No, I have not forgotten about my story! It shall go on!!! I'm just a lazy person when it comes to typing all this up…and I got stuck on a part for a little while. But this chappy is finally finished! And I'll try to get the next one up a lot sooner next time!

Happy New Year!

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Chapter Seven – Conflict
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Seto jumped up, seeing Nanashi and the pilot tumble out. "What the hell is going on?"

Neither bothered to answer. As they struggled to their feet, Nanashi socked him in the stomach. His only acknowledgement was a slight grunt. "Crap," she muttered; standing and trying again. This time he caught her fist, trapping it in an iron grip. She attempted to wrench it free, then rained down punches and kicks on her assailant. The intense crushing pressure merely strengthened.

"Kaiba, we've got to help her!" Yugi shouted, recovering from his shock. He charged valiantly at the man, only to be knocked back by a blow from his free arm. Yugi slid across the plane and crashed into a seat, the edge digging painfully into his back.

"How do I know he's not on our side?" Seto retorted.

Before Yugi could shoot back an angry reply, the man spoke. "If you think that, Seto Kaiba, then you are a fool."

Calmly Seto turned, catching Mokuba's wide, frightened eyes as he did so. This was the second time in a row his little brother had woken up to find himself in a crisis. Reaching under the seat cushion, Seto pulled out a gun. Aiming it at the man, he fired.

The bullet burrowed into his shoulder. With one last brutal wrench, he flung Nanashi towards Seto. Backing up quickly, she heard someone yell at her. "Get out of the way!"

"Give me that!" was her reply as her uninjured hand snatched the gun from him. Pausing a mere split-second to aim, she pulled the trigger. At point blank range the bullet slammed into his head, snapping it brutally back. He was dead before even hearing the shot ring out. The massive body crumpled to the floor, blood pooling on the blue and grey carpet.

Shoving the gun back into Seto's hands, Nanashi ran over to Yugi. "You okay?" she asked, kneeling down.

Worry colored his purple eyes. "The question is, are you okay?" He took her outstretched hand and she helped him up.

"Yeah, I think so." She gently massaged her neck with her right hand. The worst part was talking, and she suddenly realized how hoarse her voice sounded.

"That going to be okay?" He asked, glancing at her hand.

She frowned, looking down. Her hand and wrist were quickly becoming a large, livid bruise. She gingerly probed it with her finger tips; the puffy skin was numb. Her fingers were stuck in a half curled position, and she couldn't move them without help. She twisted her wrist back and forth, and something popped. She winced as feeling returned full force.

"What happened?" Seto's cold voice broke off her thoughts.

"What happened?" she repeated angrily, whirling around to face him. "I was in the cockpit when your pilot tried to strangle me; that's what happened." Her neck would soon reflect the color of her hand, only in a milder shade. Not a prospect she looked forward to.

"Why would he do that?" Solomon asked.

"He's part of whoever's after us."

"How do you know?" Seto asked, striding to the cockpit without waiting for an answer. Mokuba clung close to him, keeping his big brother between him and the corpse. Seto stepped over the broken door and into the cockpit, sitting down in the pilot's seat.

It took him a moment to sort out the confusing tangle of controls, but he quickly got the hang of it. They were on autopilot – just like they were supposed to be. But something was wrong…He scowled as he realized the autopilot had been tampered with. Instead of their original course, they were set to circle continuously, presumably until they ran out of gas and crashed.

"What's wrong, big brother?" Mokuba asked, noting the expression on his face.

He didn't answer right away, concentrating on changing their course. "It's not responding…" His scowl deepened as all attempts failed.

Nanashi walked in, a pack of ice Solomon had found pressed against her hand. "What's not responding?" She frowned, sitting down in the copilot's chair.

"That." His tone was carefully flat.

Their current course appeared on a screen in front of her. So that's what he'd been hiding. He meant to crash them.

"Disconnect it manually." It was the curse of technology, some things got too advanced for their own good.

"No good." Before she could ask why, he continued with a question. "Can you fly?"

"What, the great Seto Kaiba can't fly a simple little airplane? Just like he can't aim a gun, I guess," she mocked.

"Would you rather I have shot you?"

"He was ten friggin' feet in front of you!" she exploded, standing up. Her hand throbbed painfully, adding to the anger flashing in her eyes. "And you missed!"

"I did not miss," he remarked coolly, yet his tone was edged with steel. He stood up also. His height often served him an advantage, now was no different; she was at least 2 inches shorter than him, if not more.

"You hit him in the shoulder. Did you see what it mattered to him? Nothing! Far as I'm concerned, you missed! Fucking, goddamn missed!"

"I'm sorry. I didn't spend my whole life learning how to kill." He waited, and smirked as his words struck home. But before she could come up with a comeback, he continued. "Although, I would've thought Gozaburo taught you more than how to play with guns."

"Kaiba, Nanashi, stop it!" Yugi, actually Yami, broke into their argument. They both whirled to glare at him, but he didn't back down. "Fighting will get you nowhere. Now, I take it that there's a problem."

Nanashi's glare softened, but her anger didn't. One fist clenched by her side, and the other was scarlet, not at all helped by her pounding heart. She took a deep breath, and tried to sound calm. "We're locked on autopilot, and it plans to spin us around until we run out of fuel and crash."

Seto diverted his gaze from Yami and turned back to her. "My question still stands. Can you fly?"

She began to retort, but her throat protested. The recent argument, and nearly being crushed before, made it sore. "Yes," she croaked.

"Good. And for your information, I can fly. Unfortunately, my idea needs two people. One to fly, and another to keep the autopilot offline, which will be an ongoing process."

Yami still didn't totally understand what was happening, but had a feeling it was better left to them to work out. If they didn't kill each other first.

Thanks Yami. I think I can handle it from here, Yugi telepathed.

If you think so, Yami replied, and let his hikari take over.

Yugi noticed Mokuba, who was entirely confused and frightened. "Mokuba, why don't you come back here with me? Give Kaiba and Nanashi room to work."

"There's a…a…" he stuttered.

"I'll move it," Nanashi whispered. "We still have enough fuel left."

"Nanashi, you sure–"

"Fuck. It my mess." She rewrapped the ice pack around her hand, and brushed coldly past Seto. When she sidled past Yugi, however, she gripped his shoulder reassuringly.

Yet a comment Kaiba had made earlier troubled him. Yami, didn't Kaiba say something about Gozaburo teaching Nanashi?

Yes, his alter ego responded.

Then wouldn't that mean it was Gozaburo who…he trailed off.

Wonder why she left that out.

I don't, Yugi replied somberly. You remember what he was like.

Yami contemplated this silently, while Yugi turned back to the outside world. No matter how revolting he found it, Nanashi might need some help.

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