Chapter 18
The chosen path
"Hey Kist, something wrong you sound horrible," said a male's voice on the phone. Kisty was outside in her favorite climbing tree with her cell phone, "Josh, I got in a fight with Jake," she said. Josh on the other end of the phone made a tight fist he hated Jake and wished the man never stolen Kisty from him. "Kist, what happened?" he asked hiding his anger for Jake. Kisty spilled her guts, all of them, from the thought of getting back at her father to Jake and her fighting about the take over.
"I am bonding with my father, he and I are almost back to what we used to be, you know, when my mom was alive and all" cried Kisty. Josh told Kisty to quiet down and that everything would be all right, "Look, you love your Dad right?" he asked. Kisty nodded "Of course, I do, even if he is an asshole at times," she said.
Josh smirked at hearing this, "Have you talked to Ann about this?" he asked. Kisty sighed, "No, why should I talk to her?" Josh groaned on his end of the phone, "Look Kist, Ann was your mother's closest friend, maybe she is the one to talk to about this, or Lisa. I know you're not happy that I am not giving you great advice but you need to talk to someone else about this, I know I sound like a jerk right now but Bakura and Ryou are giving me the death glares, if you need anything you call me, later ok," he said. Kisty sighed, "Josh, don't leave me hanging," she said, Josh laughed. "I would never, my little Angel, just I got Bakura giving me the death glare you know that means beating if I don't get off the phone," he said.
"You know if Jake heard call me, "angel," he would probably kill you," she laughed. Josh sighed and then went into a quick like talk, "I know, and you are an angel, Kisty like it or not. Listen, I really have to go before I am forced to dig my own grave, just remember this ok, I never really knew my true parents, so don't lose what some others don't have," he said. Kisty sighed, "Ok Josh thanks, bye," she said and hung up the phone.
Kisty pulled up her Great Uncle's work number to get Ann's number, who was a close friend of her mother who also, had watched Kisty grow up a little from a distance. Ann and Kisty talked for a while and Kisty came to a decision, let Seto screw up, if he does then take over if he does not let the anger rest.
A week later one day until X-Mas
"Lets see here, a little to the left, Uncle Mokie," said Kisty as he was about to tree in place. "Kisty hurry this thing is heavy," snapped Seto. Kisty giggled and then stopped the two men right where they were, "Perfect," she said. Mokuba and Seto let go of the plastic tall tree now sitting in their living room.
"Why did I agree on plastic this year?" asked Mokuba with tiredness in his voice. Kisty and Seto smirked, "Because you didn't want to clean up the mess," said Kisty then poking her father in the rips with her elbow, "Also Mr. Big shot didn't want to have a real tree," she finished. Seto shook his head, "I agreed, NOT because of the mess, but the fact it is snowing like crazy outside, and I don't want to get cold," he said pointing to the snow covered windows. "Like you weren't already," said Lisa, in the corner of the room.
Seto looked at his daughter, "Ok, now we got the darn tree up, Kisty what's next?" he asked. Jake stood by one of the couches and laughed, "You Mr. Kaiba get to put the star on it since Mokuba and Lisa have decorating to do," he smirked.
Seto glared over at Jake, who quickly shut his mouth, "Your not assigned anything so why are you still here?" he asked. Kisty giggled and playfully slapped her father's arm, "Seto! You know why he is here," she said. Seto rolled his eye as he waited Kisty walk away and stand next to her boyfriend, "He's here to take me on our date," she smiled.
Someone was not ready for that answer, "WAIT a minute!" snapped Mokuba from behind the tree, "Kisty you can't skip out now, it's storming outside, you could get hurt," he said. Kisty whined, "I have been in the mansion almost all day, I need to get out before I go nuts or fall down from pure boredom," she said. Jake raised an eyebrow; fall down was exactly at that moment what he wanted Kisty to do at least at his place, which was above a museum.
Jake pulled Kisty's arm and pulled her out of the living room and into the doorway to the entrance hall and living room. "Ok why did you just do that?" she asked. Jake smirked, "Because right now you're standing under mistletoe," he said leaning in for a kiss. Kisty giggled, and was about to kiss Jake but then Seto cleared his throat in the middle of the living room breaking the little couple's attention. "Yes, Seto?" asked Kisty rolling her eyes at him.
Seto crossed his arms, "Kisty, you know the rule," he said. Kisty nodded, "I know, no kissing in front of you," she said in a, 'I know,' kind of voice. Seto shook his head, "No, besides that, you need to actually look up at the mistletoe then kiss the boy," he said in an almost angry yet laughable tone telling her he was just being playful.
Kisty glanced up she saw the mistletoe and then was about to kiss Jake when Mokuba cleared his throat now, "Kisty!" he said in a half-angry and half-irritated voice. Kisty looked over at her uncle, "Yes?" she asked starting to get annoyed her family was killing her moment with Jake. Mokuba smirked, "You know you should distract your father first then kiss Jake under the mistletoe," he said, pointing at Seto who was still watching. Kisty looked annoyed, "Fine, Seto would you turn around so that way I can kiss my boyfriend under the mistletoe?" she asked. Seto smirked and turned towards Lisa and Mokuba, then another throat was cleared just as Kisty was about to kiss Jake, yet again.
The now very annoyed and irritated Kaiba teenager glared at the source, which was Lisa, "What I had to get my throat loge out of my air canal," she said with a clueless look as if she did not mean to do it, when really she did not mean to interrupt them. Kisty rolled her eyes, quickly giving Jake a quick kiss on the lips, and walked out of the room towards the stairs. Jake looked at Lisa, "You know you, just, killed the romantic moment that I had been planning all day," he said then ran off after Kisty. Seto, Mokuba and Lisa gave held back laughs as they stood there in the living room.
"Kisty what's wrong?" he asked, when she stopped upstairs by her room. "I can't do it Jake," she said. Jake looked at Kisty she was now getting cold feet, "I can't take over Kaiba Corp," she said near tears but still holding her quiet voice. Jake took his hands and placed them on her head forcing her to look at him, "Kisty, please don't back out, you're the majority right now, if you drop out, then we won't find that person who is holding the last of the shares, Kisty I need you for this," he pleaded.
Kisty pulled out of Jake's grip, "Jake, don't you get it, Seto and I, we have bonded again. I just can't go and stab him in the back like this, I am sorry, but I don't think the take over should happen now, I am sure of it!" she said. Seto and Kisty for the past week and been growing close, so close that they began to understand just simple gestures such as the raise eyebrow or playful slap which both did do to each other occasionally.
one week ago
"I win," said Kisty as she slapped down her hand of a Royal Flush, showing Atem, Yugi, Seto, Mokuba, Joey, Tea, Josh, and Lisa, her cards. "That's the fifth time in a row Kisty, how are you getting those, your not cheating are you?" asked Yugi. Kisty giggled, "Why would I do that, Yugi, besides I am new to poker, remember," she said as Atem handed her the cards to begin the next poker game. "Kisty!" said Seto as she shuffled, "Your no beginner, if you can pull off a flush, royal flush, then a four of a kind, two pairs with aces, another straight flush, and Full house, in five games in a row." Kisty giggled, "Ok, so I am not a complete, beginner," she admitted passing out the cards.
Joey, Yugi, Atem, Lisa, Tea, Josh, and Mokuba where waiting for Kisty to talk, "Well?" they asked at once. Seto smirked at his daughter, "She learned from her mother," he said knowing that's was she was going to say. Kisty tilted her head, "What makes you think that?" she said questioning Seto. This caused Seto to give a slight chuckle, "I am the one, who taught your mother, and by the way you're holding your cards and the poker face at the moment, I say she taught you," he laughed. Josh smirked behind his cards he loved it when Kisty was blushing like a tomato and indeed, she was blushing very brightly.
Kisty had to admit it, "Ok, you caught me Seto, but I also learned a few tricks from the King of games," she said eyeing Atem who was looking at is cards with a small hint in his eyes they were good cards. Joey looked Yugi then at Atem who were sitting next to each other, "So which one did you learn the trick from Kisty?" he asked not catching the rather large hint she spoke. Lisa and Mokuba laughed, "My Dad, Joey, she picked up something from him," spoke Lisa in mid laugh. Kisty chuckled, "Wrong King Lisa, I was referring to the second king of games, the one after Atem," she said kicking Yugi under the table as his face went in to a slight pain look and then getting a glare from Tea.
Yugi blushed, as everyone looked at him with surprise, "What?" he said quickly. Kisty giggled, "Come on Yugi you taught me the straight face when I was 10 remember," she said. Yugi rolled his eyes, "Oh, that I remember you mean your father's glare," he said playfully causing Kisty to nod and laugh. Seto sat there sighing heavily he had a trump card about Kisty he had not played against her before, "At least I know when you do glare at me, I know it means something," he said. Kisty looked at her father, "Really and what's that?" she said crossing her arms.
"When you're older I will tell you," he said. Kisty glared that caused Seto to chuckle, "I love you too," he said playfully and put down his cards, "Read um and weep geeks and daughter, I win FULL HOUSE Ace's high," he said slamming his cards on the table, everyone gowned, and Kisty just smirked at her father. Josh shook his head, "Not again, man when will the Kaibas' winning streak end," he whined. Kisty hit her best friend upside the head, "shut up loser," she said with a laugh, you are lucky this is not for real money. "Money there's something I want, wish you know how to earn money Kisty," he said. "JOSH, not fair, that was low," said Lisa. Josh sighed, "Sorry it slipped, you all know how I feel about Kisty," he said with a sad look on his face. Kisty leaned over and gave Josh a quick kiss on the cheek, "I know for sure, now," she said smiling.
A few hours later, everyone left, Mokuba and Lisa went out to their little place on the mansion grounds, and Kisty and Seto were left to clean up the poker table and chips. "I think that went well," Seto said putting the last of the poker chips back in the case. Kisty sighed as she picked up the bags of chips and soda bottles. "Yeah," she sighed as she walked out of the room.
Seto walked in to the kitchen moments later, as Kisty stood over the sink, and put the empty bottles in the trashcan, he saw Kisty hunched over the sink with her hands on her face. "What's wrong?" he asked as he set down a few plates that had been in the dinning room where they had played poker with the gang. Kisty shook her head, and wiped some tears from her eyes, "Nothing I am fine," she said quickly trying to regain her composure. Seto had been bonding with his daughter so much recently that he was reading her almost as well as he used to read Alexandra.
"Kisty, tell me!" he spoke softly, walking over to her. "I am fine Seto," she choked out softly. Seto smirked, "I guess I must have hit a spot or something, your crying again," he said leaning on the counter and over her shoulder. "Is it true?" she asked in a harsh voice, "Is it true what you said in there, when I gave you that glare?" Seto knew what she was referring too, his comment before during her only loss of the night.
Seto took one hand and lifted Kisty's chin too looks her in the eye, "I know it's been a few days, but Kisty I always have. You are my daughter after all, the little princess of my angel," he said. Kisty nodded, "I know but I didn't think you could read me like that or at all, you know," she said.
Seto gave a small smile, "I am your father, and you share too many traits with your mother, that I can see, but you also have mine which is a really is to be really good liar until caught," he said. Kisty looked away, "What is that suppose to mean?" she asked. Seto gave a slight chuckle, "Kisty! I was able to read your mother almost as well until she ran off and had you, then came back told me she was sick and to take care of you," he said. Kisty shook her head, "But how, I mean, how do you know I wasn't saying something else with those glares?" she asked. Seto smirked, "Because if you didn't mean it, and I mean truly mean it, you would have taken my company right out from under me by now," he said.
Kisty jumped away, 'he knows,' she thought to her self. The jump caught Seto's attention; she knew that he knows her plan about the take over now. "How," she stuttered, "How long have you known?" she asked grabbing the counter ready to push herself off towards the door to dodge any blow Seto might throw. "A few days," he said in a calm tone, "You and Jake have to learn to check places before you talk about secret things," he said. Kisty hit her head, "DOPE!" she said making a Homer Simpson voice.
Seto chuckled, "Relax Kisty, I am not going to punish you for doing that, just I want to know, why you would do that to me?" he asked. Kisty sighed, "Actually to tell you the truth, I don't know anymore," she said. Seto raised an eyebrow, he did not expect her reaction or answer to be so calm and confused. "I just thought it would get you to notice me, or see me as your equal I guess. Jake did most of the planning and everything and I felt that it would kind of make me, Mom's replacement or get back at you hell I don't know really," she added. Seto crossed his arms, "You don't need to be her replacement, but since you are trying to dodge the last subject, how much more did you need to take over?" he asked.
Kisty sighed knowing that she had no escape now, "About 15 more shares, but some one got to them before I did, so I am kind of waiting to find out who it is," she said. Seto smirked, "Well I know who has them," he said leaning on the counter top now with a grin on his face. Kisty went wide-eyed, 'why would he tell me unless…NO way he would not,' she thought. "The owner of those 15 shares is you, Kisty," he said pulling out her shares from his pocket and placing them in front of her, "I believe these belong to you," he said handing her the shares certificate, Kisty took them in hand.
The girl was awe struck, she was holding in her hand enough to fire her father, at that moment, but she felt guilt slip over her or worst her conscience. 'Kisty take it and then tell Jake, and rule Kaiba Corp!' a voice screamed in her head. 'No I cannot, he, he's my Father, I do not want to now. We have grown over the last few days. I can't now' she thought back against the voice. 'The pain Kisty, remember the pain,' the voice reminded her. 'That's in the past, Dad told me to leave it there you can't change it,' she said in her mind.
Seto could see that Kisty had not expected this, and was watching her fight with herself. 'Do it Kisty if not for you, but your mother, make Jake proud to call you his girlfriend' the voice spoke, Kisty shook her head, 'No, this wasn't for her, it was for my revenge, I don't want it anymore' she thought back against the voice now as it dug at her.
Seto could see in Kisty's eyes that the young teen was struggling to say yes but at the same time fighting to say 'no.' The CEO looked a his daughter, he knew she had the guts but did she have the will to run the company on her own that would be her true test of strength. Kisty took the shares in her hand and placed them on the island counter, "No, I won't do it," she said in sure voice.
This action caused Seto to raise an eyebrow showing that he knew she would say no, "I can't win that way, it's just not fair," she said. Seto nodded, "I know, it isn't but that's how I won," he said. Kisty looked at Seto confused, "Gosaburo secretly gave me shares thinking that I wouldn't truly take over. The old man was a fool and you Kisty are not one, for you share my genetics, as you have reminded me over these last few years," he finished.
The young dyed blue hair girl sat down on one of the stools confused, angry, frustrated, but seeing that her father was not angry was enough of a comfort. "I won't fight you, Seto, at least not like this," she said quietly. Seto looked at her as she pushed the share certifies back towards him on the counter, "I don't want to fight anymore," she said, "I am done running, and fighting with you, I give, and you win."
Seto smirked, and pulled the certificates away from Kisty's hand, "You sure?" he asked putting them in his pocket again. Kisty nodded, "I know, Mom would probably kill me if I did take over like that, also it would be like stabbing you in the back or worst hers," she answered, "I don't want to fight you, I am giving you that chance we agreed on. Let's just say the thing in your pocket right now, is a reminder that you almost lost your daughter," she said. Seto nodded, "Fine, we did agree that you could do what ever you want if I screwed up again. You give me a chance and you can do what you want if I screw up, which won't happen," he said looking at her in the eye. "So it won't be anytime soon," Seto added. The girl nodded, "Because there won't be a next time, I know you won't, because you're Seto Kaiba, who can't be beat, at least not by me, anyways," she said smiling.
present day
Jake held Kisty by the shoulders as she leaned against he wall, "Kisty, look at me, why are you stepping out of this?" he asked. Kisty sighed, "I don't see the point, and so what if Seto had hurt me in the past. He is my father, a bad one at the time, but you know who can tell anymore these days about a bad parent, he is my Father, like it or not Jake. He is different now; I love him, as a daughter should love her father even if he has screwed up a little in my life besides no one is perfect. You know what he almost handed me the company on a sliver platter but I turned him down, yes that's right I turned him down JAKE," she said pushing Jake's arms from her face and stepping towards the stairs, which they were a top of, looking into the main hall.
"Why," he asked in shock, "Why the hell did you turn him down Kisty? I had planed everything perfect, I was going to run Kaiba Corp," snapped Jake letting something slip. Kisty turned, "Because, Seto is my Father, I care about him, ok. He has been hurt just as bad as I have in the past, and you know what. I don't need Kaiba Corp, like I thought I did, so Jake considers the plan scraped," she snapped.
Jake's face went from confusion to anger, "Kisty, you wanted revenge for so long, now you just going to toss it away like it never happened?" he asked. Kisty let out a long hard breath, "I can't hurt him, Jake, and if you love me you would understand that, but now I notice something in you. I see someone, cold hearted, angry, lost and darn it, pissed off all the time about wanting something from me. I never wanted Kaiba Corp to be taken by force Jake, nor did I ever want it. You're the one that convinced me of it and to get the shares so I have majority, but you know what, it's over, the plan is scrapped and sadly so are you, I want you to leave Jake and never come back, were done," she said.
Jake's jaw dropped, Kisty just put the dagger in his heart, and she dumped him at her place in the hallway above the stairs. "Your, your dumping me?" he asked in shock. Kisty nodded, looking at the stairs a head of her, "I am going to back to the living room, by the time I get to the door, I want you out of my family's mansion and I never want to see you again," she snapped.
The young tan and sandy blonde haired boy looked at her confused, "Kisty, I love you," he said. Kisty turned, "No," she said softly, "You love power and sadly you tried to use me to get it, and I want you out of my life, just go Jake," she said and walked down the stairs.
Jake followed slowly, "Fine, I will go, Kisty, but don't forget me?" he asked. Kisty gave a small smile, "I won't you were, my first kiss and love, but I am not going to let you be my last, good bye Jake," she said and headed towards the living room door. Jake got his coat and put it on, and walked to the front door, "Bye Kisty," he said and shut the door.
The young blue haired girl took a very long and deep breath closing her eyes with the sound of the front door closing behind her. Kisty soon heard the sound of Jake's car as it sped away from the mansion. Kisty had the look of brokenness in her blue eyes, and before she could slump to the ground, she found her self-leaning against something.
Kisty leaned against the door and fell into the room right into someone's open arms, the girl knew whose arms they were. "Dad," she whispered as the tears came down her face knowing she just broke her own heart to save her soul or maybe she chose to give up fighting like she said.
