It was barely dawn when Kaiba dragged himself down to his office. His
usually sharp blue eyes were weary and dark lines of fatigue make him look
older than his sixteen years. Needless to say, last night hadn't been the
most beneficial. In the little time that he had fallen asleep, he had been
turning and tossing in nightmares, waking up in his own sweat.
He set his jaws as he entered the room, almost afraid to go in, for the
ordeal of last night had been so strong he could just see the entire scene
in his head, playing over and over again.
He sat down in front of his computer and with shaking fingers, turned on
the computer. His heart thudded in his throat as the computer setting began
popping up. He swallowed hard. It was gone, no doubt now. Last night he had
wished that there was a mistake. That it wasn't gone after all. That it was
still there, and he was only too panicked to notice. Now, that hope was
gone along with his software and his dream to create the ultimate one and
only virtual game.
Suddenly, his breath was caught. There was something on the desktop of his
computer that he has never seen before. His finger was quick and as light
as feather as he clicked upon it. His jaws dropped and his eyes narrowed
with disbelief when he saw what popped up.
VirtualPod.
His midnight blue eyes grew wider and wider as he looked through the
designs step by step. How could this have happened? He thought wildly. This
software.! This.this is unbelievable!! How can she remake everything in
simply a few hours and make it a thousand times better than what I have
worked on through my whole life?! His fingers flew on the manual.
Everything was so.perfect.so.incredible.so.impossible.
Kaiba shook his head, fascinated, his head swarmed with incredulity and
skepticism. No. He brushed his silky bangs away from his eyes. I'm just
dreaming. This is implausible! Simply.impossible. No, Kaiba shoved back
from his seat. He has to talk to Arielle in person.
"Arielle!" He called, stomping down the hallway. He wasn't angry, he just
wanted to know. "Arielle?" He knocked on the door. When he got no answer,
he opened the door a crack and peeked in. A mixed strangled noise between a
protest and a gasp formed in his throat as he flung the door wide open.
Arielle wasn't in her room.
"Arielle!" He shouted as he ran from room to room. Mokuba also stumbled out
of his bedroom, half-awake, at his brother's urgent voice. He found Kaiba
peeking under the table and sofa in the living room.
"What's wrong, big brother?" He yawned, forgetting what happened last
night.
"Mokuba!" Kaiba gasped urgently. "Have you seen Arielle? She's no where to
be found!" Mokuba's eyes widened.
"You lost Arielle?! How did that happen, big brother?!" Without another
word, he began searching for the girl beside his brother. But after
spending thirty-minutes of searching in vain, pawing through the landscape
and the whole Kaiba Mansion, both Kaiba brothers knew that it was hopeless.
Arielle was gone.
"Wake up, mortal." An ominous voice growled inside Ryou's Millennium Ring. Ryou opened his eyes slowly. His dark side stood by the side of his bed, scowling. "What?" He sat up and rubbed his eyes. "What's wrong? Is something up?" "Don't use that tone with me, Ryou!" The albino tomb robber snarled, taking another step closer threateningly. Then, he smiled maliciously. "But you're right, you ignorant mortal. Something is up, and I'll need you." "What?" Ryou's eyes widened as his British accent became accentuated with alarm. Bakura smirked, then lifted the Millennium Ring. It lighted up and floated from the immortal's fingers. "Sorry, mortal. But I'll be needing your energy and part your soul." Ryou gave a cry as he felt like his body was torn from his soul. The room glowed and objects were thrown around as Bakura laughed maniacally. At last, when everything was settled, Ryou's body was limp and drenched with perspiration on the bed. His breathing uneven and painstaking as Bakura turned and walked out of the room, his lips curled up to an evil smile.
"I have never wanted you in the beginning!" "Don't ever call me your big brother ever again." "I don't want to see your face until then." Tears swelled up in Arielle's eyes once again as yesterday's scene played over in her head again and again. And as brave of a little creature she was, this was too much to stand. She was sure she had already cried enough to fill the ocean, and had finally stopped, but now, tears of anguish poured out with renewed agony. It wasn't simply Kaiba's words, but his actions. Indeed, it had hurt her little feelings very much, for she had only wanted to help her 'big brother' out from a tight spot with only the most sincere reasons. She shook away her tears and walked on in the forestry part of the park. It was a foggy, crisp morning. Her breaths came out in small white puffs. Crying will do you no good, Arielle.whatever your last name was. She drilled herself, gritting her teeth. She has no clue where she was going. But she's not returning to the orphanage. The determination in her eyes overruled the size of her small body. She assured herself that she could live on her own, without trusting anybody if that's what it takes, but no way was she ever returning to Domino Orphanage if she could help it. She was sick of having her hopes lifted then broken. And she was sick of been tossed back and forth, like a piece of worthless trash. She set her jaws, remembering the good days when her parents were alive. I was an heiress, she thought back. An aristocratic heiress that everybody was dying to please. "Arielle!" A voice exclaimed, making Arielle jump a foot in the air. She whirled around, her eyes defiant and her small hands curled up into fists, ready to battle for her freedom. Though no battle came to her, only the surprised look of Ryou. "Oh," she relaxed her fists, though her muscles were still tense. "Hey, Ryou." She turned away. Somehow, Ryou was the last person she had expected.
"Hi!" Bakura forced a tight smile, hoping it looked naturally like his aibou. Inside, he was ready to barf. But hey, the pay was too good to reject, besides the fact of his desire to own Pegasus the Millennium Eye. This would not only give him the money, but give him the chance to get into the castle as well. Closer to the possessor of the Millennium Eye. Then, his brows furrowed in an expression of concern that he knew his lighter half would have expressed. "What are you doing out this early in the morning? Alone?" "Nothing," Arielle said cheerfully, yet cautiously. She didn't want to get into another trouble when she was still trying to escape one. "I'm.uh, taking a walk. A morning jog." Last time, at Burger Paluza, he had been nice. Today, somehow, there is something different about him. "Oh," He smiled, though it came out more like a smirk. "Mind if I join you?" "Actually," she thought fast. "I'm just ready to go home now, so.see ya later!" She turned and tried to walk quickly away, deeper into the surrounding of the trees. "I think not." The refined British accented soft voice suddenly turned rough. Arielle panicked as a hand roughly jerked her back. She reeled around. The gentle Ryou was gone, along with the phony acts, and standing in front of her was Bakura, an evil smirk played around his lips. "I don't think you were just taking a walk, and I don't think little girl like you should walk back home alone." He said smoothly, his eyes amused. "Let go!" The six-year-old tried to yank her wrist away from the brutal grasp. When that didn't work, she looked up at the tall Albino teen suspiciously. "You're not really Ryou, are you?" This wasn't a question, but a statement simply stated. "Quite smart for a little mortal like you, young one." Bakura nodded, smiling like a proud father. "No, you're right. I'm not Ryou." He waited for her to ask him who he really was, or start crying, whatever kids would do, but all he got was an impatient, "Well?" He was taken back. "Well what?" He snapped irritably. "Do what you're suppose to do." The youngster explained. "You're taking up my time. And you're hurting me." She complained. Bakura raised an eyebrow, like Kaiba often did. "What am I--" He started before he stopped, growling madly at the little girl who was confusing him with her talk and innocent actions. He drew her closer, which she moved reluctantly. When she was right under his nose, he stooped lower and peered into her naïve face. Her sea green eyes were big and innocent, while her curious face asked dozens of questions at the same time. "You really don't know what I'm about to do, do you?" He asked just as curiously, his own expressions slipped from wicked to confusion. Arielle shook her head. "No." She answered truthfully. Kaiba had always said that honesty is the best policy. Bakura straightened back up, the smirk back on his face. "Well, then, let's just say you and I won't be around for a couple of days."
"Big brother, don't feel sad," Mokuba settled up against a beaten Kaiba. "Arielle will come back. She loves us. She loves you." He added. Kaiba shook his head sadly. His eyes dull. "No, Mokuba." He said quietly. "I'm afraid she will never return." Then he looked up, the determination flashing in his eyes. "We're going to have to go look for her." He jumped up, Mokuba scrambling up after him. "Where is a place that she would go to?" "The park?" His little brother suggested a place that was in his innocent mind. "Now, why would she--?" Kaiba started, then stopped, thinking. Mokuba was probably right. After all, he was still a kid and more than often, kids know what other kids are thinking. Mokuba's answer was probably more logical and true than what he had in his own mind. "Get changed." He ordered. "Our first stop would be the park."
From the point after what Bakura said, Arielle knew what was happening. And it was NOT good. "You can't take me away!" She argued, trying to pry Bakura's strong fingers off her wrist. "It's wrong to just take people away. Besides, I don't want to go with you." She pouted. Bakura chuckled at the evidently innocent and pureness of the little girl in his possession. But before he could comeback, Arielle's eyes lit up. "Seto!" She squealed, pointed at the slender figure from beyond the trees. Bakura whirled around, saw Kaiba, then scowled. He swore in Egyptian as he began dragging the young girl deeper into the forest. "Shut up, mortal!" He snapped, as Arielle began whimpering from the pain that shot up her wrist. She could hear Kaiba's voice calling her and was anxious for him to know where she is. This running away plan was no longer fun to her and she wanted to go back home. She wanted to be with her big brother again and not this big bad white-haired mean person. "I don't wanna," she pouted, obviously not knowing the dangerous of being alone with the spirit of the soul stealer. "I want Seto. You're mean. And I don't like you!" "I don't like you eith--" Bakura was about to say, before Arielle shrieked. "Big brother!" She shrieked, her voice echoing through the whole field. "Mokuba!" "Quiet, you!" He growled, picking her up and clapped his hand across her lips. "Hey," he said lowly, Arielle had no idea to whom, but an eerie feeling was coming from Bakura's chest where she was held against. "Intrusion, put up Plan B." "Roger." A voice returned. Arielle squirmed against the broad chest that she was held against. She finally worked herself enough so that she managed to cry, "Stop, I don't like this game!" She looked up and glared at her captor. "If this was a game, then the stakes are much higher than just Monopoly money." Bakura smiled, relaxing a little that the real Kaiba across the field didn't hear Arielle's alarming cry of help. "Arielle!" Both Arielle and Ryou's twin turned around from their position behind a tree. "Seto!" The little girl squealed with obvious joy. Bakura loosened his hold around her waist and dropped her lightly down to the ground. Arielle wasted no time on running to her beloved brother and hugged his waist. Bakura walked slowly over, raising an eyebrow, and was returned with a sly wink. Bakura turned back and was satisfied to see the real Seto Kaiba still searching desperately for the young heiress. Arielle noticed little of this interaction. Nor the fact that this Kaiba has a slight tan. "Arielle," he could hear the fake Kaiba chiding. "What are you doing out here at this time of day? You worried Mokuba and me to death. Don't ever do that again!" "Okay!" She chirped happily. "I'm glad you found me, Seto. Bakura was hurting me." "Oh, is he?" Kaiba cocked his head, asking innocently. "Yes!" She nodded vigorously, her eyes solemn. "He wanted to take me to a scary place that I didn't want to go to." "Oh, kid," he sighed. "I had Bakura look for you because I wanted to take you some place.to meet someone. In fact, we're leaving right now." Arielle looked at Kaiba with confusion. "But what about Mokuba? Wasn't he with you?" Bakura and the fake Kaiba was both taken back. That was something they hadn't prepared for. "Well," Kaiba thought quickly. "Actually, I sent Mokuba home right after I found you. This is just going to be a trip between you and me, kid. What do you think? We're going to a castle." "Well," Arielle furrowed her brows, and pursed her lips. "It won't be as fun." She finally said. "But it's okay!" "Good, then let's go." Kaiba bent over and picked up the young girl. He and Bakura both made eye contact and smirked. The first step of their plan was a success, though little did Arielle know that she was walking deeper and deeper into a trap. Bakura and the fake Seto Kaiba, the one that Yami had sent to the Shadow Realm, was being paid to deliver the little creature to the designated man who was paying them.
"Mr. Pegasus, Sir," Coquet, the blue-haired head of security walked over to the long dining table. "We've just got a call. They've got her, but they expected a short delay. They are sure, however, that they'd report here within two days." "Very well, Croquet." The silver haired man with a suit that matched the color of his wine acknowledged. "Though I see no need for the delay." His golden Millennium eye flashed. "I am looking forward to seeing my goddaughter again, after all these years."
"Wake up, mortal." An ominous voice growled inside Ryou's Millennium Ring. Ryou opened his eyes slowly. His dark side stood by the side of his bed, scowling. "What?" He sat up and rubbed his eyes. "What's wrong? Is something up?" "Don't use that tone with me, Ryou!" The albino tomb robber snarled, taking another step closer threateningly. Then, he smiled maliciously. "But you're right, you ignorant mortal. Something is up, and I'll need you." "What?" Ryou's eyes widened as his British accent became accentuated with alarm. Bakura smirked, then lifted the Millennium Ring. It lighted up and floated from the immortal's fingers. "Sorry, mortal. But I'll be needing your energy and part your soul." Ryou gave a cry as he felt like his body was torn from his soul. The room glowed and objects were thrown around as Bakura laughed maniacally. At last, when everything was settled, Ryou's body was limp and drenched with perspiration on the bed. His breathing uneven and painstaking as Bakura turned and walked out of the room, his lips curled up to an evil smile.
"I have never wanted you in the beginning!" "Don't ever call me your big brother ever again." "I don't want to see your face until then." Tears swelled up in Arielle's eyes once again as yesterday's scene played over in her head again and again. And as brave of a little creature she was, this was too much to stand. She was sure she had already cried enough to fill the ocean, and had finally stopped, but now, tears of anguish poured out with renewed agony. It wasn't simply Kaiba's words, but his actions. Indeed, it had hurt her little feelings very much, for she had only wanted to help her 'big brother' out from a tight spot with only the most sincere reasons. She shook away her tears and walked on in the forestry part of the park. It was a foggy, crisp morning. Her breaths came out in small white puffs. Crying will do you no good, Arielle.whatever your last name was. She drilled herself, gritting her teeth. She has no clue where she was going. But she's not returning to the orphanage. The determination in her eyes overruled the size of her small body. She assured herself that she could live on her own, without trusting anybody if that's what it takes, but no way was she ever returning to Domino Orphanage if she could help it. She was sick of having her hopes lifted then broken. And she was sick of been tossed back and forth, like a piece of worthless trash. She set her jaws, remembering the good days when her parents were alive. I was an heiress, she thought back. An aristocratic heiress that everybody was dying to please. "Arielle!" A voice exclaimed, making Arielle jump a foot in the air. She whirled around, her eyes defiant and her small hands curled up into fists, ready to battle for her freedom. Though no battle came to her, only the surprised look of Ryou. "Oh," she relaxed her fists, though her muscles were still tense. "Hey, Ryou." She turned away. Somehow, Ryou was the last person she had expected.
"Hi!" Bakura forced a tight smile, hoping it looked naturally like his aibou. Inside, he was ready to barf. But hey, the pay was too good to reject, besides the fact of his desire to own Pegasus the Millennium Eye. This would not only give him the money, but give him the chance to get into the castle as well. Closer to the possessor of the Millennium Eye. Then, his brows furrowed in an expression of concern that he knew his lighter half would have expressed. "What are you doing out this early in the morning? Alone?" "Nothing," Arielle said cheerfully, yet cautiously. She didn't want to get into another trouble when she was still trying to escape one. "I'm.uh, taking a walk. A morning jog." Last time, at Burger Paluza, he had been nice. Today, somehow, there is something different about him. "Oh," He smiled, though it came out more like a smirk. "Mind if I join you?" "Actually," she thought fast. "I'm just ready to go home now, so.see ya later!" She turned and tried to walk quickly away, deeper into the surrounding of the trees. "I think not." The refined British accented soft voice suddenly turned rough. Arielle panicked as a hand roughly jerked her back. She reeled around. The gentle Ryou was gone, along with the phony acts, and standing in front of her was Bakura, an evil smirk played around his lips. "I don't think you were just taking a walk, and I don't think little girl like you should walk back home alone." He said smoothly, his eyes amused. "Let go!" The six-year-old tried to yank her wrist away from the brutal grasp. When that didn't work, she looked up at the tall Albino teen suspiciously. "You're not really Ryou, are you?" This wasn't a question, but a statement simply stated. "Quite smart for a little mortal like you, young one." Bakura nodded, smiling like a proud father. "No, you're right. I'm not Ryou." He waited for her to ask him who he really was, or start crying, whatever kids would do, but all he got was an impatient, "Well?" He was taken back. "Well what?" He snapped irritably. "Do what you're suppose to do." The youngster explained. "You're taking up my time. And you're hurting me." She complained. Bakura raised an eyebrow, like Kaiba often did. "What am I--" He started before he stopped, growling madly at the little girl who was confusing him with her talk and innocent actions. He drew her closer, which she moved reluctantly. When she was right under his nose, he stooped lower and peered into her naïve face. Her sea green eyes were big and innocent, while her curious face asked dozens of questions at the same time. "You really don't know what I'm about to do, do you?" He asked just as curiously, his own expressions slipped from wicked to confusion. Arielle shook her head. "No." She answered truthfully. Kaiba had always said that honesty is the best policy. Bakura straightened back up, the smirk back on his face. "Well, then, let's just say you and I won't be around for a couple of days."
"Big brother, don't feel sad," Mokuba settled up against a beaten Kaiba. "Arielle will come back. She loves us. She loves you." He added. Kaiba shook his head sadly. His eyes dull. "No, Mokuba." He said quietly. "I'm afraid she will never return." Then he looked up, the determination flashing in his eyes. "We're going to have to go look for her." He jumped up, Mokuba scrambling up after him. "Where is a place that she would go to?" "The park?" His little brother suggested a place that was in his innocent mind. "Now, why would she--?" Kaiba started, then stopped, thinking. Mokuba was probably right. After all, he was still a kid and more than often, kids know what other kids are thinking. Mokuba's answer was probably more logical and true than what he had in his own mind. "Get changed." He ordered. "Our first stop would be the park."
From the point after what Bakura said, Arielle knew what was happening. And it was NOT good. "You can't take me away!" She argued, trying to pry Bakura's strong fingers off her wrist. "It's wrong to just take people away. Besides, I don't want to go with you." She pouted. Bakura chuckled at the evidently innocent and pureness of the little girl in his possession. But before he could comeback, Arielle's eyes lit up. "Seto!" She squealed, pointed at the slender figure from beyond the trees. Bakura whirled around, saw Kaiba, then scowled. He swore in Egyptian as he began dragging the young girl deeper into the forest. "Shut up, mortal!" He snapped, as Arielle began whimpering from the pain that shot up her wrist. She could hear Kaiba's voice calling her and was anxious for him to know where she is. This running away plan was no longer fun to her and she wanted to go back home. She wanted to be with her big brother again and not this big bad white-haired mean person. "I don't wanna," she pouted, obviously not knowing the dangerous of being alone with the spirit of the soul stealer. "I want Seto. You're mean. And I don't like you!" "I don't like you eith--" Bakura was about to say, before Arielle shrieked. "Big brother!" She shrieked, her voice echoing through the whole field. "Mokuba!" "Quiet, you!" He growled, picking her up and clapped his hand across her lips. "Hey," he said lowly, Arielle had no idea to whom, but an eerie feeling was coming from Bakura's chest where she was held against. "Intrusion, put up Plan B." "Roger." A voice returned. Arielle squirmed against the broad chest that she was held against. She finally worked herself enough so that she managed to cry, "Stop, I don't like this game!" She looked up and glared at her captor. "If this was a game, then the stakes are much higher than just Monopoly money." Bakura smiled, relaxing a little that the real Kaiba across the field didn't hear Arielle's alarming cry of help. "Arielle!" Both Arielle and Ryou's twin turned around from their position behind a tree. "Seto!" The little girl squealed with obvious joy. Bakura loosened his hold around her waist and dropped her lightly down to the ground. Arielle wasted no time on running to her beloved brother and hugged his waist. Bakura walked slowly over, raising an eyebrow, and was returned with a sly wink. Bakura turned back and was satisfied to see the real Seto Kaiba still searching desperately for the young heiress. Arielle noticed little of this interaction. Nor the fact that this Kaiba has a slight tan. "Arielle," he could hear the fake Kaiba chiding. "What are you doing out here at this time of day? You worried Mokuba and me to death. Don't ever do that again!" "Okay!" She chirped happily. "I'm glad you found me, Seto. Bakura was hurting me." "Oh, is he?" Kaiba cocked his head, asking innocently. "Yes!" She nodded vigorously, her eyes solemn. "He wanted to take me to a scary place that I didn't want to go to." "Oh, kid," he sighed. "I had Bakura look for you because I wanted to take you some place.to meet someone. In fact, we're leaving right now." Arielle looked at Kaiba with confusion. "But what about Mokuba? Wasn't he with you?" Bakura and the fake Kaiba was both taken back. That was something they hadn't prepared for. "Well," Kaiba thought quickly. "Actually, I sent Mokuba home right after I found you. This is just going to be a trip between you and me, kid. What do you think? We're going to a castle." "Well," Arielle furrowed her brows, and pursed her lips. "It won't be as fun." She finally said. "But it's okay!" "Good, then let's go." Kaiba bent over and picked up the young girl. He and Bakura both made eye contact and smirked. The first step of their plan was a success, though little did Arielle know that she was walking deeper and deeper into a trap. Bakura and the fake Seto Kaiba, the one that Yami had sent to the Shadow Realm, was being paid to deliver the little creature to the designated man who was paying them.
"Mr. Pegasus, Sir," Coquet, the blue-haired head of security walked over to the long dining table. "We've just got a call. They've got her, but they expected a short delay. They are sure, however, that they'd report here within two days." "Very well, Croquet." The silver haired man with a suit that matched the color of his wine acknowledged. "Though I see no need for the delay." His golden Millennium eye flashed. "I am looking forward to seeing my goddaughter again, after all these years."