Necropolis demon
Disclaimer: YuGiOh is the property of Kazuki Takahashi not Necro's got it/everyone nods/ the world's unfair isn't it/everyone nods/ I should own YuGiOh shouldn't I/Everyone enthusiastically nods/ But I don't /sad faces/
Necro: I AM SO SORRY, it's been I think 2 months since I updated this fic…real sorry! My friend inspired me to write this chapter so everyone say 'thanks' to him for giving me inspiration as well as posting my fics and stuff. /claps for friend/
Note: There's a small part here wherein Kaiba mentions something about hacking into Industrial Illusion's computers in the past. I'm not making this up ok coz somewhere in Duelist Kingdom, Kaiba actually hacked Pegasus' system to watch over one of Yugi's duels. I can't remember which episode but this really did happen in the series.
The GameChapter 11 The Apprentice
Kaiba and Ryou sat there alone in a table for two by the window to have a meeting while waiting to start eating an expensive lunch in one of Domino's most expensive and classy restaurants. They sat there quietly as they waited for their food to arrive; Kaiba had ordered for Ryou since Ryou didn't seem to understand half of what was on the menu…there were so many fancy names for all sorts of foods making them sound weird and well…basically weird. Thus, Kaiba ordered for his classmate, saving the pale teen the embarrassment.
As the two teenagers waited for their orders to arrive they simply kept themselves silent with Kaiba in his stoic expressions and Ryou fidgeting uncomfortably at their silence; the white blond kept on looking around and looking down at his lap to later on fiddle with the lapel of his school uniform. Only the music of the violins and sounds of clattering and chattering rich people filed the atmosphere…all this luxury surely making Ryou feel unwelcome and out of place.
"Why so tense Ryou?" the wealthy CEO of KaibaCorp suddenly spoke up with his cool attitude, watching his classmate shrink back and cringe at the smallest things.
"S-sorry" the pale teen meekly apologized, casting his head downwards and avoiding Kaiba's gaze.
The wealthy teen raised a brow of intrigued wonder at his soft-spoken classmate's apology since it was rather…odd for a person to apologize so easily…and for a small thing such as being tense too. It was uncomfortable for Ryou to be sitting there in that restaurant, being different from everyone else with his clearly middle class attire…but not because he was different and standing out but because he was with Seto Kaiba…no, can't be… he wouldn't be tense around a guy he's already been acquainted with before…with a guy who has been to one of his sleepovers…with a guy who he's been so comfortable being with lately… but what else could explain this feeling of…embarrassment? He's been spending a lot of time with Kaiba ever since the KaibaCorp contest started and in fact…he's been getting rather fond of Kaiba.
The white blond tried to stop his musings and instead got on to business with Kaiba, "So…
What is it that you wanted to talk to me about?" he asked softly, watching his classmate shift and sit up straight.
Lunch went fairly well between the two teens; they ate and chatted here and there about certain things, not really looking like they were having a meeting of some sort…just a friendly chat and lunch between the two of them. The two didn't seem to discuss anything about Kaiba's primary reason for inviting Ryou to lunch…it seemed rather odd actually…in fact it looked more like a …do I dare say it…date.
In the middle of their meal, Kaiba had casually brought up whatever it was that he had wanted to discuss with Ryou in the first place. As Ryou took a sip of his beverage Kaiba took the opportunity to speak up, "Your entry's been doing quite well in the contest." He said.
"Yes, I suppose it is." The white blond replied in his usual kind manner but then put up a slight frown, "I can't really say the same about things in KaibaCorp though…you must be having a really hard time with taking care of everything." He spoke with a guilty look.
"Things have been rather…hectic and crazy at work." Kaiba replied, "with all the paperwork and the media."
"Sorry." Came Ryou's barely audible and guilty reply.
"For what may I ask?"
"For making your work load increase…I know that you must be quite tired from work and well" a pause, "I-I'm sure that I've been such a bother…with that stuff that happened back at the yacht and such…I'm really sorry about that." The pale teen apologized softly.
The CEO let out an exasperated sigh of annoyance at his classmate, "I've told you before that what happened was of my choice." The brunette spoke calmly, "I could've prevented all that ruckus and confusion if I had acted right but I chose to defy my common sense and instead did what I did…believe me Ryou when I say it was not your fault, none of it was." He said as he stared deep into his classmate's eyes and made sure that Ryou wouldn't feel guilty anymore.
They looked at each other…both with some sort of hidden emotion shinning in their eyes…shutting out everything from the outside world just to stare and drown in each other's beauty…Ryou was the first one to break away from the spell though.
"Um…w-well what was it that you wanted to discuss with me?" he spoke quietly with a slight tinge of red on his cheeks.
The wealthy brunette was silent for a moment as if in deep thought, he sat up straight and crossed his arms with a stoic look on his handsome face, "Very well then, on with business." He spoke, making Ryou shift uncomfortably.
"As you know, we've been the object of a lot of gossip…all sorts of false rumors that are leading to one thing then to another, it is NOT good publicity for KaibaCorp." The brunette spoke, "People who hear rumors about us assume them to be true because of the whole scenario."
"We have to put a stop to all this but the question is; how?" Kaiba spoke.
"I-I don't know, I've never been good with dealing about stuff like that…" the pale teen replied.
"I've thought of a few possible solutions to all this but…most of these solutions still leaves some opening for the media to easily twist but-" he paused, eyeing the white blond teen.
"But what?"
"There is one possible answer that could work…are you willing to cooperate?"
The pale teen paused a bit and thought …Kaiba needed Ryou's cooperation in this…but what was 'this'? A single look at Kaiba's beautiful eyes made all doubt leave Ryou's mind, no one could possibly resist Seto Kaiba…whether the brunette's being a snob or not.
"Sure, I'm willing to cooperate." Ryou smiled.
"Is that final?" Kaiba asked calmly.
"Yes."
"Come closer." The brunette beckoned with his index finger, Ryou obediently leaned closer and listened intently to his classmate, "I've been studying your past official records regarding to dueling and I've found absolutely no negative or bad marks about you on your history as a duelist. In fact, your record doesn't seem much, but the thing is it's practically blank."
"Yes, I know, I've never dueled much actually…well in official duels that is." The pale teen replied.
"Well, the point is that I was thinking of filling up your records by hacking Industrial Illusion's systems, that way I can put a little more about your dueling skills."
"But isn't that illegal?"
"I've done it before back at Duelist Kingdom and I can do it again, it's not illegal if you don't get caught now is it?" Kaiba smirked evilly, making Ryou's spine chill and shiver by instinct.
"I just…I've never actually been…an expert player, otherwise I would at least be famous in our neighborhood."
"You've got skill…no doubt about that, but you've never shown it to anyone before." The brunette spoke seriously, "Only now have you ever had the opportunity to show everyone your worth…you've seen how everyone was stuck to their seats when you explained about your game entry back at the yacht haven't you?"
"In short, what I'm saying is that I'm going to get everyone to notice you with a click of a mouse…it's your choice Mr. Bakura." Kaiba offered.
To be seen and heard…and noticed…to be visible…here was the chance of a lifetime being offered by none other than Kaiba! Here was Ryou's chance to step up to the stage…was he worthy? Was he doing the right thing? Wasn't this cheating? If he agreed to this wouldn't that make those rumors about Kaiba purposely letting a contestant cheat true?
Kaiba saw the doubt in his classmate's eyes and immediately spoke up to entice Ryou to comply, "Ryou…you deserve this, you've done good…you should step up for once instead of hiding." He allured, "why do you hide so much when you have such talent?" he questioned seriously.
How could someone so different from Ryou in terms of facades be able to figure out exactly what goes on inside that pale teen's head? Hiding…in the dark…invisible to all…and yet…someone still managed to find him…lending a helping hand to pull him out of the dark abyss…Kaiba…
With finality the pale teen nodded in agreement, making Kaiba smirk in triumph, "Ok, I suppose it's ok."
"Good, now that's just phase one." At this the brunette drew back and continued to speak, "phase two is that you'll be my assistant."
"Excuse me? I don't get it." Ryou interrupted softly.
"With your now qualifying records I now have a good enough reason to make you an assistant of mine." A pause to take a sip of a beverage, "with you as an assistant the press will think that my past support for you was all because you are basically a fledgling of mine." The brunette concluded.
"W-wait…fledgling? Are you saying…you want me to be some sort of student of yours?" the pale teen asked incredulously.
"Apprentice to be exact." Kaiba replied calmly, at this Ryou's eyes practically widened with horror as his face froze.
"But still…all this would be favoritism for a contestant wouldn't it?" Ryou replied, looking a bit reluctant to go on with his classmate's crazy plan.
"Once the media grabs hold of your past records and finds it with past expertise notes and good remarks about your skills they wont be able to say that you've been getting any inside help from me, the hacked records will provide you with the perfect alibi."
"So you've planned for me to be your so-called apprentice who has confidential records containing high praise and expert marks to cover up the truth about me being a newbie who only got to duel on an expert level during Battle City…is there anything else?" Ryou asked sarcastically.
"No, that's about it."
"Do I really have to be an apprentice?" the white blond sighed exasperatedly, trying to whine but only receiving a composed nod from his classmate, "Fine, it's not like I have any other choice anyway, at least it'll solve our gossip problem."
"So we have a deal?" the brunette enticed.
"If I agree to all this then…I'd get caught up with the media like some sort of celebrity…I have to check if all this will be all right with my father." Ryou explained, "I don't want to do something this radical without his consent."
"Well, ask him then."
"I-I can't…he's on one of his digs…he's currently in Egypt and wont be coming home for the next three months." The pale teen explained sadly, "I haven't been able to contact him for a while and he's really hard to reach." Ryou added softly with a depressed expression on his face.
The white blond paused a bit as he thought of his father…he really missed his father…he truly did… Oh how he yearned for the day that his broken family would be mended by the return of his father…
"You must miss him a lot." The stoic brunette suddenly spoke up with a slight and barely noticeable emotion of compassion showing in his ocean-blue eyes.
"I really do" the young assistant replied with a feeling of warmth for his sole audience's hidden sympathy "…he's rarely at home so I…I just wish he'd call more often."
"Tell you what," the CEO spoke up, "if you agree to be my apprentice I'll get some of my corporate detectives to get your father to contact you more often." The stoic CEO spoke calmly, making Ryou another offer.
"Kaiba…my father…I don't want to bother him with my selfish reasons so it's really ok if he wont contact me as much-" a sad laugh of a depressed teen.
"You're his son and he should at least call you more often. Ryou, don't you want to talk to your father more often? To be able to tell him what's been going on with his son's life lately? He'll be proud to know that your game entry is one of the best in Domino."
The white blond thought deeply about his classmate's words…he really wanted his father to be proud of him…"I-I suppose…I guess it'll be all right with Father if I become your assistant."
"It'll make him proud Ryou." The brunette added, "So do we have a deal Mr. Bakura?" the CEO held out his right hand to shake hands with Ryou in a gesture of professionalism.
"Yes, we have a deal Mr. Kaiba." Ryou replied in an equally professional way. They shook hands and ended their discussion then continued to smoothen a few rough edges about their little pact. As their meeting progressed, Kaiba filled Ryou in with a few KaibaCorp issues that they would be facing now that Ryou was Kaiba's official apprentice.
From board meetings to social gatherings…to press conferences and being Kaiba's full-time secretary…Ryou was really going to do this…he was really going to be Kaiba's apprentice, assistant, whatever. The white blond was going to be the famous CEO's right man…from boring and unnoticed to a sort of junior executive…wow. But still…all that stress would eventually get to the pale teen.
…Well at least Kaiba mentioned that the young game designer was going to get paid.
Necro: Yes! Finally! I finished another chapter. It's not too random is it? I tried my best to make Kaiba's plan to make Ryou his apprentice seem logical and fitting for the whole story ok. Now...the 'apprentice thing'…I know that there are other solutions to Kaiba and Ryou's media problem but I just got Kaiba to use the apprentice alibi so he could get closer to Ryou and at the same time be able to reason out of the scandal stuff.
Review this fic! Or I shall send Kaiba's bodyguards to beat you up/people start to run away/ No wait! I wasn't threatening you! Come Back! Review THE GAME! AND DESTINED DUEL! Please! Have mercy! Don't leave me! I'm afraid of being alone! I need to feed on reviews! I- /starts coughing/ darn, I shouted to much…
Oh and MERRY CHRISTMAS TO EVERYONE!