her exam began roughly at two today. At least she had to be there by then. She knew other girls would be performing their routines today as well.
Quickly she wrote a text message to remind everyone and sent it out to her friends: Yugi, Jonouchi, Honda, Bakura, Mokuba, and… well she did not need to send it to Seto. After all, he was Mokuba'a brother and he would remind him for sure.
Seto
Anzu felt her heart somersault in her chest. Anzu shook her head. She needed to get that CEO out of her mind. He was too much of a distraction for her. For a moment, she even thought it would have been better not to invite him. After all last time he was watching her was when she had her accident.
No, she wanted him there. She wanted him near her. Anzu placed her cell phone down and closed her eyes. She needed to be honest with the CEO. She needed to tell Seto how she felt, face to face. Now the question was when.
She could tell him tomorrow. No, if she did not make it in the school she would be too depressed. She could tell him next week when they both had time off. That thought made her eyes roll. When did Seto actually have a moment to spare? Well, he did have a moment. Today, actually, he would be at her audition. She could tell him there. Yet, the only question was would she have the courage to do so.
X, X, X,
"Seto, we have to hurry," Mokuba whined as his brother sat at his desk in his office.
The young brother was jumping up and down in his chair across from his brother. Only Seto Kaiba would be working on a weekend, which was technically his off day. That is if he ever actually took a day off.
"I know," Seto said. "But I have to finish this and besides we have plenty of time."
Seto checked the time on his laptop computer. Yes, he had plenty of time. Mokuba impatiently began to pace the office. It was now he wished he brought something to entertain himself. Not to mention he was anxious to see Anzu's dance on stage.
When his big brother finally did close his laptop, Mokuba jumped with glee. Seto packed up his things into a brief case and stood up. He hit a switch on his desk to call out to his secretary.
"Have my limo waiting out front," he said through an intercom.
"Yes, Mr. Kaiba but you have a call waiting for you."
"Tell them I'm busy for the afternoon."
"It's Mr. Kaido."
"Patch him in…" Seto sighed.
Seto and Mokuba watched as the black monitor flickered on and the CEO of the rival company appeared. He had a sly smirk on his face his hands pleasantly resting on his desk.
"Oh, Seto Kaiba, do not tell me you forgot our little rendezvous." Kei Kaido said. "Or maybe you are too afraid to duel me."
Seto placed his brief case back on his desk. Mokuba could tell his brother was angry even if it did not show. He knew very well that his big brother HATED being mocked.
"Oh that was today… my apologies if it were something important in that case I would have remembered." Seto coolly replied.
The smirk disappeared of Kaido's face. "Meet me at my company headquarters. When I win you can sign half of Kaiba Corp to me!"
Seto did not have a chance to reply because Kaido had already hung up. Seto opened up his brief case and looked inside. He moved his files and important documents out of the way. He then lifted up a protective cover to reveal his brief case full of duel monster cards, his deck. Each card neatly lay out protectively in its own plastic cover. The top three cards were his precious Blue Eyes White Dragons.
Seto began to remove his cards, carefully selecting which cards to use in the duel. Mokuba watched and then as Seto began to remove his three dragons, Mokuba placed his hands over the cards to stop his big brother.
"You can't duel Kaido now!" Mokuba exasperated.
"I am not going to back out on a duel with that idiot!" Seto said pushing his little brother's hands out of his way.
"We have Anzu's audition to go to!" Mokuba reminded. "She is counting on us to be there!"
"Believe me Mokuba it won't take me that long to squash Kaido in a duel." Seto informed, continuing to select his cards.
X, X, X,
Anzu arrived at the school a half hour earlier. Already waiting for her were her friends, Yugi, Jonouchi, Honda and Bakura. She greeted them with a friendly smile. Yet she wondered where Seto and Mokuba were. She did not mention that little tidbit to her friends because she knew Jonouchi would cause a scene. She escorted her friends to the auditorium where several parents and other people were scattered, obviously to support someone.
Anzu noted a judges table at the front. Her friends took seats in the middle as Anzu excused herself to get ready. She walked backstage and found other girls preparing. Some stretching and others were doing last minute rehearsals. Anzu found a small dressing room with several girls changing behind dividers. Anzu found an empty space and placed her bag down.
Unzipping her bag, she took out her outfit and quickly changed into her dance attire. She placed on a pair of black ballet slippers to wear for the dance. She pulled her hair back in a ponytail to keep it out of her face, making it sleek with several of her bangs still loose.
When she finished changing, she looked back in her bag and found her cell phone. She looked to see if there were any calls but there was none. She moved out of the cramp dressing room and toward the stage. She passed by several more girls but ignored them. They were probably just as nervous as she was. At the stage, she pulled the thick dark blue curtain slightly to peer out at the audience.
"Where are you Seto?"
X, X, X,
Seto and Mokuba were escorted to an elevator at Kei Kaido's main building. Once inside they were taken to the roof of the building where Kei was. The CEO of the failing company had a virtual duel disk on his wrist. Behind him were several men and woman who Seto assumed were the board of directors. Seto stood across from Kei, Mokuba a few step behind his brother.
A woman approached Seto, she held out a duel disk for him, which he accepted. He slid it in place and arched an eyebrow. Kei pulled out a deck of cards, which Seto wonder what could it contain. He never saw this CEO remotely have any interest in duel monster.
"We'll start at four thousand life points," Kei said. "Of course you know the rules after that since you are second best."
Kei deliberately used the word second to provoke Kaiba. However, he let it roll off his shoulder.
"If I win we enter into an equal partnership." Kei continued.
"You do know who you are dueling with, correct?" Seto asked. "You will not win."
Kei glared at him. "I'll prove you wrong Kaiba and bring down your arrogant attitude."
Seto slid his deck into the slot on the duel disk. Kei did the same. The duel began.
X, X, X,
Anzu paced back and forth. The other applicants were waiting for the entrance exams to begin. They were going in alphabetical order, meaning Anzu had a while until it was her turn. The judges were sitting at a table in front of the rows of chairs where the family members and friends sat. The proctors were the dean of the school, the head dance instructors from the school. Now, it was too dark to see out into the audience so Anzu could not even see her friends.
Last time Anzu peered out into the crowd neither Seto nor Mokuba were sitting out there. She wondered if they were here now. She walked back into her dressing room, which was empty from anyone else. She found her bag in the corner and whipped out her cell phone. She dialed her boss's number.
X, X, X,
With monsters on the field and life points already taken away, Seto and Kei's fierce duel was in motion. Mokuba cheered on his older brother from the sidelines as his brother's Lesser Dragon (1200/1000) with the magic effect of Raise Body Heat took out Kei's Volcanic Blaster (1200/600) to the graveyard. However, the effect of Kei's card allowed him to take any Volcanic Card to the top of his deck.
"Oh three hundred life points," Kei mused, watching his four thousand become three thousand sever hundred points. "Well then, I shall play…"
Suddenly, the sound of a cell phone ringing interrupted Kei. Seto Kaiba heard his cell phone ringing from his coat pocket.
"Very rude, Kaiba," Kei growled.
Seto ignored him, reached into his pocket, and pressed a button, silencing his ringing cell phone.
"As I was saying, I play Volcanic Slicer(1800/1200) in attack mode and place 2 cards face down. Next Volcanic Slicer attack Seto Kaiba's lesser dragon!"
Seto smirked. "I use the trap card Trap Hole,"
A virtual hole appeared; the monster was destroyed. Amused, Kaiba then drew a card and placed a monster in defense mode. Next, he used his dragon to attack Kei's life points directly sending his life points lowering further. It was Seto with 4000 and Kei with 2500.
"Why don't you just forfeit?" Seto asked.
"Because Seto Kaiba… you will lose." A small grin spread across Kei's face.
X, X, X,
Anzu frowned unable to believe that Seto Kaiba was not answering her call. Maybe he was already here and silenced it so not to disturb anyone. Yes, that was it! He was already here. The thought made Anzu's heart flutter. He would be cheering her on with her friends. She placed her phone back down. She walked back down and noticed the group of girls was getting smaller and smaller. Some were leaving happily while others were in tears.
"Next is Suchi Koichi." The head instructor called out. Anzu peered out into the crowd, still unable to see anyone from here.
She closed her eyes watching as the last girl came off stage crying. She hoped that when she would walk off stage, she would not be crying.
X, X, X,
The total was 2000 to 1500, when had Seto Kaiba lost control of this duel. He had underestimated Kei Kaido, more so than he realized. He knew Kei was desperate but he did not believe that he knew much about duel monsters at all. Yet, here was gaining and upper hand on Seto. On the field, Seto only had a single face down monster.
Kei had stocked his deck with volcanic monsters. He was able to get Kaiba to send them to the graveyard, or himself. In turn, he was able to summon his Volcanic Hammer (2400/1500) with the effect that allowed the six monsters in his graveyard to do direct damage of six hundred. Then he whipped out a magic card that also did six hundred, called Final Flame. Seto tried to come back but was beat back with an onslaught of magic and trap kept him at bay.
Seto was mildly impressed at the determination of this man. He was desperate to win. Yet, Seto Kaiba was going to crush him.
"I play my blue eyes white dragon!" Seto called, summoning his strongest monster.
X, X, X,
"Next, his Anzu Mazaki." The teacher called.
Anzu stepped onto the stage. Nervously she took center stage after she handed her music over to a woman handling the stereo. She could not see the audience at all; all she could see was the table in front and the people ready to past judgment. She took a deep breath and waited for her music to begin.
She was nervous, to say the least. She made sure to wrap her ankle good. She practiced and memorized her entire routine. The only problem was the last part, the leap which she on the landing she kept collapsing. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach. The hot lights made beards of sweat slide down her neck and back. What if she fell again?
No, do not think like that Anzu! She told herself.
She closed her eyes, remembering the pep talk, which ironically came from Seto Kaiba. She was going to make it into this dancing school. The music began to play. Anzu opened her eyes; the fire behind them could set the room ablaze.
X, X, X,
Kei grimaced as he watched the blue eyes white dragon destroy his Volcanic Hammer sending his life points to 1000. Three Blue Eyes White Dragons were on Seto's side of the field. With the use of magic cards, Seto was able to get them onto his field. Seto ended his turn.
"Oh no more monsters on my side of the field… pity." Kei Sighed.
He drew a card and a spread across his face.
"I use reborn the monster to bring back my Volcanic Hammer and I place this card down and end my turn."
"You have no defense to my Blue Eyes," Seto smirked. "Why not just surrender so I can save you the embarrassment of wiping the floor with you?"
"No, Seto Kaiba I am going to wipe that arrogant smirk off your face with this card… it can only be activated on your turn… it is called Last Turn!"
Seto's eyes widened slightly. He watched as all the cards vanished from the field accept Volcanic Hammer, and went to the graveyard.
"Don't understand Kaiba?" Kei mused again. "Last Turn allows me to choose any monster on my side of the field to play one last round of duel monsters with you. Since Volcanic Hammer is the only one. It will be the one to defeat you. Oh and Last Turn destroy all the monsters on YOUR side of the field and since I knew the Blue Eyes White Dragon were your strongest cards… you will lose to me!"
Mokuba watched horrified. It could not be possible! Kei Kaido outsmarted Seto Kaiba! It was absurd but the CEO was desperate and putting his fate in one card. The only problem was Kaiba's three best cards that could defeat Volcanic Hammer were gone. What could he do?
X, X, X,
Anzu danced through each step and position fluidly. She twisted and turned to the music in such a way that the judges were watching intently. The only thing in Anzu's mind though was she was dancing to get into this school. She was dancing because she wanted this so much. She wanted to dance for herself. She wanted to prove to herself that she could do this. She was going to do this because he said she could and he believed in her.
Seto Kaiba, she was dancing because he believed in her. He inspired her, a thought that still surprised her as she spun around gracefully. She could imagine him watching her from the audience, proud of her. Anzu skipped and did a twirl knowing now what she could do. It came time for the leap of faith, quite literally. She could make this jump because he believed in her even when she did not.
With all her faith in this one leap, she flew into the air. Her body stretched so beautifully, she was coming down, and she landed…
X, X, X,
"Choose your last pathetic card," Kei mocked to Seto.
Seto smirked, remembering exactly when he said that to Yugi when the first dueled. Yet like Yugi's deck, his desk had NO pathetic cards. Seto peered into his deck and smiled.
"Hurry up Kaiba or are you uncomfortable sharing an office with your knew partner?"
"Kaido, I commend you on your attempt to defeat me. However, once again you overlooked something much like you did with your company. You forgot that you are going up against ME!"
Kei arched an eyebrow and watches Kaiba select a card from his deck.
"And one thing about me is… I know duel monsters and I know the single strongest monsters I have are the blue eyes white dragons. However, together they form the blue eyes ultimate dragon… which is the card I will play!"
He flipped the Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon card onto his duel disk and it appeared in front of him. The magnificent creature let out a fierce battle cry.
"And… Last Turn allows me to use any monster… in my deck!"
Mokuba let out a cheer while Kei and his board of directors looked horrified as the Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon loomed over them in all its glory. With an attack of 4500, there was no question on who would win. Seto Kaiba had his normal arrogant smirk on his face as he raised his hand.
"Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon…" he said in a triumphant tone, "attack!"
X, X, X,
Anzu landed on her good foot and did a twirl as she landed, ending her routine in a graceful bow. The music stopped and she stood up, smiling. She did it! She landed it and she landed it good!
"Miss…" the head teacher began when suddenly there was an eruption of cheers coming from the audience.
Anzu blinked and tried to make out who was screaming for her when the lights turned on. Jonouchi and Honda were clapping and cheering hysterically for her, while Yugi and Bakura were ducking down in embarrassment.
"Someone, get them out of here!" the head of the school ordered.
After being dragged out of the auditorium, Anzu found her face red but she was grateful for the support. Yugi, Jonouchi, Bakura, and Honda cared for her. Yet, where were Seto and Mokuba? A twinge of hurt hit her in her heart. However, the panel before her snapped her from her moment of sadness.
"Miss Mazaki," one spoke. "That was an excellent performance. The best we have seen in years. We could see that you had taken much time in planning your routine and that you are hard worker."
"Thank you," Anzu said gratefully.
"In other words, we want you in our school."
Anzu did a double take. Her eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. She thought they would send her a letter or post the people who made it in on a bulletin board. No, instead they flat out accepted her!
"I would personally like it if you can start right away," The head teacher called out. "I was very impressed and you far from amateur. We have a show next month and if you start immediately, I am sure we can fit you in. Is tomorrow is alright with you?"
Anzu stared at them for a few seconds before she came to her senses.
"Yes of course!" she cried happily.
"Then see you tomorrow at noon."
Anzu graciously thanked the judges. She bowed to them and hurried off stage to her dressing room. Once inside she felt the overwhelming surge of pride and accomplishment in her. She knew this feeling would not die from inside her. She knew the moment she left the dressing room her friends would congratulate her and celebrate with her. When she woke up tomorrow to get ready and return here for her first lesson, she would still feel the same feelings.
She slid down into the stool in her dressing room and began to pull out her clothes when she noticed her cell phone. Hopeful, she flipped it open expecting a message to be there. There was none. She even checked to see if there was an E-mail message. None, no one called her.
The cerulean-eyed girl frowned and lowered her phone. Yugi, Jonouchi, and Honda were out there cheering for her. They were here to support her. Mokuba and Seto did not show up. Why, why did they not come? They said they would be here. Did something happen? Were they all right?
Tears glistened over her eyes. She flipped open her phone and dialed Seto Kaiba's cell phone. Luckily, he did hand it over just in case she needed to reach him for Mokuba's sake. When she finished dialing she placed the phone to her ear, holding her breath.
"Sorry the number you are trying to reach is unavailable…"
The voice continued to talk as Anzu brought the phone away from her ear. She heard the recording voice give her options on what to do. At first, she planned on hanging up when instead she pressed the number for voice mail.
"Kaiba," Anzu said intentionally using his last name. "I made it into the school. They were so impressed that they want me to start tomorrow. In other words, I have to quit being Mokuba's nanny now. I'm sorry I cannot tell you in person. I guess you were too busy with something or another."
She then pulled the phone away from her. A single tear slid down her cheek.
X, X, X,
The conclusion of the duel sat satisfactory in Seto's mind. He now owned Kaido's company. After all the trouble he caused he was grateful to get the final victory. He slid his deck securely in his coat pocket as he walked over to Mokuba.
"You did great big brother!" the younger brother cheered as he walked next to his brother.
"Yes and now Kaiba Corp. will be even more of a dominant force." Seto grinned wickedly.
Just as they walked outside, Mokuba saw a large TV screen on the building reporting the news of the duel. Just below the announcer was the time: 4:57 pm.
The boy stopped short of the limousine that was waiting for the brothers. The color drained from his face when reality hit him. Anzu's entrance exam for the dance school was an hour ago.
"Mokuba, what are you waiting for?" his brother called out.
"Seto… it's… almost five." Mokuba distressing voice called. "We missed Anzu's audition!"
Seto's eyes widened slightly. The entire time he was dueling Kaido, he completely lost all track of time. Without hesitating, he pulled out his cell phone, which he neglected to answer during his duel. When he looked at it, it said, "2 Missed Calls" and "1 Voice Mail."
Seto already knew who sent them. He flipped his phone open and pressed the button to listen to the voice message. At the same time, Mokuba crawled into the limousine and sat on the opposite side of his brother. Seto ignored his brother and listened to the message.
"Kaiba," he listened. He felt a twinge of guilt when she said his last name.
"I made it into the school. They were so impressed that they want me to start tomorrow. In other words, I have to quit being Mokuba's nanny now."
He was happy for her, he really was. Even with a sprained ankle, she was able to get in.
"I'm sorry I cannot tell you in person. I guess you were too busy with something or another."
He was busy, busy taking over a large corporation. He listened to the message as it finished. He pulled the phone away from his ear when he heard her voice again.
"I wanted to tell you something." Her voice was fighting back tears.
There was another pause. Seto listened. He held his breath unintentionally waiting for her. The long pause made him wonder if she hung up. He heard her let out a breath, probably gaining her composure from the last sentence when she sounded as if she was going to cry.
"Anzu Mazaki is in love with Seto Kaiba. I do not mean it as a friend either. I love you… and goodbye Seto…"
Seto sat frozen. Anzu just confessed that she loves him. Anzu loves him! Was she going to tell him face to face at the audition? Maybe she only said it because Seto technically broke a promise to her. No, he did break a promise and now she was out of his life. She would be going to the dance classes all summer.
Seto lowered the phone from his ear and turned it off. Mokuba looked at him curiously.
"What it is it big brother?" Mokuba asked.
"Nothing, let's go home."
X, X, X,
Author Note- Another chapter down and ONE more to go. Yes, this story is ending. I'm glad that you guys stuck with me for so long. I appreciate it. Thank you for all the reviews.
Princess
