Elenion: I do not own the Yu-Gi-Oh franchise or anything associated with it. Keep on reading if you like!
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The unit leader stared at Kai Steps and Serenity Wheeler sternly. He could only hope that this would work.
Kai was a large guy, namely picked for this to be a threatening presence to make the other side think twice before randomly attacking. On the other hand, Serenity was a petite girl with a good head on her shoulders. She was the one meant to do the negotiations, and the leader had hoped that since she was so petite and not threatening in the least that the leaders of the other side would be more reasonable with their reactions.
"You two need to resolve this tonight," the leader said to them, sternly.
Millions of things were flashing in Serenity's mind- namely Joey and what he would think. This was like a nightmare of large proportions, and Serenity couldn't believe that this was actually happening. Her unfocused eyes stared at the shadows dancing over the unit leaders face.
Kai shifted his bulky weight on one foot and flexed his large muscles. "How do we find the leaders of the other side?"
The leader sighed. "They'll find you."
Serenity's eyes widened. "You mean, we basically stay in one place like sitting ducks until some of the other side pick us up?"
No reply. That meant yes.
Sure enough, ten minutes later, Serenity and the oversized Kai were in a dark alleyway. Serenity was more nervous than she'd ever been in her life. Her throat was constricted and barely allowing her to breathe. Kai, despite his machismo, seemed to be anxious as well. His eyes kept darting all over the alley, trying to see some sign that the enemy was on to them.
"How much longer, do you think?" Serenity whispered to the man who wsa an entire head taller than she.
"I dunno," he replied with a shrug.
Some help he was.
Everything was shadowed and menacing. Windows yawned like giant, black eyes and doorways seemed even more dangerous. Domino City at night was a virtual nightmare to anyone unfamiliar with the ways of the street.
Kai, whether he wanted to admit it or not, was beginning to break down. As much as he tried to be a 'real man', he was extremely easy to scare psychologically. His breathing began to quicken in a panic. The sense that he was constantly being watched by people he couldn't see was taking a toll on his level of sanity. He froze in his tracks and screamed to the skies, "JUST COME AND GET ME ALREADY!!!! WE'RE REBELS!!!! WHAT ARE YOU W-"
The auburn-haired girl clapped a hand over his mouth. "What are you thinking?" she whispered, frightened beyond all else.
Her head turned about. There was no way that Kai's outburst hadn't gone unnoticed.
A low chuckle echoed through the tight alleyway from the depths of the shadows… A shiver crept up Serenity's spine. This was not good at all. But somehow, this was the way she'd imagined it would be.
It all happened suddenly and without warning.
Men pounced out of the shadows. Kai was roughly grabbed by the scruff of his neck and slammed headfirst into the brick wall. The large man let out a mix of outcry and grunt as his head connected with brick.
Serenity was grasped about the waist and thrown to the ground for the second time that evening. The small girl twisted around onto her back. The man pushed her back down onto the ground with his foot; Serenity lashed out with her feet and felt her heels connect with his shins.
With catlike movements, she leapt back onto her feet in time to see Kai slide to the ground against the wall, unmoving. Serenity felt tears clouding her vision. It was obviously too late for the brawny man.
"Stop!" Serenity cried out. "We just want to negotiate! Please, stop!"
The men were dressed in street wear, but they were composed like full-fledged assassins. One of them grabbed her menacingly by the front of her blouse and stuck his face in hers. "Keep talking, little girl."
"I… I…." Serenity swallowed, more nervous than she'd ever been in her life. If she said the wrong thing, she was gone… forever. "We w-were sent from our r-rebel division to give some n-news to the leaders of the other s-side. P-please, it's urgent."
The three contract killers all looked at one another, exchanging dark glances. If she was bluffing, then they were in trouble. But then, if she wasn't, and they killed her, then they were in even more trouble with their superiors.
Serenity breathed heavily as she felt her throat tighten. There was no telling what they might do to her. Violence and rape were far from uncommon on the streets.
They seemed to have reached a decision.
"Fine," one of them said coldly, "But just in case…"
The petite girl felt a sudden impact in the back of the head. Her vision swam right before everything went dark.
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Serenity groaned and rolled over. Information was rushing through her mind too quickly to comprehend. Faint voices were bickering and she strained her aching brain to focus on what was being said.
"Well, what the hell does she want?" a sharp voice was saying.
"Has some news, sir," a voice that sounded vaguely familiar to Serenity.
There was a pause, then- "Fine. But if this is a bluff…"
Serenity's eyes flickered open, and she found that she was in the dark- on the floor. Her only light was the yellow sliver coming through the crack under the door. A shiver ran down her spine as she remembered what she was up against and just how easily the muscle man, Kai, had gone down.
Suddenly, light came pouring in as the door was flung open. Serenity squinted, and she vaguely saw the large figure of a man framed in the doorway. She was roughly picked up under her arms and set on her feet.
The petite girl swayed slightly and came close to falling onto her face. Everything was achy, and there was an ever-present fear in the back of her mind. Silently, she allowed herself to be virtually dragged into a dimly lit room. Comparatively, it resembled the warehouse room where her rebel unit held meetings, but it seemed more like a polished conference room.
Without warning, she was thrown to her knees at a pair of black-booted feet. The auburn-haired girl trembled, chewing silently on her bottom lip.
"Make this quick," an annoyed voice commanded from above her.
Serenity looked up to see a pair of heartless lavender eyes glaring back at her. This man was good-looking and his infamous champagne-white hair told him exactly who he was: Marik Ishtar. He was a high-ranking leader of the government-controlled side of the revolution.
"Well?" Marik hissed, losing patience with the doll-like girl thrown at his feet.
Serenity slowly rose onto her feet, trying to boost her confidence. It didn't really work. She was such a petite little thing that she only came to his chest. "I w-was s-s-sent to t-tell you…"
"Marik!" A cold voice growled deeply from the doorway to the room.
The lavender eyes flicked over to the towering figure striding toward him.
Serenity whirled around to face the powerful man striding toward them. He wore a long navy trench coat, and his fierce oceanic eyes positively burned into Marik's with an unparalleled ferocity. If it was possible, Serenity was more afraid of this chestnut-haired man than she had been of Marik. And hell knew that was saying a lot.
"Seto Kaiba, to what do I owe this pleasure?" Marik said, voice dripping with sarcasm.
Serenity's eyes filled with recognition. So this was the Seto Kaiba…
"Cut the shit, Marik," Kaiba snapped coldly, "You know what I'm here for."
"Ah, yes," Marik scoffed, twirling a strand of his hair around his finger, "That projection equipment you sold us."
"For which Kaiba Corp was never paid," the CEO growled.
Marik's men shifted in position, but they knew enough not to interfere when it came to Seto Kaiba and Marik Ishtar. Even Marik was afraid of Seto Kaiba… even he didn't dare call the CEO by his first name.
Serenity wrung her hands, watching this bone-chilling argument. Granted, she was grateful for the interruption, but confrontations -that she wasn't even a part of- put her on edge.
Marik's eyes flashed dangerously. "One of my engineers was supposed to take care of that. Don't come whining to me, Kaiba."
"Don't tell me things I already know, you pathetic excuse for a leader. I was negotiating with Kapler, but as I am told, the fool was taken prisoner from right under your nose." The steely blue eyes narrowed to slits as they watched Marik's reaction.
"Well, why can't we get him back?" Marik barked back at the rich CEO.
Serenity's eyes widened. "That's what I've been trying to tell you…"
Out of nowhere, Marik's hand slapped her smartly straight across the face. Serenity cried out in shock and pain. "Did I ask you to speak, you rebel-bitch?"
Her cheek was already beginning to show a raw, red handprint that stung something awful. The fragile girl wasn't fit to be handled in such a barbaric manner. She was trembling as she touched her face. "But I-"
Again, Marik raised his hand, but Kaiba grabbed his wrist. Their icy eyes battled for a moment, before the blue eyes turned to bore straight into Serenity's. "Start talking."
Serenity felt a shiver crawl down her spine, and she suddenly became very conscious about her drab clothes and roughed-up face. Her voice came out as a hoarse whisper, "I was s-sent to t-tell… the other s-side that…" The small girl's honey-colored eyes winced at what she had to say. Marik wouldn't like it one bit. "That th-the p-prisoners w-were…" Her voice completely trailed off.
The light golden-haired man growled at the trembling girl before him. "Were what?"
Tears were threatening to stream down her cheeks. "W-were acc-accidentally k-k-killed."
Marik positively leapt at her, catching her by the shoulders and slamming her against the nearest wall. He was fuming inwardly and an unsuppressed fire was blazing in his lavender eyes. But before he could cause any more damage to the squirming girl in his grasp, he was grabbed by the back of his shirt by an even firmer grip than his own.
"Enough, you fucking sadist!" Seto Kaiba hissed as he pulled the furious leader off. He smirked, amused, at Marik's display of lack of self-control. "Haven't you ever heard not to kill the messenger?"
Marik snarled with an animal-like rage and jerked away from Kaiba's grasp, but even he was smart enough not to cross Seto Kaiba. Instead, he tried to recompose himself. "Well, since Kapler is gone…" He cracked his neck to the side, "What is your asking price?"
"Four million, Marik," Kaiba said coldly, "No less."
Serenity inhaled at the massive price, but Marik only replied: "Fine." He turned to one of his cronies and made a gesture that obviously was a signal to go and get the cash. Sure enough, the man left the room.
The petite girl stared at her feet. She knew that she was supposed to negotiate her rebel unit out of their mess, but Marik was scaring her into silence. "Um, sir?" She winced as the pair of lavender eyes focused on her again, but he said nothing. "I was s-supposed to… um…"
"Who the hell cares what you were supposed to do?" Marik sneered at her as she trembled fearfully, "All you rebels are all the fucking same: pathetic and hopeless."
This really struck a nerve in Serenity, and the normally very calm girl simply snapped. "Do you even know what you're fighting for, you jerk?!"
Kaiba raised an eyebrow and smirked evilly at the girl's outburst. It was amusing to see Marik getting bitched at by a little pixie.
Marik growled, but the girl continued instead: "I bet you don't. Your side was the totalitarian society of the already in-control government who wanted to oppress and control every facet of life for the people under you!" Serenity was on the verge of tears. "Why can't you see how egotistic and greedy that is?"
"At least I'm not some idealistic sap who wants everyone to have the damn same amount of everything. So take all your fucked up ideas of sugar-sweet government and shove it, bitch!" Marik yelled furiously, looking at her as if he wanted to just wring her neck then and there.
Serenity bit her lip, and the poor girl felt her sudden spark of resolve disappear. Swallowing, she stared at her feet, trying rather unsuccessfully to think of something to say in reply.
It was a hopeless cause.
At that moment, the man who'd gone to get Kaiba's money came back into the room. He was carrying a briefcase, which he put on a table and opened. Trenchcoat billowing behind him, the CEO strode over and examined the cash with a quick eye. "This is only half of what I asked for, Marik."
"Yes, I know," Marik replied icily, "I've only received half of my ordered equipment, Kaiba. That doesn't make me happy."
This didn't settle well with a certain Seto Kaiba. Nope, it didn't settle well at all.
"Making miserable losers like you happy is not my job, Marik. I demand my payment in full. Now." He crossed his arms over his chest and narrowed his emotionless eyes.
"Take it or leave it, Kaiba."
There was a long, tense silence.
Serenity stepped forward, timidly. "C-can I l-leave now?"
Marik whirled on her and grabbed her by her hair, causing her to shriek miserably. "Sure. I'll let you go as soon as I'm done with him." He released her with a sharp jerk that sent her slamming onto her knees.
Kaiba narrowed his eyes even further, and his mouth tightened grimly. But he remained silent.
"What do you say, Almighty Kaiba?" Marik mocked, feeling more in-control now. He cast a glance at the cowering girl on her knees. Maybe he wouldn't let her go. Not just yet… Afterall, she was such a pretty little thing…
"Fine. But I expect the other half of my payment by the end of the week and no later." Kaiba hissed. He snapped the briefcase closed and sent a bloodcurdling glare in Marik's direction. His eyes turned to the rather ruffed-up girl kneeling on the ground, and his eyes snapped back up to see a smirk on Marik's pretty-boy face. Kaiba could see it in his eyes that Marik wasn't going to let her go…
"Get up, girl!" Marik barked at Serenity, who winced at the commanding tone. However, she painfully rose from her aching knees. Marik's smirk widened as he sadistically took pleasure in seeing her grimace in pain. He pulled her forcefully towards him. "Get comfortable, doll-face, cause you'll be here a while."
Serenity's honey-colored eyes widened. "But you said you'd let me go!"
Marik threw back his head and laughed diabolically, "Sweetheart, if everyone kept their word, the world would be a boring place."
"I'm just a messenger. I'm no spy! I just want to see my brother!" Serenity protested, wrenching herself away from the man's strong grip. But Marik grabbed her by her wrists so tightly that she positively screamed.
"Leave her alone."
Marik's lavender eyes flickered over from his prey to the towering blue-eyed man who he had come to loathe with a passion. He released Serenity's reddening wrists and pushed her backwards to the floor. She landed with a soft cry as shockwaves pulsed through her body. Through all this, she wondered why the unfeeling Seto Kaiba was sticking up for her. Did he have morals, afterall?
"Oh, I don't think so Kaiba," Marik snarled, "She's a messenger from the other side. I think I'm entitled to have a little fun with her. Don't even try to spoil it."
"There's nothing I'd like better than to spoil your fun, Marik." Kaiba chuckled darkly. He didn't so much as glance at the fearful Serenity as he continued talking. "Besides… I need assurance that I'll get the rest of my pay after I give you the rest of Kaiba Corp's equipment."
Marik's eyes flashed dangerously. "What kind of assurance?"
In one swift motion, Kaiba bent down and lifted Serenity up by one of her arms. "Like her," he said, grinning at Marik's anger.
Serenity began to tremble again. Honestly, she was thrown off by Kaiba's actions. It had seemed like he had actually wanted to help her. But now, she saw that he only wanted her as insurance that he'd get his money on time. So when it came right down to it, she was scared.
Really scared.
Marik's face was contorted in rage. It wasn't that he actually cared about whether he had the girl or not. It had instead morphed into a power-struggle exercise. If he let Kaiba take her, then Marik would lose some of his control… "I don't think so, Kaiba."
The sleek CEO had expected that. "If you don't let me have an assurance, than I guess I could just call this whole deal off. But I warn you that the projection equipment won't work in three dimensions if you don't get the other half."
Marik was stuck between a rock and a hard place, and he knew it. A vein pulsed on his forehead, and he clenched his jaw. Above all else, he couldn't afford to be technologically behind his enemy. His side had to win this war. "Take her," he said tightly, "But you'd better bring her back. She's a prisoner of the aristocrats now."
"I'll be seeing you soon, Marik," Kaiba replied deeply with a smirk. He'd won a minor battle, and it was a damned good feeling. He shifted the briefcase in his left hand, and moved the girl with his right. "Come on, kid."
Serenity shuddered as she was steered by her forearm through a series of metal doors and out into an alley. The sun was beginning to peek over the horizon, and Serenity only then realized that she was positively exhausted. But fear was creeping in. The petite girl stole a glance at the face of the man who had rescued and recaptured her at the same time.
She tried to squirm her arm out of his strong grip, but it was only tightened. Tears began streaming down her cheeks. There was no telling what this cold man might have in store for her.
"Stop crying," Kaiba said, "And clean your face." He released his grip on her forearm and thrust a navy handkerchief from his trenchcoat in her face.
Serenity wiped around her eyes and gingerly brushed against her bruised forehead, but no matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't stop crying. Every move that Kaiba made caused her to flinch. She'd always heard stories about the way the CEO of Kaiba Corp could intimidate people by his mere presence, but she'd never really believed them… until now. She handed the handkerchief back to Kaiba with tears brimming her eyes.
"I thought I told you to stop crying," Kaiba hissed at the girl who refused to make eye contact.
"S-sorry… I j-just can't h-help it."
"Are you scared of me?" Kaiba asked, thoroughly amused at the easy domination he held over her.
Serenity shuddered and stared at her feet. She was indeed scared of him. Out of her wits, actually. Wasn't that obvious? But she wasn't about to come out and tell him that. Instead, she asked, "So w-which s-side are y-you on?"
"I don't take sides, unless there's something that I am guaranteed to gain," Kaiba said matter-of-factly in his deep voice. Thus far, neither side of this petty civil war had offered him anything substantial for his loyalty.
Serenity cast a glance at the end of the alley, and she suddenly made a run for it. Breathing rapidly, she dashed rapidly down the alley, but Kaiba had been prepared for that. He grabbed her by the back of her neck and shoved her back up against the alley wall.
"What are you thinking, girl?" He hissed in her face.
Serenity's throat tightened and a strangled sob emerged from her throat.
Kaiba rolled his eyes. He grabbed her forearm again and steered her to the end of the alley. Once there, he released her and gave her a push in the small of the back. "Go."
"You m-mean, you're j-just letting m-me go?" The petite girl stuttered, not believing what she was hearing.
"Don't make me repeat myself." Kaiba replied stiffly, staring straight into her innocent eyes.
Serenity was bewildered, and her fears were beginning to calm. "Why are you letting me just leave?"
The CEO turned his gaze to face the sun rising over the tops of the gloomy city. "I'm no saint, kid. But I'm no damn rapist either."
"What about Marik?" Serenity asked, worriedly. Despite her own welfare, she was worrying about what would happen to the man who had once again turned into a rescuer.
"He can go fuck himself for all I care," Kaiba snapped. Anytime anyone mentioned Marik, the CEO showed even more temper than usual. And that was saying a lot.
Serenity wrung her hands. She had not expected this from this intimidating man. Was he actually showing her some form of compassion? She swallowed and made as if to touch his arm, but she thought better of it and pulled back at the last minute. "Thank you," she said quietly, pulling something off her neck, "I want you to have this."
The CEO turned to find her pressing something cold and hard into his hand. He clenched his hand instinctively around it and looked up in time to see her petite form running off down the street into the pre-dawn light with her auburn hair was blowing softly behind her.
His steely blue eyes remained emotionless as he turned his gaze back to whatever pathetic gift that girl had given him. It was a silver locket with one word engraved across the top in cursive: Serenity. Kaiba's fingers rubbed over the engraving, not thinking of anything in particular.
Navy trenchcoat billowing behind him in the early morning breeze, the CEO of Kaiba Corp strode solemnly down the shadowy sidewalk. The briefcase in one hand and the locket in the other, he passed by a few men who cast threatening glances his way but didn't actually threaten him.
Eventually, Kaiba found what he was looking for- a trash basket.
For one moment, he dangled the silver locket with the girl's name over the basket. And in that moment, Kaiba had every intention of dropping it and just leaving it to tarnish and remain forgotten…
But he didn't do it.
As Kaiba walked away, with the locket stuck in his coat pocket, he let out a tired sigh. He had an hour before he was expected at work, and he expected that it was only ten minutes before the symphony of shots from snipers on the innocent began.
Such was a normal and yet abnormal day in Domino City…
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Elenion: Feedback and all that jazz is greatly appreciated! Hopefully, you liked it. I should be updating sometime soon.
