**** I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh (if I say it one more time I'll cry!) ****
Chapter Twenty-Six
Trapped!
Roux woke up.
She found herself lying in a bed that was comfortable yet unfamiliar to her, in a room dark and closed from all light. She at first had thought it to be her bedroom in the Wheeler apartment, where she had fallen asleep. But then she remembered the day before, when Kaiba had carried her from the apartment and out into the limo.
She was in the Kaiba mansion. She could recognize the hotel smell that it had.
Yawning, stretching out her arms and throwing her feet over the side of the bed, Roux got up from the bed. Feeling comforted and refreshed, she glanced around the room. It was a large guestroom, larger than the one she had been in before at the mansion. The windows let in a soft pale moonlight from the hanging moon, the curtains lay still.
There was no light under Roux's door, and the digital clock on the nearby bedside table read one o'clock in the morning. She didn't want to wake anybody by getting up and exploring the mansion, and she was pretty sure Kaiba wouldn't want her doing that either.
Roux leaned against the headboard of the bed and brought her knees up to her chin. She let out a soft sigh and began to examine her fingernails for no reason at all. Not that they were particularly interesting, she just found it something to do for a little while.
Then she noticed the ring on her finger, the eye stared at her endlessly, the stone crested within the eye glittered in the soft moonlight that escaped through the curtains.
She remembered what Kale had told her when she had asked about the stone's powers. He hadn't said anything that could help her, only "listen to your heart". But what help could that be? What would the millennium stone know about heart if the power it possessed only had intentions of what seemed to be evil?
R=oux couldn't understand it. If she were to listen to her heart to unleash the powers of the stone, what would happen? If it was her destiny to wield the stone, would she be able to use it's powers for good? Or would she be corrupted by its power, like so many before?
Tightly Roux shut her eyes. She had to listen to her heart. That was all that she had to do, according to Kale, to unleash the power.
But her heart wouldn't say anything.
She let out a frustrated cry. If she were going to unleash the stone's powers to help her out, especially in the situation she was in now, she would have to find some way to listen to her heart. But if it wouldn't speak, what could she do?
Sighing, she got up from the bed and went to the window, crossing her arms over her chest and staring out at the moon. It was entirely silent, except for the hissing of the wind through the window, and the hoot of an owl now and then. She felt an entire flow of relaxation wave over her.
Again she closed her eyes. All she had to do was listen to her heart.
~*~
The next morning as Kaiba slipped on his navy blue jacket, staring at the clock and thinking about how much work he could get done in that morning, a knock came at his door. Before grabbing his keys from the side table, he turned towards the door. "What is it?" he asked.
The door opened and Mokuba poked his little head in and looked around with his big eyes, and he smiled happily when he saw Kaiba. "Hey big brother. Are we ready to go?"
Kaiba nodded, not saying a word as he picked up his briefcase off the floor. = Mokuba frowned. He noticed his brother was a bit sullen. He looked a little red in the apples of his cheeks, and he hadn't said anything, and he hadn't tucked in his shirt. Mokuba instantly knew that there was something wrong.
"Seto, what's wrong? Are you okay?" Mokuba asked, coming inside.
Kaiba looked down at his younger smile and gave him a smile. "I'm fine, Mokuba." He laid a hand on his brother's shoulder. "Come on, let's go."
But in truth Kaiba was not fine, and he hadn't been able to sleep very well. He couldn't explain why, he felt all his senses and his mind confused as one. He didn't have a reason, no matter how much he searched his mind and sought through his thoughts. He didn't have a reason as to why he was feeling so awkward that morning.
Carefully he followed Mokuba out of the room and down the hallway. He was able to straighten himself out once the sun from the windows hit his sapphire eyes, and he seemed to come alive again. Soon he wasn't feeling at all awkward or strange. Now he was feeling rather rushed.
"Roux's in the limo," Mokuba told his brother as they were walking. "So we'll go down and meet her."
Kaiba nodded. He remembered Roux being with them the night before- no, he remembered carrying Roux back to the limo out of the apartment, out of the Wheeler apartment.
Suddenly the strange feeling struck Kaiba again. He suddenly felt woozy and dizzy all at once. He touched his forehead, and went down the grand staircase behind Mokuba, trying desperately not to show that he wasn't feeling so good afterall. But nothing would come in the way of his work.
They went out the front door and towards the limo, which was waiting for them. The driver held the door open for them. Mokuba crawled in like a little insect, and Kaiba smoothly got inside, fearing that in his condition he might just whack his head or something on the roof. But he made it in safely and the door was shut behind him.
Roux was seated across from him, looking well rested and particularly chipper. However when Kaiba looked into her eyes when they first saw each other, he noticed something hidden within her jeweled eyes. Something that looked almost like sadness.
She only smiled to try and keep it hidden. "Good morning." She said, and her smile fainted, and she blinked heavily.
~ She hasn't slept. ~ Kaiba thought instantly. ~ Not very well, at least. ~
Kaiba didn't reply to her greeting. He crossed his arms and looked out the window at the mansion. The limo hadn't pulled away yet. He had the greatest longing to go back inside and up to his bed again to sleep for years. But he wouldn't.
"So what are you going to do today, Roux?" Mokuba asked, swinging his legs back and forth, staring up at Roux with his eyes alight.
Roux shrugged and smiled sadly. "I don't know, I'll probably just hang out with Joey today, nothing too serious."
Kaiba's eyebrows burred in suspicion as soon as she had said this, and in an instant he looked over at her, and requested. "Why not?"
Roux looked at him. Her eyes were full of question. Her expression showed that she wasn't expecting him to talk to her at all during that car ride. She blinked and few times and swallowed, and shrugged. "I don't know. I don't feel so-"
"Don't feel so what?" Kaiba demanded the words before he could even think.
Mokuba looked at him in confusion, and Roux looked at him in almost fear. Her jaw trembled, and then she remembered something. She didn't have to tolerate his tone, he may have had to protect her, but he didn't have to boss her around. She gave him a rather stern look. "Nothing." She told him.
Kaiba's eyes flared with anger. "Tell me!" he told her angrily.
"Seto!" Mokuba squeaked, surprised to see his brother in this type of mood all of a sudden.
Kaiba cooled off and relaxed back into his seat, and stared out the window once again. The limo started to pull from the house, and he was sad to see the house disappear from his view.
Roux stared at Kaiba for a long time, but not too obviously. What was wrong with him? Why was he suddenly so demanding of knowing her moods? Roux looked down at her hands and tried to think about it.
Kaiba wondered why he had gone ballistic like that. Did he think that because he was feeling rather strange and because she was feeling strange they were connected somehow? He shook his head. No, that couldn't be it. There wasn't possibility of it at all.
Within ten minutes of tension, silence and boredom, the limo pulled over in front of the Wheeler apartment building. Roux gathered her stuff.
Kaiba scowled at her. "The limo will be here at six." He told her sternly. "I dare you to fall asleep again."
Roux gave him a chilly look and said good-bye to Mokuba before she got out of the limo and skipping up to Joey's apartment. Kaiba watched her out of the corner of his eye to make sure that Joey answered the door and let her in.
When the car was rolling again, Mokuba gave his brother a rather betrayed look. "Why are you so mean to Roux? If you were nice to her, she'd be nice to you too."
Kaiba smirked, and looked out of the window again. "I don't need her to be nice, Mokuba."
~ I don't need her at all! ~ He thought bitterly.
~*~
"Okay then, what about Sherry Winter?" Roux asked, as she sat down at the kitchen table with the fresh green salad she had made for lunch.
Joey said something through the food that was crammed into his mouth. Roux smiled and upon chewing and swallowing, his voice and words were more audible. "I think she got married to that kid who liked to put blueberry gum in people's hair." Joey took a moment to scan through his memory, and then nodded. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure. They live in Tokyo too I hear."
Roux gave him an odd look. "Really, at our age?"
"Yup." Joey said and bit into his taco again. "Them and some other couple."
They were referring to kids they knew when they were younger, as kids in Domino Elementary school. For the most part Joey had known where everyone was and what they were doing with their lives, and Roux didn't know on account of being a model, and being super busy.
Roux dug into her salad rather greedily. It tasted so good, and she had been hungry. She looked up at Joey. He was biting into his third taco that day; there was a plate of them on the table that he kept retreating to.
"You still wanna go to the square today?" Joey asked her, looking up at him while leaning down to take a bite from his taco.
Roux nodded. "Sure." She replied, and they resumed eating.
For a moment, Joey's entire mood seemed to drop considerably. Roux could tell just by the look on his face. It made her a little bit curious. She looked rather confused. "Joey?"
Joey didn't looked up at her, he only murmured to her. "So, Kaiba came last night, huh?"
Roux nodded. "Yeah, he-he certainly did." She sighed, and didn't really want to be reminded of the night before.
"He carried you out of the apartment." Joey said, raising his eyes a little bit and looking at her.
Roux continued to eat, without looking at him. "Did he?" she asked innocently, as though she had no clue whatsoever about what had happened.
Joey nodded. "Yeah." He went back to eating.
Roux studied Joey for awhile. It dawned on her that the blonde haired brown- eyed boy who sat across from her was her friend, and they had known each other for years, and yet she really didn't know anything about him. He knew practically everything about her, her past life and everything, but she had never bothered to ask him about anything. She felt guilty.
And here he was asking her about Kaiba carrying her from the apartment. She sighed softly to herself. She had noticed how chummy Joey was with her ever since she had arrived for the tournament, and that he had stuck up for her and was loyal to her. Was it possible he felt more than just a friendship for her? Was that why he was upset about Kaiba carrying her from the apartment the night before?
She put down her fork. "Joey?"
"Yeah?" Joey asked.
Roux blinked for a moment. "Is there-is there a woman in your life at all?"
Joey dropped his taco in surprise, and stared as the beef, lettuce, and cheese fell out onto the surface of the table. He seemed to have been pulled into a trance. He sighed and started to clean up the taco. "Well-you know Mai?"
Roux nodded curiously, and smiled to herself softly. All along she had known there had to be something between the two, between Mai and Joey. It was only a feeling, but Roux was certain there was some sort of chemistry there.
"Well.I'd kind of like to think that someday we'd-we'd be an item." Joey confessed, and put down the taco on the plate and looked at Roux. His eyes were full of realization. Perhaps this was not only the first time he was admitting it to Roux, but also to himself.
Roux nodded. "Do you think she likes you?"
Joey shrugged. "I can never tell for sure, she's a confusing girl." He said softly. "I-I kinda like her, but I don't know if she likes me back."
Roux smiled softly and touched his shoulder. "Don't worry Joey, if she doesn't like you more than a friend, she is still a friend, isn't she?" Roux smiled softly. "Just be glad for that, and maybe someday, if you're good, she'll like you just a little more." Roux thought that she sounded like a mother giving her son a pep talk about girls. Even though Joey was one of her best friends, she was glad he had a different interest other than Roux. A passion for Roux couldn't have helped either of them in the situation they were in.
Joey just smiled. "My smart little psychiatrist." He said to her and grinned widely. "Where do you pick up on stuff like that?"
Roux thought for a moment, and then she smiled softly. "I just try to listen to my heart."
~*~
Right away Kaiba was angry that he had forgotten his sunglasses.
He was walking along the sidewalk of a busy street. He towered over most of the black-haired people who crowded the sidewalk going to and from different places along the boardwalk. People were talking quickly, shoving past him, and moving at a slow speed to make Kaiba very angry.
Already he was wondering why he didn't take the limo, even though the Kaiba Corp laboratory backup team was only a few blocks from the actual building, which was why he had chosen to walk anyway. Besides the traffic was bad, and the limo would have had a hard time getting around it all.
Kaiba stuck his fist into his pocket and walked along, staring at the black heads before him, gathered together in a large number, walking with an insane slow speed. He had to hug his briefcase close to his side or else he'd hit someone with it, or worse it would get stolen, and he couldn't afford that at all.
At least it was a nice day out, he decided. Everything was lush and green, and the sky was bright and the birds were singing, even though you could barely hear them over the sounds of the traffic coming from the nearby intersection, where people sold fruits and newspapers. Still he had a lot of work to do, and he wasn't getting anywhere fast with this immense crowd.
Soon as he walked he heard the sounds of music rise up from not too far away. When he looked, he saw that there was a great deal of people moving towards the city square. Kaiba blinked suspiciously, wondering what was going on, and then he remembered.
There was another practice duel day going on in the square, and since it was almost noon, Kaiba guessed that the suits had brought out the barbecue and that's why everyone was crowding into the square.
~ Humph, fools! All they want from me is a free meal! ~ he thought to himself dangerously, but continued to walk, because he was wasting time and he needed to get back to his office and finished off the daily work for that day.
Kaiba was at least thankful that the headache, if it had been a headache at all, hadn't followed him throughout his daily duties. If it did, he would have been very grumpy. He touched his temple lightly with confusion. He hadn't known what on earth had caused him that headache earlier that morning. If it was a headache, and he wasn't even sure it was.
It hadn't even started that morning either, it had started with a vengeance the night before, almost directly after they had picked Roux up from Joey's apartment. Kaiba's hands clenched into fists.
~ She's probably doing it with the stone! ~ he thought angrily and he walked. ~ She's probably doing it just to bug me. Wait, what am I saying? I'd be beyond fascinated if that blonde-haired airhead bimbo even knew how to work the stone's powers, even if it is her destiny. ~
Kaiba neared the shop, and he was glad that he was. He couldn't afford to waste anymore time going super slowly in among the crowd. Like a smooth dashing shadow, he found his way to the door or the workshop and stepped inside.
It was a simple place, there was a desk at the front, and there were several shelves along the walls that held certain things to upgrade technology, and books about technological studies and instructions. Behind the desk was a door that led to the workshop.
At the desk there was a teenager who was picking his teeth with what looked like a Sharpie pen, and was reading a magazine on the reviews of new computers games. Obviously he hadn't seen Kaiba come in. It wasn't a matter, Kaiba got his attention easily enough by slamming his briefcase on the counter and scaring the kid out of his wits.
"Jesus fucking Christ!" the kid cried and then laughed. "You scared the shit outta me, there guy!" he looked up at Kaiba, and his smile fainted when he met the chilly look in the CEO's eyes. "Wow, are you here to buy out the store, dude?" the teenager asked.
Kaiba sneered. "Don't waste my time, kid. I'm looking for Mr. Pincott and if I don't see him soon I'll turn this entire lot into a strip mall, do you understand?"
The teenager raised an eyebrow and began to back away from the desk towards the back door. "Okay, okay guy. Don't go cold." The teenager ducked his head into the door and started to shout around for Mr. Pincott.
Kaiba stood straight, tall and furious at the counter. He didn't like to waste, and he didn't like kids disrespecting him. And he certainly didn't like his time, any of his time, being wasted.
Within an instant, Mr. Pincott came waddling out the back door rubbing his dirty hands with a filthy rag. It made Kaiba shudder and pull back a little from the counter. Mr. Pincott grinned at Kaiba.
"Ah, Mr. Kaiba! It's so wonderful to see you again!" he exclaimed.
Kaiba raised an eyebrow. "Is it? I'm assuming you have finished work on my hologram disks by now, as we talked about." Kaiba pressed dangerously.
Mr. Pincott nodded. "Yes sir, Mr. Kaiba. We have finished and we should be able to release them back to your company by three this afternoon."
Kaiba smirked. "Good. Just send them to my secretary, and she'll compensate you for all of your troubles."
Mr. Pincott beamed. "Thank you Mr. Kaiba."
With that Kaiba took his briefcase and left the store. He was miffed as he walked up the sidewalk. That had been a complete waste of his time, and he could have used that wasted time for much more important things.
Now that he was out of the store, Kaiba was wondering why he had gone at all. He could have easily phoned, and didn't. He decided to go out and see. But why?
~ Probably to get some fresh air. ~ He concluded and began again to walk against the people on the sidewalk.
It was taking forever to get past all these people who were charging past him to go to the Town Square for the free barbecue. They roamed like cattle with no place to go. In a way it sickened him, and he was glad he wasn't such a low life, like these people were. Even if he was walking the public sidewalk, he was walking it with style.
The crowd had started to clear up by the time Kaiba could see the Kaiba Corp building ahead of him. He was glad too. He started to walk quicker, keeping his eyes firmly on the building, as though he was afraid if he looked away, it would be gone.
Suddenly he heard something spoken in his ear that made him stop.
~ Kaiba. ~
Immediately he stopped, and looked around him. The people who passed him were talking among themselves, not even looking at him. He saw that there was no one speaking to him, and there was no one he knew there in the crowd.
It had been a gentle voice on the wind, it sounded like it had been spoken just behind his ear. Kaiba grew suspicious, and wondered if he was imagining it. But then he heard it again.
~ Kaiba. ~
He had heard it more clearly that time. It was a male's voice, one that high and irritating. In a smooth motion Kaiba looked to his right, and into the scenery of the park that was across the street. His icy blue eyes saw through the moving traffic.
Parents were having picnics with their kids, and little toddlers were running around and tripping on the grass. Kids were pulling streamers and throwing up confetti and flying kites. But one thing caught Kaiba's mind, and it infuriated him so.
A tall, tanned figure with shocking white hair, a purple top and beige pants. Tedious amethyst eyes stared at him and laughed at him. Kaiba could recognize him from a million miles around.
Marik.
In what seemed like an instant, before Kaiba had really thought at all, he was approaching the park's gates, and watching Marik's eyes as they followed him; a mischievous grin was upon the Egyptian boy's face. Kaiba came towards Marik, and stopped a few yards from him.
They stood in silence for awhile. Kaiba's eyes narrowed in a hateful way. Marik looked as though he just wanted to laugh at Kaiba, and didn't. Kaiba knew he was there because he knew that Kaiba was protecting the one who had the Millennium stone. Kaiba looked quickly, and he saw that Marik didn't have the Millennium rod with him.
Marik grinned. "Seto Kaiba, interesting to see you out of the office."
Kaiba didn't say anything, he just glared.
"I hear you're the one guarding Kale Tori's ex-wife." Marik chided boastfully. "I realized it after I found out that your Blue Eyes White Dragon had inconveniently attacked my men in the middle of a public street."
"They were asking for it, Marik." Kaiba spat. "And so are you, by approaching me like this."
Marik crossed his arms and held his smile. "What on earth could be wrong with having a little chat in the park, Kaiba?" he chuckled. "I was rather surprised to hear you were the one to protect Roux Matuko. They certainly chose the wrong person, all you can do is game."
Kaiba breathed in sharply, trying to control himself.
"Oh, so you're not going to snap at me and tell me to shut up?" Marik's eyebrows raised impressively. "I'm impressed."
"I'm not doing this to impress you," Kaiba snarled angrily. "However, I am doing this to retrieve the Millennium Rod, in which you had so absent mindedly taken from me."
Marik laughed heartily. "So that's all you're after is it Kaiba? My Millennium Rod? I may not be telepathic but I can see in your eyes that you're hiding something." Again he chuckled.
Kaiba grew furious. "I'm not hiding anything." He demanded.
"Of course not," Marik tested. "So, that Roux Matuko is quite a girl, isn't she? If I were you I would be doing more than just protecting her." His smile grew wickedly.
Kaiba fumed, he was certain his face had gone red.
"I think that if you were ever to let your guard down, and I successfully captured her, I'd take more to her than just take that ring." Marik began to laugh.
Kaiba growled under his breath. "You won't dare to touch her!" he let out before thinking.
Marik raised an eyebrow in interest. "And why is that, Kaiba?" then he asked the sinner question. "Do you care about her, is that why?"
"Hell no!" Kaiba spat. "But I have a mission to keep up, and I'm going to fulfill it so in the end I'll be rid of you and have both the Millennium rod and your Egyptian god card."
Marik's smile fainted. "Is that so? Well then Kaiba if I were you I would keep an especially good eye on that little beauty with the ring, because once you let your guard down, she's in my hands, and once she's there, she's never coming out again." Marik taunted.
Kaiba felt himself biting his lip to keep from attacking Marik.
Marik grinned. "You may want to stop by the Town Square and find her," he said wickedly. "Before my men do."
Kaiba's eyes lit up in terror, and he realized that Roux must have been in the square with Joey. His heart gave an unannounced halt. What the hell were they doing there, in the middle of a public place, where Marik could have easily found her and taken her, like he was planning?
Kaiba gritted his teeth. "You liar, Marik."
Marik shrugged. "Then go back to the office, CEO." Marik said, turning away to go towards the square, but he gave Kaiba a fiendish look. "And don't worry about Roux, I'll be sure to take extra good care of her."
"Like hell you will!" Kaiba snarled, and before another word could be said, Kaiba took off in a fascinating speed down the road towards where the crowd was gathered at the square.
~*~
Roux and Joey wandered through the crowded square, talking heartily and laughing. When they had finished their lunch they had decided to go to the square to perhaps get in some practice duels, only after Joey had promised Roux that he would try to slip in any of his cards into her deck to help her win.
They hadn't counted on it being this crowded. Roux guessed they had just brought out the barbecue. Joey held up his head and sniffed the air, and then he gasped. "Hey, I smell hot dogs!"
Roux rolled her eyes. "Joey, we just had lunch!"
"Ah, who care's? No one's gonna know that, come on!" he said and started to pull her through the crowds, in which she followed him quickly.
The line-up to the food was very long, and Roux thought that by the time they reached the front of the line, all the food would be gone. Joey however didn't think the same, and dragged Roux with her on an odyssey to find the end of the line.
That was when Roux let go of his hand. "Maybe you should stay in line Joey, and I'll look around a little bit." She told him cheerfully. "I'll meet you back here."
"Are you sure?" Joey blinked. "Do you think you'll be okay?"
Roux nodded. "It's a public place, I don't think anything's going to happen. And I know where to find you, so I think I'll be okay."
Joey thought about it and after awhile he shrugged and then nodded. "Okay, but don't go wandering off too far, and don't take anything from strangers."
Roux smiled, he sounded like a concerned older brother. That was what he was to her. A brother. She waved. "I'll be careful." She told him, and disappeared into the crowd.
She started to walk, gazing at the little stops that people had set up who wanted to trade some of their cards and offered to trade. Roux looked a little and talked with the people at the stands but she wasn't really counting on trading or selling her cards, or buying any new ones. The ones she had now were great.
Roux wandered a little for no particular reason, passing the dueling arena and watching as two duelists were practice dueling. She was happy watching them until something unsettling waved over her.
She looked behind her, just within instinct, and she gasped softly.
A man wearing a black suit was slowly walking towards her. He was wearing sunglasses and had a microphone in his ear. Even from behind the sunglasses, Roux knew that his eyes were leering at her.
For an instant she thought it was one of Kaiba's men, but then something told her it wasn't, and something else told her to run. So she did. She hurried away from the duelist arena and tried to find Joey who was still standing in line for the food. All she found was another suit, coming towards her.
Roux became very frightened, and she ran around trying to dodge them, but they had seemed to join together to surround her. Everywhere she looked there they were, closing in on her. Roux became extremely scared, and saw that there was no way out.
~*~
**** Uh oh, looks like Roux's in a bit of trouble! Who will come to save the day, stay tuned for the next chapter coming soon! ^-^ ****
Chapter Twenty-Six
Trapped!
Roux woke up.
She found herself lying in a bed that was comfortable yet unfamiliar to her, in a room dark and closed from all light. She at first had thought it to be her bedroom in the Wheeler apartment, where she had fallen asleep. But then she remembered the day before, when Kaiba had carried her from the apartment and out into the limo.
She was in the Kaiba mansion. She could recognize the hotel smell that it had.
Yawning, stretching out her arms and throwing her feet over the side of the bed, Roux got up from the bed. Feeling comforted and refreshed, she glanced around the room. It was a large guestroom, larger than the one she had been in before at the mansion. The windows let in a soft pale moonlight from the hanging moon, the curtains lay still.
There was no light under Roux's door, and the digital clock on the nearby bedside table read one o'clock in the morning. She didn't want to wake anybody by getting up and exploring the mansion, and she was pretty sure Kaiba wouldn't want her doing that either.
Roux leaned against the headboard of the bed and brought her knees up to her chin. She let out a soft sigh and began to examine her fingernails for no reason at all. Not that they were particularly interesting, she just found it something to do for a little while.
Then she noticed the ring on her finger, the eye stared at her endlessly, the stone crested within the eye glittered in the soft moonlight that escaped through the curtains.
She remembered what Kale had told her when she had asked about the stone's powers. He hadn't said anything that could help her, only "listen to your heart". But what help could that be? What would the millennium stone know about heart if the power it possessed only had intentions of what seemed to be evil?
R=oux couldn't understand it. If she were to listen to her heart to unleash the powers of the stone, what would happen? If it was her destiny to wield the stone, would she be able to use it's powers for good? Or would she be corrupted by its power, like so many before?
Tightly Roux shut her eyes. She had to listen to her heart. That was all that she had to do, according to Kale, to unleash the power.
But her heart wouldn't say anything.
She let out a frustrated cry. If she were going to unleash the stone's powers to help her out, especially in the situation she was in now, she would have to find some way to listen to her heart. But if it wouldn't speak, what could she do?
Sighing, she got up from the bed and went to the window, crossing her arms over her chest and staring out at the moon. It was entirely silent, except for the hissing of the wind through the window, and the hoot of an owl now and then. She felt an entire flow of relaxation wave over her.
Again she closed her eyes. All she had to do was listen to her heart.
~*~
The next morning as Kaiba slipped on his navy blue jacket, staring at the clock and thinking about how much work he could get done in that morning, a knock came at his door. Before grabbing his keys from the side table, he turned towards the door. "What is it?" he asked.
The door opened and Mokuba poked his little head in and looked around with his big eyes, and he smiled happily when he saw Kaiba. "Hey big brother. Are we ready to go?"
Kaiba nodded, not saying a word as he picked up his briefcase off the floor. = Mokuba frowned. He noticed his brother was a bit sullen. He looked a little red in the apples of his cheeks, and he hadn't said anything, and he hadn't tucked in his shirt. Mokuba instantly knew that there was something wrong.
"Seto, what's wrong? Are you okay?" Mokuba asked, coming inside.
Kaiba looked down at his younger smile and gave him a smile. "I'm fine, Mokuba." He laid a hand on his brother's shoulder. "Come on, let's go."
But in truth Kaiba was not fine, and he hadn't been able to sleep very well. He couldn't explain why, he felt all his senses and his mind confused as one. He didn't have a reason, no matter how much he searched his mind and sought through his thoughts. He didn't have a reason as to why he was feeling so awkward that morning.
Carefully he followed Mokuba out of the room and down the hallway. He was able to straighten himself out once the sun from the windows hit his sapphire eyes, and he seemed to come alive again. Soon he wasn't feeling at all awkward or strange. Now he was feeling rather rushed.
"Roux's in the limo," Mokuba told his brother as they were walking. "So we'll go down and meet her."
Kaiba nodded. He remembered Roux being with them the night before- no, he remembered carrying Roux back to the limo out of the apartment, out of the Wheeler apartment.
Suddenly the strange feeling struck Kaiba again. He suddenly felt woozy and dizzy all at once. He touched his forehead, and went down the grand staircase behind Mokuba, trying desperately not to show that he wasn't feeling so good afterall. But nothing would come in the way of his work.
They went out the front door and towards the limo, which was waiting for them. The driver held the door open for them. Mokuba crawled in like a little insect, and Kaiba smoothly got inside, fearing that in his condition he might just whack his head or something on the roof. But he made it in safely and the door was shut behind him.
Roux was seated across from him, looking well rested and particularly chipper. However when Kaiba looked into her eyes when they first saw each other, he noticed something hidden within her jeweled eyes. Something that looked almost like sadness.
She only smiled to try and keep it hidden. "Good morning." She said, and her smile fainted, and she blinked heavily.
~ She hasn't slept. ~ Kaiba thought instantly. ~ Not very well, at least. ~
Kaiba didn't reply to her greeting. He crossed his arms and looked out the window at the mansion. The limo hadn't pulled away yet. He had the greatest longing to go back inside and up to his bed again to sleep for years. But he wouldn't.
"So what are you going to do today, Roux?" Mokuba asked, swinging his legs back and forth, staring up at Roux with his eyes alight.
Roux shrugged and smiled sadly. "I don't know, I'll probably just hang out with Joey today, nothing too serious."
Kaiba's eyebrows burred in suspicion as soon as she had said this, and in an instant he looked over at her, and requested. "Why not?"
Roux looked at him. Her eyes were full of question. Her expression showed that she wasn't expecting him to talk to her at all during that car ride. She blinked and few times and swallowed, and shrugged. "I don't know. I don't feel so-"
"Don't feel so what?" Kaiba demanded the words before he could even think.
Mokuba looked at him in confusion, and Roux looked at him in almost fear. Her jaw trembled, and then she remembered something. She didn't have to tolerate his tone, he may have had to protect her, but he didn't have to boss her around. She gave him a rather stern look. "Nothing." She told him.
Kaiba's eyes flared with anger. "Tell me!" he told her angrily.
"Seto!" Mokuba squeaked, surprised to see his brother in this type of mood all of a sudden.
Kaiba cooled off and relaxed back into his seat, and stared out the window once again. The limo started to pull from the house, and he was sad to see the house disappear from his view.
Roux stared at Kaiba for a long time, but not too obviously. What was wrong with him? Why was he suddenly so demanding of knowing her moods? Roux looked down at her hands and tried to think about it.
Kaiba wondered why he had gone ballistic like that. Did he think that because he was feeling rather strange and because she was feeling strange they were connected somehow? He shook his head. No, that couldn't be it. There wasn't possibility of it at all.
Within ten minutes of tension, silence and boredom, the limo pulled over in front of the Wheeler apartment building. Roux gathered her stuff.
Kaiba scowled at her. "The limo will be here at six." He told her sternly. "I dare you to fall asleep again."
Roux gave him a chilly look and said good-bye to Mokuba before she got out of the limo and skipping up to Joey's apartment. Kaiba watched her out of the corner of his eye to make sure that Joey answered the door and let her in.
When the car was rolling again, Mokuba gave his brother a rather betrayed look. "Why are you so mean to Roux? If you were nice to her, she'd be nice to you too."
Kaiba smirked, and looked out of the window again. "I don't need her to be nice, Mokuba."
~ I don't need her at all! ~ He thought bitterly.
~*~
"Okay then, what about Sherry Winter?" Roux asked, as she sat down at the kitchen table with the fresh green salad she had made for lunch.
Joey said something through the food that was crammed into his mouth. Roux smiled and upon chewing and swallowing, his voice and words were more audible. "I think she got married to that kid who liked to put blueberry gum in people's hair." Joey took a moment to scan through his memory, and then nodded. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure. They live in Tokyo too I hear."
Roux gave him an odd look. "Really, at our age?"
"Yup." Joey said and bit into his taco again. "Them and some other couple."
They were referring to kids they knew when they were younger, as kids in Domino Elementary school. For the most part Joey had known where everyone was and what they were doing with their lives, and Roux didn't know on account of being a model, and being super busy.
Roux dug into her salad rather greedily. It tasted so good, and she had been hungry. She looked up at Joey. He was biting into his third taco that day; there was a plate of them on the table that he kept retreating to.
"You still wanna go to the square today?" Joey asked her, looking up at him while leaning down to take a bite from his taco.
Roux nodded. "Sure." She replied, and they resumed eating.
For a moment, Joey's entire mood seemed to drop considerably. Roux could tell just by the look on his face. It made her a little bit curious. She looked rather confused. "Joey?"
Joey didn't looked up at her, he only murmured to her. "So, Kaiba came last night, huh?"
Roux nodded. "Yeah, he-he certainly did." She sighed, and didn't really want to be reminded of the night before.
"He carried you out of the apartment." Joey said, raising his eyes a little bit and looking at her.
Roux continued to eat, without looking at him. "Did he?" she asked innocently, as though she had no clue whatsoever about what had happened.
Joey nodded. "Yeah." He went back to eating.
Roux studied Joey for awhile. It dawned on her that the blonde haired brown- eyed boy who sat across from her was her friend, and they had known each other for years, and yet she really didn't know anything about him. He knew practically everything about her, her past life and everything, but she had never bothered to ask him about anything. She felt guilty.
And here he was asking her about Kaiba carrying her from the apartment. She sighed softly to herself. She had noticed how chummy Joey was with her ever since she had arrived for the tournament, and that he had stuck up for her and was loyal to her. Was it possible he felt more than just a friendship for her? Was that why he was upset about Kaiba carrying her from the apartment the night before?
She put down her fork. "Joey?"
"Yeah?" Joey asked.
Roux blinked for a moment. "Is there-is there a woman in your life at all?"
Joey dropped his taco in surprise, and stared as the beef, lettuce, and cheese fell out onto the surface of the table. He seemed to have been pulled into a trance. He sighed and started to clean up the taco. "Well-you know Mai?"
Roux nodded curiously, and smiled to herself softly. All along she had known there had to be something between the two, between Mai and Joey. It was only a feeling, but Roux was certain there was some sort of chemistry there.
"Well.I'd kind of like to think that someday we'd-we'd be an item." Joey confessed, and put down the taco on the plate and looked at Roux. His eyes were full of realization. Perhaps this was not only the first time he was admitting it to Roux, but also to himself.
Roux nodded. "Do you think she likes you?"
Joey shrugged. "I can never tell for sure, she's a confusing girl." He said softly. "I-I kinda like her, but I don't know if she likes me back."
Roux smiled softly and touched his shoulder. "Don't worry Joey, if she doesn't like you more than a friend, she is still a friend, isn't she?" Roux smiled softly. "Just be glad for that, and maybe someday, if you're good, she'll like you just a little more." Roux thought that she sounded like a mother giving her son a pep talk about girls. Even though Joey was one of her best friends, she was glad he had a different interest other than Roux. A passion for Roux couldn't have helped either of them in the situation they were in.
Joey just smiled. "My smart little psychiatrist." He said to her and grinned widely. "Where do you pick up on stuff like that?"
Roux thought for a moment, and then she smiled softly. "I just try to listen to my heart."
~*~
Right away Kaiba was angry that he had forgotten his sunglasses.
He was walking along the sidewalk of a busy street. He towered over most of the black-haired people who crowded the sidewalk going to and from different places along the boardwalk. People were talking quickly, shoving past him, and moving at a slow speed to make Kaiba very angry.
Already he was wondering why he didn't take the limo, even though the Kaiba Corp laboratory backup team was only a few blocks from the actual building, which was why he had chosen to walk anyway. Besides the traffic was bad, and the limo would have had a hard time getting around it all.
Kaiba stuck his fist into his pocket and walked along, staring at the black heads before him, gathered together in a large number, walking with an insane slow speed. He had to hug his briefcase close to his side or else he'd hit someone with it, or worse it would get stolen, and he couldn't afford that at all.
At least it was a nice day out, he decided. Everything was lush and green, and the sky was bright and the birds were singing, even though you could barely hear them over the sounds of the traffic coming from the nearby intersection, where people sold fruits and newspapers. Still he had a lot of work to do, and he wasn't getting anywhere fast with this immense crowd.
Soon as he walked he heard the sounds of music rise up from not too far away. When he looked, he saw that there was a great deal of people moving towards the city square. Kaiba blinked suspiciously, wondering what was going on, and then he remembered.
There was another practice duel day going on in the square, and since it was almost noon, Kaiba guessed that the suits had brought out the barbecue and that's why everyone was crowding into the square.
~ Humph, fools! All they want from me is a free meal! ~ he thought to himself dangerously, but continued to walk, because he was wasting time and he needed to get back to his office and finished off the daily work for that day.
Kaiba was at least thankful that the headache, if it had been a headache at all, hadn't followed him throughout his daily duties. If it did, he would have been very grumpy. He touched his temple lightly with confusion. He hadn't known what on earth had caused him that headache earlier that morning. If it was a headache, and he wasn't even sure it was.
It hadn't even started that morning either, it had started with a vengeance the night before, almost directly after they had picked Roux up from Joey's apartment. Kaiba's hands clenched into fists.
~ She's probably doing it with the stone! ~ he thought angrily and he walked. ~ She's probably doing it just to bug me. Wait, what am I saying? I'd be beyond fascinated if that blonde-haired airhead bimbo even knew how to work the stone's powers, even if it is her destiny. ~
Kaiba neared the shop, and he was glad that he was. He couldn't afford to waste anymore time going super slowly in among the crowd. Like a smooth dashing shadow, he found his way to the door or the workshop and stepped inside.
It was a simple place, there was a desk at the front, and there were several shelves along the walls that held certain things to upgrade technology, and books about technological studies and instructions. Behind the desk was a door that led to the workshop.
At the desk there was a teenager who was picking his teeth with what looked like a Sharpie pen, and was reading a magazine on the reviews of new computers games. Obviously he hadn't seen Kaiba come in. It wasn't a matter, Kaiba got his attention easily enough by slamming his briefcase on the counter and scaring the kid out of his wits.
"Jesus fucking Christ!" the kid cried and then laughed. "You scared the shit outta me, there guy!" he looked up at Kaiba, and his smile fainted when he met the chilly look in the CEO's eyes. "Wow, are you here to buy out the store, dude?" the teenager asked.
Kaiba sneered. "Don't waste my time, kid. I'm looking for Mr. Pincott and if I don't see him soon I'll turn this entire lot into a strip mall, do you understand?"
The teenager raised an eyebrow and began to back away from the desk towards the back door. "Okay, okay guy. Don't go cold." The teenager ducked his head into the door and started to shout around for Mr. Pincott.
Kaiba stood straight, tall and furious at the counter. He didn't like to waste, and he didn't like kids disrespecting him. And he certainly didn't like his time, any of his time, being wasted.
Within an instant, Mr. Pincott came waddling out the back door rubbing his dirty hands with a filthy rag. It made Kaiba shudder and pull back a little from the counter. Mr. Pincott grinned at Kaiba.
"Ah, Mr. Kaiba! It's so wonderful to see you again!" he exclaimed.
Kaiba raised an eyebrow. "Is it? I'm assuming you have finished work on my hologram disks by now, as we talked about." Kaiba pressed dangerously.
Mr. Pincott nodded. "Yes sir, Mr. Kaiba. We have finished and we should be able to release them back to your company by three this afternoon."
Kaiba smirked. "Good. Just send them to my secretary, and she'll compensate you for all of your troubles."
Mr. Pincott beamed. "Thank you Mr. Kaiba."
With that Kaiba took his briefcase and left the store. He was miffed as he walked up the sidewalk. That had been a complete waste of his time, and he could have used that wasted time for much more important things.
Now that he was out of the store, Kaiba was wondering why he had gone at all. He could have easily phoned, and didn't. He decided to go out and see. But why?
~ Probably to get some fresh air. ~ He concluded and began again to walk against the people on the sidewalk.
It was taking forever to get past all these people who were charging past him to go to the Town Square for the free barbecue. They roamed like cattle with no place to go. In a way it sickened him, and he was glad he wasn't such a low life, like these people were. Even if he was walking the public sidewalk, he was walking it with style.
The crowd had started to clear up by the time Kaiba could see the Kaiba Corp building ahead of him. He was glad too. He started to walk quicker, keeping his eyes firmly on the building, as though he was afraid if he looked away, it would be gone.
Suddenly he heard something spoken in his ear that made him stop.
~ Kaiba. ~
Immediately he stopped, and looked around him. The people who passed him were talking among themselves, not even looking at him. He saw that there was no one speaking to him, and there was no one he knew there in the crowd.
It had been a gentle voice on the wind, it sounded like it had been spoken just behind his ear. Kaiba grew suspicious, and wondered if he was imagining it. But then he heard it again.
~ Kaiba. ~
He had heard it more clearly that time. It was a male's voice, one that high and irritating. In a smooth motion Kaiba looked to his right, and into the scenery of the park that was across the street. His icy blue eyes saw through the moving traffic.
Parents were having picnics with their kids, and little toddlers were running around and tripping on the grass. Kids were pulling streamers and throwing up confetti and flying kites. But one thing caught Kaiba's mind, and it infuriated him so.
A tall, tanned figure with shocking white hair, a purple top and beige pants. Tedious amethyst eyes stared at him and laughed at him. Kaiba could recognize him from a million miles around.
Marik.
In what seemed like an instant, before Kaiba had really thought at all, he was approaching the park's gates, and watching Marik's eyes as they followed him; a mischievous grin was upon the Egyptian boy's face. Kaiba came towards Marik, and stopped a few yards from him.
They stood in silence for awhile. Kaiba's eyes narrowed in a hateful way. Marik looked as though he just wanted to laugh at Kaiba, and didn't. Kaiba knew he was there because he knew that Kaiba was protecting the one who had the Millennium stone. Kaiba looked quickly, and he saw that Marik didn't have the Millennium rod with him.
Marik grinned. "Seto Kaiba, interesting to see you out of the office."
Kaiba didn't say anything, he just glared.
"I hear you're the one guarding Kale Tori's ex-wife." Marik chided boastfully. "I realized it after I found out that your Blue Eyes White Dragon had inconveniently attacked my men in the middle of a public street."
"They were asking for it, Marik." Kaiba spat. "And so are you, by approaching me like this."
Marik crossed his arms and held his smile. "What on earth could be wrong with having a little chat in the park, Kaiba?" he chuckled. "I was rather surprised to hear you were the one to protect Roux Matuko. They certainly chose the wrong person, all you can do is game."
Kaiba breathed in sharply, trying to control himself.
"Oh, so you're not going to snap at me and tell me to shut up?" Marik's eyebrows raised impressively. "I'm impressed."
"I'm not doing this to impress you," Kaiba snarled angrily. "However, I am doing this to retrieve the Millennium Rod, in which you had so absent mindedly taken from me."
Marik laughed heartily. "So that's all you're after is it Kaiba? My Millennium Rod? I may not be telepathic but I can see in your eyes that you're hiding something." Again he chuckled.
Kaiba grew furious. "I'm not hiding anything." He demanded.
"Of course not," Marik tested. "So, that Roux Matuko is quite a girl, isn't she? If I were you I would be doing more than just protecting her." His smile grew wickedly.
Kaiba fumed, he was certain his face had gone red.
"I think that if you were ever to let your guard down, and I successfully captured her, I'd take more to her than just take that ring." Marik began to laugh.
Kaiba growled under his breath. "You won't dare to touch her!" he let out before thinking.
Marik raised an eyebrow in interest. "And why is that, Kaiba?" then he asked the sinner question. "Do you care about her, is that why?"
"Hell no!" Kaiba spat. "But I have a mission to keep up, and I'm going to fulfill it so in the end I'll be rid of you and have both the Millennium rod and your Egyptian god card."
Marik's smile fainted. "Is that so? Well then Kaiba if I were you I would keep an especially good eye on that little beauty with the ring, because once you let your guard down, she's in my hands, and once she's there, she's never coming out again." Marik taunted.
Kaiba felt himself biting his lip to keep from attacking Marik.
Marik grinned. "You may want to stop by the Town Square and find her," he said wickedly. "Before my men do."
Kaiba's eyes lit up in terror, and he realized that Roux must have been in the square with Joey. His heart gave an unannounced halt. What the hell were they doing there, in the middle of a public place, where Marik could have easily found her and taken her, like he was planning?
Kaiba gritted his teeth. "You liar, Marik."
Marik shrugged. "Then go back to the office, CEO." Marik said, turning away to go towards the square, but he gave Kaiba a fiendish look. "And don't worry about Roux, I'll be sure to take extra good care of her."
"Like hell you will!" Kaiba snarled, and before another word could be said, Kaiba took off in a fascinating speed down the road towards where the crowd was gathered at the square.
~*~
Roux and Joey wandered through the crowded square, talking heartily and laughing. When they had finished their lunch they had decided to go to the square to perhaps get in some practice duels, only after Joey had promised Roux that he would try to slip in any of his cards into her deck to help her win.
They hadn't counted on it being this crowded. Roux guessed they had just brought out the barbecue. Joey held up his head and sniffed the air, and then he gasped. "Hey, I smell hot dogs!"
Roux rolled her eyes. "Joey, we just had lunch!"
"Ah, who care's? No one's gonna know that, come on!" he said and started to pull her through the crowds, in which she followed him quickly.
The line-up to the food was very long, and Roux thought that by the time they reached the front of the line, all the food would be gone. Joey however didn't think the same, and dragged Roux with her on an odyssey to find the end of the line.
That was when Roux let go of his hand. "Maybe you should stay in line Joey, and I'll look around a little bit." She told him cheerfully. "I'll meet you back here."
"Are you sure?" Joey blinked. "Do you think you'll be okay?"
Roux nodded. "It's a public place, I don't think anything's going to happen. And I know where to find you, so I think I'll be okay."
Joey thought about it and after awhile he shrugged and then nodded. "Okay, but don't go wandering off too far, and don't take anything from strangers."
Roux smiled, he sounded like a concerned older brother. That was what he was to her. A brother. She waved. "I'll be careful." She told him, and disappeared into the crowd.
She started to walk, gazing at the little stops that people had set up who wanted to trade some of their cards and offered to trade. Roux looked a little and talked with the people at the stands but she wasn't really counting on trading or selling her cards, or buying any new ones. The ones she had now were great.
Roux wandered a little for no particular reason, passing the dueling arena and watching as two duelists were practice dueling. She was happy watching them until something unsettling waved over her.
She looked behind her, just within instinct, and she gasped softly.
A man wearing a black suit was slowly walking towards her. He was wearing sunglasses and had a microphone in his ear. Even from behind the sunglasses, Roux knew that his eyes were leering at her.
For an instant she thought it was one of Kaiba's men, but then something told her it wasn't, and something else told her to run. So she did. She hurried away from the duelist arena and tried to find Joey who was still standing in line for the food. All she found was another suit, coming towards her.
Roux became very frightened, and she ran around trying to dodge them, but they had seemed to join together to surround her. Everywhere she looked there they were, closing in on her. Roux became extremely scared, and saw that there was no way out.
~*~
**** Uh oh, looks like Roux's in a bit of trouble! Who will come to save the day, stay tuned for the next chapter coming soon! ^-^ ****