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Celine didn't hear Mia come in, but when she woke next the TV was dark in idle, with a polite clock dimly bouncing around the screen. Her bags were stacked neatly in the hall, and the curtains were pulled over the patio door, keeping the room dark.

10:30 AM.

Was that right? She figured she'd get up at least once in the night.

Maybe it was the jet lag, she slept like shit in the hotel.

That's not fair, that hotel was nice.

She slept like shit at home too. She could use a few naps like that, she felt great. Or she would after a shower.

A rinse and a change into a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, she unpacked her bags while her little washer ran. There were small appliances tucked into the cabinets of the kitchen. A tea brewer, a rice cooker, even a small microwave that tucked in and out on a rolling drawer. Mia had left a business card with her information on it and a note that said 'Call if you need ANYTHING! :)'

Her closet was actually a semi-hidden sliding door that almost blended in with the walls around it, once she opened it she found the closet, along with a small rack at the bottom for more shoes.

By the time she was done, it was just about noon, and she was telling herself a trip to a shop wouldn't be so bad for food. She stepped down into the common area and found the majority of the group in the common rooms. Downstairs there was a game room, a kind of study, and a common kitchen that on closer inspection appeared to be laden in food. Someone had already made eggs and sausage.

"Hey, if it isn't the queen of mean herself, how do you feel?" Asked Roger as he came in, followed right behind by Ted.

"Great, actually, I slept like the dead." Celine replied.

"Hey, same, buddy." Said Ted. "Nice digs though, we were a bit worried when we didn't see you at the hotel, but your assistant said you beat us here."

"Yeah, Mia got me settled and was nice enough to fetch my bags for me." Said Celine, grateful to find a coffee maker down here in the commons. Hot and already brewed from some kind soul.

"You guys got one too, right? An assistant?" She asked as she poured herself a mug.

"Oh yeah, buddy. We actually had two, but we told them we didn't need them both, eh?" Said Roger. "This place is nice enough on it's own, we shouldn't need much. We're making a list of groceries to send off while we go to check out the gym."

"Right, she said there was one. In the basement of the main house." Said Celine.

"Right! Ours showed us right where it's at. Up for a run, buddy?" Asked Ted.

"Not just yet. Think I'm going to start with a walk while I enjoy this." She offered as she sipped her hot coffee.

"Going out to the gardens, eh? I was looking at it last night from my room. It's nice." Said Ted.

"Same same." Said Celine. "I'll catch you guys later, okay?"

"Sure! Later buddy." Said Roger and the pair filed out, dressed for their destination.

Celine took her mug out and started on the open path in the gardens. Up front it was low, easy to maneuver and see which way to go, but the farther back you went, the higher the hedges were, and the harder it became to keep track of your way. Celine counted her turns, and tracked them before finding herself in a tiny alcove made for a rest.

A small koi pond sat in the center, with benches around to sit and watch them. Celine seated herself and sipped her coffee in the sun. There was a sweet smell in the air from the flowers, and only the soft trickle of the fountain in the center of the pond.

She should call Sowards. This stuff with Jason yesterday should really be talked about.

The problem was, she didn't know what to say. Besides the time difference was crazy, it was probably well into the night there. She sighed, and pressed her elbow to the arm of the bench to prop her head up on her hand, her burned palm holding the hot mug without an issue. The dumb thing could handle that.

She studied the hand. In the game she wasn't that way. In the game her scars were gone, and she looked just like she did before the fire. She moved, and felt… normal.

Almost everyone didn't notice her scars at first. No matter who she met, they would see her hand and go 'Oh! What happened?' and Celine would give them some bullshit about grabbing a hot kettle when she was young.

Of course that only worked when people hadn't seen her naked. Lovers had often told her how daunting the scars on her chest and shoulder were. Before her breast correction, that side had been disgusting to look at. Like an over cooked cantaloupe. The doctor had removed it, and replaced it with an implant, even managing to reshape a nipple, but there was no feeling to it, so men seemed unsure of what to do with it.

One man had been physically sick when she'd removed her shirt after a date. She'd warned him, and he'd insisted it was fine, but men were babies.

Celine sipped her coffee, and watched the fish turn in the pond. The sound of footsteps had her eyes up to spy Carson, the other American. He jumped at the sight of her.

"Oh… I didn't know anyone was out here… I'm so lost." He said.

Carson was a nervous creature as it was. She'd noticed that instantly. And his soft cajun accent becoming more and more apparent the more she spoke with him, which wasn't much. He'd clearly been intimidated by her tactics early on in the game and gave her a wide berth.

He was kind of cute, if he wasn't so skittish. Soft blond hair that hung by his ears and bright blue eyes behind thick black glasses and a baby face.

"You're alright… You can sit, or if you want out, it's 3 rights, and a left... that way." She gave a stiff point with her marred hand and the man's eyes lingered on it. Celine gave him a pointed look and he dropped his eyes and scurried off in the direction she indicated.

There was a grunt, and a muttered apology before Celine spotted a tall form stepping into the nook.

It was Kaiba. Dressed in a sharp blue suit with an irritated pinch to his brows.

"Whoa, say no more, fam, I'll go too." Said the woman with a dramatic face as she moved to get up.

"No… wait."

He gave a heavy sigh, and moved around to sit at the far end of the bench with her.

"I… had a bad morning. I came home with the intent to be more productive, but I just can't seem to focus." He admitted, eyes on the pond before them.

"Well… I haven't tried to do much, but I'll tell you I slept like the dead… The boys did too. Maybe you don't have the VR shook off." She offered before sipping her mug.

He didn't immediately reply, but she could almost see the cogs turning.

"You think it's a side effect?" He said finally.

"I think it's possible… I mean you're talking about 8 hours sitting still while your mind runs at 7 times the speed… that's got to be exhausting."

"Like… athletic fatigue."

"Yeah!" She said, smiling as she looked over. "Did you get a full night? If not, maybe a day off to recoup wouldn't be a bad idea."

"I should say something to the data administrator… but perhaps you are correct. I did feel hazy when I got up this morning."

"Eh, that's an email. You can send that any time. Just relax… half the fun of being the boss is being able to tell the little guys to take care of it so you can go golfing." She said with a dismissive motion towards the house.

He scoffed, but leaned back, crossing his long legs as he propped his head on his fist.

"I don't actually like golfing."

Celine had to laugh then. "My dad used to say that golfing wasn't actually about golfing. It was negotiations. He always made a good deal by the 18th hole. Little schmooze, a little booze, and they were sold."

Kaiba laughed softly, and Celine couldn't help but notice she liked the sound of it.

"You… go to a lot of those stupid stuffed shirt parties as a kid? The dumb ones where you have no idea who anyone is, but your parents keep dragging you around to brag, like, hey, this is my spawn, my legacy, stare at it. Stare at the child, make it uncomfortable."

He hummed, eyes still out over the pond.

"Not when I was little… but after the adoption, yes. The kids that were around weren't much to be with."

"Facts…" Grunted Celine. "I'm younger, so I at least had the benefit of being neglected. Fucking ignore me and let me go digging through the coat pockets in the check closet."

He scoffed and Celine flashed a grin. A ringing from her pocket had her frowning and leaning to pull her phone out. It was Vick. She couldn't keep the scowl off her lips even as she answered.

"Yes, hello." She offered as she brought it up to her ear.

"Celine what are you doing in Japan?"

"Currently? Sitting in a very nice garden with some rather enjoyable company. What do you need, Vick?"

"I received a notice on your passport being reactivated."

"Should I be flattered you're tracking my passport?"

"You could have told me you were leaving."

"Maybe if I didn't get a scolding everytime we spoke, I'd be more inclined to call. As it is, I'm very busy."

"Doing what?"

"Nothing that concerns you. I'm fine. Bye Vick."

"Celine-"

Celine hung up and flicked on the silent mode to dodge the rebound calls she knew were coming.

"Fucking cute. Can't do anything without that pompous ass sticking his nose in." Grunted the woman, tucking the phone into her lap.

"Perhaps he's worried." Offered the man.

"Yeah, he's worried. Worried I'm making deals without him…"

His brow lifted and he looked at her. "Do you still own stock in your family's business?"

She nodded slowly, giving him a look of displeasure.

"I've told him for years I want to sell it, turn that money into solar, or wind energy. Or fuck, buy up options in McDonald's, who the fuck cares, but fossil fuels is a dying attraction. Half the wells our family started with originally have gone dry, and it's only a matter of time before the ones we still own go as well. I don't want to sell my half out from under him, but he won't give me a good option to buy out. He thinks I'm looking for a better deal."

"I noticed you didn't correct that."

"Nope. Let him fucking stew. Maybe when I come back he'll have a real offer for me." Said Celine, sipping her mug once more.