CK: Okay, people, I'm back, and its new chappie time! NOW things get interesting! NOW we actually get to a piece of the PLOT!!!!!!!! And I'm sorry I took so long to update, I have the curse of the Very Busy Schedule. Heehee. Oh, by the way, to all the Kaiba people out there: I know that Kaiba's acting a little jerky right now, but I promise, once the story gets itself rolling, then Kaiba calms down and acts nicer. Well, actually, almost all the characters are going to go through stages of jerkiness in this story, so he's not the only one.......But I'm talking too much. So stop reading the intro, let's get to the story!!!!!!!!!!! Oh, yeah, does Kaiba ONLY make computer stuff, or does he make other machines? If he DOESN'T make other machines, well, then I'm screwed, cuz if I want the plot to work out right, he has to make other stuff. So let's just pretend for awhile that he has a little sub-company that he bought that makes other machines.........................

Oh yeah, and I do not own Yugioh. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Caveat Emptor?-Let the BUYER beware?

Pegasus opened his eye groggily and looked around him. He groaned. This was the third time he'd drifted off to sleep!!!!!! Why couldn't he stay awake????????

Because you've been working non-stop for three days........

Pegasus sighed as he heard himself answer his own question. He surveyed his laboratory. It looked like a tornado had blown in. Well, he didn't have any time to clean up or organize. This project had to be finished immediately.........

He almost laughed when he thought of the look of disapproval on Croquet's face if he knew how hard he was working. Which Pegasus supposed was why he hadn't exactly been telling Croquet the truth..............but it wouldn't matter. Once this was all over with Croquet would have other things to worry about......................

Much more serious things.............. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kaiba's helicopter soared over the calm, graceful ocean waters towards Pegasus's island.

Kaiba sat in his seat, lost in thought, when a high-pitched groan broke his concentration.

"Kaiba, when are we going to get there? I don't know why you even brought me along in the first place?"

"Ever heard of a little something known as 'patience', Mai? We'll be getting there in just a couple more minutes." "Well, why DID you bring me? This seems so pointless......" She cocked an eyebrow. "And a girl's gotta wonder." "Oh, shit, nothing like that. What, you don't appreciate another paycheck?" "No, paychecks are FINE with me. My problem is that the last time I did a job for you, I ended up having to fight a six-headed dragon and nearly got killed."

"Look, that wasn't my fault. And anyway, this job should be a lot easier. I'll just deal with Pegasus, and you get to stay and wait outside." "You're avoiding the question." "Look, you want an honest answer? Right now there are about fifty suits swarming Pegasus's castle. I don't think that any one of them would exactly be happy if I decided to waltz in with lawsuit threats." Mai made small circles with her hands. "And where exactly do I come in?"

"You get the small but oh-so-important job of distracting the suits." "Oh...I get it. 'Distracting' the suits. Oh, VERY nice." Kaiba shrugged. "Interpret that as you will." "Shut up." As Mai finished speaking, the helicopter began to slow down, and then hover over Duelist Kingdom Island. As the two of them walked towards and inside the castle, one thing seemed to grow clearer and clearer to them. Mai spoke first "We're the only ones here, aren't we?" "It looks that way....shit, this doesn't make sense. There was a big thing in the papers three days ago about his return from the hospital, so where the fuck could he be? And where are all his suits?" "He wouldn't have gone on a business trip or anything so quickly after he went to the hospital......" "Fuck it, this makes no sense. Let's look around for any signs of life." "Fine." After about fifteen minutes of fruitless searching, Kaiba paused at the top of a large stairwell that led to the dungeon area of the castle. Mai stopped to stare at him. "What's wrong?" "I could've sworn I just heard foot-steps down there." He turned to Mai, and then began to quickly cross the staircase. "Hold on, I'm just going to check it out. I'll be back in about five minutes." Mai watched him disappear into the darkness of the dungeons........... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Kaiba surveyed Pegasus's laboratory uneasily..........papers, books, wires, metal, all strewn around the room. There was a long line of machines, all connected together, yet also strewn throughout the whole room..........the room itself seemed ready to collapse, its wooden beams looking as though they were rotting away.......yet, throughout this entire pigsty, there seemed to be no signs of human life........ Kaiba supposed that his machine must be down here somewhere......it sure looked like everything else in the castle got shoved down here, anyway......so he began rummaging through the sea of stuff in order to look for it.......

(A/N: It's not a very BIG machine, cuz this whole chain of stuff only fits in one lab anyway....................)

Kaiba pushed aside some things and began to search...... "What kind of tornado made this sort of mess?........" To Kaiba's horror, an all-too-familiar voice answered: "Well, I'll admit it's messy, but if I'd known I'd be having guests, I might have cleaned up a bit. Though I have to admit, I woudn't be able to do much with the wood in this place, molds have been eating away at it while I've been gone. I suppose that's what I get for building this place on an island."*** Kaiba turned around to see Pegasus standing at another doorway connecting to the room. Kaiba stared at him for awhile.....He looked so different. Two months ago, he had looked only thirtyish.....now he had all these lines in his face and looked like he was over fifty......what had HAPPENED to him????? Kaiba's concentration was broken when Pegasus spoke again. "Really, Kaiba-boy, you have to learn some manners. Weren't you ever taught that it's rude to barge into someone's house without knocking first?" "Not as rude as someone sending suits to grab some machinery right under other people's noses." "Well, that may be true, Kaiba-boy, but it's somewhat necessary when other people can't keep their promises about delivering certain items to their customers." "You're exaggerating. There must have been a problem with shipment...." "Liar. You canceled the order and you know it....."

"You think I'd sink that low?" "Kaiba-boy, I KNOW you did."

"And how exactly would that be?"

"Let's just say I've been keeping track of your company's records for some time now....."

Kaiba was glowering by this point. "YOU'VE BEEN HACKING MY COMPUTERS?!!!!!!!!"

"Technically, no. Back during your little 'vacation' after dueling Yugi, your board of directors so kindly provided me with the passwords to your corporation's website." Pegasus grinned mischievously. "Besides, I don't think that YOU would really have much to say about the moral wrongs of computer hacking. After all, there was that little incident with an Industrial Illusions satellite back during Duelist Kingdom. That was the biggest computer crash to ever happen, I believe....of course, you wouldn't have had ANYTHING to do with that, now would you Kaiba-boy?" Kaiba tried to think of something to say, but everything that came to mind sounded childish......kind of like everything else that had been said in this conversation. Kaiba finally sighed resignedly and said: "Listen, all I want my machine back. No big argument or anything."

"Why? No one's ordered an ERC machine for years, there's no demand for it. You might as well let a paying customer get it. " "Wait, how...? "Corporation password, remember?"

"Right........well, how about I put it bluntly: I do not like you, I hate you guts, and I don't think I could ever let myself live knowing that one of my machines was helping you out." Despite Kaiba's apparent loathing, Pegasus only shrugged. "So be it. I'll make a deal with you, however, Kaiba-boy. Just let me use the ERC for an hour and you can take it back with you then. I'll even let you keep the check I sent you, since it is in a completely different room as of now. I only need it for that short period of time." Kaiba slit his eyes. "What are you trying to pull?"

"No game, Kaiba. I'll even show you where the machine is now, so you can come get it as soon as the hour is up." Pegasus pushed some of his hair behind his ear. "I'm afraid I'll be detained after that, but just give me one hour..."

"You bastard, you're playing me for a jackass. You're up to something.........."

Pegasus cocked an eyebrow. "Awfully suspicious aren't you?"

"I've got good reason to be. What the fuck would you be up to for only an hour?......." Pegasus angled his eyebrows, and continued to fumble with his strand of hair. "I assure you, there's not much I'd be able to do. If it eases your mind at all, I'll show you where the ERC is and you can inspect it to your heart's content, and as long as you don't see anything wrong with it, I'll just borrow it." Pegasus was talking quickly, as though he were in a hurry. Kaiba was still suspicious, but he couldn't really see any way that Pegasus was doing something sinister...anymore, anyway. But he had this sneaking doubt........ But Kaiba had no time to finish that thought. Because no matter what you may think, rotting floorboards aren't just disgusting. They're dangerous....... Especially when two people and a large mass of papers and machines are lying in top of them....... The floor beneath them swayed and buckled, and soon, they snapped like frail twigs, sending the two of them into a black pit of darkness.................. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CK: Okay, I know that chapter was probably EXTREMELY boring because of all the dialogue, so sorry. I'll try and lessen the amount of talking next chappie. And SweetCandie, thank you SO much for reviewing. I'll try to update by this weekend, if not, later, so pleeeease read and review!! The good stuff's coming up next chappie!!!!!!