Scusi. I haven't been updating like I usually should! Gah, I wouldn't be surprised if everyone thought I was dead! Anyway, I have returned for the time being. and hopefully I can reunite with my former schedule of updating on a regular basis.

. . . I highly doubt it . . .

Thank you everyone for your generous reviews! And I will see this story to the end, once it reaches that destination.

In the Company of Wealth
Chapter 8 - Apparition

The demon perched on top of the ceiling fan, its demonic eyes resting on the brothers talking. He could feel the pulsating light within the possessed blonde. There had to be a way to stop the light. If they took control of the CEO, they could take the holographic generators and summon every lesser demon who did not have the strength to will themselves to this realm of reality.

But now there was that Malsworth to deal with . . . and Noah as well. They would both pose as a threat. A sickening threat. He had to tell his Master, they had to further their plans --- and fast.

': Kaiba Mansion :'

Get out of my damn head ya damn poltergeist!

Seto winced at those words as he entered his luxurious garage. It was bad enough to be in the mutt's body, but also having him screaming into his ears is hardly a welcoming migraine.

Mokuba followed on his brother's heels, still drying the tears which stained Joey's jacket. He hoped Joey wouldn't mind. "Hey, Seto?"

"Hmmm?" Came the rather strained reply. Needless to say, he had been trying to rid his words of that Manhattan touch without avail. Why did it have to be a Manhattan drawl of all things imaginable? French he could deal with ---- even English or Spanish. But Manhattan? That was like another world's drawl.

"What are you planning on doing?" Mokuba asked as he watched his brother slip Joey's irking green jacket from his shoulders and slip on a black trench coat. Meh, it was a bit better fit with the stone cold gaze. But still. "And if your going to change, do it the whole way."

Seto smirked back to his sibling and ran his hands through the blond disshelved hair. "No time. I want to deal with dis trouble as quickly as I can. Then I'll worry about my own trouble." He winced at the accent as his brother laughed. "Oh hush up. I'm doin' the best I very well damn can!"

Please get your grubby paws out of my body whoever ya are! I mean it! This is a one-roomed apartment!

Not anymore mutt, Seto finally responded and unlocked the doors to his BMW Roadster --- assured only for times such as these when he needed some speed.

There was a blunt pause in his mind, and then a slight shiver in Joey's essence. K-Kaiba? He appeared transparently beside his body, gazing horrifically to the inhabitant. Is that you?

"Who else would it be?" Seto asked aloud and strapped himself in. Mokuba raised an eyebrow from the question when Seto shook his head. Just shut up and I'll be out of your way in time. Praying it will be sooner.

B-But . . . Kaiba --- I thought --- weren't you ---

"Don't. Say. Dead." Seto hissed and cranked the car up. It rumbled softly as he glanced over to his brother, reached over the raven hair, and grasped the unbuckled seatbelt. He yanked it over Mokuba and clicked it quickly, making sure it was tight. Mokuba looked at him quizzically. Seto looked back and shifted the gear into reverse. "I'm your brother. It's what I do. We don't want you dead too, do we?"

Mokuba paled juristically and clawed the seat stiffly. "N-No Seto."

"Thought not," Seto grinned and pressed down on the pedal, shooting into reverse and spinning to the proper direction. Then he pressed the stick shift into gear and felt his seatbelt to make sure it was tight. It was.

Mokuba raised an eyebrow, "What's wrong?"

"Making sure I won't fly out of the window. I doubt the mutt would like that." Then he shoved his foot down onto the pedal and vroomed from the estate quickly, typing in the address of James Burgundy Malsworth on the pathfinder. It showed him the roads to take the quickest and he took them. The BMW entered the roaring city streets quickly.

Mokuba glanced around at the scenery, Joey transparently leaning through the two seats from the back. "Seto, something's wrong."

There's no other cars! Joey exclaimed and shot his head through the roof to get a better view. Not a car or guy in sight! He sat back down and glanced to Kaiba. Hey Seto---

What? Kaiba growled from the use of his first name by a mutt. I know that there aren't any people on the streets! I'm not blind you know.

Gah! You don't have to snap about it. Jeez, I know you're scared just as much as me. Joey pried, leaning through the gap in the two seats.

Seto snorted at the comment and clasped the steering wheel tighter. He was scared --- no, he was frightened beyond recognition. Why did his brother have to get into this? Where could his brother be safe at? Surely not the mansion and with them, it seemed an unlikely haven. Glancing down to the pathfinder again as he drove, out of the corner of his eyes he found Mokuba stiffen and looked up himself. "Shit!"

The car swerved, tires screeching, and slid sideways into the sidewalk where it promptly stopped after knocking into a streetlamp and a mailbox. Swearing loudly and rudely, Seto unbuckled his belt and turned back to Joey. "I swear! Keep an eye out on Mokuba."

But what can I ---

Seto narrowed his eyes as they began to glow a silken blue. Mokuba gasped and groped to the dashboard. A blast of force sent Joey smashing into the cushioned back seat, glowing blue himself. The CEO's eyes dulled and finally returned to the cold blue, himself winded from the small burst. "Now you can't make any damn excuses!" He snapped and kicked the door open to glare at the man in the center of the street, slamming the door behind him.

Joey gulped and pried himself from the impression in the seat. "Ow . . ."

Mokuba dropped his jaw. "J-Joey . . ."

The blonde stared to Mokuba and then to himself. He was glowing blue! --- and making impressions in the seat as he sat. "I didn't know Kaiba could do this . . ." He climbed through the gap in the seat to the front and sat Indian-style in the driver's seat, slightly shaken. His sweaty hand tugged on Mokuba's shoulder and pulled him back into his seat. "Stay still and close."

"Okay," Mokuba agreed and scooted over the middle compartment and into Joey's lap unrepentantly. He also became immersed into the glowing blue. "What --- or who is that?"

"I don't know, but it looks like a guy with wings. But who do we know that had greenish hair?"

The youth paused, eyes widen. "N-N---"

"Who are you?" Seto snapped rabidly to the teen not much older than him, who stared at him with ice eyes. "Why in the hell are ya standin' in the middle of the road?" He growled when the young man tilted his head and grinned. The eyes flashed a deep, ink aqua --- the color of the pure Caribbean Sea. Seto lowered his shoulders. "What do ya want?"

The young man seemed rather distant for a few moments. Distant, bull. He was enjoying the silence of what was around. The utter silence of being alone. Then he spoke, smoothly and softly, "I want to apologize."

"For what? Have we ---"

Seto spun around to the car again when the door was kicked open by Mokuba, and the raven-haired youth scrambled from the car, Joey grappling at his ankles and legs, pleading him to stay inside.

The youth kicked Joey square in the nose and scrambled to his brother, "Noah."

"Noah? What?" Seto glanced back to the winged man and thought for a long, blank moment. Then his jaw tightened. "You . . . I thought you ---"

"I want to say that I am sorry, even though you should be saying it too. I want to help you. The demons are about to storm into Veracity Inc. within the hour and implement their plans. We don't have time for anything more than a sorry, brother." Noah's voice was crackling, his elegant speckled wings twitching with nervousness. "May I help?"

Mokuba clasped hands with his brother and looked up. Seto's eyes were hid under shaggy blonde locks, but the youth could see the muscles in his jaw pulsing, throbbing. They always did that when he thought. "Seto . . ."

Seto took a deep, deserved breath and lifted his head to the other man. "If you can fit your wings into my car you can."

The speckled wings dispersed. "Thank you."

"And Noah."

"Yes, Seto?"

"I am sorry for saying those malicious words to you. If anyone should deserve it, its me. I let my own family down when I took that choice." He tightened his grip on Mokuba's hand. "Can you forgive me?"

Noah advanced towards the car and stopped beside Seto, smiling. "Of course."

Joey tilted his head and retracted back into the car. Was this really Seto? It didn't seem so. This wasn't the cold, heartless CEO he knew --- the arrogant, egotistical, rich jackass he knew. Something seemed different --- and it was the fact that Seto was in his body. It was more upon the basis of heart. Had he grown one? Or did he see the light to unlock his own heart?

Either way, it was peculiar yet welcoming, even as Seto shoved him roughly into the back seat with his shoe.

Ah, paradigm shifts are in the air! Please review! It is very helpful to know if my story is appreciated or not.

(Pst, the rumor is, 4 reviews or I won't continue!)