Flower Petals: Hya everyone! Bad news. . .this looks like the longest chapter ever!!! Please read anyway. It's better then the other chapters, and it has a lot of Kaiba in it. . .And if you're going to read, please pay close attention to the detail, because now that the story is progressing, there are a few key subtle things that you absolutely can't miss! So read every word!
For Maiden of the Moonlight: Thank you so much for reading my fan fiction. It's really hard to get people in, so it's nice to have a new reader! Thanx!
For Nari: You are so sweet! Thank you for reviewing. Hopefully this long chapter won't scare you off. . .it almost scared me off and I'm the one who wrote it!
For Misura: Hey, thank you for reading and reviewing every chapter! It really took me by surprise when I found that I had eight new reviews. But it was a really pleasant surprise. And thank you for paying such close attention to the detail. It really means a lot to me. I wrote this story a long time ago, and looking back, I realize how silly some things are, but hopefully it doesn't take too much away from the fic. I hope you'll continue reading!
For Sakurelle: Thank you for reviewing every time I update! It's always soooo nice to see your name first on the review page. Thank you sooo much!
And thank you everyone else! Please don't let this monster of a chapter scare you off!
Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or a helicopter. . .though if I had to choose, I'd pick a helicopter. . .
Flower Petals
Reunions and Revelations
Yugi found himself enjoying his stay on the island. Quite a few days had gone by, and yet the weather remained the same-beautiful. Every morning he awoke to a bright, cloudless, sky. Every night he went to bed under a gorgeous horizon.
He and his friends were coming along great. Joey had six starchips now, and he had become much more cautious when it came to who he was dueling against. Taleah had five from defeating a girl who had about the same amount of experience as herself. It had been an awesome match-a close one. Taleah had been trailing, but at the last possible moment, she had pulled it off. Yugi had five starchips of his own. His opponent had been a tough one, but nothing he couldn't have handled.
One of the days had just been crazy-everybody had been challenging everyone and anybody to a duel. The dueling stations had all been packed with active duels. People had begun forming lines just so they could all have a turn at dueling. Even Tristen had gotten challenged, but he had run off scared.
The day after that, they saw nobody at all. The dueling stations had been empty. Yugi thought that the most likely explanation to the sudden hush, was Pegasus's announcement that contenders in the tournament still had two whole weeks until the championships. So people, now knowing that they had more time, quieted down. Yugi and his friends hadn't minded-they took it as a relaxing day, kicked back, and took is easy.
But now the time for relaxing was over. They had starchips to win. The championships would begin in less then two weeks. And when they started, no one was allowed admittance into the castle. So really, they only had a few days to each win ten starchips and enter Pegasus's castle. If they didn't, they might never get another chance at helping those they loved.
Through all of this, Yugi remained optimistic. He was absolutely positive that he'd rescue his grandfather, one way or another. Grandpa means so much to me, he thought to himself. Besides, I need him back-I couldn't run the Game Shop alone. He's good with the customers. And Mrs. Glump. He's the only one who can stand her. Although, I do try my best. . .
The five friends walked along the beach, joking about this and that. Occasionally, they'd stop to admire seashells or to skip a rock along the water's surface. The early morning sun merrily shone down upon the sand, making it glitter. It was another perfect, beautiful day.
"Yeah!" Tristen did a little dance. "That rock skipped four times! Beat that, Joey!"
"Dat's not fair! I've never figured out howda skip rocks. It's always been too complicated." Joey picked up a rather large boulder. "Maybe dis one will do da trick."
Taleah panicked. "Don't throw that! It's huge!"
Yugi looked worried now, too. "He's not stopping!"
"Run!" Tae shouted.
It was too late-Joey threw the boulder out into the water. The sudden action caused a big wave and all of them got utterly and completely soaked.
Joey drained the moisture from his shirt. "Cool."
"You're demented," Tristen claimed.
"Hey! You there! You Yugi Muto? Wanna duel?"
Yugi was taken off guard. The person of whom had just spoken was a teenager around his own age. He had a darkish sort of hair and deep, vibrant eyes.
"Yes, I"m Yugi. Sure I'll duel. How many starchips?"
"One," replied the kid. "I only need one more. I'm Kazae. Nice to meet you. I've been looking forward to dueling you. Come on, I've already reserved a dueling arena."
Lights flashed from Yugi's Millennium Puzzle. He felt himself growing and becoming wiser. A presence occupied the back of his mind. He was now, Yu-Gi-Oh. "Lets duel."
A whole arena sprang up from the ground. Dirt flooded down the sides, and small critters scurried quickly to find a new hiding spot. Dueling stations were electronically raised and snapped into place. The holographic simulator poised itself just above the playing field. The arena, was set.
Kazae executed his first attack. "I'll play Ogre of the Black Shadow. It is a mighty beast with an attack strength of twelve hundred."
A creature appeared upon the field. Not much could be seen of it, because it was cloaked in darkness.
Yu-Gi-Oh slapped a card down on the game board. A tall monster who resembled that of a man, came into being. It wore purple attire, that looked like the kind of clothing one might have worn in the dark ages, and carried a mystical green staff. The creature had a supernatural feeling about it that made it seem very mysterious. "I summon Dark Magician with a destructive power of twenty-five hundred. Dark Magician, Dark Magic Attack!"
The bizarre card stretched out a hand and waved its staff madly in the air. Ogre of the Black Shadow broke away piece by piece until there was nothing left. It had been conquered.
Kazae: 700
Yu-Gi-Oh: 2000
"You are good," Kazae admitted. "I have underestimated you. Your powerful monsters mock my own. I have no monster in my hand that can beat your magician, so I'll play this card face down in defense mode."
Yu-Gi-Oh drew a card from his deck. "I call upon Curse of Dragon in attack mode. Its power is two thousand. Attack, Curse of Dragon!"
A puissant beast rose up from the dueling field and stretched its powerful wings. With a cry of anguish the golden dragon assaulted Kazae's face down card. It was graceful, even in battle, and easily destroyed its opponent.
The Dark Magician and Curse of Dragon both dominated the field for quite some time. They were an awesome fighting team to behold, and would not easily be overcome. Although Curse of Dragon was weaker, two thousand life points was considered pretty high. Most beasts were twenty-five hundred and below. Which of course, excluded any equip magic cards commonly used to raise the attack points of a monster.
Kazae appeared almost giddy. He would constantly shift his weight from leg to leg, and he even began to sweat. It was true that things were not looking good for him, but he seemed to think he was even worse off. He had equipped his deck with mostly strong monster cards, all of which were under two thousand. His lack of magic and trap cards was costing him the duel. For although it was important to have formidable creatures, magic and trap cards were essential to winning a duel. One couldn't accomplish what they wanted to do without them, as Kazae found out the hard way. Not only he was trailing, but he was rapidly running out of monster cards.
"The last thing I can do is play Dark Hole," he said. "It's a magic card that destroys all monsters on the field. Your Dark Magician and Curse of Dragon are no more. Since the field is wiped clean of your creatures, I'll play Uraby the dinosaur in attack mode."
In the right hand corner of Yu-Gi-Oh's dueling station numbers lit up. It showed him that Uraby had an attack strength of fifteen hundred. Good card, he thought. Lets see, I don't have a stronger monster in my hand right now, so I'll have to draw for one. Heart of the Cards, come through for me one more time. . .
"Ah!" Yu-Gi-Oh smiled. "My faith rewards me with Gaia the Fierce Knight! Your dinosaur may be tough, but it is nowhere near comparison to my beast. Your magic card did not destroy all of my strong monster cards, as you had hoped. For as you see, this one has an attack strength of twenty-three hundred. Your Uraby is no more. You have fought honorably and bravely my friend. But the duel is mine."
Kazae: 0
Yu-Gi-Oh: 2000
The holographic simulator shut off, and all the monsters disappeared.
The presence left Yu-Gi-Oh and he became Yugi again. He took pride in knowing that he had just won one more starchip. Now he had six, and was well on his way to ten. Soon, he would enter the castle, and confront Pegasus.
Kazae looked very depressed. His head hung low and his shoulders were hunched over. "I failed. I lost." He peered down at his dueling glove which still held plenty of starchips. "I don't deserve these." Passionately, he cast them out into the sea. They landed with a splash, and sent ripples out amongst the water's surface.
Joey grabbed Kazae by the shoulders. "Wha did you do dat for?"
"I don't deserve them," Kazae repeated.
"That was a bad thing to do," Tae scolded. "You earned those. You just can't throw them all away!"
"It's no use," Tristen whispered to her. "The guy has completely given up on himself."
Taleah stepped up. "It's not too late. I can go and fetch your starchips for you. But I have the feeling you'll throw them right back."
"You're right," Kazae confessed. "They're the ocean's now."
Joey released him. "I could go an' find dem an' claim dem for myself. Ya know wha's stoppin' me? My honor an' my dignity. Everybody has dose. Yours is still intact too. Ya don't lose yar honor an' dignity because ya lose a duel. Ya may lose yar faith din yourself, but wha's da point in dat? My point is, don't start actin' like da sore loser. Da world has enough already, believe me."
"No point in arguing with him," said a voice from behind them. "He's way too thick headed."
Kemo stepped into view. As usual, he was wearing his sunglasses and a suit. This time though, his features weren't grim and forbidding, but strange and twisted. He was wearing a lopsided grin, like one who was quite satisfied.
"Kemo." Joey didn't look too happy. "Wha' are ya doin' here? Duty calls?"
"I'm here to take all the filth off this island," Kemo explained in his deep, penetrating voice. "To send home the rejects. This kid here just bought himself a one way ticket off this island."
Yugi positioned himself in-between Kazae and Kemo. "What do you mean?"
Kemo chuckled. "I mean that this boy is going home. Guess you weren't listening when Pegasus announced that duelists who have lost all their starchips must leave immediately. Don't worry, I'll be happy to take Kazae off your hands."
Joey got defensive. "Ya creep. Ya're not takin' him anywhere."
Kazae pushed him aside. "No. I don't deserve to be here. I am a failure. I should be sent home."
"What a baby!"
Everybody turned to see who had just spoke.
"Glad to see you too," Mai replied. "Howdy Taleah. Miss me? Didn't think so. What's the hold up Kemo? Take him away."
"Shut up!" Joey snapped. "Don't listen to her."
Mai tossed her hair back. "What's wrong Joeseph? No need to defend him. He's just a little cry baby who should go home and see his mamma. He's right. He doesn't deserve to be here. The rules state that those who have no starchips are eliminated from the competition. That includes cry babies you have given up on themselves."
"But Kazae has starchips," Yugi protested. "They're just not with him right now. If you give me a second, I could probably-"
"He's coming with me and that's that." It was not a questionable tone-Kemo meant business. He took Kazae by the arm and led him off. Kazae wasn't even the slightest bit reluctant.
"He was a good duelist," Taleah said with passion. "He does not deserve this! He had eight starchips!"
Mai whistled. She spun her dueling glove all the way around. "Nine starchips. Big deal."
The five friends were in awe.
"How could you have-"
"I am a great duelist," Mai interrupted. "Better then any of you will ever be. You wanna know why? Because I have what it takes. I am ruthless and merciless. You can't win a tournament and be a nice person at the same time. You can't make friends. Everyone is an opponent, an adversary. What happens when further ahead in the tournament you're forced to duel each other? Where's you friendship then?"
Nobody spoke.
Mai continued. "Kindness can only bring you so far before you have to realize that you must get tough. So you can stop that nice guy act, Yugi. You're not out here to make friends. You're out here to beat everybody else and win the competition, are you not? Don't feel sorry for somebody who has already lost. Because believe me, if you ever happen to lose, nobody is going to feel sorry for you."
"Now, I have no doubt that I'll see at least one of you in the championships. Know this, just because I know you, doesn't mean I'll go easy on you. So farewell to you, losers."
"Man, she can really ruin da day," Joey whined.
"Come on, we better get going," Tristen suggested. "We can go to the café, or find more people to duel with. Anything to get away from the scene of the crime."
"That's a good idea," Tae stated. "Lets go."
Yugi was shocked. He hadn't known that losing a duel could have such an effect on a person. How suddenly depressed Kazae had become after the match had been won. He hadn't been like that before. Could losing a battle, really tear a person apart like that? Could it really destroy their confidence? To Yugi, it appeared so. He remembered back when he had lost his first duel to his grandfather and how upset he had been. He had even vowed to never duel again. That feeling of course, had been short lived. What did Grandpa use to say? Don't count your wins and losses. Judge something by how well you do it. Even if you lose, if you take pride in your accomplishments, you'll win every time. Grandpa. I miss him. So much.
Yugi was miserable. And when one of the friends was feeling bad, they all were. It was that way with them, since they were all so close. One couldn't be miserable without the rest feeling the same.
Along their path was a sign pointing to a trail that wound around a mountain. The sign said that it was a nice trail with fantastic scenery. Since it wasn't far away, Taleah suggested that they go on it, thinking it might cheer everybody up.
"A trail?" Joey asked, critically. "One dat goes up? Up da mountain? Up?"
"Sounds good," Yugi commented. "Lets do it."
Without any further discussion, Yugi and his friends headed for the trail. It was a steep climb but not an unpleasant one. The scenery just leading up to the trail was fantastic. At their elevation, they could see most of the island. The marshlands were a murky mist, and rolling hills and lush greenery occupied every turn. The friends met a few people on the way up. Everyone said the same thing; "The trail is beautiful. You should try it."
Joey kicked angrily at the ground. "If one more person says dat we should go on dis trail, well, I'm not goin'! I'm gettin' tired of trail dis, and trail dat. . ."
Tae suddenly froze. "Uh-oh. It's him! It's Bakura! What's he doing here?"
Taleah rushed in the direction that Tae was pointing to, hoping against all odds so see her friend. She stopped. Kury was no where in sight.
"You're seeing things," accused Tristen. "Bakura is not here. He can't be. He's at home waiting for his parents to arrive. Can't be two places at once."
Tae looked hopelessly confused. "I know what I saw. And I saw a very white haired, Bakura looking, teenager standing right by that tree! He was there, I swear! I know that I saw him."
Her friends didn't say anything. Instead, they resumed their climb, silently. By the time they reached the trail, everybody was fatigued and tired. The day had taken a lot out of them both emotionally and physically. They were drained of their energy.
"I'm goin' da park my butt here," Joey sat down. "Sorry Ta, but I just don't thin' I have it din me da climb dat trail of yours."
Taleah slumped. "Will anybody go with me?"
Silence.
"Then I'll go by myself. I may be tired too, but there's no way I'm going to sit down and be all gloomy. When I get back, I expect you all to have big smiles on your faces. See you in a little while."
"Bye Taleah."
"Have fun."
"See you."
"Where ya goin'?"
Taleah waved to her friends as she climbed the remaining steps leading to the trail. They were steep, and not all of them were secure, but she made it. At the top, she paused to catch her breath. Nearby, was a railing surrounding a little nook. It overlooked valleys and meadows far below. Dueling stations looked like small silver boxes at her height.
She leaned against the rail and took in a deep breath. The cool, fresh air instantly revived her. But it was not enough to lessen the burden of her conscience. Oh, what am I doing here? Why have I even made it this far? Do I deserve to be here? Maybe Mai was right. What happens when I have to face Yugi and Joey in a duel? I'm sure I'll eventually have to. But I couldn't win. Not against my friends. Joey is an expert at comebacks. And Yugi is a great duelist and an even better person. He's never lost a duel! How am I supposed to compete with that? I don't want to battle against my friends! Yugi and I both want to confront Pegasus. What if the only way is to duel him? Only one of us would be allowed to. And it probably isn't going to be me.
A voice sounded from somewhere behind her. It was a deep, scratchy voice.
"Taleah."
The butler was busy doing another load of dishes. It was a mystery to him that three people could produce so many. And they were filthy! Of course, the Big Five sometimes came over for dinner and to discuss business terms. They were very greedy people that had an appetite to match. Although lately, they had been keeping their distance.
He sighed. Kaiba was still up in his bedroom. If one could call it that-it mainly consisted of computers, desks, and business papers. There was barely any room for a bed! Which was fine with Kaiba, because it seemed that he didn't sleep anyway. He always had something to do, or somebody to yell at. It appeared that he had to stay busy for some reason. He acted as if he didn't, something might happen, or he'd be forced to realize something. The butler didn't know what exactly, but he was working on solving it.
He loved puzzles. That was the whole reason he had decided to work there. Kaiba was a real enigma. A real riddle. The butler had always loved a challenge, and it seemed that Mr. Kaiba was his toughest yet. He adored the boy, no matter how defiant and hurtful he could sometimes be.
Bang. Bang.
The butler was startled. Someone knocking on the door? It was quite late into the night. "Who could be at the door at this hour?" he wondered out loud.
Maybe it's the evening mail, he laughed to himself. Taleah was such a silly girl. He liked her. Goodness! She made it impossible for people not to. Even for people as cold hearted as Seto Kaiba.
Drying his hands on his apron, the butler headed over to the door. To his amazement, the door opened by itself and three men in ski masks stepped in. They quickly entered and closed the door behind them, locking it. Then, they approached the butler.
"You get out of my house or I'll call the police!"
"Where is Mokuba Kaiba?" asked one of the men.
His only chance was to keep the intruders busy so Kaiba and his brother had time to escape. "I do not know. The little rascal is everywhere at once. Could be anywhere by now. Can't sit still. Now, I'll tell you again. Get out of my house."
"I'm warning you old man," said another man, "where is-"
"Here I am!" said a bright and cheerful voice.
Mokuba was standing at the top of the stairway holding what seemed like a rope. He wore a bandana around his head, barely covering his glob of messy hair. With a woosh, he took flight, and swung himself across the room, while still holding onto the rope, just like a miniature Indiana Jones. His aim was true-he collided into one of the intruders, taking him down. Quicker then a wink, Mokuba was up and busy stomping on the feet of the tall men.
"Run!" shouted the butler, as he helplessly watched a man sneak up behind Mokuba. "Get to-" He was unable to finish his sentence. For right then, everything went black.
What makes you happy? There was a problem with that question-a reason why it couldn't be answered. Even after many sleepless nights, no answer ever came. It was so simple a question, yet it haunted him. The truth was, he could never remember ever being truly happy. Sure, he took pride in his accomplishments or when he achieved a hard-earned goal. But was that happiness, or self-satisfaction? What was happiness? Taking pride in abilities? Or was it something more?
Kaiba adjusted the loose screw on his dueling disc system with a screw driver. The damn thing still wasn't working. It appeared incomplete, somehow. Almost as if. . .as if. . .
There was a hammering on his door.
"Open up! We know you're in there."
He could have recognized their voices anywhere. Pegasus's guards. Which could only mean one thing-they were there to exert command. They must have already have Kiddo. It's too late to go for him now. Pegasus must be trying to take over my company. He only needs one Kaiba to do that. Which means he'll kill me. I would be of little use to him. That blood thirsty, sorry excuse for a man! Can't make a proper deal, so he takes control himself, and eliminates everything and everyone in his way. At least I know he'll keep Mokuba safe. For a little while. . .
Kaiba hastily jammed the dueling device into his silver briefcase. If he was going anywhere, he was taking it with him. It was too precious to be left behind.
With an angry scream of protest, the door was taken of its hinges. The men were in the room and not looking too happy. One of them pointed a finger at Kaiba.
"Mr. Pegasus would like to have a word with you."
"You'll never take me alive!" He only had one choice left-to run. He couldn't get past those goons. One perhaps, but not three. The only other exit was through the window. But unfortunately for him, it lead to a jagged edge of rocks and then the icy river. It was the only choice he had left. I refuse to be subjected to Pegasus's wicked motives. I'd rather die.
It one swift action, Kaiba kicked up the computer chair. It flew through the air and struck down the interlopers. It bought him the time he needed to close his briefcase and throw himself out the window.
A wide range of colors and images sped by as he fell. He couldn't think straight. Nothing was focused. He was falling fast although it seemed like forever had gone by since he had first jumped. An eternity ago. And now, the end was near. He could hear the sound of the raging water. No. . .mustn't give up. Ledge. There's a ledge somewhere. Must find quickly. . .or else. . .He stretched out a hand in hopes that he might be able to catch onto something. But as he hurtled even faster towards the river, those hopes were diminished. Now he could only focus on one thing-his brother. Sorry Kiddo.
Just then, his outstretched hand met a solid fixture. He tightened his grip in one fast reaction, and his fall was stopped. But his perils were not all over as he soon found out. For he could barely support his own weight, and despite his best efforts, he found his grip on the narrow ledge, slowly declining. He had no strength left. He couldn't hold on for much longer.
Must keep going. . .Kiddo. . .somebody. . .has to. . .get him. . .back. . .and that somebody. . .is going to be me.
With a new found burst of strength, he thrust his briefcase onto the ledge and tried to haul himself up. It was hard going-he had nowhere to put his feet, so his elbows were the only thing supporting him. That, and his will to carry on. He managed to throw one leg up on the ledge. Now if I could just get the rest of my damn self up here. Damn narrow ledge. On the count of three, Kaiba hauled himself to safety. He rolled over a few times so that he was far away from the edge, found a spot, and laid there for awhile, staring up at the sky. He was torn between shock and a glad feeling that he was still alive. It had been close-but he was still there.
He stayed there for some time, still lying down on his back, thinking about what could have happened. What would have happened. My body would have been carried downstream where it might have washed along the ashore. There, it would have decayed awhile before somebody found it or realized that I was gone. Then, the funeral, with all of my business associates and. . .and. . .He sat up, causing his neck and upper back to throb in pain. He had come to the sudden conclusion that nobody else would have come to his funeral. Normally family and friends would attend, but I don't have any family except Kiddo, and he might still be in the hands of Pegasus. I do not know a person that I could call a friend. Hell! You'd probably have to pay my business associates to attend my funeral. Besides my brother, who would miss that I wouldn't be there? It's not like everybody likes me. My brother though. . .I should go get him. Who knows what Pegasus will do to him. I must. . .get up. . .
His first try at standing ended up in a complete failure. The second try left him on his hands and knees in agony. There wasn't a third try for awhile. He knew that it would have been wise to lay some more and recover his strength, but his determination refused to allow him to do even that. So he kept trying repeatedly, until at last, he stood. He was so surprised that he had actually done it, he almost fell back down again. Walking, was another problem. His knees felt shakey, like they were about to give out on him. He had nothing to hold onto, so he spread out his aching arms for balance. Just one foot at a time. It was a frighteningly slow process. It took him around forty-five minutes to reach the helicopter pad which had been close by.
He had been very fortunate-the ledge he had secured himself on was part of a narrow walkway that encircled the entire Kaiba mansion. It also led to the helicopter pad which was Kaiba's next destination. Several different helicopters were stationed there. Most hadn't been used in decades. They had been Gozubaru Kaiba's, for that was his favorite kind of transportation. He had loved to cause big scenes, and get a lot of attention. Kaiba spat at the memory of his so called father. His hatred for Gozubaru had increased over the years. For nothing could aid him to forget what the atrocious man had done to him.
The nearest helicopter was Kaiba's. He almost never flew it, because there had never been a need to. But now, with Pegasus's goons about, the helicopter pad, being the only thing that they weren't guarding, seemed like an efficient way to get to Pegasus. It was a small helicopter that had landing gear that looked like skis. It had four main blades, and a long tail with a small rotor at the tip. The front was marked by a large glass bubble surrounding where the pilot would fit. Although small, the helicopter could fit quite a few people.
Kaiba got himself in and collapsed into the pilot seat. He was out of breath and suddenly, dead tired. I have to get to Pegasus. He just kicked off his Duel Monsters Championship at Duelist Kingdom, so he has to be there, staying at that castle of his. I bet that's where he has my brother. Well, off to Duelist Kingdom, I guess. I just hope that I have enough fuel to get there.
There were three basic controls to pilot a helicopter-a lever, which made the helicopter go up or down; a stick that rested between a pilot's knees and made the helicopter fly backwards or forwards; and two bug rudder pedals that the pilot stepped on to go right or left. Kaiba rested his left hand on the lever and slowly lifted it. The blades whirled above. Air rushed over and under the wings, lifting and holding the aircraft up. Soon it was in the air, and heading in the direction of Duelist Kingdom.
The fight took a long time, for helicopters could not fly very fast or far because they burned fuel too quickly. Kaiba hadn't minded. He needed the delay. He needed to rest. But as long as he was piloting the helicopter, he wasn't going to get any. So instead, he used the time to think of a plan to get his brother back. He couldn't just sneak into the castle. Since he was now on the run, he needed to be careful, even though everybody thought him dead. Now that he had thought about it, he realized that he was in a dilemma. Pegasus believed he was out of the picture, which could in fact, work to Kaiba's advantage, but he had a strong desire to confront Pegasus and put an end to their disagreements. But all this is only after I free Mokuba.
Once Kiddo is out of harms way, I'll unleash my wrath upon the vultures who have conspired to take over my company. As I have expected, the Big Five have turned on me. If Pegasus thought that I would just sit idly by as they dismantle my life's work, he was wrong. I'll see to it that they all regret ever crossing Seto Kaiba.
The island was now in plain sight. At a distance, it seemed like a wild, deserted place with immense mountains and enormously tall trees and plant life. The afternoon sun cast a bright glow around the island, making it shine brilliantly. The whole place looked very inviting and peaceful. But to Kaiba, it was an enemy's evil fortress.
He had recovered well from the fall and had even gotten back some of his lost energy. The thought of a nap sounded wonderfully pleasing. But as long as his brother was held captive, he would do no such ting. Now to find a spot to land. That mountain looks suitable enough.
Kaiba pushed the lever down and gradually, the helicopter lowered itself until it hovered just above the ground. Then it settled safely on top of the mountain.
Kaiba sat awhile to recover his wits. The whole ride there he had been in a daze. But now, he had to think clearly, especially if he wanted to get his brother back. Somehow, he had to get to the castle. He was at a loss when it came down to where it was. The island seemed much smaller from up in the air. It was actually quite a large place and the castle was somewhere in the midst of it. I may not know where it is, but I know a good place to begin looking. First though I should get off this mountain. My helicopter will be safe here, for a little while at least.
He stepped out of the helicopter and grabbed his briefcase. His legs felt a little stronger and his back no longer throbbed, but he was dizzy and his head was spinning. Blasted fall; still not quite over it yet. He turned his back to the sun. That's better. Wait, what's that?
To the north, directly ahead, was a tremendous stone fixture that looked very much like a castle. It had towers and balconies, and many steps leading up to it. There was no question about it-it was most definitely Pegasus's castle. Off to see the evil wizard, Kaiba thought to himself.
Walking at a brisk pace, he soon found a trail that cut directly through the woods and down to the very foot of the mountain. It was a rough path with protruding tree roots and fallen twigs and branches everywhere. Kaiba took much care in trying not to step on them all, but there were just too many. When he finally reached the bottom of the trail, he sat down and leaned up against a large oak tree. That was when he saw them.
Yugi, Tristen, Tae, and Joey were parked nearby at the foot of another trail. Kaiba peered all around, but he couldn't find Taleah. She was supposed to be in the tournament. Wouldn't she be hanging around her friends? Where the hell was she? He waited a moment, listening closely, trying to hear any conversation that they might have been discussing. Nothing. Kaiba angrily slammed his fists upon the ground, regretting it an instant later. She must be up on that trail, he decided. After all this, it sure would be nice to see a friendly face. Her face. With a groan, he stood up and ascended the one trail in search of her.
He found her leaning up against a rail that wound around a small nook. She had her arms folded and her eyes closed. She looked so peaceful, that he almost didn't want to disturb her. Almost.
"Taleah."
She whipped around, her long, beautiful, brown hair twining about her shoulders. She looked both surprised and happy so see him. "Kaiba. What are you doing here? Where's Mo?"
Kaiba flinched when she mentioned his brother's name. He couldn't help but look unhappy; distressed. "I, um. . .see that you already have five starchips." It was a pitiful attempt at conversation, and he knew it. Taleah caught on fast.
"What's wrong?"
Kaiba cleared his throat. "Mokuba was kidnaped by a few of Pegasus's men. The same people who tried to kill me. I assume that my brother is being held in the castle on this island. That is why I am here."
"Why would Pegasus want to kidnap Mo?" Taleah's face looked sick with worry. It was a lot to take in.
This was easier for him to speak of. He spoke with bitterness and anger in his voice. "Because for the longest time, he has been conspiring with my business associates to take over my company. He knows all about the corporation's by-laws that require a living Kaiba heir to make any change of control legal. Mokuba is his prisoner, and with me out of the way, it is likely that Pegasus will exert all kinds of pressure to make my brother do what he wants. One way or another. By capturing Mokuba, I now have the incontrovertible evidence, that Pegasus will do whatever is in his power to take control over my company."
"What do you mean, 'now that you're out of the way'?"
"I. . .they think that I am dead." Seeing her confused expression, he added, "Don't ask."
Taleah put a hand on her forehead. "I can't believe all of this has happened. Poor Mo. Well, if he is in the castle, that should be no problem for you. Being as good as you are at Duel Monsters, you'll get ten starchips in no time."
"I don't need starchips," Kaiba snapped. "That would be way too easy. Besides, I want to confront Pegasus. I am not here to collect pathetic, meaningless, tokens so I can win some silly prize. I'm here to rescue my brother." He immediately regretted saying everything he had just said. He hadn't meant to insult her. But it seemed unintentionally, he had.
She looked hurt. "Just do whatever you have to, to get Mo back."
"I plan on doing just that."
Taleah nodded and walked back down the trail. As he watched her leave, Kaiba wished he could have taken back all of what he had said. He didn't like seeing her that way. It made him depressed. But the past couldn't be undone. All Kaiba could do, was continue on his venture. Next stop, Pegasus's castle.
He could see now, and objects were coming in much more clearer then before. He could make out distinct shapes. He was still in front of the open door. Still in his apron. Hands still wet from washing dishes. Still . .still. . .still groggy. Couldn't quite remember. . .It hit him.
The butler staggered to his feet. It took awhile before he found his voice. "Mokuba! Mr. Kaiba! Oh dear, where could they be?" He stumbled throughout the entire mansion in search of them. But they were nowhere. Kaiba wasn't even in his study or the library. Thinking of the possibility that Kaiba could just simply be in his room, the butler managed to drag himself up the winding staircases and into Kaiba's bedroom. It was there when he saw the first visible signs of struggle. He gulped as he stared at the shattered window. There was no doubt in the butler's mind; someone had pushed the young boy, or he had jumped himself.
Either way, he was gone. He and Mokuba.
"Oh my! Oh dear, oh dear!"
~
Flower Petals: Did anyone get through that? I need to know! Anyway, I have a request. For those who are going to review, could you please give me some feedback? I need to know what you like about this story, (if you like anything. . .) and what could go if anything needs to go, and what you'd like to see more of and so on. . .
Please review! I'd like five before I update!