Me: /walks onstage, using crutches. One leg, along with an arm, is encased in a cast. The rest of her is covered in random band-aid. Also, there's an eye patch over her right eye. Smiles at shocked reaction from crowd/ Don't worry 'bout me, Seto looks worse. Oh yeah, /fingers eye patch/ I can still see out of this eye, although putting in contacts is kinda hard.
Seto: /walks in, looking perfectly fine./ Hello
Me: /stares at Seto/ how...you...you're...
Seto: /smiles/ The wonders of technology and being rich. Oh, is this the next chapter? /grabs it out of her hands and reads it quickly. Frowns/ Wait a minute!
Me: /looks worried, then snaps fingers. A crowd of fan girls appears around Seto, all asking for autographs/ That should keep him busy for awhile. Hmm...Oh yes! Thank you Reya-chan for my first review. Always nice when someone takes the time. And now for the disclaimer.
Random Announcer: Alexandra Cai sadly does not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or any of the characters, besides her own.
Pegasus: /looks at Seto sadly/ No one wants my autograph?
Random Fan Girl: /walks over/ I will! I'm trying to get an autograph from every Yu-Gi-Oh! character.
Pegasus: Too bad! I will seal your soul into this card with the hopes of being able to get my love Cecilia back! Mwahahahaha!
Me: Not again.../grabs mallet and smacks Pegasus/ That should stop him and any Funny Bunny madness he can think of. And before anything else can happen...START THE STORY!
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Chapter Two Deadlines
"Error: That operation is invalid."
Seto Kaiba's ice blue eyes narrowed as he glared at the computer. Damn. He was getting no where. A few days ago an important system had crashed, wiping out a few files with out. A few very critical files. Since the incompetent fools down in technical hadn't been able to salvage them, he'd taken the matter into his own hands. Only problem was, he needed those files by tomorrow, and, the way things were going, wouldn't get them for another thousand years.
"Would you like an explanation?"
And that voice! Insanely happy all the time. Ever since Funny Bunny had decided to do the Easter dance on the screen with tidings from Pegasus, his computer had never been quite the same. He'd been intending to fix that, but hadn't had the time. Extremely annoying when happiness was about the farthest you could get from his current mood.
"Yes. On the screen only."
At least that could shut the voice up. He scanned over the lengthy technical explanation. There files where still there, he knew it, only he just couldn't get to them. He closed his eyes in concentration for a second, then punched in another command on the keyboard.
"Error: tha-"
"Shut up!" He commanded, growling. He furiously typed in another command, hopefully shutting off the voice.
The door opened behind him.
"I thought I said I was not to be interrupted," he barked without looking.
"Not even by your little brother?" A timid voice asked.
Seto turned and looked at him. "Oh, it's you, Mokuba," this time tiredly.
Mokuba saw the part of his brother most people didn't. If he had been someone else, he would have seen a hard, cold veneer of polished efficiency and success. But what Mokuba saw was the rumpled coat, bloodshot eyes, and messy shock of brown hair that belonged to his weary brother. "Aren't you tired?" He walked up to him and sat on his lap. Wide, concerned brown eyes peered up at Seto.
"No," he lied. "I'm fine. I just need to finish this."
Mokuba turned his eyes towards the computer screen, and stared at the maze of words and numbers uncomprehendingly. Then he got an idea. "You gotta at least be hungry." Then, without waiting for the certain denial, he jumped up. "Be right back." He charged off eagerly.
--- --- --- --- --- --- ---
Lights flickered on as the sun slowly sunk beneath the western horizon. Glowing signs and street lamps gave the city of Domino a sort of sparkle that was lost in the full glare of the sun. Cars zoomed down streets, some people going home, others with the setting sun marking the start of their 'day'.
Nanashi stood in front of the impressive Kaiba Corp. office building. Sleek, glasslike walls loomed in front of her, a monument to corporate excellence. The two story letters spelling out Kaiba Corp. glared down at her, mocking her.
You thought you could run from it, did you? Deny it, try to forget it, live a normal life. But you can't, can you? You're back here, and why? It runs in your blood, Nanashi, through your veins with every heart beat. You can't run from it, you can't run from me.
The voice sneered at her, across the barriers of time and death. She tried blocking it out, that didn't work. "Leave me alone, you sick old bastard. Leave me alone." The words left her lips, barely a whisper. Then she walked inside. She had a deadline, midnight.
--- --- --- --- --- --- ---
Yugi sat down, planning to work on his homework. He flipped on the lamp, casting its light across the smooth, veneer surface of his desk. He traced his finger along the imitation wood grain, reluctant to start. He did have all weekend to work on it, but if he got it out of the way now, he wouldn't have to worry about it. Finally, he reached down into his backpack and pulled out his heavy math book.
Ugh. Algebra. Why did his most disliked class also have to be the one with the biggest textbook? He turned to page 571, pulled out a sheet of paper, and tried to concentrate.
He really did try. But soon, the numbers and letters forming the impossible equations twisted themselves into sketches of winged creatures and fierce magicians doing battle as his mind wandered.
He hoped Nanashi would get back soon...she could help him. She seemed to understand these things, although he had no idea where she'd learned them...She definitely had never been to school...At least he had until Monday...Sometimes he wished she would leave a note...
Out of the corner of his eyes he'd been seeing it the whole time, but it had finally caught his attention. A cream colored slip of paper sticking out from under the base of his lamp. He reached over to grab it, curious.
--- --- --- --- --- --- ---
A man sat in the darkness, waiting expectantly. His whole mind was trained on his current goal, as he waited for the results.
Gozaburo, you old fox. She was your best kept secret, huh? A glittering success. Trained perfectly, great potential. But something went wrong, didn't it? Totally unpredictable. Even I couldn't have foreseen that. What went wrong? Too early, you pushed her too fast. A few more years, and you might have been the most powerful man on the planet. Or maybe not; I will never know. But maybe I can salvage this project. Now she has an even greater incentive, and a history that should make this all too easy. She can hardly fail. But then, I must wait and see.
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Me: Okay, now that the story's finished.../snaps fingers and fan girls leave Seto, dropping their autograph sheets in front of me before disappearing. Gathers them all up/ These can go in my secret collection. /grins and tosses them into closet that magically opens, then disappears/
Seto: /turns angrily/ You just made this crowd listen to this...
Me: /speaks really fast/ thanksforreadingandpleasereview! /runs off/
Seto: /follows angrily/ You made me seem like an incompetent fool! I could too have solved that problem! Get back here so I can give you what you deserve!!!!