Hi all! Sorry about the hiatus, but it is finals time for those of us on the semester system. I've had papers to write, and the extra writing just didn't seem as much fun as it usually would. =) I had this part written already, of course, but I wasn't in the mood to proof it either. So, here's the next part. There should be a return to regular updates again now. Thanks for our patience and all the kind comments!
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Part Seven
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Every duelist in the building knew that something serious was happening, but no matter how many times the guards were questioned no one was given an answer. The electricity had returned after nearly an hour, but no one was given any explanation. Yugi met Joey and Téa as they were coming down the hall towards his room. "Hey, are you guys alright?"

Joey growled, "Not really, Yug. Téa and I were stuck in the cafeteria when the power went out. I'm tellin' ya, we coulda been killed in there."

Téa rolled her eyes, smacking Joey on the back of the head. "The emergency lights lit up everything just fine, Joey! Stop complaining so much."

"Well we wouldn't have gotten lost if the signs had been lit!"

"And the signs would have been fine if you hadn't knocked them over when the lights went out!"

"What're ya sayin', Téa?"

"I'm saying that you're still scared of the dark!" The two friends growled at each other until Téa crossed her arms and just decided to ignore Joey's ranting. "Were you ok, Yugi?"

The smaller boy nodded and looked away. "I was on the stairs, but I just came back to my room." He smiled to his friends. "I'm glad you were alright, though!"

At that moment a group of security guards, clad in black and sporting an array of high-tech equipment marched down the hall, nearly trampling the three friends. Their boots hit the floor in rhythm, and the drumming sound made the walls shake as though an earthquake was ongoing. When the guards had passed, the familiar figure of Seto Kaiba himself appeared. Mokuba was at his side, watching everything with a look of extreme unease. When he saw Yugi and his friends, the boy ran over to them happily. "Hi guys!"

The group waved and greeted Mokuba as his older brother slowly approached. Seto spoke so softly into the cell phone that no one could hear him, and ended the call when he came close to the group. "You know, Yugi, no pets are allowed in this building."

Téa had to restrain her friend. Joey was in no mood for taunts after being lost in the Kaiba Corporation tower for so long. "I'm not a pet! Grr . what're you doin' here anyway, Kaiba?!"

"Routine security. There's nothing for you to see, so don't bother getting in my way." The eldest Kaiba smirked, his ice blue eyes dark as he regarded Yugi. The two stared at each other for a moment until Seto closed his eyes, still smirking. "Hmm . . . we'll meet again soon enough for a rematch, Yugi Moto. Don't plan on using this as a chance to escape. I know you'd probably love to hide and refuse my challenge, but I simply can't allow it. I'll win this time."

Yami Yugi stared at Seto with the familiar gleam in his eyes. "We'll see, Kaiba." Though Yugi's friends always noticed the personality shift, Seto Kaiba was too focused on his own schemes to give the mood swings any thought.

When Seto Kaiba had turned with a flourish of his white trench coat in pursuit of his security guards, Mokuba turned to the group with wide, frightened eyes. "I'm sorry about my big brother. He's really upset today ever since that guard showed him something in his office."

Téa blinked and kneeled down to the child's eye level, "A guard? What do you mean?"

Joey rolled his eyes. "Knowin' Kaiba he's probably got cameras all over to find out what cards we've got so he can plan a way ta beat us. He's as bad as Pegasus!"

At that, Mokuba's eyes became a little glassy and he shook his head, glaring at Joey. "My big brother is nothing like Pegasus! He's just angry cause Yugi beat him that time."

Yugi nodded. The memory of Seto Kaiba losing the duel was still fresh in his mind. It had been that event which had attracted the attention of Maximillion Pegasus in the first place and begun the quest to Duelist Kingdom. Yugi knew that if he'd just let Seto win, if he'd allowed the other boy to triumph as he wished, that much trouble would have been avoided. Still, though, he couldn't complain too much. Everything had turned out alright in the end, and he knew that the match against Pegasus had been a great hurdle to overcome. Had he not beaten Seto Kaiba, Yugi knew that he'd never have pursued the secrets of his Millennium Puzzle, nor been spurred to become the better duelist he felt himself to be. He was grateful for his Yami, the greatest friend he could have ever hoped to find. "Your brother is very confused, I think. But Mokuba, why is he moving so much security in one direction?"

Joey scratched his head. "Ya know, Yug's gotta point there. If anyone was gonna break in or hack into his system or anything, this'd be the best time for it."

Mokuba had gone quiet, reflecting silently to himself. "I wonder . . . if someone's already broken in." He turned then, running after his brother as fast as he could. "Seto! Wait up!"

Joey looked to his friends as they all stared after Mokuba. "I wonder what that was all about."

"I don't know," said Yugi slowly, "But I think we should find out."