A/N: Guess who's back, back again~
That's right everyone Panda is back! Thank you so, SO much for your patience. Words cannot express how much your support and patience has meant to me. This entire ordeal of not having a laptop has been just... An exercise in patience. And I'm not a very patient person by nature.
So I'll make this brief – I ended up having to buy a new laptop, as it wasn't just the screen on my old one that wasn't working. Now me and my dad both knew that it was only a matter of time before the old one gave out as that particular model had a notorious issue with overheating. Even though my dad works in IT professionally not even he could save it. So, Panda had to shell out money on a new laptop, which thanks to knowledge of thrifty websites I was able to get a steal. Now all that's left is for my dad to get all my old data off the hard drive of the old laptop and transfer it to the new one.
I won't bore you anymore, as I think you all have been more than patient and understanding. I honestly tried to get a chapter written and uploaded on my mom's laptop but the entire ordeal just... Drained me of inspiration. But now I feel like my old self and am ready to get back to writing!Again, you guys are amazing, give yourselves a hug from me because you guys ROCK! And also, a big shout out to Drachegir14, animagirl, guisniperman, Rosezelene Ersa, lalalei, and ZabuzasGirl for reviewing and sending encouraging messages. Thanks for sticking with me so far guys! And if I didn't respond to your reviews as I usually do, I'm sorry! Once I get back into the flow of things I promise to respond as I usually do.
Disclaimer: I do not Own Yu-Gi-Oh or any characters created by Kazuki Takahashi. I only own my OCs, this fic is purely for entertainment.
Chapter 10
When I first woke up the next morning I felt a moment of panic; I was feeling cold, and for a sickening moment my sleepy mind thought that I was back in Pegasus's castle and that our leaving had been a dream. Opening my eyes I almost cried in relief that I was really safely out of the dungeon and one of Seto's spare rooms. Closing my eyes I let a quite sigh of relief escape me, waking up fully and going through a mental checklist of everything I had to do today.
First priority was clothes; I couldn't very well go back home in Seto's old pajamas. My uncle had never been cruel or harsh with me but this was an entirely new situation that I didn't feel comfortable going into unless I was in clothing that I was accustomed to. Getting them would be simple enough; I have open accounts with most of the higher end clothing stores in Domino City and a simple phone call would ensure that the clothing would be delivered here to the Kaiba mansion. The only thing that made me hesitant was the possibility of rumors spreading. I don't like people speculating on my personal life, and having new clothes delivered to Seto's home – really any guy's home – would give people plenty to talk about. I hoped that my continued business with them was enough incentive to not feed the rumor mill.
Second on my list was keeping Uncle Sota and Hojo from going on a war campaign to take down Pegasus. Kidnapping me was a personal insult and endangering a member of our family is not something we take kindly to. Although the idea of leaving him broken and defeated appealed to me, I also had to consider the public image of the company as well as what would happen in the future; my being kidnapped showed weakness within our security force, something enemies would try and capitalize on. Our taking vengeance for a crime that we couldn't prove could be seen as unjust and unwarranted, something that Sarota Entertainment would never stoop to. Yes business has its shady side; however a good company keeps its dirty work well out of the spotlight and hidden from public view. I'd worked too hard to maintain our company's sterling reputation to let it be tarnished by this. Added to this was the fact that Pegasus had a role to play in the future, when Dartz makes his appearance. Pegasus would remain harmless enough to me, Mokuba, and Seto that I could afford to allow him to get off lightly… If having his Millennium Eye taken could be considered light.
Making a mental note to try and dig through my memories about Bakura later, I started to sit up when a weight on my hair caught my attention. Opening my eyes I looked over and saw Mokuba, curled up beside me with his fist wound loosely in my hair – and all the blankets wrapped around him like a burrito, which explained why I had been cold. The sight of him sleeping peacefully brought a soft smile to my face as I gently unwound my hair, taking care not to wake him. He had been exhausted last night, and the emotional ups and downs of the last five days had taken a toll on him. Looking him over, I noticed that he'd positioned himself between me and the door, so that whoever came in would have to go through him first to get to me. The thought was touching, but I worried about possible psychological after effects that this little episode would have on him. I also wondered why he'd come to my room and not Seto's – was it because he thought I needed protection, or because Seto hadn't gone to bed? Knowing him as well as I do, which is admittedly only a little better than most, it wouldn't surprise me if he had been up all night planning revenge against his board of directors.
Easing off the bed, I frowned lightly down at the boot Dr. Juhei had provided for my ankle. I wouldn't be wearing stilettos for a while, not until the boot could be taken off and my ankle healed completely. I'd also have to stay out of the public eye for a while, since questions were bound to be asked. Although now that I thought of it, spinning a story that I've been confined to the house because of the seriousness of the injury might work in my favor; it would induce sympathy from some and give others the impression that I'm not as dangerous as they think.
Ha. If only they knew.
Quietly I walked to the door, opening it and finding Seto standing there, hand outstretched as if he had been just about to open it. Alarm and worry were clearly on his face, and after he gave me a quick glance his eyes turned to the room, darting frantically before coming to rest on Mokuba. Only then did the worry ease off his face even as a small sigh of relief left his lips. Stepping back, I waited as he made his way to the bed, giving him a chance to reassure himself that Mokuba was fine and safe. It would take us all time to heal from this particular wound; the worry that someone had been taken again. Anxiety like this can be overcome, but I would bet my entire show collection that Seto won't seek professional help for it. Then again, I won't be either so I can't really judge him on that matter.
Stepping quietly to his side, we both studied Mokuba for a moment before I broke the silence. "He must have come in sometime during the night; I think he was worried that I'd been taken again."
Seto's only reply was a nod, and glancing at his face I saw that his mask of indifference had settled back into place sometime while I'd slept. Although I'd enjoyed the relieved, playful banter between us last night it wasn't hard to understand why the wall was back between us; it was time to face reality again and do damage control, me with my family and company, him with his. We were sliding back into our respective roles, and although I'd felt wed grown a little closer now was not that time to worry about things like that. It was time to put our masks back on, to resume the usual friendly distance that was an unspoken agreement between us.
I tried to tell myself that it didn't bother me at all; but honestly, it bothered me a little.
When Seto had gone to check on Mokuba, panic had seized him hard when he found his little brother's bed empty. All he had been able to see was Mokuba's soulless body and the gloating look on Pegasus's face as he held Mokuba's soul in his hand. He'd torn down the hallway, fearing that Reila had been taken again too but had found them both perfectly alright, both whole and out of harm's way. The relief had been tangible, and if he had been a lesser man Seto might have fallen to his knees in gratitude that they were both safe and unharmed. But Seto Kaiba is not a lesser man.
Seeing Reila awake and moving helped ease his guilt a little; the boot she now wore was a painful reminder that she'd been dragged into this nightmare because of her association with his brother and him. He knew she would brush it off and place the blame at Pegasus's feet instead, but it still sat ill with him that this was twice now that she'd been harmed in defense of his brother. Once when they were children, standing up to a bully in the orphanage and now a second time, standing up to a maniac intent on taking everything he held dear. Although he was grateful that she cared about Mokuba that much, another part of him was uneasy that he hadn't protected his brother better. Coupled with the sight of her dressed in his old pajamas, it was enough to throw him completely off kilter. Some new emotion was forming within him, one that he didn't have time or the desire to investigate. So he pushed it aside for later – much later – contemplation and focused instead on what needed to be done now.
Return Reila safely home and face her uncle's wrath, damage control at Kaiba Corp. and taking down the backstabbing snakes within.
Glancing at Reila, he noted that he wasn't the only one pulling back a little emotionally; she had slipped back into her public persona of Princess of Sarota as well. He admired that she understood things so well, that he didn't have to explain his reasoning to her. She knew as well as he did that now was not the time for coddling or being overly emotional, now was the time for them both to do what they did best. Gesturing for her to follow him, he quietly left the room to let Mokuba sleep a little longer as he led Reila to his home office, nodding towards the phone.
"Can your clothes be delivered here?"
Reila nodded her head in answer. "Yes, I have a good enough repertoire with the managers of the stores to get delivery." Without any further explanation she sat down and picked up the phone, dialing and waiting for them to answer. Leaving her alone to order the clothing, he stepped out of the room and was almost knocked over by Mokuba, who had come barreling down the hallway, his face a mask of panic.
"Seto, Reila is-!" Seto cut off his words by gesturing behind him, where Reila was speaking quietly on the phone. At the sight of her, Mokuba's shoulders visibly loosened and he finally caught his breath. "I woke up and she was gone, I thought…"
"You and Reila are safe now Mokuba. Nothing like that will ever happen to you again." Seto said simply, his tone making it clear that the incident was behind them and not to be discussed any further. Seto didn't need the reminder that he'd failed to protect his little brother, failed to save him on his own. It irked him that he'd needed Yugi's help, but that debt had been paid by giving them transportation off the island. Mokuba only nodded in reply, letting him know that he would abide by his wishes.
Reila joined them shortly after, saying good morning to Mokuba and allowing the young boy to wrap his arms around her in a fierce hug. Walking downstairs to the dining room, Mokuba and Reila both followed without question; he was the master of this house after all, and now that he was back in his city and home he was the one in control again.
Breakfast was a quiet affair, all three of them wrapped up in their own thoughts. Seto had set aside his plans for revenge for the time being to prepare for the face off against Reila's uncle. Sota Sarota might appear unassuming and mellow, but Seto knew enough about the man to know that the insult of having his niece kidnapped would not be easily forgiven. It was very possible that Sarota might retaliate against Seto himself, since it was his company building that Reila had been kidnapped from. Reila had told him the details of how she'd come to be at Kaiba Corp. in the helicopter last night, and it was a very big possibility that Sarota might choose to direct his anger at Seto in lieu of Pegasus. Seto was relying on Reila to keep that from happening; he could probably take her uncle in a battle but he would prefer to not cause problems between their families. If Sarota Entertainment and Kaiba Corp. went to war, Mokuba wouldn't be able to spend time with Reila the way that he had become accustomed to.
During breakfast Reila's clothes were delivered, and she excused herself to go change once they finished eating. Mokuba followed to help her up the stairs, something that she sighed at, but the look on Mokuba's face silenced her protests and she allowed him to come with her whether she needed help or not.
Although anything was better than ill-fitting clothes, it did feel infinitely better to be in clothing that was actually my size, instead of pajamas that were too long and too baggy. Dressed once again in clothing that was my standard fair – beige pencil skirt and white long sleeved blouse – I felt better prepared to see my uncle. Although I was missing my usual height boost from my shoes, I probably wouldn't be able to wear my stilettos for another month or so; instead I'd ordered soft leather ballet slippers. They'd even been able to include undergarments, something that I was more than thankful for – being without them had made me very uncomfortable. Combing my hair I looked myself over in the bathroom mirror, deciding it was as close to my usual self as I could get for the moment. Exiting the bathroom I found Mokuba waiting outside, already fully dressed. He seemed hesitant, sheepish even. "Mokuba, what is it?"
Mokuba hesitated before wrapping his arms around my waist, hugging tightly. "Reila, will your uncle be mad at us? Will he blame us for what happened to you?"
His words made my heart skip a beat, because now his subdued behavior made sense; he wanted to know if we would be able to see one another again. His fear over my being taken again was overrun by his fear that my uncle would deny us being friends. Slowly bending down until we were eye level, I took his face into my hands and wiped away the one tear that escaped and made its way down his cheek. "Mokuba, listen to me; I will not let my uncle blame either you or your brother. Neither of you are to blame for this at all. Pegasus, and Pegasus alone, is to blame for everything that has happened, along with those who betrayed Seto. I will not let my uncle place blame on anyone else; Uncle Sota holds my counsel in very high regard, and I will make him see reason."
When I first started speaking, Mokuba had been trembling as though holding back tears. Yet as I spoke, his trembling subsided and he instead looked up at me with wide, trusting eyes. "Are you sure that your uncle won't keep you away from us?"
I smiled and nodded, brushing his hair from his eyes. "Yes, I promise that I will not let him keep us apart. Once I explain things to him he will see reason." Mokuba's wide smile gave me courage and caused my own smile to widen, even as I kept my misgivings at bay. Although I was sure that I could prevent my uncle from blaming Seto and Mokuba, it would take a lot of convince him to let Pegasus off without a fight. I had barely kept him from going after the mole in our company; he'd been ready to publicly crucify whoever it was. But I had convinced him to give me time to quietly take out not only the mole but shutdown Royalty Records as well. That small victory gave me hope that I would be able to quell not only his anger, but also Hojo's. Hojo was the unpredictable one; he is so protective of me that I might just have to lock him in the basement to prevent some misguided revenge attempt.
Taking Mokuba's hand we walked downstairs and met Seto by the front door where he was waiting for us. Opening the doors he led us to the car, fully intending to escort me home. We had spoken of it briefly last night, and although I knew he was preparing for a face-off against my family, I was almost confident that it wouldn't come to that. Seto and my uncle could be amazingly similar at times when it came to protecting those that they cared for, so I hoped that almost an entire lifetime of dealing with both of their overprotective natures would help me keep them from going to war. If I could soothe Seto's pride and calm my uncle's temper, we all might get through this meeting a little worse for wear.
Seto helped me into the car, where Mokuba wedged himself between us. I had noticed that Mokuba was being more… Clingy wasn't exactly the word for his behavior, but it was close. But given what we'd just been through I suppose it was only natural that he would feel the way he did. I said nothing of it, just sat back in the car and planned what I would say to my uncle. Seto said nothing, lost in his own thoughts and allowing me time to prepare what I would say. I hadn't been lying when I said that I would not tell my uncle the entire truth. Neither Hojo nor Uncle Sota would believe the whole truth without proof, which I could not give them. And neither one of them are ready to have the truth of the Millennium Items revealed to them, never mind the fact that telling them the truth would require that I tell them how I knew about such things. That was a particular conversation that I was not keen on having at any time soon – or ever, truth be told.
It didn't take long for us to get to my family's home, and I was barely able to keep my joy contained. The Sarota estate had never looked more beautiful to me than it did right now. Even the gates, which I normally found imposing and unnecessary, seemed to have a special gleam to them as we pulled up. Frowning I looked again at the gates; they were shut tight, which was odd. During the day we left our gates open so that friends and colleagues could come in and visit. Even odder than the fact the gates were closed was the fact that there was no guard on duty at the gatehouse – whenever our gates were closed we had a guard on duty in case of emergencies or surprise visitors needing entrance. Frowning I sat forward, looking over the driver's shoulder. "This is odd… Our gates have never been shut during the day."
"Maybe the gates are broken?" Mokuba asked, peering out the window as best he could. "Are there any other gates into the house?"
"No, we only have the one set. And if they were broken they would have locked them open, not shut… Seto, can I use your cellphone?" I asked, returning to my seat. As Seto reached into his jacket for his phone, the intercom that was beside the passenger side window clicked on. I could hear Shuuichi's voice asking questions and smiled; Mariko hadn't killed him after all. Before I could sit forward to take over the conversation, Uncle Sota's voice rang out clearly – and full of anger.
"Kaiba, you have ten seconds to tell me where my niece is, or so help me I'll see to it that-"
"Uncle Sota, it's me!" I called out, cutting him off before he could finish his threat. I was right, he was furious and his first instinct was to lash out at Seto. Nudging the driver's shoulder he pulled forward a little and Mokuba scooted out of the way so I could lean over Seto's lap and speak closer to the intercom. "I'm alright Uncle Sota, please open the gates and I'll explain everything."
"Oh thank the gods… Reila, are you hurt? Has he done anything to hurt you?" The amount of concern and relief in his voice nearly brought tears to my eyes, but his automatic assumption that Seto would hurt me sparked my temper. Smothering the instinct to snap back I gave Seto an apologetic look, which he returned with a blank stare. Obviously he was either unaffected by the threat or keeping his emotions hidden – my bet was on the former.
"Uncle I'm fine, I promise – Seto isn't responsible for my being gone. Please open the gates and let us in… And tell Hojo to put down whatever weapon he currently has in his hand before I hurt him." I could hear my cousin's frustrated groan faintly and grinned as the gates opened smoothly. Settling back into the seat I sighed as we pulled up the long driveway, but frowned when I saw Mariko and her security force waiting at the front doors. "Of all the… I don't know whether to be flattered that they care so much or insulted that they're not listening to me."
"Your uncle won't back down until he has some answers." Seto said, shrugging even as he eyed the guards. Although Seto could hold his own against an opponent – he'd proven that by taking on Pegasus's guards multiple times – if he tried to fight our guards he would be severely outnumbered. When the car stopped Seto hesitated for just a moment. "Mokuba, don't get out of the car until I tell you to. Understand?" Once Mokuba nodded to show he would do as he asked Seto opened the door, stepping out slowly and making sure to keep his hands visible. Only after making sure that the guards weren't going to move in did he hold his hand out, which I took and stepped out of the vehicle. Once the boot on my left foot was visible I could feel the tension in the air sky rocket, and even heard Mariko inhale sharply. Shooting her a quick glance, I gave a subtle hand signal – it was one that she'd taught me ages ago, from her time in the military, a way to signal that I was alright and not under any duress. Looking pointedly at the boot, she raised an eyebrow to which I shifted uncomfortably, mouthing the words "running down stairs in heels".
She literally threw her hands into the air in frustration. I can't blame her, she's tried time and time again to get me to stop doing things like that.
Taking a few steps forward, I glanced back to where Seto stood and waited beside the car, Mokuba hovering just inside the door and waiting to be told he could come out. Looking around, I frowned at not seeing my uncle or Hojo. Before I could ask about their whereabouts the front doors were flung open, and Hojo came running out, literally sweeping me up into a hug and leaving my feet dangling in the air. I let out a small squeak of surprise, but any objections I had died in my throat when I felt his shoulders shaking and heard his breath catching in his throat as he fought back tears. I know that my cousin loves me just as much as I love him, but I forgot that he didn't have the luxury of knowing how things will work out. He hadn't had the reassurance that I would be back and little worse for wear. Wrapping my arms around his shoulders I leaned my head against his, keeping my protests about how tightly he was hugging me quiet. "Hojo, I'm alright; I'm sorry for scaring you and Uncle Sota."
Hojo didn't say anything as he struggled to get his composure, and over his shoulder I saw my uncle coming towards us at a much more subdued pace. Although he was more composed, I could see the fatigue and stress on his face; lines around his eyes that hadn't been there just a week ago brought home just how much these two love me. Blinking back tears of gratitude I smiled at him as Hojo finally set me down, allowing Uncle Sota to wrap me in a tight hug. Sometimes it was easy to focus on all that I had lost in my two lives – my family and friends in my first life, my parents in this life, and forget that although I'd lost many I still had people who cared about me and whom I loved and cared for.
Stepping back my uncle looked me over with a sharp eye, his penetrating gaze lingering on the boot I wore. Raising an eyebrow, his gaze hardened and flickered to Seto, who stood watching us with an unreadable expression. Hojo glared at my friend, and I could see that they had already made up their minds to blame Seto. I had expected this, but now that I was actually faced with the task of getting them to see reason I realized that it was going to take a lot of work to make them believe me. Clearing my throat quietly, I brought Hojo's and my uncle's attention back to me. "Before you go accusing anyone, please allow me to tell you what happened. Seto and Mokuba were involved in the incident but were NOT the cause of it. All that I'm asking is that you both give me a chance to explain what happened before you start placing blame."
Uncle Sota's face was just as unreadable as Seto's, and I was momentarily caught up trying to figure out how they pulled off such expressions so easily. Although I could read both their moods easier than others, there were still times that not even I could read their expressions. But finally my uncle nodded and silenced Hojo's protests with one sharp look. Motioning for Seto to follow us, Uncle Sota and Hojo took one of my hands in theirs and walked me into the house, effectively sandwiching me between their much taller frames.
The five of us moved into the sitting room, and from the moment I stepped into the actual house I felt most of the tension that had settled into my shoulders drain away. It felt so good to be home, and it was making me feel light, optimistic, and happy. Settling onto the couch, Uncle Sota and Hojo sat on either side of me, Hojo taking my hand quickly into his as though afraid I would leave again. I gave his hand a reassuring squeeze and gave him a small smile, but he didn't return it. I could tell that he was struggling to keep his composure, to keep himself from lashing out at Seto. Hojo had come a long way in the past few years – his normal response to people he doesn't like used to be to take them out without question. This experience had matured him, and although I was proud that he was finally understanding that patience and civility were traits he needed, I don't like that it took my disappearing for five days to get him to learn that lesson.
Once Seto and Mokuba were seated across from us, I took a deep breath. "Uncle Sota, Hojo, please let me explain everything before you ask any questions. I'll answer them as best I can, and somethings Seto or Mokuba will have to help me with because I wasn't around to hear or see everything. The last you two knew I had gone to Kaiba Corp. to pick up Mokuba to come stay with us while Seto was gone. That's exactly what I did; but when I got there, I saw three men taking Mokuba away. I know I should have called for Shuuichi but I panicked and tried to get Mokuba away from them on my own."
"Are you kidding me Reila? You tried to take on three men by yourself? You're not Mariko, you're not a trained fighter!" Hojo said, loosing the fight to keep his composure. Seeing my frown he grumbled under his breath and turned his face away, even as the grip he had on my hand tightened momentarily.
"I realize now that I shouldn't have acted so rashly – but seeing Mokuba in danger kind of sent my common sense out the window. One of the men recognized me, and I recognized him. So instead of leaving me behind to tell someone what I'd seen, they knocked me out with chloroform and took me with them as well." I continued, trying to downplay certain parts as I went. I had a basic idea of what I wanted to tell them and what I wanted to keep quiet about, but the urge to tell them the complete truth was hard to ignore. Keeping secrets from Uncle Sota and Hojo sat badly with me, but I had to keep reminding myself that it was for the best that I only give them the barest of facts.
"The man I had recognized was Kemo, the one who works for Maximillian Pegasus." Uncle Sota tensed beside me, but he kept quiet even as Hojo swore softly under his breath. "Apparently, Mokuba had overheard Pegasus plotting with five of Seto's board members to take over his company as I was coming to get him. I found all this out later though; for three days Pegasus left me in a tower in his castle. When I finally got to see and speak with him it was in the middle of the tournament he just threw, but getting information from him was almost impossible. Mokuba had managed to escape to try and get help-" I purposely left out that he had taken a slight detour to challenge Yugi to a duel - "and so Pegasus decided I was a flight risk as well and moved me to his dungeon."
"He put you in a dungeon?" Uncle Sota asked quietly, and the tone of his voice could have frozen steel with how icy and cold it was. I nodded mutely, giving him time to get his emotions in control, and after a moment he nodded to me to continue.
"I did try to escape, but given that I was wearing heels and had tried to escape the guards heading downstairs... I ended up breaking the heel of my shoes and spraining my ankle. Mokuba was recaptured and brought to the same cell as me. Later that day Seto managed to sneak into the castle, intent on getting Mokuba and I out and safely home. Pegasus had sent some men to try and take Seto out of the picture, and after he'd shaken them he'd found out what had happened."
My uncle turned his sharp gaze to Seto. "You should have come to me instead of trying to rescue them on your own."
"And let it be known that my company was weak? I was confident that I could get them out. I might have underestimated Pegasus, and it might have taken a day longer than I thought but I did bring her back, didn't I?" Seto responded, crossing his arms across his chest and meeting my uncle's gaze without flinching. I grimaced, realizing that I should have asked Seto's permission before including the part about his own board plotting to take him out, but then again it's not like I could have left it out. I'd talk to Seto and apologize about that later. Touching my uncle's hand, which had clenched into a fist I brought his attention back to me, and smiled softly until he calmed down a degree.
"As I was saying, once Seto arrived we thought we were getting out, but it took another day for us to be able to leave. Pegasus had captured Seto as well, but once he'd lost the tournament his chance to take over Kaiba Corp. was gone; the board members would only hand over control to him if he won. We weren't of any use to him as hostages anymore so he let us go. We got back late last night, and Seto called a doctor to look at my ankle right away. I would have come back last night, but we were all exhausted and needed a good night's sleep desperately."
I felt that it was as good of an explanation as I could give; I didn't want to bring up the soul stealing bits, and neither did I want to make it known that our freedom had been won by Yugi. Seto was loosing respect from my family enough as it was, and I was trying to downplay his inability to get us out himself as much as possible. Either way my uncle and Hojo were going to be upset with him out of principal but I could try and help him save face a little.
"So Pegasus is to blame?" Uncle Sota asked quietly, and the quietness put me on edge. Uncle Sota was a quiet man by nature, soft spoken and articulate in almost any situation. But this quietness was different; harder, sharper. I could practically feel that he was on edge, ready to blow like a volcano. This was the real test of my persuasive abilities – keeping him from going after Pegasus.
"Ultimately yes, Pegasus is to blame. But Uncle Sota, we can't retaliate. If we were to lash out at him-"
"What do you mean we can't retaliate?!" Hojo jumped off the couch, casting an incredulous look from me to Seto, who was sitting back with his eyes closed, appearing calm and at ease. "He kidnapped you, you were hurt trying to escape, and you want us to do NOTHING?!"
Narrowing my eyes I stood, facing him with my hands on my hips. "That's exactly what I'm saying! If you'd stop flying off the handle and listen I'll explain exactly why we can't lash out at him."
"There is no reason that you can give me that would make it okay for us to let an insult like this go! You were drugged, kidnapped, and hurt! Dad and I have been worried sick, Shuuichi has run himself ragged trying to locate you, everyone has been on edge waiting to see if you would turn up or not, and now that we know who to blame and why you want us to do nothing?!" Color rose in Hojo's cheeks, and all throughout his rant his voice had steadily gotten louder until he was shouting. Although logically I knew it was him venting his anger, being yelled at is not something I enjoy, and I had to struggle against my initial reaction to yell back. It took me a few deep breaths to calm down, because I don't like fighting with Hojo. When I felt a little more in control I continued.
"Hojo, the man just lost a tournament where he played a game of his own creation. He's lost the respect of a lot of people, and if his company doesn't suffer from this I'll be shocked. We have no proof to back up my story; although he might seem like a buffoon Pegasus is a brilliant man and doesn't leave evidence of his dirty work. None of his employees will testify against him, we only have the word of the three of us involved to go against a man who has been doing business as long as Uncle Sota has. If we lash out at him after his company takes such a big hit, we'll look power hungry and opportunistic. It will reflect badly on our company, which will ultimately hurt us more than anything. If we accuse him without solid proof, it makes us look like idiots. Either way, trying to get revenge will reflect badly on our family and company, not to mention the fact that it will show our enemies where and how to strike us hardest."
Hojo snarled silently, and I had to clench my fists to keep from smacking the look off his face. "You have got to be kidding me Reila. You want us to do nothing all because of how it will reflect on the company? I want that man's head on a platter for daring to take you like that!"
Uncle Sota stood and took a firm hold of Hojo's shoulder. "Hojo, that's enough. Reila is right; as much as I hate to say it, we have to think about the image of our company. By broadcasting that Reila was kidnapped it makes us look weak and invites our enemies to try the same thing again to weaken us. I hate the thought of letting this go, but there are other ways to get back at Pegasus. Reila is a genius when it comes to subtle revenge, I'm sure that she'll think of something. And ultimately it is her revenge, not just ours. She was the one who suffered during this, and although we too have suffered what's important is that Reila is back, and safe once again." Hojo started to respond, but quieted at the fierce look on his father's face. "This will not be the only time that our family will be threatened like this, nor will it be the last – you will face dilemmas much like this when you inherit Sarota Entertainment. There are times to act publicly and loudly, and there are times to react quietly and stealthily."
Hojo ripped his shoulder out of Uncle Sota's grip and looked at all of us in turn, a grimace etched deeply on his face. "I can't believe that you're all putting business before family."
"The family is the business and the business is the family." I reminded Hojo, who scoffed. "Hojo we are a family first and foremost, but all of us have blood, sweat, and tears invested in this company. Are you seriously willing to throw everything you've worked so hard for, all the respect of the board members and our artists just to get back at someone who is already wounded? How would that make us, not just as a company but as a family look? Our reputation with our artists and the public is what makes us so powerful. We cannot risk losing any power, not when our enemies are fighting so hard to take us down."
Seto's admiration for Reila's thought process doubled as she quietly explained her reasoning to her cousin. He was seeing what made her rumored to be so dangerous to her enemies – Reila's sharp mind and ability to manage the males in her family made her a force to be reckoned with, and he was thankful that she was an ally of his, not an enemy. It wasn't that she was manipulating her cousin or uncle, but more that she was helping them see reason when emotions clouded their judgment. Hojo was fighting it, wanting to hold onto his anger but Reila's words were slowly reaching him, the tension and anger in his body slowly draining as Reila calmed him and soothed his wounded pride.
Her ability to read people and understand what was spurring their actions was a valuable trait, and something that Seto himself used. Reila used the ability to soothe and calm – he used it to egg someone further and further into anger until they made a mistake he could capitalize on. He took a moment to marvel that although he and Reila had many similarities, they also were different enough to be unique compared to one another. She worked behind the scenes in her family and company, enhancing the abilities and power of others while he was the source of power within his own family and company. She wasn't the type to take credit, preferring to stay out of the limelight while he was the one who received all the praise and admiration, along with the malice and envy.
Hojo finally looked away, his shoulders drooping with exhaustion. "Fine Reila... We'll do things your way. But if I have the chance to take down Pegasus-"
"You'll have to get in line. If there' s a chance to take a shot at him, I'm taking it." Seto said, unfolding his arms and legs before standing. "Not only did he kidnap and endanger Mokuba and Reila, he tried to take me out and take over my company. Reila may be right and none of us can retaliate at him now, but if I see the opportunity I won't stop until he's broken and bleeding." Seto ignored Reila's sigh of frustration and instead turned to Sota. The head of the family matched his gaze and nodded subtly in acknowledgment. Seto was not the type to apologize, and Sota seemed to understand that. Mokuba stood as well, knowing that Seto was ready to leave. "I would appreciate it if any word of my board members plotting against me was kept between us."
"You have my word that it will not leave this room, as thanks for returning Reila to us." Sota said, holding out his hand. Seto took it after a moment's pause, shaking it firmly. Sota then turned to Mokuba and gave him a smile, which Mokuba returned. "And you're always welcome here Mokuba. That hasn't changed, nor do I think it ever will. If ever you or your brother need help with anything, we will be there to offer our services."
Mokuba's smile widened. "Thanks Mr. Sota!"
Sota nodded and turned to Reila. "Why don't you see our guests out, and then the three of us can spend the evening together? I'm afraid that we've let our work pile up a little bit, but one more evening won't hurt too much."
"Of course uncle." Reila said, leading Seto and Mokuba out of the room. Once at the front doors, Reila turned to Seto. "I'm sorry about not asking you before about mentioning the board members; I shouldn't have been so careless."
"It's nothing. Your uncle is a man of honor and won't say anything." Seto said, dismissing the apology quickly. Reila had done what she thought best, and it had saved Seto from having to fight with her uncle and Hojo. "You'll have your hands full with them for the foreseeable future."
Reila sighed, leaning against the wall. "Hojo will be the worst part of it. He might see reason now, but I think his pride is even more wounded than mine is. He sees himself as my protector and not being able to get revenge will eat away at him. I'll have to find some project for him to loose his frustrations in until his temper cools down." She rubbed the back of her neck, and the weariness on her face made Seto realize just how hard this meeting had been on her. Keeping her uncle's and cousin's anger from escalating too far, trying to smooth things over, omit and embellish a story on the fly and try and keep himself from loosing too much respect from her family had drained her. Mokuba picked up on it as well and leaned against her, offering her some comfort. She smiled gently at him and bent to hug him before kissing his forehead, an action she repeated often. "But if I can survive being locked in a dungeon I can survive my cousin's attitude."
Nodding in reply, Seto let Mokuba and Reila say their goodbyes before Mokuba went to the car. Seto hesitated, turning back to Reila. "Thank you, for trying to save Mokuba."
Reila smiled, looking over to the car where Mokuba had already climbed in. "I'd do it again, given the chance. Only this time I'd show up with five guards and a maybe even a few thugs to beat the snot out of them." Seto smirked at the response and nodded. "Take care of yourself Seto. Don't do anything rash, and if you need me I'm only a call away."
Nodding again, Seto turned and walked to the car, getting in and checking his watch. This meeting with Reila's family had taken longer than he'd originally planned, and it was too late to head to his office and take out the board members who had plotted against him. They would have headed home by now, and Seto let out a grunt of frustration. His revenge would have to wait until tomorrow, but he could be patient one day longer. After all, as Sota said there were times to act publicly and times to react quietly; another night would give him time to finalize his plans.
Second A/N: So I know this one was a short chapter, but as this is a kind of filler I didn't want to drag it out too long. I'm aiming to write the next chapter on Thursday and if all goes well I should have it finished by Friday at the very latest, since the next chapter is going to jump right into the next mini-arc of the anime. Come on, you guys know which one I'm talking about!
Mainly I wanted to get this chapter up as soon as possible, as a thank you for being so patient. I should be able to return to weekly updates on Thursdays, and once I get back into my routine things should be much smoother. Thanks again everyone!