Scene Four: Waltz

Asuka decided that she might as well get it over with. She gave her best smile to match Nina's probing glare.

"Edo, this is Nina Crawford. She's Pegasus's niece."

Here's hoping Edo didn't kill her.

He tentatively extended his hand towards Nina. "I've heard of you," he remarked. With the way his eyebrows were raised, Asuka couldn't imagine he heard many kind things.

But Nina took it as a compliment. "Oh have you?" She let her hand linger a moment on Edo's. "It's such a pleasure!" She batted her fake eyelash extensions.

"Quite," Edo intoned, gracefully plucking his hand out of her grasp.

He looked to Asuka. "So how do you two know each other?"

"Well Asuka's doing her little internship, so I've seen her around and you know, we started to hang out. Well, when she's not working that is." Nina prattled on without a care in the world. "She's such a busy bee. Poor thing wouldn't have much of a social life if it wasn't for me."

"What kind of work are you doing at your internship?" Edo asked, ignoring Nina. Which promptly shut the girl up.

Asuka had to clear her throat. "Right now, I-I'm mainly working with the Research and Development department." It sounded like she hadn't spoken in years. It didn't help that all the surrounding eyes seemed to be around the three of them. She thought she even saw Edo's manager among the spectators, looking quite amused.

"We go over the ideas card designers come up with and try to make them more…balanced. Not that they come up with anything bad, of course not! Some just get carried away with their own ideas."

Edo chuckled. "I understand that." He's seen some of the essays on the newer cards.

"And then we talk about the banlist," Asuka continued. "Boy that always results in an argument."

"Okay!" Nina cut in, forcing a smile. "I think we get the point Asuka. I'm sure Edo doesn't want to hear all about that."

"I'm pretty sure I asked her," Edo stated. He'd nearly forgotten that Nina, along with most of Los Angeles' socialites, were leaning on his every word.

"Anyway." Nina was determined to have the last word. "I'm sure you'll want this." She handed him a crumpled-up cocktail napkin, but not before smoothing it out. A phone number was scrawled in pink ink.

Edo had to accept it. "I'll pass it along to my manager. She stores all my contacts." Not only would it look unseemly to chuck it into the trash can, there didn't appear to be any wastebasket in the vicinity. Some filthy rich party.

Then, the ballroom lights dimmed.

"Ladiess and Gentlemen." A familiarly flamboyant voice drawled through the intercom.

"Ooh!" Nina clapped. "He's finally here."

Edo's face appeared to relax, marginally. He would hope that Pegasus' speech didn't run over two hours, but he didn't want to jinx it.

Whereas Asuka was curious about what her boss was going to say. She strolled to the buffet to grab a glass of punch. Jounouchi and Mai were still standing there, Jounouchi once again with a plateful of food. Asuka waved to them.

"Ladies and gentlement, presenting to you…Industrial Illusion's CEO, Pegasus J. Crawford!"

The spotlights switched on, pointing towards a silver-haired man with his arms jovially outstretched. Pegasus waited for the audience to finish clapping, allowing them to take in his silvery, sparkly suit.

"So sorry to keep you all waiting," he began without a hint of humility. "When you host so many parties you don't ever want to be caught wearing the same outfit twice, am I right?"

He let out a fake laugh, a few of the audience members laughed back. Probably also fake.

"Anyway, it's so good to see so many of my friends, fellow society members, and dueling compatriots all in one place. Especially our very own Duel King. Hello there, Yugi-boy!"

Another light illuminated directly above the famous spiky-haired duelist. Yuugi gave a small wave, though he was clearly squirming in his spot.

"Modest isn't he?" Pegasus remarked, motioning with his hand to turn off that spotlight. "Such a shame that our very own Seto Kaiba doesn't appear to be present, but who knows…" He then looked to the ceiling, with a somewhat longing gaze.

That caused most of the audience to laugh out loud. Including Edo. Gracefully, of course.

Pegasus refocused his attention to the crowd, releasing a dramatic sigh. "Well no matter, we still have plenty of talented individuals tonight. For you see, tonight is not just any ordinary benefit dinner. But of course, donations are always welcome," he made sure to quickly add. "I'm here tonight to make an announcement. And that is, I will be hosting another tournament!"

Now that got people talking. Edo recalled that Pegasus hadn't hosted a tournament since the infamous Duelist Kingdom, over a decade ago. But his reputation had improved a long time ago, why wait until now for another tournament?

"I know what some of you may be thinking," Pegasus continued, "why so long, especially since the…unsightly circumstances of my Duelist Kingdom? Well, I was thinking too small back then. I needed time for the fruit of my innovation to breed promise. Back then, I only had an island. But this time, why not the world? So I'm presenting to you, the Duel Monsters World Championship!"

Asuka gulped. A world-wide competition of duelists sounded absolutely tantalizing.

"Now participants will be determined by auditions, which will be vetted by I^2's lovely talent recruitment team. So you can guarantee that the brightest, most industrious duelists will be competing. Each round will be held in a unique part of the world, to make the tournament all the more encompassing. Best of all, auditions will commence this fall, and by the time the New Year rolls around, that's when the games shall begin!"

Asuka's lapse of excitement was quickly forgotten. She already figured there was a slim chance of passing the audition with such a large pool of competitors, but with the current timeframe there was probably no chance of her joining, what with her Academia obligations.

Edo maintained a steady level of intrigue throughout the announcement. The Pro League scene had been stale lately. He often went against the same guys. This World Championship could add some healthy variety to his competitive life.

"Now I did have this long and lengthy speech planned out." The audience collectively groaned. Pegasus continued without batting his eye. "It was all about the juicy details and policies involving this upcoming tournament, as well as thanking each and every one of my supporters. But alas, it's getting late, and I gather quite a few of you are a bit woozy from the punch."

Asuka, who had just taken a sip, winced at the drink's sudden bitterness. She probably should have known.

"So before we are all 'conked out,'" declared Pegasus, "I say we conclude the evening with a proper fête. Let us dance!"

Right on cue, a soft melody of classical music began to play. Edo had attended enough high society functions to know it was from a ballet, but the name escaped him.

One by one, the partygoers gradually paired off with their respective partners, or the closest appropriate options, to partake in the ancient ritual of the affluent.

Nina was gazing directly at Edo, her eyes hungry with motivation. But before Edo could be ensnared in her trap, he turned to Asuka.

"Care for a dance?" He stretched out his arm. Nina, whose mouth had already opened and prepared with a crafted response, promptly closed it to send a scowl Asuka's way.

Asuka took his hand. "Sure." She did not want to face Nina's wrath alone, nor did she want to feel left out amidst the rest of the dancers.

Nina, having admitted temporary defeat, grabbed the collar of a wandering young man.

"Dance with me," she ordered, not even sparing the guy a look.

While Asuka and Edo stepped slightly away from the ballroom's center and began going through the motions of a waltz.

"Thanks," he said, curtly but appreciatively. "I didn't want to be latched onto her arm for the rest of the night. No offense." He assumed that the girls were somewhat friends. And much to Asuka's chagrin.

Asuka shook her head. "None taken. Nina and I barely know each other. Sorry about that whole scene earlier. She had the impression that I had an "in" with pro duelists."

"Oh, and you don't?" Edo raised an eyebrow. "I have you in my arms as we speak."

She blushed, taking a step back as the dance required. "Very funny."

He pulled her back, their hands gracefully locked. "Well it's true. Technically speaking."

Oh. He's just messing with me, Asuka reminded herself.

Edo found her expression amusing. He liked how he could playfully banter with her and she wouldn't take it so seriously. Unlike some of the more high-maintenance girls he associated with in the past.

He twirled her around, letting her aptfully glide before returning to meet his eyes. The music accelerated in tension, the score was reaching its crescendo.

"You're not half bad at this," he said.

She adjusted her pace to the changing music. "I've been to my fair share of school dances and dinner parties. These things were part of the routine."

"I beg to differ. Your moves are far above 'routine.'"

That time, she had the decency to repress her blush at the not-so-subtle compliment. "Alright, guilty as charged. I took ballet as a kid."

Edo could have guessed that was the case. "You're good. I bet you knew the name of the ballet our music's from."

"Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake," Asuka flawlessly answered. "The Waltz." Anyone who dabbled even a little into ballet knew Swan Lake. She never became the prima ballerina her mother originally wanted her to be, but Asuka's enjoyment of the dance's history and lore persuaded her to, on a whim one day, pick up the Cyber Angel deck.

"Hm, I knew that," Edo said, despite having never seen a ballet in his life. His schedule simply didn't permit the time.

The music continued ramping up, and Edo found he was constantly on his toes to match Asuka's movements. For she was banished from her mind, which was filled with anxiety over the evening's event. Her body solely and unobtrusively dictated her course.

With his hand tightly pressed against her waist, he tipped her back. He hoped he wouldn't throw off their balance.

Asuka could have sworn she saw beads of sweat forming on his forehead. "What's the matter? Can't catch your breath?" She was the one now teasing, their faces only a couple inches apart.

Edo would have come up with an adequate retort, if he hadn't immediately had to raise her back up to his level. The waltz had come to a close.

He had to settle with a smirk. "Hardly."

Asuka decided that if she had to be coerced into a dance, she could do worse than Edo Phoenix for a partner.

A/N: In case you were wondering, the exact title of the music is Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake Op.20 Suite 2 - Waltz in A. I found it highly appropriate for the dance scene, and it seemed like the type of music Pegasus would play at his party.