Chapter Sixty-Three
63
They all gathered in the halls, forced out as soon as Seto Kaiba chose to accept to listen to his daughter's proposition. No one knew what was being disgussed, even with their ears pressed to the door. They paced nervously awaiting Connar's return. Chazz wandered ahead, surrounded by all of the familiar whispers and gossip. Word of Duel Academy's buy out had spread fast among the student body, and already they were beginning to doubt him once again. Not that he could blame them...he even doubted himself.
"Well you know what I think!?" Jaden's voice rose above the rest, "I think you're all wrong!" he said,"Chazz can win this duel! I know he can because I've dueled him myself. And duelists don't come much tougher."
"Yeah, I know." Chazz huffed,"That's the problem, Jaden."
"Honestly you're not making much sense, Chazz." said Bastion.
"Yeah he's right." said Alexis,"Being tough is usually a good thing...especially in this situation."
Chazz sighed.
"Look It's-"
"About Chazz being too tough." said Zane as he made his way to join the gathered group of waiting friends, "Specifically his deck." he said,"This is about Chazz being unable to even duel."
"What do you mean, Bro?" Syrus asked.
"What I mean, Syrus,is that Chazz's deck is not built around monsters with 500 attack points or less, like the condition states."
The condition. One that got set after Connar took off running from the scene of her exposed truths. Slade will duel with a deck full of rare and powerful monsters, while Chazz, being his oppoenent, was forbidden to use anything with more than 500 attack points. A condition that even Seto Kaiba himself signed off on.
"So then...that means..." Jaden blinked.
"It means my cards are all too powerful." Chazz stated,"Thanks to the conditions my brothers set...My deck is useless." he blinked,"That's why our only hope is that Connar can some how call off this deal by talking to her old man."
"You really think she can?" Norika asked.
"Her dad owns this school" Chazz stated,"She should be able to have some pull...otherwise...I'm afraid we'll be stuck with him." Chazz said as he revealed his only remaining usuable card, Ojama Yellow.
"Isn't your spirit partner all you really need to secure victory?"
"CONNAR!" everyone called out as the pink haired girl walked proudly through the hall.
The whispers began surrounding and rising at a fast rate.
"It's her!"
"I can't believe she's a Kaiba!"
"Wow to think Kaiba's kid is a Slifer..."
"He must be so disappointed!"
Though...she didn't let a single one of them bother her. She held her head up proudly and wore a face of fierce determination.
"Well!?" Chazz asked as he ran to her,"Did you do it? Could you get the deal called off."
"The Duel is set, Chazz." she blinked,"There's no changing that, my father signed off on it...I have no power over that, I'm sorry."
Chazz sighed.
"Then I guess this is really it...better start packing our bags." he blinked,"Duel Academy is doomed."
"Don't be so sure about that." Connar stated,"...I never said it was completely hopeless."
"What do you mean?" Zane asked.
"What I mean, Zane, is that there's nothing that says the conditions cant be changed while still remaining the same." she smirked,"You can always add to the pot...if the offer is sweet enough."
"Huh!?" Syrus tilted his head in confusion as Zane widened his eyes in realization.
"You mean...by sweetening the pot?" Zane blinked.
"Bingo." she said,"For this to work...I'll have to somehow convince Chazz's brothers to make Slade's duel against Chazz into a tag duel against the both of us." she said,"Though of course...I will have to follow the same conditions as Chazz."
" Haven't you been listening!?" Chazz huffed,"The Conditions are the problem, Connie!" he sighed as he planted his face into his hand,
" Sweetening the pot!? What more could possibly be offered in this situation!?" Norika huffed.
"There's no way Slade will go for that! Not when He has it already set into his favor like this!" said Chazz.
"Oh, with what I have to offer...I think he might~" Connar smirked.
"Huh?" Chazz blinked,"I'm sorry but I don't follow."
"Listen to me Chazz!" Connar snapped as she yanked him by the ear.
"OW!"
"You're on thin ice with me already!" she hissed,"But Even so, I'm gonna use what power I do have to help you, anyway!" she stated,"Now listen up!"
"Ow! Okay I got it, I'm listening!" he winced,"Kind of not giving me a choice here..."
"...Your brothers. What they're basically after is total take over, right?"
"Well...yeah. Pretty much." he muttered rubbing his red ear.
"However they seemed to have gravely miscalculated."
"What do you mean?" he blinked.
Connar smirked.
"They don't seem to realize that even if they dueled just you and won they still wouldn't have TOTAL take over... you follow?"
Chazz blinked for a moment trying to comprehend as she shook her head and gave him a sly smirk.
"Remember, Chazz Princeton...this is business."
Chazz blinked once more before widening his eyes in realization.
"You're right..." he said sfotly and grinned,"This is business!"
Connar smirked.
"Uhh...would someone mind filling us in on the joke?" Norika asked.
"Yes please..."said Bastion,"I'm feeling quite lost myself.
"More on the details later." said Connar,"Just know this, We have a shot at winning this...my father has assured me of that much."
"Really?" Norika blinked,"So...what did your dad have to say?"
"Well..." Connar sighed and closed her eyes thinking back on the conversation she and her family had after her friends were sent to leave them alone to talk...
XXXXX
"Before we continue this conversation...Connar."
"What?" Connar asked,"I'm still trying to negotiate here..."
"Negotiations can wait...why were you crying?"
"What?"
"Your eyes, Connar!" Mokuba huffed cutting between her and her father's conversation,"They're swollen...did you think we wouldn't notice?"
"If pity is a business tactic of yours it's a shameful one and I won't give in to it." said Seto Kaiba,"Not even for you."
"Of course not!" Connar sighed,"Look...it's stupid, don't worry about it, can we just get back to the business matter at hand?"
"You do realize it's a pointless demand to tell your family not to worry?" said Mokuba.
Connar sighed.
"Fine..." she said softly,"Look...Dad...those people you're doing business with..." she sighed,"They're using warfare, dad." she blinked,"Warfare and slander."
"Warefare?" he blinked,"How do you mean?"
"I don't know how they got ahold of it..." she said softly,"But they had my personal file."
"Your what!?" Kaiba blinked.
"Personal record...medical information, documentations, my origins...all of it." she stated,"They were planning to expose it, and were trying to use their little brother to do it."
"That's supposed to be confidential!" Mokuba snapped,"How the hell could they have possibly gotten ahold of that!?"
"...Sounds like we have a rat in our security systems, Mokuba." Kaiba stated.
"Oh you can bet I'm gonna take care of that!" said her uncle.
"As for Chazz Princeton..."Seto muttered,"I knew he was a snake..."
"Now hold on dad, don't be so quick to pass judgement." Connar said softly,"Obviously he didn't use it." she said,"If he really planned to ruin us after all...why would he tell me about it rather than immediately releasing it into the public?"
Seto Kaiba fell silent at that and said nothing more.
"However...since we're on the topic...I do have a few questions." she stated.
"You may ask."
"They said you went through great lengths to keep all of that information about me locked away and hidden..." she said softly,"Is that true?"
"It is." he stated firmly without any heitation. Which left Connar a little shaken about her next question."Dad...are you ashamed of me?" she asked.
"..."
"Are you ashamed of your crazy daughter?"
"Ashamed!?" Mokuba snapped,"Now you listen and you listen good, young lady!" Mokuba huffed,"We are not ashamed! How dare you accuse us of being so!?"
"I just want to know...why you were trying so hard to make sure no one found out..." she trembled,"Like it's your dirty little secret..."
"Listen to me." Mokuba snipped,"Yes, we kept it all hidden and locked away. But we did that for you!" he stated.
"For me?"
"We love you, Connar." said Mokuba,"We took you in because we felt that you deserved to live a rich and full life." he stated,"And that's what we want to give you. Without allowing for any possibility of that being used against you and holding you back." he said,"Trust me Kiddo. We've seen plenty of 'crazy' back in our day...and believe me when I say, you ain't it."
"So you're saying...you did that to protect me?"
"You're my daughter, Connar." Seto said curtly,"Don't you dare underestimate the lengths I will go to keep you safe with me. Am I understood?"
"Ahh...y-yes sir...I'm sorry."
"Good."
"No...we're sorry." said Mokuba,"You're right. You have a right to be upset...we should have talked to you...but we just didn't know how to." he said,"We didn't know when a good time would be...but I guess now is as good a time as any." he sighed,"But you know, Seto...the fact that these guys decided to go to great lengths to play dirty, doesn't sound like they want a clean deal."
"I think you're right, Mokuba." Kaiba said as he smirked,"And if they want to play dirty...then we'll play dirty."
"So...about my proposition...?"
"The deal is already set Connar. I signed off on it." he stated,"The duel is happening as is."
"But-"
"However-" Kaiba said cutting her off before she could argue,"While the conditions will not change...there's always something to be added that could sweeten the bargain."
"Sir?"
"Take a good look at yourself and who you are Connar Rose and the answer should come pretty clearly." he stated,"And if it doesn't, then do me a favor, and tell me your name."
"My name, sir?" Connar blinked.
"You heard me, Connar!" snapped Seto,"You're full name. GIVE IT TO ME, NOW!"
"M-My name is Connar Rose-...Kaiba..." She blinked and gasped softly while her father smirked on the otherside of the screen.
"So tell me, sweetheart." he blinked,"Have you figured it out?"
"I..." she blinked and smiled, almost laughing about how she didn't realize it sooner,"Yeah, you know...I think I got what I need."
"Pleasure doing business with you." Kaiba smirked,"Now get off of this line, or you're grounded."
"R-Right, yes sir!" she chuckled,"And...uh...dad?"
"What is it?"
"Thank you."
"...Good bye, Connar."
CLICK.
XXXXX
"Uhhh Connar? Hello?" Syrus blinked,"Earth to Connar!?"
"Huh?"
"There she is!" Jaden laughed.
"Well, tell us!" said Norika,"What did your dad have to say!?"
"Let's just say..." Connar smiled,"I have what I need."
"Yeah, yeah that's great." Chazz huffed,"Now if only I had what I need...!?"
"Yeah..." said Jaden,"I mean...Chazz can't build a deck with just one card..." Jaden sighed.
"He may not need to." Professor Banner's voice sounded from the stair case, commanding the attention of the small crowd,"Now...this is only a rumor...but given the circumstances, it may be worth investigating." he said with a smile,"Supposedly, deep in the woods...sits a very old well." he stated,"And within this well lay a great many cards, discarded there by duelists who believed them to be too weak to serve in any deck." He sighed,"Though...the spirits of those cards are rather angry for being abandoned..."
"He couldn't mean...that well?"
Kaibaman?
Connar blinked as her spirit partner made his presence known to her once again.
You mean the well Jaden and I discovered when we found you?
"The very one."
Hmmm...
Angry spirits huh?
Well then...I might be able to help here after all.
"So then it's settled." said Connar,"If Chazz's deck is the problem, then we will just have to build him a new deck." she smiled,"Of course with the 500 attack point rule, I will have to rebuild my deck too." she said,"But I'm okay with that...because all I need to win...is him." Connar grinned as she held her Kaibaman Card Proudly.
"Kaibaman?" Chazz blinked.
"That's right!" She beamed,"I have complete faith and trust in my Spirit Partner!" she stated,"Can you say the same, Chazz?"
"Hmmm..." Chazz blinked as he looked down into his Ojama Card,"...Angry spirits, huh?" Chazz smirked,"Well The Chazz has a feeling they're gonna be perking up, real soon!" he stated,"Because I'm gonna find that well and enlist some new monsters for my deck!"
"You don't have to." said Connar,"Because I already know where it is~" she beamed,"And Jaden does too." She glanced over at the brunette with a smile and he let out a soft gasp.
"You mean...that well?" Jaden blinked.
"The very one."
"But..." he blinked,"It's a magic well isn't it?" he asked,"So...how do we know if it will even be there?"
"I'm not sure..." she said softly,"But...I must be called a Spirit Caller for a reason, right?"
"Hey, that's right." Jaden blinked,"Isn't that what Camula called you?"
Connar nodded.
"Now...I'm not sure exactly what that means but...maybe it can help me make some calls~!" She said with a wink toward the Duel spirit that stood beside her proudly grinning.
To Be Continued