Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN SLAYERS. I merely borrowed these characters because I love them so much. ^_^
- JUST ANOTHER AU FIC -
Chapter 19: Where They Finally Attempt To Kick Ass
Photographers were clicking away, videocams were rolling, and the teashop, as if the teddy bears and kawaii trinkets that kept pouring in every other day weren't enough, was crowded yet again by the media people who were invited in. Most occupied the tables prepared for this certain assembly, with Filia at the northernmost, while others stood or leaned away. Drinks and various other refreshments were passed around by employees.
"Yes, this is a most unfortunate matter; one that we wish to deal with as quickly as possible. No, I do not voluntarily wish to give up Dragon Crest, but if the law dictates that it be so, I cannot go against that," Filia answered in calm amiability as she regarded the reporters.
The journalist, the one with the short brown hair and wire rims, nodded politely at this. "Then are there any developments? Any negotiations with Mr. Kaiser?"
The blond woman smiled. "That is what we plan to do today. In fact, I expect that he and his associates will be arriving shortly."
"Well, it would be a good thing if they did," another reporter piped up cockily from his table. "More fish to fry, eh?"
The rest of the gathering laughed.
"Listen, Miss Ul Copt, we do understand this is a most delicate matter for you," an older broadcaster interceded. "And we truly appreciate that you have taken time to entertain our questions..." he turned to the convention, who gave affirmative nods at the speaker.
"We wish you the best of luck."
"Well, well, what do we have here?" A low, oiled voice inquired from the main entrance. The blond man at the door was dressed in a light gray button-down coat and creased pants, rings flashing under the sky light. A green Sedan was parked in the sidewalk outside. Two men stood right beside him, as they strode easily through the entrance and into the dining area.
The press, predictably enough, was quick to pounce at this arrival.
"Sir, might you be Mr. Heigel Kaiser?"
"Senator El Di, I'd recognize you anywhere--"
"-- you really wish to proceed with the takeover--"
"Enough!" Heigel called out sharply from the drone.
The crowd fell silent. He realized his mistake. Amending, he addressed them in a calmer tone. "Excuse me, but--"
"I'll handle this," the senator stated. He motioned for them to proceed on. The crowd appeased, questions and interrogations flew back and forth, and shots and live video coverages were resumed.
Heigel gave a curt nod, and weaved his way through the gathering to approach the slender blond woman standing at the northern part of the room, the lawyer Moreau following close behind. He offered his hand.
"Mr. Kaiser," Filia acknowledged, but did not reciprocate the gesture. "Moreau, yes, as I recall--?"
"A pleasure to be reacquainted," the old man returned.
"Charmed," Heigel remarked, awarding her a particularly acidic smile. "Don't you think that our 'negotiations' could be held more effectively in private?" he suggested over the throng of voices.
"Oh, I don't know," she replied just as smoothly. "It would be just fine where we are."
Heigel's features never lost its polite exterior, but a cold edge caught up in his carefully cultured voice. "Don't play games with me, Miss Ul Copt. I intend to be done with this matter as quickly as possible."
She blinked deciduously at him. "So do I. The conference room is upstairs. Shall we?"
He eyed her levelly. "After you."
The wheels were in motion. It was time to begin.
*~*
Normally, Zelas Metallium was an individual who commanded a lot of attention whenever she entered a room. Today shouldn't be any exception, with her long blond hair pinned and styled in the latest aristocratic fashion, and a snug-fitting yet sober long velvet dress, sleeves tapering into fur-lined cuffs, which emphasized her voluptous figure quite nicely. However, the activity within the teashop proved to pique most of the mostly journalistic crowd's interest at the moment.
And she was thankful for that. Because a low profile was what she needed to observe what was happening with the company she had tasked to go after for two months now. She didn't speak much when she came in early this morning, only muttered a genial thanks for the tea she'd ordered -- definitely not Zephilian wine, but all the same delicious! No one really noticed the other leggy blond woman in the room who quietly watched the press conference while sipping cup after cup of tea.
No, her son didn't know she was here, nor did he know she'd arrived in Saillune. Not yet. She intended to keep her arrival a secret, at least until she got a definitive wind of how things had gone. Which, it seemed, as she saw the three men, one shockingly blond, the other two elderly, was quite a handful.
"Well, it seems they'll be a-carryin' on upstairs," a reporter sitting on the table closest to her observed. "Ayuh, but Senator Phil's stayin' behind t'answer, an' that's just fine." She leaned back easily, sandy hair falling in soft waves over sun-browned skin. Suddenly she seemed to finally notice her. "Hey there, you're a customer ain't you? Thought ev'ryone in here's from the press."
"Yes," Zelas affirmed simply.
The reporter nodded, fully turning her chair around to her. "Thought so," she drawled. "Someone that purtily dressed just can't be another broadcaster, you know--?"
The blonde smiled. "Thank you." 'Purtily'. You had to admit, it had a nice ring to it.
She grinned back. "Th' name's Sally," she offered, giving a small salute with her one free hand, the other relaxed in her cup. "Sally Conner. The sweet ol' country gal of Channel 9."
"Zelas Madigan," she replied in turn.
Sally nodded complacently. "Now THAT'S a purty name. Exotic, you know?" she remarked. "Well, Miss Madigan, looks like we ain't got nothin' t'do now but drink this 'ere tea. Though I reckon it would have been a mighty good show if they decided t'do their carryin' on right here." She patted back her sand-colored hair casually. "Sure is a bummer."
Zelas set down her cup. "Yep, sure is," she agreed. She decided just then that she liked this Sally Conner. For her accent, at least.
*~*
Hmph, I thought as much, Heigel considered, as Filia Ul Copt opened the door to the conference room. The blonde had led him and Moreau up two floors of the building, passing the short brunette whom Filia had introduced as her secretary, and who looked at him warily as they proceeded.
No, and Moreau's behavior wasn't helping one bit either. The gray-haired lawyer was strangely silent today, not even bothering him with his usual worried blathering about what might happen, and so forth. Not that he minded. What unsettled him somewhat, however, was the calm, cool way this Filia seemed to be handling things. And the press-- no, he cannot allow the press into this.
"About time you showed up in here, Mr. Kaiser," a young woman's pert voice greeted. His eyes narrowed. There were other people here. A short redhead in a smart maroon coat and tie sat on one end of the long table, and beside her the lawyer, Zelgadis Greywords, he'd been meeting over the past few months, the expression on his face as severe as the black suit he wore.
Heigel forced a smile in turn. "And who might you be?" He asked, stepping into the room.
"Lina Inverse, the other half of Inverse & Greywords," she replied simply.
"So I've heard." Yes, something was up in the air. The redhead studied him with shrewd, seemingly self-assured eyes. She might be a tricky one, he noted. And Moreau seemed to derive it too. Cold blue eyes roved to the other man. "And Greywords," he continued. "Been too long since we were acquainted, hasn't it?"
The Chimera stared him levelly. "Wouldn't say the same would apply for me."
Filia clasped both hands before her. "Shall we begin?"
"Most certainly, Miss Ul Copt," Moreau replied for the both of them. Heigel nodded.
"I ordered for some tea, seeing that we may take a while to finish," the blond woman was saying breezily as they seated themselves. "You should try Dragon Crest's tea, Mr. Kaiser. As you may already know, our particular blend happens to be very good..."
"Sorry, but I'll pass, thank you."
The three gazed curiously at him. "Really, but why?" Filia asked.
"Mr. Kaiser is not particularly fond of tea," Moreau explained.
"Rather ironic he shouldn't," Lina remarked off-handedly.
His voice remained composed, even. "Yes, very ironic."
"Well, would you settle for some coffee, a soda perhaps--?" Filia amended, motioning to the employees who had just come in with trays laden with steaming cups of tea.
"Just water."
The redhead shrugged. "You heard the man." The servants nodded at the request and promptly left the room. "So," Lina began, turning back to the blond man, "Zelgadis here was telling me you have the genuine article."
Heigel tapped one hand on the table. "So I do. You may examine it if you like," he gestured to Moreau, who immediately produced the deed, as well as several photocopies of it.
"That won't be necessary," the flame-haired lawyer responded flippantly.
"I agree," Filia acceded, sipping her tea calmly. "We've previously reviewed the records and whatnot you've submitted to us."
"That's good," the older lawyer commented.
Lina folded her arms. "However, Kaiser, we've found one certain bit of fact that doesn't quite fit in the whole scheme of things."
Heigel raised a frosty eyebrow at this. "And that is--?"
*~* flashback *~*
The air seemed to pause, awaiting his answer. Pages were deposited down the polished surface of the table, all eyes focused collectively to the besuited individual whose own eyes were closed, evasive, mysterious.
Xellos' smirk widened. "A secret."
"Namagomi!!!"
Collective facefaults.
"Just answer our question!" Filia exclaimed in exasperation, picking herself up from the floor.
The Mazoku feigned a pout. "Aww, you never let me have any fun..." He set one pondering finger on his chin. "Well, if you really want to know..."
Lina, Zel and Amelia all nodded expectantly.
"Alright then," he nodded agreeably, settling back on his seat. "Two words: dummy companies."
Collective confused frowns. "What?"
*~*end of flashback*~*
Lina glanced meaningfully at Zel, who nodded.
"Quite a few years back -- eleven years ago to be exact, your father's real estate company suffered a major setback, are we correct?"
"I'm not too sure," Heigel retorted evenly. "I was in boarding school at the time, I believe. Moreau?"
The gray-haired legal adviser was silent a moment. "... Yes, it did occur," he finally affirmed.
"Well, it appears that your father was forced to sell bonds to avoid bankruptcy." The redhead fingered the rim of her tea cup, looking at him directly. "Consequently, we found out that a majority of the bonds -- in fact, if we are to measure the exact amount bought -- were sold off to Dragon Crest."
*~*flashback*~*
"You see," The Mazoku continued, grinning smugly, "what really happened twenty years ago was a compromise."
Filia frowned again. "Go on."
"Well, it looks like I don't have the choice of a long, glorious narrative, do I?" He relaxed, taking a deep breath. Suddenly the mask was dropped, his face adopting a more serious cast, eyes opening. His supple voice drove on. "You know part of the story. Saichuro lost Dragon Crest to Ronald in a poker game, he drew up a nice little deed of sale to solidify its legality, and twenty years later we have this mess right on our doorstep. What we don't know, however, was that, contrary to merely handing over Dragon Crest Industries to Kaiser, these two old men decided to establish a secret partnership of their own."
"Ronald Kaiser was, at that time, only starting out his own enterprise -- and area of interest: real estate. He didn't uphold a particular interest in tea, or antiques, or pottery, or of managing DC, for that matter. Still, what to do with a company that fate has figuratively dumped on your lap... Ronald had that dilemma. What he decided, then and there, was to use Dragon Crest, under the strength of the deed he'd wave to Saichuro's face any moment he refused to cooperate, as sort of a fallback company, a trust fund, if you would have it, who may suffer whatever losses his own fledgling company may encounter."
Filia's eyes widened, amazed and taken aback at this. "... Dragon Crest was merely a dummy company for Kaiser?" she murmured.
Xellos shrugged. "Until the recession eleven years ago, it had been that, I'm afraid," he shifted, looking her in the eye once more. "That, Ronald Kaiser didn't anticipate. It was quite a nasty situation, too, or so I've read. Companies shutting off every which way. Anyway, Kaiser Real Estate was hit particularly bad, seeing as his business depended on people investing on the lands -- mostly in Lyzeille. Clients were going away. Funds were dwindling. Kaiser continued to get a steady amount from Dragon Crest, but that unfortunately wasn't enough."
"Getting himself in a real tight fix, Ronald opted to consult with the elder Saichuro for help. And that was his downfall. You see, our dear old man, Saichuro-san, could really be thick as any thief when the opportunity arises. That was the case when Kaiser came to him, looking for a way to salvage his company. Saichuro had become rather weary of playing private bank to Ronald. Dragon Crest's funds were starting to be significantly affected, too. And so our old man saw that if he could somehow... manipulate... Kaiser, into making him give up any claim to Dragon Crest, he would have his own problems solved." Xellos paused, a little out of breath after telling so much. "And so he suggested that Kaiser should give out--"
*~*end of flashback*~*
"Bonds?" Heigel Kaiser repeated, his features adopting an air of confusion. Moreau tensed a bit at the mention, but said nothing.
"Yes, bonds," Filia conceded. "You really don't know about those?"
His face regarded her carefully, measuring her up. "I'm afraid I don't."
The room was silent. Heigel could feel them gazing at him, trying to see a break in expression, just a small crack they could ply through.
Lina shook her head dismissively.
*~*flashback*~*
"You could just as well predict where it would go from here," Xellos went on. "Sell bonds? It wasn't a very wise decision, but in Kaiser's case, it was necessary. And take over Dragon Crest? Kaiser was too much of a fool to take up that matter. Over the years he had come to depend on Saichuro's effective management to risk it. So he agreed to sell bonds to other companies who were better off."
"But of course, not many companies were better off at that time, especially not in Lyzeille. And the few who could weren't such big dummy's as to buy bonds from an obviously floundering enterprise. It wasn't a wise venture. But guess who willingly bought the majority of Kaiser Real Estate."
Zelgadis nodded impatiently. "Dragon Crest. We already know that."
"Hey, just pausing for dramatic effect," the Mazoku remarked off-handedly. "The net value of the bonds Saichuro purchased from Kaiser would fetch something close to 20 million dollars. Roughly the value of Dragon Crest itself, twenty years ago."
Silence, as that fact sank in.
"You know where this leads to..." Lina began.
"Yes." She stared disbelievingly back at him. "Saichuro-sama practically bought out the entire company."
Xellos stood up, features falling back to his usual self-assured cheerfulness. "Yes, that pretty much sums it up."
Amelia blinked. "Filia-san... Then..."
*~*end of flashback*~*
"The jig is up, Kaiser," the redhead settled in, a smirk playing on her lips. The man's expression was unreadable, though she could detect a slight glint on those cobalt eyes. "We know Saichuro managed to recover and practically purchase Dragon Crest's net worth eleven years ago, when it bought bonds from Kaiser Real Estate. You can check on that, we have records."
Heigel received this, gaze never wavering. Beside him Moreau looked for all the world like a man about to jump off a building. Fool! "Ah, but you cannot prove that, can you?" he got out, voice muted considerably but still clipped, calculating. "You have nothing to show for it, except the bank statements. And those things could be faked." He smiled at them in insolence, eyes blazing with malice. "Isn't it so, Moreau?"
"Y-yes, it could," was the quiet reply.
Filia had stood up from her seat. She glared defiantly at the both of them. "Maybe not now," she corrected. "Maybe not now, Mr. Kaiser, but given enough time," she looked meaningfully at her associates, smiled wryly. "Yes, given enough time, we will bring you down." She paced across the room. "I'm suing. I've talked it over to them. They're backing me up."
Heigel glared back, but he stood up. Moreau followed suit. "You can't be serious."
Crystalline blue regarded them quizically. "But I am." The blonde walked to the door, opened it. "I believe this meeting is over. You know the way outside. See you at the courts."
Across her, Zelagadis and Lina were smiling.
*~*
Author's Rants: Unfortunately the author is a total corporate dummy, so I have little to no idea if my little manipulation would hold water. Ahh, the heck with it. Go easy on a naive seventeen-year-old. ^_^ Whew, that was long, but I still had to cram a lot in it! Yayness!
YES, YES, THIS IS A DISEASE, I TELL YOU...
- JUST ANOTHER AU FIC -
Chapter 19: Where They Finally Attempt To Kick Ass
Photographers were clicking away, videocams were rolling, and the teashop, as if the teddy bears and kawaii trinkets that kept pouring in every other day weren't enough, was crowded yet again by the media people who were invited in. Most occupied the tables prepared for this certain assembly, with Filia at the northernmost, while others stood or leaned away. Drinks and various other refreshments were passed around by employees.
"Yes, this is a most unfortunate matter; one that we wish to deal with as quickly as possible. No, I do not voluntarily wish to give up Dragon Crest, but if the law dictates that it be so, I cannot go against that," Filia answered in calm amiability as she regarded the reporters.
The journalist, the one with the short brown hair and wire rims, nodded politely at this. "Then are there any developments? Any negotiations with Mr. Kaiser?"
The blond woman smiled. "That is what we plan to do today. In fact, I expect that he and his associates will be arriving shortly."
"Well, it would be a good thing if they did," another reporter piped up cockily from his table. "More fish to fry, eh?"
The rest of the gathering laughed.
"Listen, Miss Ul Copt, we do understand this is a most delicate matter for you," an older broadcaster interceded. "And we truly appreciate that you have taken time to entertain our questions..." he turned to the convention, who gave affirmative nods at the speaker.
"We wish you the best of luck."
"Well, well, what do we have here?" A low, oiled voice inquired from the main entrance. The blond man at the door was dressed in a light gray button-down coat and creased pants, rings flashing under the sky light. A green Sedan was parked in the sidewalk outside. Two men stood right beside him, as they strode easily through the entrance and into the dining area.
The press, predictably enough, was quick to pounce at this arrival.
"Sir, might you be Mr. Heigel Kaiser?"
"Senator El Di, I'd recognize you anywhere--"
"-- you really wish to proceed with the takeover--"
"Enough!" Heigel called out sharply from the drone.
The crowd fell silent. He realized his mistake. Amending, he addressed them in a calmer tone. "Excuse me, but--"
"I'll handle this," the senator stated. He motioned for them to proceed on. The crowd appeased, questions and interrogations flew back and forth, and shots and live video coverages were resumed.
Heigel gave a curt nod, and weaved his way through the gathering to approach the slender blond woman standing at the northern part of the room, the lawyer Moreau following close behind. He offered his hand.
"Mr. Kaiser," Filia acknowledged, but did not reciprocate the gesture. "Moreau, yes, as I recall--?"
"A pleasure to be reacquainted," the old man returned.
"Charmed," Heigel remarked, awarding her a particularly acidic smile. "Don't you think that our 'negotiations' could be held more effectively in private?" he suggested over the throng of voices.
"Oh, I don't know," she replied just as smoothly. "It would be just fine where we are."
Heigel's features never lost its polite exterior, but a cold edge caught up in his carefully cultured voice. "Don't play games with me, Miss Ul Copt. I intend to be done with this matter as quickly as possible."
She blinked deciduously at him. "So do I. The conference room is upstairs. Shall we?"
He eyed her levelly. "After you."
The wheels were in motion. It was time to begin.
*~*
Normally, Zelas Metallium was an individual who commanded a lot of attention whenever she entered a room. Today shouldn't be any exception, with her long blond hair pinned and styled in the latest aristocratic fashion, and a snug-fitting yet sober long velvet dress, sleeves tapering into fur-lined cuffs, which emphasized her voluptous figure quite nicely. However, the activity within the teashop proved to pique most of the mostly journalistic crowd's interest at the moment.
And she was thankful for that. Because a low profile was what she needed to observe what was happening with the company she had tasked to go after for two months now. She didn't speak much when she came in early this morning, only muttered a genial thanks for the tea she'd ordered -- definitely not Zephilian wine, but all the same delicious! No one really noticed the other leggy blond woman in the room who quietly watched the press conference while sipping cup after cup of tea.
No, her son didn't know she was here, nor did he know she'd arrived in Saillune. Not yet. She intended to keep her arrival a secret, at least until she got a definitive wind of how things had gone. Which, it seemed, as she saw the three men, one shockingly blond, the other two elderly, was quite a handful.
"Well, it seems they'll be a-carryin' on upstairs," a reporter sitting on the table closest to her observed. "Ayuh, but Senator Phil's stayin' behind t'answer, an' that's just fine." She leaned back easily, sandy hair falling in soft waves over sun-browned skin. Suddenly she seemed to finally notice her. "Hey there, you're a customer ain't you? Thought ev'ryone in here's from the press."
"Yes," Zelas affirmed simply.
The reporter nodded, fully turning her chair around to her. "Thought so," she drawled. "Someone that purtily dressed just can't be another broadcaster, you know--?"
The blonde smiled. "Thank you." 'Purtily'. You had to admit, it had a nice ring to it.
She grinned back. "Th' name's Sally," she offered, giving a small salute with her one free hand, the other relaxed in her cup. "Sally Conner. The sweet ol' country gal of Channel 9."
"Zelas Madigan," she replied in turn.
Sally nodded complacently. "Now THAT'S a purty name. Exotic, you know?" she remarked. "Well, Miss Madigan, looks like we ain't got nothin' t'do now but drink this 'ere tea. Though I reckon it would have been a mighty good show if they decided t'do their carryin' on right here." She patted back her sand-colored hair casually. "Sure is a bummer."
Zelas set down her cup. "Yep, sure is," she agreed. She decided just then that she liked this Sally Conner. For her accent, at least.
*~*
Hmph, I thought as much, Heigel considered, as Filia Ul Copt opened the door to the conference room. The blonde had led him and Moreau up two floors of the building, passing the short brunette whom Filia had introduced as her secretary, and who looked at him warily as they proceeded.
No, and Moreau's behavior wasn't helping one bit either. The gray-haired lawyer was strangely silent today, not even bothering him with his usual worried blathering about what might happen, and so forth. Not that he minded. What unsettled him somewhat, however, was the calm, cool way this Filia seemed to be handling things. And the press-- no, he cannot allow the press into this.
"About time you showed up in here, Mr. Kaiser," a young woman's pert voice greeted. His eyes narrowed. There were other people here. A short redhead in a smart maroon coat and tie sat on one end of the long table, and beside her the lawyer, Zelgadis Greywords, he'd been meeting over the past few months, the expression on his face as severe as the black suit he wore.
Heigel forced a smile in turn. "And who might you be?" He asked, stepping into the room.
"Lina Inverse, the other half of Inverse & Greywords," she replied simply.
"So I've heard." Yes, something was up in the air. The redhead studied him with shrewd, seemingly self-assured eyes. She might be a tricky one, he noted. And Moreau seemed to derive it too. Cold blue eyes roved to the other man. "And Greywords," he continued. "Been too long since we were acquainted, hasn't it?"
The Chimera stared him levelly. "Wouldn't say the same would apply for me."
Filia clasped both hands before her. "Shall we begin?"
"Most certainly, Miss Ul Copt," Moreau replied for the both of them. Heigel nodded.
"I ordered for some tea, seeing that we may take a while to finish," the blond woman was saying breezily as they seated themselves. "You should try Dragon Crest's tea, Mr. Kaiser. As you may already know, our particular blend happens to be very good..."
"Sorry, but I'll pass, thank you."
The three gazed curiously at him. "Really, but why?" Filia asked.
"Mr. Kaiser is not particularly fond of tea," Moreau explained.
"Rather ironic he shouldn't," Lina remarked off-handedly.
His voice remained composed, even. "Yes, very ironic."
"Well, would you settle for some coffee, a soda perhaps--?" Filia amended, motioning to the employees who had just come in with trays laden with steaming cups of tea.
"Just water."
The redhead shrugged. "You heard the man." The servants nodded at the request and promptly left the room. "So," Lina began, turning back to the blond man, "Zelgadis here was telling me you have the genuine article."
Heigel tapped one hand on the table. "So I do. You may examine it if you like," he gestured to Moreau, who immediately produced the deed, as well as several photocopies of it.
"That won't be necessary," the flame-haired lawyer responded flippantly.
"I agree," Filia acceded, sipping her tea calmly. "We've previously reviewed the records and whatnot you've submitted to us."
"That's good," the older lawyer commented.
Lina folded her arms. "However, Kaiser, we've found one certain bit of fact that doesn't quite fit in the whole scheme of things."
Heigel raised a frosty eyebrow at this. "And that is--?"
*~* flashback *~*
The air seemed to pause, awaiting his answer. Pages were deposited down the polished surface of the table, all eyes focused collectively to the besuited individual whose own eyes were closed, evasive, mysterious.
Xellos' smirk widened. "A secret."
"Namagomi!!!"
Collective facefaults.
"Just answer our question!" Filia exclaimed in exasperation, picking herself up from the floor.
The Mazoku feigned a pout. "Aww, you never let me have any fun..." He set one pondering finger on his chin. "Well, if you really want to know..."
Lina, Zel and Amelia all nodded expectantly.
"Alright then," he nodded agreeably, settling back on his seat. "Two words: dummy companies."
Collective confused frowns. "What?"
*~*end of flashback*~*
Lina glanced meaningfully at Zel, who nodded.
"Quite a few years back -- eleven years ago to be exact, your father's real estate company suffered a major setback, are we correct?"
"I'm not too sure," Heigel retorted evenly. "I was in boarding school at the time, I believe. Moreau?"
The gray-haired legal adviser was silent a moment. "... Yes, it did occur," he finally affirmed.
"Well, it appears that your father was forced to sell bonds to avoid bankruptcy." The redhead fingered the rim of her tea cup, looking at him directly. "Consequently, we found out that a majority of the bonds -- in fact, if we are to measure the exact amount bought -- were sold off to Dragon Crest."
*~*flashback*~*
"You see," The Mazoku continued, grinning smugly, "what really happened twenty years ago was a compromise."
Filia frowned again. "Go on."
"Well, it looks like I don't have the choice of a long, glorious narrative, do I?" He relaxed, taking a deep breath. Suddenly the mask was dropped, his face adopting a more serious cast, eyes opening. His supple voice drove on. "You know part of the story. Saichuro lost Dragon Crest to Ronald in a poker game, he drew up a nice little deed of sale to solidify its legality, and twenty years later we have this mess right on our doorstep. What we don't know, however, was that, contrary to merely handing over Dragon Crest Industries to Kaiser, these two old men decided to establish a secret partnership of their own."
"Ronald Kaiser was, at that time, only starting out his own enterprise -- and area of interest: real estate. He didn't uphold a particular interest in tea, or antiques, or pottery, or of managing DC, for that matter. Still, what to do with a company that fate has figuratively dumped on your lap... Ronald had that dilemma. What he decided, then and there, was to use Dragon Crest, under the strength of the deed he'd wave to Saichuro's face any moment he refused to cooperate, as sort of a fallback company, a trust fund, if you would have it, who may suffer whatever losses his own fledgling company may encounter."
Filia's eyes widened, amazed and taken aback at this. "... Dragon Crest was merely a dummy company for Kaiser?" she murmured.
Xellos shrugged. "Until the recession eleven years ago, it had been that, I'm afraid," he shifted, looking her in the eye once more. "That, Ronald Kaiser didn't anticipate. It was quite a nasty situation, too, or so I've read. Companies shutting off every which way. Anyway, Kaiser Real Estate was hit particularly bad, seeing as his business depended on people investing on the lands -- mostly in Lyzeille. Clients were going away. Funds were dwindling. Kaiser continued to get a steady amount from Dragon Crest, but that unfortunately wasn't enough."
"Getting himself in a real tight fix, Ronald opted to consult with the elder Saichuro for help. And that was his downfall. You see, our dear old man, Saichuro-san, could really be thick as any thief when the opportunity arises. That was the case when Kaiser came to him, looking for a way to salvage his company. Saichuro had become rather weary of playing private bank to Ronald. Dragon Crest's funds were starting to be significantly affected, too. And so our old man saw that if he could somehow... manipulate... Kaiser, into making him give up any claim to Dragon Crest, he would have his own problems solved." Xellos paused, a little out of breath after telling so much. "And so he suggested that Kaiser should give out--"
*~*end of flashback*~*
"Bonds?" Heigel Kaiser repeated, his features adopting an air of confusion. Moreau tensed a bit at the mention, but said nothing.
"Yes, bonds," Filia conceded. "You really don't know about those?"
His face regarded her carefully, measuring her up. "I'm afraid I don't."
The room was silent. Heigel could feel them gazing at him, trying to see a break in expression, just a small crack they could ply through.
Lina shook her head dismissively.
*~*flashback*~*
"You could just as well predict where it would go from here," Xellos went on. "Sell bonds? It wasn't a very wise decision, but in Kaiser's case, it was necessary. And take over Dragon Crest? Kaiser was too much of a fool to take up that matter. Over the years he had come to depend on Saichuro's effective management to risk it. So he agreed to sell bonds to other companies who were better off."
"But of course, not many companies were better off at that time, especially not in Lyzeille. And the few who could weren't such big dummy's as to buy bonds from an obviously floundering enterprise. It wasn't a wise venture. But guess who willingly bought the majority of Kaiser Real Estate."
Zelgadis nodded impatiently. "Dragon Crest. We already know that."
"Hey, just pausing for dramatic effect," the Mazoku remarked off-handedly. "The net value of the bonds Saichuro purchased from Kaiser would fetch something close to 20 million dollars. Roughly the value of Dragon Crest itself, twenty years ago."
Silence, as that fact sank in.
"You know where this leads to..." Lina began.
"Yes." She stared disbelievingly back at him. "Saichuro-sama practically bought out the entire company."
Xellos stood up, features falling back to his usual self-assured cheerfulness. "Yes, that pretty much sums it up."
Amelia blinked. "Filia-san... Then..."
*~*end of flashback*~*
"The jig is up, Kaiser," the redhead settled in, a smirk playing on her lips. The man's expression was unreadable, though she could detect a slight glint on those cobalt eyes. "We know Saichuro managed to recover and practically purchase Dragon Crest's net worth eleven years ago, when it bought bonds from Kaiser Real Estate. You can check on that, we have records."
Heigel received this, gaze never wavering. Beside him Moreau looked for all the world like a man about to jump off a building. Fool! "Ah, but you cannot prove that, can you?" he got out, voice muted considerably but still clipped, calculating. "You have nothing to show for it, except the bank statements. And those things could be faked." He smiled at them in insolence, eyes blazing with malice. "Isn't it so, Moreau?"
"Y-yes, it could," was the quiet reply.
Filia had stood up from her seat. She glared defiantly at the both of them. "Maybe not now," she corrected. "Maybe not now, Mr. Kaiser, but given enough time," she looked meaningfully at her associates, smiled wryly. "Yes, given enough time, we will bring you down." She paced across the room. "I'm suing. I've talked it over to them. They're backing me up."
Heigel glared back, but he stood up. Moreau followed suit. "You can't be serious."
Crystalline blue regarded them quizically. "But I am." The blonde walked to the door, opened it. "I believe this meeting is over. You know the way outside. See you at the courts."
Across her, Zelagadis and Lina were smiling.
*~*
Author's Rants: Unfortunately the author is a total corporate dummy, so I have little to no idea if my little manipulation would hold water. Ahh, the heck with it. Go easy on a naive seventeen-year-old. ^_^ Whew, that was long, but I still had to cram a lot in it! Yayness!
YES, YES, THIS IS A DISEASE, I TELL YOU...