Crawford's Angels
Disclaimer: *Look's about for contract* Nope not here, guess that means I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh, or Charlie's Angels. Ah well…on with the show then. ^_^
Author's Note: Glad people are enjoying this story, 12 reviews. 0_O I've never gotten so many. *bows* Thank you very much. And yes, to everyone who is asking. More Seto, More Jou coming up, especially in this chapter, I promise. By the way, Mayumi is a character that was designed in the Anime version of the first Yu-Gi-Ou (Yu-Gi-Oh) series in Japan. She had a crush on Jou and wanted Anzu (Teá) and Miho (a friend of Teá's) to help her out. One more thing, I'm switching back over to Duel Monsters because I found out that the card game changed names in the Manga to that name. So it wasn't always called Duel Monsters but rather Magic and Wizards and then it was changed due to Copyrights because of Magic the Gathering. So back to Duel Monsters.
Rated PG-13, for some violence and language.
Chapter 7: Duel of Kings, part 1
Yuugi walked back to the front gate. He had a bad feeling and wanted to hurry, there was something very odd going on, and he didn't want Mayumi getting into trouble with any of Urshio's boys. He raced around the building back out into the light, where he spotted Mayumi coming towards him. She seemed a bit disturbed, and puzzled by something.
"Mayumi –chan," Yuugi huffed as he stopped by her side. "What's…wrong…you look like you saw a ghost."
"Um, no," Mayumi said looking back at the gate remembering the strange boy calling himself Bakura. "I just met someone, and he gave me the chills. That's all."
"Was it one of Urshio's goons?" Yuugi asked, his eyes crackled with intensity, and he could feel a pulse of power radiate from the puzzle. It was one thing to go after him, he could deal with that, but no one picked on Mayumi. No one.
"No, it wasn't one of Urshio's boys," she told him as they walked back into the school. "I'll tell you later, we have to get back to class."
"Are you sure," Yuugi asked puzzled by the change on her face.
"Yeah," she smiled, "I'm sure. Don't worry about it. It was nothing."
* * *
"So what do you know about Duel Monsters?" Spencer asked sitting down on the floor by the coffee table where Seto had set up his lap top. She had come back to the house to change. Charles had put Croquet on the job of watching Yuugi for now, and –since he was in school –Liz figured that if anyone was sent after him, Yuugi was safe. For now at least, after all, how could they get into the school without being noticed?
Seto looked up, curious about her sudden inquiry, "Come again?"
"I said, What do you know about Magic and Wizards?"
"The game," he replied and she nodded. Seto smirked and started to laugh harder then he had in months. The last time he had a good laugh was when Mokuba somehow managed to squirt milk out of his nose and hit the butler in the face with it. Of course his little brother had been embarrassed, but still –after Seto told him it was okay –Mokuba had laughed along with him. "You really are the clueless one, aren't you?"
"Excuse me," Spence spat looking dangerously at Seto. He just smirked.
"I thought you said you knew all about me."
"I don't know everything about you," Spencer explained tapping her pen on the paper that lay on the table before her. "My boss does, I only go on what he tells me."
"Well then your boss seems to have made a serious error in what he's told you," Seto said coolly and turned his eyes back to the lap top.
"Why's that?" Spencer asked sarcastically; mentally she was thinking of slapping that self serving smirk from his lips and tossing him out into the pool, but she knew that her boss wouldn't like it. Still just to see him wet and dripping, with a shocked look on his face would be fun.
"Simple, I am Duel Monsters." Spencer gave Seto an incredulous look, and then let out a harsh barking laugh.
"Bull…you are Duel Monsters. What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
"It means," Seto replied not even bothering to look up at her, "that I know the game inside and out. I know everything there is to know about it. How it was made, all the major strategies, even which cards are the rarest and most powerful. I think I even know more then the creator of the game."
She smirked; No way could you know everything about the game Seto Kaiba. I know that for a fact. But she said smoothly, "Oh really, well then, tell me exactly how you know all this?"
"I've been playing the game since I was eleven," Seto told her, paused and looked up as if unsure how to continue with this. "My adoptive father didn't really like playing games; he took most away from me. But Mokuba…one night, he managed to slip some cards into my text books, and gave me the will to keep going and not break under Gozaburô's teaching. I joined the tournament circuit when I was thirteen, under an assumed name for a while, and after Gozaburô vanished I let everyone know who I was. It was a year later that I took the World Championship. Press went wild saying that it was amazing that a fifteen year-old kid could have beaten some of the best competitors from all over the globe. Heh, they underestimated me."
"So that's it then," Spencer said stifling a yawn. Seto glared at her annoyed. So she thought it was boring, did she. Figures for a bitch like her. "And after this, you just vanish from the circuit?"
"I had other things occupying my mind," Seto said bluntly and went back to work on the lap top. Spencer nodded; Mokuba had been kidnapped at about the same time as Kaiba had left the tournament circuit. A number of players were upset about this as they wanted a chance to topple the champion. But that was not going to happen if Seto wasn't dueling anymore. She glanced over at him, and asked.
"What are you working on?"
"Files."
"The one's you stole…I mean borrowed?" Spencer said going over to his side to take a look. Seto nodded, and she scrolled down the page he had up on screen. "Last Exodus Incorporated. Odd name."
"Should be, I think it's a cover," Seto pulled up the net and typed in the name. No hits were found for it. "See, every time I try and find out anything, I get this. I've tried searches, rearranging the order of words, still no hits. So I think it's a fake."
"What's the document about?" Liz glanced down the file and read over it as fast as she could. From what she could see it was a memo to someone by the name of Ganesly, from a person by the name of Lector.
"Apparently my associates were making deals with this company. They intended to usurp my power, and take over. Only thing is, to do that you need an heir of the Kaiba family."
"So you think they kidnapped your brother then?" Spencer said pulling the computer to her side and typing in some words into the Dos program.
"No, I don't," Seto explained and crossed his arms looking very sour as he spoke. "The thing is it has to be a blood heir and since both Mokuba and I are adopted…"
"Uh-huh," Liz replied and brought up a program onto the screen.
"What are you doing?" Seto asked looking over at the screen. The program she'd brought up looked like an average search engine, only it had several different additional items on it. Two that Seto knew were for hacking into data bases, the other four he wasn't sure about, but they seemed very odd to have on a basic searching tool.
"This," she indicated the server, "was created by a friend of mine a while back ago. Well actually he had the idea; our techs did all the work. But to make a long story short, it's a program that will see if there are any matching business that link to your Last Exodus Inc. Usually with covers the business will keep using a similar name in order for it's investors to keep track of it, especially if it's in the financial racket."
"Hummm…." Seto typed in the name, and saw the program boot up its searching criteria.
"It'll take a minute or two, so…you think someone else kidnapped Mokuba then?" Liz asked him. She noticed that when it came to talking about his brother Seto's hard demeanor broke down quite a bit. She wondered if that was going to be a problem later on.
"Honestly, I don't know. What I do think is that if they did take him it's for two reasons," Seto said holding up fingers as he ticked off the facts. "One would be that they figure that they can use Mokuba as a ransomed to get me to change the business policy and make it so that they can take over the company without a blood heir present to sign the papers. The other, and this is the one that worries me, is that they may use him as bait to find out where Noa Kaiba is."
"Noa Kaiba?" Spencer had heard the name before used by Charles, but she had no real knowledge of this kid or how he was connected to Seto.
"Noa, was Gozaburô's son, his real son," Seto explained calmly as if he were lecturing her in a history class. "His mother left his father when he was thirteen, and she took him with. Gozaburô tried to find them, but every time he got close, they would run. I've even tried to locate them and let them know that he's gone. But I think she's still scared. Mind you this happened all when I was eight, so I have no idea if they are still together. He would be about twenty-one. Could be married for all I know. But if they need a blood relation, they may use Mokuba as a fake until they can find the real one."
Spencer nodded, no wonder Seto was so determined to find his little brother. Then again it was almost a mirror of her own search; only thing was the person she wanted to find did not want to be found. Seto suddenly leaned over and grabbed the sheet of paper she had been writing on. "What's this?"
"A note," Liz explained not paying attention to him and restarting the search again because no hits came up.
"To who?"
"Yuugi Mutou," Liz explained and Seto's face turned from the perpetually cold stare that was plastered on there, to a smirk and then to a quick laugh.
"Yuugi Mutou, that pesky fly? Why would you be writing to him?"
"You know him?" Liz inquired. Seto nodded.
"Yeah, I've seen him around at school. He once tried to talk to me, I shooed him off," He noticed that she has a questioning look to her face and added, "I don't need friends Spencer."
"Whatever," she said casually, and grabbed the sheet. "You have your deck with you still, right?"
"Yeah, why?" Seto asked as she pushed the lap top to him, now it registered several aliases for Last Exodus Inc. and was asking Seto to select one.
"Good, because tomorrow, we're going to see a tournament," she got up and headed out the door to the front hallway. "Oh, and I would be ready for a surprise. You know anything can happen at these things."
Seto watched her leave. Things were getting stranger and stranger, and he was starting to think that he wanted out before he got in too deep.
* * *
"Hey Jounouchi!" a shout of his name made the blonde headed boy turn and look back. The small figure of a boy with dyed spikes, and yellow bangs came running up to him. He was small, and Jonouchi recognized him at once. It was the same kid that he ran into that morning. "I'm sorry to stop you, but do you have a minute."
Jonouchi scratched the top of his head. If he waited he was going to be late, and he couldn't afford that, not when he was so close to being perfect. "Sorry…ah…what's your name?"
"Yuugi, Yuugi Mutou," Yuugi told him smiling. "Listen Jonouchi-san, I wanted to ask you if you have a minute. I need to talk to you about something."
"Look if it's about shoving you this morning, I already told you I was sorry, alright. So why don't you get lost, okay."
"It's not about that," Yuugi tried again. Boy is he being rude.
Maybe not, something tells me that there's more to this boy then we think. Just keep calm Aibou.
"So what do you want then?" asked the taller boy with a roll of his eyes, "because if it's money for the bus, I don't got none. Okay."
"No, it's not that either," Yuugi said getting frustrated. "I just wanted to ask you if you…if you were seeing anyone…"
Jonouchi raised an eyebrow, gave Yuugi a laughing smile, and shook his hand, "Kid, you're cute and all, but, I tend to like my girlfriends wearing skirts."
"No, not for me!" Yuugi shouted, and Jonouchi jumped back, surprised that such a loud voice could come from someone so small. When Yuugi had calmed down he said, "It's for a friend of mine. She really likes you, and I was wondering if you were seeing anyone."
Jonouchi, after stopping his heart from jumping out of his chest, shook his head, "What's it any of your business if I'm seeing anyone or not?"
"Because I don't want my friend to get hurt," Yuugi said and Jonouchi rolled his eyes. He didn't have time for this, he'd been waiting for his ride for the past five minutes, and if they didn't show he'd be late.
"Like I care," he said to Yuugi who looked surprised at the cold comment coming from the boy. "Listen, if it's that green haired girl that was with you this morning, tell her she's nice and all, but I'm not into having some clingy chick on my arm. Besides, if she really liked me, she would come up and ask me herself, rather then letting you do it for her."
"She doesn't know I'm doing this," Yuugi said angry. How could Mayumi like this jerk?
"Really," Jonouchi chuckled, "What are you some sorta mach-maker then. Is she so hard up at getting a guy that she needs you to go find one for her?"
Yuugi was about to tell him off, when a car pulled up and honked its horn. Jonouchi turned to go, then paused, he'd been a bit harsh to the kid. After all he was doing it for a friend, something Jonouchi wished he had. He looked over his shoulder and said, "Hey, Yuugi, that your name?" –Yuugi nodded –"Right, well listen up. Tell your friend that if she wants to meet with me, then she's gonna have to talk to me herself. Okay."
"Mmhum," Yuugi motioned with a quick nod and Jonouchi got into the car, and it sped off. Moments later Mayumi met him at the gate.
"Hey, what are you doing out here, I thought you were going to wait for me by the tree?"
"I…uh, had something I had to get cleared up first," Yuugi told her, the grinned widely. "Ready to go?"
"Yeah," Mayumi told him and they started to head for the bus stop. "Oh, I almost forgot to tell you. While you were away a boy came over by the gates. When I told him I knew you, he said he was a fan, and wanted to wish you luck. He said to tell you that he'll be at the tournament, watching."
"Really," Yuugi said, his smile brightened. He had never known he had fans, Huh, well I guess they like you Hitori. After all it's you dueling out there.
Don't be so sure Aibou, were it not for your skills I would never know how to duel with these cards in the first place. But I wonder about this fan. Why would he tell Mayumi? You would think he would want to stick around to meet you. Hummm….
Don't be so suspicious, Mou hitori no boku. I'm sure he was just being nice. Maybe he's shy.
Yes, well…
As they left the school, a boy strolled up to them, he could not have been any older then twelve. "Are you Yuugi Mutou?"
"Yes, that would be me," Yuugi replied and the little boy handed him a note folded up.
"Here, I was asked to give you this."
"Um thank you, but who gave you this?" Yuugi asked, and the boy simply said that it was a lady wearing a leather jacket. Yuugi wondered what he meant, but the boy just smiled and waved good bye. As Yuugi left Spencer came out of the shadows and gave the boy a small tip.
"Thanks, Miss," the boy said hurrying away as she thought. No, thank you.
Yuugi spent the rest of the day by Mayumi. He visited with Sashio, who was in a wheelchair thanks to his run in with a gang a few years back, but was ever optimistic. He worked at a local community center and was always trying to make Domino a better place to live. Sashio had a great smile, and treated Yuugi like a little brother; he was always willing to talk to Yuugi about anything. At around six Yuugi started home, he reached into his pocket where he put the note and unfolded it. Mayumi had wanted to see it, but Yuugi joked that it was probably from some girl, and she started to tease him about it. Now though he was curious about what the note said. He pulled it open and read: Yuugi, I just wanted to let you know I will see you at the tournament. I want an answer to my offer, and I expect one by the time we meet. Liz
He folded the note up and swallowed. Yuugi had completely forgotten about the offer, and now he wasn't sure he wanted to get involved with Liz. He knew nothing about her other then what she told him. But he knew she was going to be expecting a reply, and he was going to have to give one.
***
Saturday afternoon Yuugi nervously paced the floor backstage in the waiting area for the tournament. His pulse pounded in his head as he went over all his combos. Already there was talk about the fact that Pegasus J. Crawford would be there to watch the proceedings. Rumor had it he was going to pick someone to be named the King of Games. Pegasus was the creator of Duel Monsters, and everyone knew he was the best outside of Seto Kaiba. Ever since Kaiba had dropped out of the dueling circuit, everyone was wondering who would be picked to represent Industrial Illusions. So it was making Yuugi doubly nervous. He'd calmed down when Mayumi and Sashio had come to visit, and wish him luck. Mayumi even made him a lunch, and Sashio teased him that his sister had a crush on him. Yuugi just laughed at this, he knew that Mayumi's heart was only going out to Katsuya Jonouchi, and he wanted so much to make her happy. He hoped that after the tournament he could find out where Jonouchi lived and he and Mayumi could go over and she could ask him, Katsuya, to the concert.
"Attention Duelist," a speaker announced. "Would the following participant please come up to the Special seating area, Yuugi Mutou. Would Yuugi Mutou please report to the Special seating area?"
Several other participants shot him a funny look as Yuugi walked from the room and up the stairs to the main arena. He wondered who would want to see him, but he got the feeling he already knew.
***
What the hell is taking her so long? Kaiba thought as he waited for Spencer outside a skybox. He knew that inside was the creator of Duel Monsters, Crawford. But he wasn't sure why she wanted to talk with him, when Spencer finally came out Pegasus was talking to her in low whispers, and she nodded. Then gave him a quick hug, and walked back over to Seto. Both were dressed casually, her insistence.
"Unless you want to stick out like a sore thumb, you'll wear jeans," she had tossed him a pair. The thing about Seto Kaiba was that no matter what he wore, even something as simple as sneakers, a t-shirt, and a pair of jeans with a black coat over it, he still looked extremely stylish. This was another thing that worried Liz, but she had said nothing when they left. On the other hand, she looked like most of the other girls that were attending the event. Certainly eye catching in a simple skirt and tank top, a star choker around the neck to draw the eye from her face, but she blended in.
"So, what was that about," Seto inquired upon Liz walking over to him, he had stopped her near the stairs before they were to descend. She thought a moment then said simply shrugging.
"He knew my father, they worked together," Liz explained and Seto looked at her puzzled. "Don't worry about it. I just went in to say hello."
"Twenty minutes to say Hello?"
"Hello, how are you, how's your family, etc. I had to make polite conversation. One of his assistance spotted me when I came in," Liz explained, she grabbed him by the arm then, and started to pull. "Now come on, let's get to our seats before the event starts."
***
"Quit pulling," Yuugi heard a voice say as he came up the stairs and saw two teenagers standing at the top. Both he recognized at once. The girl in the jean skirt was Elizabeth Spencer, and –to his surprise and shock –the boy was none other then Seto Kaiba. He was about to say something when a third person, a man with a point on the top of his head –very mean looking and wearing sunglasses –came out of the skybox and over to him.
"You Yuugi Mutou?" He asked in a thick, deep voice.
"Y-yes," Yuugi stuttered.
"I'm Kimo," said the man, "Follow me. Mr. Crawford is waiting."
Yuugi glanced behind Kimo, but saw that both Kaiba and Spencer had slipped away from him in an instant.
If Seto Kaiba is here, and with Spencer did she have something to do with his disappearance?
It seems that way. This is very curious, Aibou. First she gives us this offer, and then Kaiba vanishes, only to turn up with her at the tournament.
You don't think…you know…their dating or something like that…
Like what? That they are sneaking around? No I don't think so. Kaiba doesn't seem the type of person to sneak off with a girl. No matter how attractive. But something very odd is happening here. I don't know, Aibou. I can't shake the feeling that there is more to this whole thing then what we are being told.
I know what you mean, Yuugi quickly changed places with his Hitori and followed Kimo into a brightly lit skybox. Sitting in a large chair was a young man of about twenty-four. He had long white hair that hung down to his back, and framed his face, the left side covered his eye. He was an attractive man, and seemed very bubbly and happy. His brown eye watched Yuugi as he came in, and he smiled.
"Yuugi-boy, welcome, welcome," said the man and Kimo bowed leaving them alone. "Please take a seat."
"I'd rather stand," said Hitori no Yuugi, his violet eyes watched the man very carefully. He was dressed in a red suit, with a thin bow tie, and smiled in a way that made Yuugi sure that he was hiding something.
"I see, very well," the man said clapping his hand and two other assistants came into the room carrying some food on trays. "But I always found it hard to eat standing up. I'm sure you know who I am."
"Pegasus J. Crawford, the creator of Duel Monsters." Yuugi replied, shaking his head when offered the food. "What do you want?"
"Being a bit brisk aren't you?" Pegasus said sadly. "I thought we'd have some, get to know each other time."
"I've got a tournament to get to; I don't have time to chit-chat, Crawford. So what do you want," Yuugi frowned and crossed his arms. Pegasus still smiled.
"Simply to tell you that Industrial Illusions has your back, Yuugi-boy," a man came over with a piece of paper and Pegasus wrote something on it then handed it back to the man, who bowed and left.
"What do you mean, has my back," Yuugi inquired and Pegasus chuckled. He intertwined his fingers and sat forward in his chair resting his elbows on his knees.
"Let's put it this way, Yuugi-boy. I think you would make one hell of a representative for Industrial Illusion. And I want you to know that we are backing you in this tournament. We are willing to pay for all your expenses, if you are willing to work for us as an elite duelist."
"And just what is an 'Elite Duelist'?" Yuugi asked him growing suspicious of the man that he was talking with. Something in Pegasus's eye warned him to be very careful as he spoke.
"It's a person who is placed in tournaments to, if you will, quell the herd. Keep down the number of high ranking competitive duelists," Pegasus explained and Yuugi frowned.
"In short, I would be used as a eliminator," Yuugi turned his back and headed for the door. "Forget it Pegasus. When I duel, it's with honor. I'm in it for the fun of dueling, not because I want to make money."
"As you wish, Yuugi-boy," Pegasus smiled and watched as Yuugi left his office. He grinned happily to himself thinking of a secret thought.
***
The beep of her phone took Spencer by surprise, and she jumped, making Seto spill his popcorn.
"What the…" he had time to say before several people told him to shut up. He glared at Spencer who was now on the phone trying hard to talk as quietly as possible.
Pain in the ass, Seto thought sitting down again. He hadn't been in a dueling arena in a long while. Watching was far different then actually playing in a tournament. He found himself fingering his deck, something he hadn't done in nearly a year's time. The cool surface of the cards gave his body a rush, the want and need to go into battle and watch as his enemies fell before the might of his hand. He was lost in memories of victories that he paid no attention to Spencer who was talking feverously beside him.
"So I've got everything set up," her boss said sweetly. Spencer shook her head and scowled.
"You shouldn't be taking so many chances."
"I know, you're very much like you're father in that way," Charles said. "Now listen, I expect things to go as planed. So just for your own reference, you mustn't refer to me by my other name from now on, understand."
"Yeah, I got you," she said frowning slightly. She knew the reason for the deception; she just wished it had not come to using such awful manipulation. And if the other found out about it, he might change his mind and leave them before they could fulfill the promise. Hanging up the phone she smiled at Seto. "Enjoying the show?"
"No," he admitted and she rolled her eyes. "Most of these duelists aren't very good. I'm surprised they got this far."
"Just wait till the main attraction starts, these are just the prelims," Liz insisted and kept her cheerful attitude up. Seto just scowled and watched as a boy was taken out by a sea duelist by the name of Ryouta. He laughed loudly and grinned sheepishly at the audience. Seto rolled his eyes, and was about to go to get a bottled water, when the announcer shouted.
"Next trial, "Insector" Haga verses Yuugi Mutou!"
The crowd went wild, several sections chanting, "Yuugi, Yuugi, Yuugi."
Seto sat back down, he remember when people would chant his name as well. Had they forgotten him already? The boy that came out on the right side had green hair and was dressed in a green jacket and a red bow tie. Kaiba smirked, Haga, that idiot. I can't believe he's still dueling. After all the times I kicked his ass. Seto glanced over to the other side of the arena, and saw a short boy with spiked hair that was bordered by red, and sharp yellow bangs. His violet eyes sparkled with an inner fire, and Seto raised an eyebrow. Now this was someone that looked like a true duelist. I wonder, can this be the same Yuugi Mutou that tried to talk to me in school? But it can't be, he looks so…so intense. It's like nothing, not even death, would faze him. I wonder…
"A word about our two duelist folks," said the announcer. "Haga is known for his expertice in Insect cards. He was ranked top in his division, and is known for his…tricks on the field. To quote one of his opponents, if Haga has any fans it has to be the dung beetles that he sleeps with."
The crowd laughed and Haga growled angrily, "Why those…I'll show them who sleeps with bugs!"
"On the opposite side of the field, Yuugi Mutou. This young man has risen through the ranks to become a very dangerous opponent. It's no secret that most think he's a shoe in for the title of King of Games. It seems the fans love him, and I wouldn't be surprised if he was to replace Seto Kaiba as the World Champion. Let's hear it for Yuugi Mutou."
As the crowd cheered, Seto gritted his teeth. How dare they think that this brat with a leather fetish would ever replace him as World Champion? He'd show them, he'd prove he was still the top duelist. Seto sat back in his seat to watch the show. He smirked. So let's see how he fairs against Haga. And then I'll see his weaknesses, and then I'll crush him. Usurp me, will you Yuugi Mutou. Well, you're about to find out just how dangerous Seto Kaiba can be.