ALL'S FAIR IN LOVE AND WAR
Elenion: I do not own the Yu-Gi-Oh franchise or anything associated with it.
Yamiko Yakou- Thanks so much. –blushes- As for Marik... Well, I picture him as Hikari Marik only before he was separated from his Yami and saw the error of his ways. He's not possessed or anything, he's just (like you said) an ass. That's my vision of him here. And the chapters are short... I feel bad about that, but it just helps me get them out faster (of course, it's bad for readers because there's more cliffies that way). I think that the chapters may get longer as time goes by... Not sure though. Thanks again!
Peneia Teke- Kaiba did just sit there for a while, didn't he? I mean, I guess at least he did stop it, but he sure did take his own sweet time. You're very welcome for the comments. You write very nicely and with a lot of realism. Keep it up!
Walis- Skilled cliffies... yeah. I've noticed that I put a lot of those in here. But thanks for the compliments! That was really nice of you. And, lol, don't worry, I will update ASAP no matter if I'm dying to read Fruits Basket or not. And as for if Kaiba stopped it in time, well, you'll see. But like you said, that would be a real plot-killer if he didn't. btw, I hope you're planning on updating "Ghost" soon. That fic of yours made me laugh so hard!
pink-strawberries- Ah, another Fruits Basket fan! I see I'm not alone. It is very lovable, isn't it? It really sucks that there's only 4 volumes out in America, though... Ugh. But anyways, thanks so much!
Jieli- Wow, thanks a bunch! You make it sound like I'm doing everything right! I tried to put a few twists in the story so it would be kinda unique, and from what you said, it sounds like I achieved my goal. And, yes, Fruits Basket! I mean, you just have to love it, don't you? I've only read the manga. I haven't seen it yet, but from what I understand, they only did one season... Sigh. C'est la vie.
kikoken- It does seem like Kaiba's seen the light (but it took him long enough, I mean, she could have died). And like you said, it's about time he did something not evil. Also, I want to say that you really are very good at suspense. And, I mean, who doesn't take an idea from a movie every now and then? I've done it before... The thing is that you've made the stories so your own that even if you did base a part of it off the movie, you'd really never know. Anyways, thanks a bunch and I look forward to your updates!
Eternity's Angel- Yes, it sure did take Kaiba long enough. He really does need to do something. I mean, it's half his fault that whole thing happened anyhow. And I sure as hell know what you're talking about with school. It's like a time-eating machine. Pure evil, I tell you. All we can do is hang on and try to get through... Sigh. Well, thanks and keep on reading!
PyroKittyKat- Hey thanks! I try to keep it interesting. Just tell me if it's not, cuz I'll have to remedy that right away. But I'm wasting your time gabbing, aren't I? I'll stop so that you can get to the meat of the story...
KrNKyutEe- Well, I wrote it from Serenity's perspective... so yeah, it is confusing. Ok. So basically, what happened was this: explosives all along the dock begin going off, hell breaks loose, all that jazz. Serenity is thrown into the air, lands, and a projected image of Marik is shown in the middle of the still-exploding dock... kind of like a signature is you will. Kaiba stops the explosive system from his computer before it causes any more damage. I think that's the gist of it.
Baka Neko Molly-chan- Yes, last chapter was short. Unfortunately, so is this one. They will get longer... but for now, I think I like them better short. Don't ask. I'm weird like that. Thanks so much! Glad you like it! And, yeah, Fruits Basket is really good. I'm soooo hooked.
tearz4yoo- You like the idea? Thanks, glad to hear it. As for where I'm going... well, that's a secret. I know it sounds cruel, but, yeah... Stay tuned for the next episode!
Elenion: Well, read on!
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Chapter 7
"What the fuck is going on?!?!"
The worker gulped heavily, his boss watching him like a vulture. All his courage had evaporated, leaving him with raw fear grating against every nerve. He wanted to run screaming bloody murder out of that dark room full of computer monitors... but running would only make it worse.
"I... I d-don't know, Mr. Ishtar, s-sir," the poor man whispered hoarsely, eyes frozen on his monitor.
Those deadly lavender eyes flashed with blinding fury. "Well, if you value one insignificant hair on your miserable body, you'd fucking better find out!!!!"
The worker stared at his trembling fingers, willing them to move across the keyboard. But he didn't even know where to start. The only thing his mind was telling him was the list of obscenities being shoved down his throat.
"Well?" Marik hissed, throwing a strand of champagne-blonde behind his ear.
"M-mr. Ishtar, th-there should be n-nothing wrong..."
"Does it look like I care what it should be?"
The worker tried to steady his breathing. One wrong word and he'd be out on the streets without a job. No. Scratch that. He'd be out in the streets with flies crawling over his lifeless corpse. That was the type of man that Marik Ishtar was...
However, he had been telling the truth. All system checks of the CRES prior to detonation had affirmed that there was nothing wrong. Furthermore, any Kaiba Corp product was backed by Seto Kaiba himself. In all actuality, the only thing that could have stopped the Chain Reaction Explosive System was the operator.
But he hadn't done anything...
Marik watched his employee sway beneath his wrath like a feather in a windstorm. In any other situation, he would have been quite pleased... but it just had not been a good day. First Seto Kaiba himself... and now the CRES. "Don't you have any ideas at all?"
"N-no, sir... unless th-there's another operator..."
Marik snorted, ironically amused by his underling's suggestion. It was amazing what types of idiotic answers people would think up just to keep their filthy little jobs. "That's impossible, you fool."
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The silence.
That was what was most eerie... the dead, wispy silence.
It was possible that the only sound for miles was the barely audible whir of the Kaiba Corp copter blades overhead. The two pilots watched as the desolate cityscape vanished beneath them replaced by an endless row of docks.
"So... exactly why are we doing this?" one of the pilots asked in a somewhat hushed voice.
The other pilot, who had a noticeable scar from the right corner of his right eye to his chin, snorted. "If anyone can read the mind of Seto Kaiba, I'll give him my firstborn child."
The first pilot felt a laugh ready to burst from his throat, but it died on his lips. Any thought of mirth or joking was gone. "Oh... oh my gods..." His gloved hands trembled on the chopper's controls for a moment, eyes wide behind the tinted goggles.
You would think after so many years of terror, two chopper pilots would be used to seeing destruction around every street corner. But for some reason, they had just never gotten hardened to it. Some things just aren't meant to be unseen. And at times, they hated themselves for the jobs that they took- for an opportunist using the revolution as a child would a toy.
But it wasn't their job to question... even if they had to bite their tongues.
"So this... is Dock 118."
The chopper glided down to rest on the pavement about one hundred feet from the dock. It just wasn't safe enough to actually land on the splintered remains.
Looking for some girl would be like looking for a needle in a haystack. Especially when Marik Ishtar's goons might show up at any second with an array of 9mm's ready to say hello. It wasn't an enviable situation. Not in the least.
The pilot with the scar down his cheek gingerly tested his weight on a board before taking a step. He swallowed gingerly, trying to fight down any sense of anxiety. The demonic shadows were toying with his mind. It was almost as if they were grinning at him, teasing him.
His fellow pilot was climbing over a fallen wall of debris in the opposite direction. Time was of the essence. The man gritted his teeth soundly. If he knew his boss, Kaiba was probably watching them right now... with that awful grin on his face that didn't in the least extend to his cold, cobalt eyes.
Then he heard his scarred companion's voice over their headset communication link. "Hey, Keisuke? I... I think I found her."
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Marik cracked his knuckles menacingly, not leaving the monitor that clearly showed that his little escapade had failed. It didn't make any sense... and that was what really pissed him off.
"Can't you do anything?" he hissed in his quivering employee's ear.
This only resulted in his employee quivering more violently. If Marik hadn't known better, he would have thought that the man was having a seizure. Not that he would have cared...
With knotted brow, Marik snatched his cell phone from the hand of his hard-faced bodyguard. He punched the numbers in with forceful, choppy movements, such that it was a wonder that the small piece of technology didn't fall apart in his hands.
"Hello, this is Kaiba Corp. How may I be of-""Cut the bullshit, wench. Put Kaiba on the phone," Marik snapped sharply into the mouthpiece.
There was a pause in which the "wench" was probably recomposing herself. When she spoke, it was stiffly. "May I ask who's calling?"
"Ishtar."
Another silence. This time probably out of shock. "One moment, Mr. Ishtar."
Marik spent the next minute or so thinking up every possible threat that he could throw in Kaiba's direction. The stupid system he'd sent them was faulty, even if all the checks had proved otherwise... It had to be faulty.
A voice was on the other line again- but it was still the secretary. "Mr. Kaiba is unavailable at the moment, sir."
"Well, he'd better make himself fucking available!"
"I'm sorry, sir. But Mr. Kaiba has explicitly instructed that no one bother him today."With that, she hung up. Probably sore at being called a wench... or it could have been his excessive profanity.
Marik twitched for a moment, listening with gathering rage to the dial tone buzzing in his ear. How he hated when Kaiba got the best of him. If there was one person Marik wanted to see dead, it was the Great Seto Kaiba. But he couldn't do anything about that...
All his frustrations built into a virtual wave of burning anger, and Marik hurled the cell phone against the nearest wall. It clattered to the floor- now in halves. But the label on it- KC- mocked him still...
"You'd better figure out what happened..."
The employee nodded, wondering if his fate was going to be much like that of the cell phone. "I... I c-can g-get a video f-feed from the d-dock..."
Marik's eyes narrowed. "Do that, then."
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She was small, vulnerable, beautiful... crumpled on the wooden shards like some poor, broken doll. The shadows seemed to hang over her, as if they were attempting to swallow her whole.
The two pilots could do nothing but stare down at her for a few minutes.
'What could Seto Kaiba want with a girl like her?'Even as she lay pale and glistening with cold sweat, the auburn-haired girl seemed a memorial of innocence- of a life long-forgotten since the revolution began. And it made the pilots hate themselves even more. They didn't know who she was or where she came from... all they knew was that if they couldn't bring her back to Kaiba Corp headquarters, then they'd be forced to face the wrath of the CEO himself.
The scarred pilot bent down and took a good look at her, assessing her wounds carefully before he dared touch her. There was a great deal of tension in the dusty air. It made the man shiver, despite himself. "Keisuke... what time is it?"
"4:53 am."
There was no real way to tell how badly injured she was there in the dark. Even if she did have serious back or head injuries, they didn't have the time or equipment to properly take care of her. "Help me get her back to the chopper, will you?"
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'What... what's happening?'Everything was reeling. It almost felt like the floor beneath her was moving. A faint hum was in her ears, and she could have sworn that she'd been wrapped in some sort of blanket.
Try as she might, her eyes wouldn't open.
Serenity swam in and out of consciousness, with little energy to do much else. Her mind was still frozen, as it had been when she'd seen Marik's face... laughing...
But now there was silence, and she felt suspended in air.
'Is this what it's like to die?'
It almost sounded like people were talking... but nothing was really comprehensive. She felt as if she had no feeling- she was numb. And she slipped back into the dark again.
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The chopper flew in a high arch, circling the remains of Dock 118 once before heading smoothly back to their headquarters. There was a strong gale working against them, and a thick cloud of dusty remnants from the aftermath made the vision poor... but the two pilots had few doubts as to what they were doing.
The first pilot, Keisuke, pivoted his head once to look with mixed emotions at the petite girl laying in the back covered by a ratty old blanket they'd managed to find. He felt a well of pity flush out to her, willing her to open her eyes. Bruises and scratches, both small and large, stood out painfully on her delicate cheeks. Keisuke could only imagine who she was... what she had done to deserve something like this.
"Keisuke..."
The pilot looked around to see his companion staring at him.
"Keisuke, she's still alive. That's all we have to care about."
That was true. But still... he couldn't help but wonder why he had ever gotten involved in this war. He'd taken the job for money, that much was true... but he wondered if he would have stayed in Japan had he known what this revolution would bring to the city he once loved.
"Keisuke..."
Even his fellow pilot bore a scar from this rebellion- right down the right half of his face. One of Pegasus' men had decided they didn't like the Kaiba Corp pilot very much and had tried to teach him a lesson.
"Keisuke..."
"We'd better tell Mr. Kaiba we're coming."
His companion sighed. Obviously, whatever it was, Keisuke didn't want to talk about it. Not that he could blame him. This whole situation was more than he could handle sometimes. "Keisuke, why don't you do the honors?"
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"This is chopper KC169. We're on our way, Mr. Kaiba."
Two blue eyes burned acidly in the darkness. "And did you get what I asked for?"
"Yes, sir. Still alive... miraculously..."
"Good."
Click.
Those fools were probably bursting with questions. And yet, they probably hated him at the same time. In fact, they were probably feeling sorry for her... wondering what types of tortures he would subject her to...
They didn't know him at all.
Everyone thought they might be able to figure the blue-eyed dragon out... But no one ever succeeded. Not even his own little brother.
Kaiba rolled the delicate silver chain between his thumb and forefinger, reveling in the way it gleamed under the dim lighting. He was in a state of dark chaos, and his teeth suddenly grounded down. For all his amazing genius, he didn't understand what his motives were. Then, they might present themselves in time. But it was so damn frustrating...
And then there was Marik to deal with... No doubt he'd already called in an attempt to harass him. The blonde bastard would obviously try to claim that the CRES had been faulty.
Far from. It had worked perfectly.
Kaiba's thoughts were interrupted by a sudden alarm from his glowing laptop: "Warning. Unauthorized user located."
The CEO quickly clicked over a few things... and he smirked evilly. It was Marik, trying to hack into the Domino City Cargo-Shipping surveillance database. What Marik didn't know was that Kaiba had purposefully blocked all other users from accessing that particular database. Afterall, it would be quite detrimental to the Corporation if Marik Ishtar saw a KC chopper at the scene of his failed operation.
Kaiba's smirk widened. Marik was probably going berserk about now. Not only had the CRES failed and Kaiba refused to answer his call, but his employees would have no way to even access the information on the Domino City Cargo-Shipping database... at least not until Kaiba had finished with it.
His chopper and its cargo had to be a safe distance away first...
Marik... It was so entertaining just to piss him off. But even so, Kaiba realized he was playing a dangerous game. If you compared it to chess, he'd just made a very risky and foolhardy move. And he was awaiting his opponent's turn... But if Kaiba worked smoothly enough, Marik wouldn't even realize he'd made a bad move.
And the calculating dragon had every intention of making this work smoothly... No matter what the consequences entailed...
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Elenion: Well, tell me what you think so far! School has begun once more, so please forgive my snail-pace.
