A/N: Hello lovelies! Can I just say that you all ROCK! I was showing someone how to find my story using the filters while browsing, and I discovered that Monachopsis has entered into the top 10 most followed Seto/OC stories. Words cannot describe how amazing that is, and it's all thanks to you guys!

For those who play PokemonGo, I have a small announcement: WHOEVER TOOK MY SCREENNAME I AM VERY UPSET ABOUT THIS. A PoGo player took my screen name and I almost cried over it, so if you know who it is please express my displeasure to them.

Also quick little note, my dad got approval from his company to become a fully remote employee, so I get to go home to Arizona! That means that I can leave the big city and go back to school :3 The actual move won't happen until after the first of the year most likely, so don't fret I'll still be cranking out chapters regularly. As stated before, I'm not putting a time limit on myself any longer, as I found that actually hurt my writing more than anything. But I'm aiming for hopefully three chapters a month, give or take.

Again thank you to everyone who has liked and followed the story thus far, I hope that you continue to enjoy it! And shout outs to animagirl, Drachegirl14, F4nn1, Zap97, Rosezelene Ersa, and Counting Sinful Starsfor reviewing, I love hearing feedback from people! As always if you have any questions, comments, concerns, please feel free to drop me a message and I will respond as quickly as I can. However spoilers aren't something I give out regularly. Now onto the next chapter!

The song featured within this chapter is called "Biter's Block" by Gym Class Heroes. I claim no ownership over this song and all rights belong to writers and performers, the members of Gym Class Heroes

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 15

Now that the fight between Seto and I was over, a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders. For the first time in over a month I got a good night's sleep, and although I'm still not a fan of mornings I was able to be a little more enthusiastic with some deep restful sleep. With my personal life more stable, I felt more confident in focusing on work until the Battle City tournament started. First thing I needed to do was get with Ydor and learn how to wield his magic, somehow. If he could defeat a Millennium Item, then it was definitely something that I needed to learn and quick to protect not only Seto and Mokuba, but Mai as well. If I could work up the sympathy, I might also try and protect Odion – but I don't know him personally, and if I remembered correctly he willingly chose to follow Marik, even after he had started going coo coo for cocoa puffs. Although I can't remember his real motivation for staying by Marik's side, the fact is that he made his proverbial bed and he'll have to deal with the consequences. I'm not out to save everyone, just those that I care for.

I suppose that makes me a little heartless, but I'm already trying to juggle protecting so many people that adding one more into the mix might endanger everyone else. So sorry Odion, but you're on your own.

For now I knew that the Battle City tournament was a ways off. Which was good news, because it gave me some breathing room and time to plan. I had to somehow get myself invited to the finals as a guest, ideally not as a duelist. Mokuba had tried to teach me how to play, but it was something that refused to stick in my brain. Maybe it was the fact that mentally I'm almost forty, or maybe it was that I had never had the desire to play the game before. Either way, me as a duelist was not going to be happening, at least not in this lifetime. That left me with one of two options; get myself invited as a special guest, or stow away... On a blimp.

I can't believe I have to plot how to get on a blimp. How in the name of all things holy am I going to keep a straight face this time around? Because I know that song is going to be running through my head the entire time. Thanks LittleKuriboh, sometimes memories of his abridged sreies make life here a little difficult.

I have seen your memories of the one you know as LittleKuriboh... Tell me, is that what passes for entertainment in this era? Making fun of a story that someone tells?

I sighed as I tried to think of a way to explain the appeal to Ydor. "My mother – Cynthia, my mother in my first life that is – used to have a saying. 'If you can't poke fun at something you love, it's not real love'. By being able to laugh at the major plot holes and the sometimes overly used clichés, it shows that you really do enjoy it and love the show, person, or thing which you're poking fun at. It's not meant to be cruel or degrading, although at times it can come across that way."

And now that you have lived in this world? Do you think that the one who told the story originally was accurate in his portrayal?

"I think it's less of a matter of accuracy and more of a matter of censorship. The company who obtained the rights to translate the show and play it in America edited out a lot of things, making it that much easier to poke fun at characters and plot points. Add onto that the fact that the original story, the manga, has some pretty big differences from the anime and you get even more material for possible comedic gold."

What kind of differences do you mean? Have you noticed them in this world?

"Well for one, in the manga Mokuba was a lot more... What's the word I'm looking for... Chilling. He actually actively participated in trying to off Yugi if I remember correctly. And Seto, he was even more arrogant and cold in the beginning of the manga. Then there's the spirit within the Millennium Puzzle – he actually used games as a way to punish people for crimes or wrong doing. He was a lot more brutal than the spirit who was portrayed in the show."

He was portrayed as more brutal, and yet you are willing to help him and his host by ensuring that they fulfill their destiny?

Ydor's tone made me frown. "Well from what I can tell, we're following the story line from the anime, not the manga. After all the whole virtual reality episode wasn't in the manga, that was an anime only thing... I think." I rubbed my forehead as I tried to remember. "So if that's the case, then we're on the right path. And ultimately Yugi and the spirit have to succeed, or the world will basically end – I think. There was something about a being named Zork but I'm fuzzy on the details."

If you believe it is the best course little one then I shall offer my assistance. But in order to do so, we must begin your training.

"Alright, I've got some time to spare. Can we do it in here?" I glanced around my room, wondering if that really was a good idea. Learning how to wield magic might result in a few mishaps, and I didn't feel like having to try to explain to my uncle why I needed to have furniture replaced, never mind the fact that I didn't want the figurines my father had collected for me destroyed.

'Here' is a vague term. I assume that you mean within your sleeping chambers. Physically yes, but mentally you will need to come to me.

I blinked as I tried to process that little piece of information. "Uh, and how exactly do I do that?"

You will need to enter your innermost thoughts, the place where your memories are locked away and where your consciousness and subconsciousness meet. I will walk you through the steps – for you it should be simple. Breaking through the first time to speak with you opened the door, so now you need only locate it and enter.

I pondered for a moment, sitting up fully in bed and scooting back to rest against the headboard. On a whim I grabbed a pillow, placing it between my back and the hard wood before settling back again. "So you're talking like some form of meditation, right? And finding the door... Yugi and the spirit have two separate yet connected realms inside his body. Is that similar?"

In it's simplest form it is similar, however the differences are more vast. You shall see what I mean when you arrive. I will walk you through the steps this time, but as we progress with your training I will omit more and more advice until you can arrive here on your own.

"I understand." Settling in and getting comfortable, I listened to Ydor's voice as he lead me through what I needed to do. Bring forth a peaceful picture, concentrate on the feeling of peace and serenity... Blank my thoughts, do not let anything distract me... Focus on his voice, the tone and lilting quality like the waves of an ocean...

Yugi's mind may be two separate rooms, but mine is a completely different set up. I didn't find a door in teh strictest sense of the term – I more or less fell from the freaking sky and straight into water. Sputtering and running to the sand, I brushed my now soaking hair out of my face and looked around, puzzled. I've been to the ocean many times, but why the ocean was present in the deepest parts of my mind made no sense. Not to mention the giant marble temple that sat on the beach to my right, tall and grand with an architectural style I didn't recognize. Something about the temple seemed familiar though, and I hesitantly stepped stepped closer, not knowing what to expect.

"Ydor? Where are you?"

"Here, young one." Hearing Ydor's voice in my head is one thing, but hearing it while inside my own mind is another. It seemed more... Tangible, like I could feel the weight of his knowledge in the air. Turning my head, my jaw dropped as I watched the large form exiting the water, laying on the sand beside me.

"You're a freaking dragon? You never thought that was an important detail before now?" I blinked in the dazzling sunlight as I studied his hulking form. It's not that he was overweight or anything, but he was huge. Sapphire scales glittered in the warm sun, with lighter blue scales along his belly. With large black claws and a mouth that could snap me up without any hesitation, I'm not ashamed to say that this was probably one of the more terrifying parts of my life. I actually took a half step back as Ydor lowered his head, resting his chin on the ground to study me with his large red eyes. Craning my neck, I took in the metal armor that he wore along his body, and also noticed the lack of wings. "So uh, you don't fly?"

"I belong in the sea, not the sky. And yes young one, I am a dragon. I suppose I could have mentioned it before hand, but your expression was worth the deception." Seeing the flash of giant fangs as he spoke made me uneasy, something that he seemed to notice. "Young one I never have nor will I ever mean you harm. You are safe with me – my fangs and claws are used to destroy those who would seek to enter this domain, and my armor is meant to protect me so that I may better protect you."

"Sorry Ydor. I don't mean offense, I'm just... This is a lot to take in, you know? It was one thing to know that I had someone else in my mind, another entirely to find out that presence is a dragon." Honestly now that the initial shock was over, something about his shape and presence was familiar, comforting even. But I couldn't place my finger on why he felt familiar – maybe it was just from him being inside me, or maybe it was something more.

"No offense was taken young one. I knew that my physical appearance might be a shock, but it is difficult to prepare someone for being in the presence of a dragon." His tail curled around his body, as though he was trying to make himself appear smaller. "But we must begin quickly. Since there is no way of telling when the one you call Seto will announce his tournament, time is of the essence. Are you ready to begin?"

"As ready as I'll ever be, I think." I said, scratching my head. "I mean I don't even know what exactly I'm getting into, so how can I judge?"

"As with physical combat, you should find that this is simple. Your soul is that of a conduit, so the only obstacles you may face will be your own mind. The concept of magic is not new to you, but the idea of wielding it is. You have always striven to remain out of the center of attention, have gone to great lengths to ensure that you are not directly involved with events that will unfold – this may hamper you. By wielding magic you will make yourself a target, but without the knowledge you will remain powerless."

That thought troubled me. Ydor was right, I had done a lot to make sure that no one's attention was focused on me. I didn't want to be the main character in this story, didn't want to be in the thick of things. In order for this world's story to continue as it should, I had to keep my presence and influence to a minimum. But protecting Seto, Mokuba, and Mai meant that I would have to wade into the thick of things, to give people reason to speculate about me. Stopping Marik might well lead to him targeting me instead of the others, because actively cutting his power short would most likely cause him to want revenge.

"Be at peace young one, I will not cast you into a battle empty handed. So long as I am here, I will do all in my power to protect you. You did not truly believe that you would be able to spend your life in the shadows did you?"

"I... I guess I had hoped I could. I thought if I kept a low profile that no one would question me or dig too deeply into why I'm able to do what I can, how I know what I know." I bit my lip as I thought back on all the things I'd done to ensure that no one could trace anything back to me. "I mean, if I'm going to be throwing out such obvious signs that I'm more than I appear, it's bound to cause people to question everything, including..." I swallowed hard as an ugly thought reared it's head. "Including my relationships with them. If they somehow discover that I've been keeping secrets, they'll lose all trust in me."

I jumped as I heard a loud crash, like a giant set of doors being slammed shut. Looking around quickly, I didn't see anything and turned a questioning look to Ydor.

"This is a reality which you must face, young one. You have spent too long bottling up your negative emotions – you must begin to face them or else you risk them destroying you." Lifting his head, he gestured to the glittering temple on the beach. "Housed within those walls are not only your memories from this life and the one before, but also every inner turmoil that you have refused to deal with. I tell you this as one who has seen much more than you can comprehend – you must face your inner demons before they break free. You must be the one chose how you battle them, and not allow them to overrun you."

Looking towards the temple again, I felt a chill go down my spine. I couldn't handle dealing with those emotions, not now. Maybe in the future, but for now... "Not today." Ignoring a sound of irritation from Ydor, I shook off the sense of foreboding and threw back my shoulders. "For now, we're supposed to be teaching me about magic."

"As you wish – but heed my warning about not facing the negative energy you house within you." Ydor stood slowly, eyeing me for a moment before lowering his head, gently nudging me to the very edge of the water.

"As I said, I am a dragon who is most at home in the water. As such, my magic strongly resembles that of the ocean – it rises and swells, can be both life giving or destructive. The magic of others will feel different, for each wielder bleeds either emotions or intent into their magic. This is something that is done unknowingly by a wielder, especially one who is untrained. Tell me, what did you feel from the magic that the one called Pegasus wielded?"

Studying the gentle waves that ran over my feet, I thought back to that moment when I felt Pegasus's magic like a physical presence. "It was... It was like a heavy fog, but one that was full of bitterness and regret. I could sense loss, grief, and an iron will within it. It felt thick and heavy, like it was trying to drag me into it."

"That is more or less what one who wields that abomination will always bleed into their magic. The Egyptians were a young race when they created them, and they knew not what it was they were unleashing. The Items will always have a negative aspect to them, a darkness that only the strongest of hearts can overcome and contain."

"So for someone like Yugi, who is pretty much the picture of innocence, he can easily overcome it right?" I asked, thinking back. I don't remember Yugi every really doing anything bad – but the pharaoh would eventually give in to a darker side of him, and Yugi would pay the price.

"He is stronger than most, yes. But you already know what difficulties he and the spirit he houses will face. Back to the matter at hand, my magic is purer than that of Pegasus. Magic is housed within the soul, and although you house me within your mind my soul is separate from yours. You cannot access my power without my consent, nor can I use you to channel my magic without your consent. For your first lesson, I will focus only on getting you accustomed to the feel of my magic, so that you know what to expect when you wield it."

"Umm yeah, about that Ydor..." I shifted uncomfortably. "Every time I've been around magic, it affects me physically. I can't breathe, and I can feel the pressure of the magic weighing down on me. What will yours do to me?"

"The magic you have previously encountered are foreign to you, and you have been unaccustomed to the feelings. That is why we must get you adjusted to the feeling of my magic – once you have become used to the feel of it, it should not hinder you as others will. And by becoming more accustomed to being around magic, the physical affects you feel will diminish. You will always be able to sense magic, to decipher the emotions that have been transferred into it, however you should no longer experience discomfort from it."

"Oh, that's actually kind of reassuring. Alright, well let's get this show on the road." I watched as Ydor walked slowly into the waves, stopping just as the water reached his shoulders. Turning to face me, he let out a low, melodic call. I felt and heard the sound washing over me, and he had been right. The feeling was like warm, calm water engulfing me, but I did have a moment of panic before I reminded myself that it wasn't really water. Keeping my eyes opened and focused on Ydor's red eyes, he repeated the noise three times, each time giving me a moment to adjust to the feeling before doing it again. It was remarkably soothing, almost uplifting in a sense.

"That wasn't bad at all. The way you made it sound, I thought I was going to be drowning or something." I said, grinning.

"As I said, my magic mimics the ocean – either calming and soothing, or forceful and destructive. I am purposely keeping my magic limited to ensure that you do not feel the full force of it. It is too soon for you to contend with power of that magnitude. But you are doing well – you fought your panic and instead embraced the feeling. This is good, for fighting against my magic will only lead to your being harmed."

"Alright. What's next?" I asked, eager to try something new. This part of me, this whole being a conduit thing was actually kind of cool. Sure I may not be a badass on my own, but with a freaking powerful dragon housed inside of me who knew what I was capable of?

"Now we must take a break. We have done very good work for the first day – your instincts are sound. Do not attempt to sway my mind with a pout." The dryness in his tone and the exasperated look on his face made me crack a grin. "You have already been here far longer than you realize, and staying within your own mind for too long is dangerous. We must move quickly, but I will not risk you being harmed in our haste. We shall continue tomorrow, but for now I believe that you have more scheming and plotting to do."

"You say 'scheming' and 'plotting' as though they are dirty words." I said, watching Ydor exit the water and studying his metal armor more closely. "I never claimed to be a saint."

"You surely never have done that." Ydor said, a chuckle in his voice. "Now, listen carefully and I will guide you back to your conscious mind..."

When I opened my eyes, I cringed as I felt how sore my back was – since I'm almost always on the go, sitting for long periods of time bothers me more than it would other people. Wincing as I straightened and stretched my back, I jumped as my cell phone rang loudly. Sighing to myself and wondering why I hadn't put it on silent, I picked it up and answered without looking at the caller ID.

"Reila, where the hell have you been? I've been trying to reach you for over an hour." Jillian sounded irritated, and I frowned into the phone before glancing at the clock. I blinked in surprise as I saw that I'd been with Ydor for two hours. Running a hand over my face I sighed and wondered how I would explain this one – I've never slept in so long before.

"Sorry Jillian, I was busy... What's wrong?"

"What's wrong is that Seto Kaiba almost fried my entire network!" I held the phone away from my ear as she began ranting and swearing loudly, giving her time to cool down. Once she'd gotten the worst of it out of her system, she began to explain. "I couldn't find anything about Noah or Gozaburo performing a shady experiment on his son anywhere, so I tried to tap into the Kaiba Corp. database and some program named Aeron almost fried my babies!"

I groaned as she finished explaining. "Jillian I told you not to mess with his corporate database! Aeron is part of a new two-part security program that he just developed, and it's supposed to be the end all be all of computer security! Dammit if he managed to trace it back to you and link you with me-"

"I know, but curiosity got the better of me. Besides you were paying me to do a job and I don't quit unless absolutely necessary." Jillian sighed and I heard her fingers clacking hurriedly on a keyboard. "I think I've managed to throw him off my scent for now, but that was a little too close for comfort. Sorry, either this Noah kid doesn't exist anymore or he is well and truly off-grid. If he's actually inside the program himself it would be theoretically possible to stay off the radar, even for this long. I'll send your payments back since I couldn't finish the job."

"No, keep the money. You were doing what I asked, sort of. Consider it hazard pay for your computers almost being destroyed." I ran a hand through my hair, while my mind scrambled to formulate a plan. If Jillian couldn't find Noah, maybe he really didn't exist in this world and we would be able to avoid that whole catastrophe.

"I appreciate that. But seriously, Kaiba's program is nothing to mess with. That bugger wasn't going to give up anytime soon and you would not believe what I had to go through to get him away from my network."

"I believe it – the program is designed to seek and destroy." Standing and making my way to my closet, I began picking out clothes for the day. "But you're network is safe?"

"For now. If I stay out of the database entirely he should leave me be." Jillian sighed before the clicking of keys resumed. "There was another reason I called – our mole finally made a move. I'm forwarding the information to you now. Does the name Manabu Tanaka mean anything to you?"

I frowned into the phone as I pulled a white blouse out and laid it on a chair. "Manabu? He's the current head of our A&R Department. He's been with the company for at least twenty years now. When he first signed onto the company as an artist he had moderate success, then shifted to management after his record sales began dropping. He did have a few number one hits but he's considered a 'one-hit-wonder' as an artist."

Manabu had also been in love with my mother, and had been just as offended as my grandfather had when my mother eloped with my father. Something that I was sure he was trying to take out on me, given that he tried to undermine me or block me every chance that he got. I hadn't brought it to my uncle's attention because I didn't want it to appear that I needed my uncle to fight my battles for me. Uncle Sota would put him in his place, but bothering him with something so petty seemed a waste. Especially when Manabu was someone that I could maneuver around easily.

"I can't link him directly with the mole, but I'm almost certain that he's the mastermind. For now it seems that someone named Tatsuo Ichibane is the one actively feeding the files to Royalty Records. More specifically, feeding them directly to Kaiji Watanabe."

I gave myself a moment to be sure that I'd heard her correctly before I laughed triumphantly. Not only had that snake tried to intimidate me and threaten me, but now he would ultimately be the downfall of his family. It was just too perfect. "Jillian, you've made my day. Scratch that, you've made my entire week. Kaiji Watanabe threatened me about six months ago saying that Sarota wouldn't be on top much longer, and now I can not only take out our mole but him as well. No one threatens or steals from my family and gets away without me unleashing hell upon them."

"Damn, every time I think I've seen it all you go and surprise me. You're seriously going to take down an entire company and the family that runs it, aren't you?" Jillian sounded slightly shocked, but mostly in awe of how far I was willing to take this.

Then again, she hadn't known me back when I took down Jones Enterprises in America.

"I don't tolerate thieves, and I especially don't tolerate those who steal from me, my family, or my company. If someone comes after us, I will end them in a spectacular fashion not only to remind them they messed with the wrong people, but also as a warning to anyone else who thinks they should try – don't mess with Sarota."

"Remind me never to get on your bad side." Jillian chuckled, and I heard her sigh into the phone. "So how do you plan on revealing the deception?"

"Something big and public. Particularly something that they're hosting..." I blew a sharp breathe out, blowing an errant curl out of my face. "I think that they're holding a grand opening of a new night club that construction was just finished on... If I could somehow get into that and broadcast the data that you've compiled, it would be a major blow. Most of their investors will be there for the grand opening, as well as some of their top artists. Once the artists see that they're in business with thieves, they'll defect to Sarota or other recording agencies."

"Want me to put together a video using the data? I'll give you a discount."

I laughed at Jillian's suggestion. "Actually, that would be wonderful. I already have a song in mind that I'll be roping Hojo into performing with me, so once recording is done on that I'll send it to you so you can sync the video and audio."

"You've already had a song in mind? What's it called?" Jillian asked half heartedly, already typing away. Jillian appreciated music, but since I tended to write and produce more pop/hip-hop based songs she wasn't a huge fan of my work. She was a metal head to the end, and although I have a love for rock music it's not something that I excel at writing or performing.

"Let's just say one of the lines is this: Congratulations on your new purchase, I heard you bought a crib on Biter's Block downtown Plagiarism's Paradise'."

Jillian laughed loudly, and I could picture the grin on her face. "That is too perfect Reila. I'll let you know when I've got the video done. When is this grand opening?"

"Two weeks. I should be able to have the audio to you the day after tomorrow." I said, checking the desk calendar where I kept my schedule written down, as well as my uncle's and Hojo's. "And I'll let you know the exact time of the opening, as well as when to cue the music."

"I love it when you talk subterfuge to me." With one last shared laugh we hung up, and I got dressed as I thought long and hard. In order for this little show to work, I needed to get access to the party. Asking for an invitation would be a huge mistake, as the Watanbes could spin it anyway that they chose by including me on the guest list. No, I needed someone on the inside who could get me and Hojo in through a side entrance or something. It would be that much better if we came unannounced, and if we had someone waiting to serve them the papers for the lawsuit that had already been drafted by our corporate lawyers, even better. Not only would I be broadcasting in front of their investors and artists that they were being sued for copyright infringement and attempted corporate sabotage, I would be yanking the carpet right out from beneath their feet. In sports terms, I'm blind-sighting them... And I don't even care what happens to them after the dust settles.

But the real snag in my plan was finding someone on their guest list willing to help me take them down. Sarota and Royalty tended to have almost no shared partners or acquaintances, and the only companies we both actively worked with were electronics manufacturers or advertising agencies. I couldn't think of anyone that we both knew who would be willing to work with me against the Watanabe family.

Pacing as I slipped into a pair of flats – I cannot wait until this ankle is one hundred percent healed and I can go back to wearing my stilettos – I wracked my brain, discarding idea after idea before it finally dawned on me.

Seto.

Seto had gone to school with Arisu Watanabe, and she knew that Seto and I knew one another. Our recent fight had managed to make it into tabloids, so I had no doubt that Royalty Records knew about it. But they didn't know that we had reconciled, and that could work in my favor. Given that my friendship with Seto was so public, it would be counted as a victory for Royalty Records if they could befriend Seto and "steal" him away from me.

And I know how much Seto enjoys seeing someone fall hard, so I was fairly confident that I could get him to help.

Glancing at the clock I figured that Seto shouldn't be too busy at this time of day. Calling down to Shuuichi, I asked him to ready the car before I called Hojo, explaining that I would be gone for about an hour and that when I got back we needed to start recording another song. Once he figured out what song, his dark chuckle mirrored my own.

Plotting the downfall of an enemy can be such fun.

Seto growled under his breath as his phone rang, breaking his concentration. He was working on the programming for the revised Duel Disc system, and had ordered everyone to ensure that he was not disturbed for at least another hour. This project was grueling enough, but with constant interruptions it was taking even longer than he had originally anticipated.

Snatching up the phone he didn't even bother looking at what extension was calling. "I told you no interruptions."

"Well you didn't tell me that Seto." Reila's voice on the phone confused him, as he knew that his secretary wouldn't have put any calls through unless they were from Mokuba. "I need to talk to you about something and your security guy won't let me in."

"Put him on." Once the phone had been handed back to the security officer, Seto barely held back a sigh of irritation. "Reila Sarota has complete access to this office. In the future if you stop her, irritate her, or in anyway offend her you are fired." He didn't even wait to hear the man's response before he slammed the phone into the cradle, slightly taken aback by what he'd just done. He'd given Reila complete, unrestricted access to his office without a second thought, and although he trusted her not to take advantage of it the mere fact that he had given that order was mildly surprising to himself. The only person previously who had complete access was Mokuba. Maybe it was a show of faith after their fight, but he wouldn't let it bother him right now. Saving his progress on his laptop, he had just barely closed the screen when Reila walked in the door, making her way to his side of the desk and leaning against it, facing towards the windows and studying the view that he rarely looked at.

"I need your help." Reila skipped over the usual pleasantries and cut straight to the chase, her eyes focused not on him but on the Domino City skyline.

Seto raised an eyebrow, not only at her statement but also at the no-nonsense way she was acting. If he didn't know better, he would think she was mad - but instead she seemed anxious, ready to spring into action. Turning his chair towards her, he sat back and studied her face. "What do you need?"

"I need you to get an invitation to the grand opening of the Watanabe's new night club. I need someone I can trust on the inside." Reila finally turned her head to look at him and it was then he saw it, the fire in her eyes. She was excited, anticipation clearly visible in her onyx eyes.

"And why would you need to be there?" Crossing his arms over his chest, Seto wondered what new scheme was hatching beneath those wild red curls. There were very few things that could bring this kind of excitement into Reila's life, and her reasoning for asking him to tolerate Arisu's company for any length of time needed to be good. The girl had been a pain when he had been in school with her, and he'd done his best to avoid being around her since his graduation. Rumors about the friendship between Kaiba Corp. and Sarota Entertainment helped keep the little leech at bay, but only barely.

"Someone sprung my trap - an employee of my company is feeding copyrighted materials to Kaiji Watanabe. I'm already getting the legal process underway to sue both the employee and Royalty Records for every penny that they collectively have. But before that, I want to make their downfall as public and crippling as possible." Her grin turned sharper, more dangerous as though she was savoring this moment. "What better way to cripple them than broadcasting that they're about to be annihilated in front of their artists and investors?"

Seto was momentarily taken aback not by the plan itself, which was brilliant, but by the amount of joy Reila was taking from this. He knew that she, like himself, couldn't tolerate thieves. It might be something about their shared background as orphans, although Seto suspected his was more from his supposed family members taking the inheritance that had been rightfully his and Mokuba's from their birth parents. But Reila had completely dropped the pleasant, unassuming mask that she wore in public – this was the real Reila, cold and lethal to enemies and one that relished the hunt. She was smart enough to paint this little incident in such a light that the general public would praise her for her ingenuity, would applaud her for refusing to be a victim. She would walk away from this spot free while the Watanabe family would be tarnished for life.

"You're asking a lot of me – Arisu will think that she's stealing my friendship away from you." Seto was cautious in offering his help, because he wanted to know what her plan was fully before he committed to anything. With work delayed on the disc hardware – again – it had to be a solid plan and not a waste of his time.

Reila nodded in agreement. "She will, but let her think that all she wants – our fight managed to make it into the tabloids and that works in my favor. If she thinks that we're still fighting she'll think that there's a chance for her to worm her way into your confidence. Royalty Records will take any chance they get to lure in powerful, well known friends and use them as shields for when something blows up in their face."

Seto smirked. "Now you're flattering my ego."

"As if your ego needs anymore flattering or inflating." Reila grinned in response before her face turned serious again. "I know the way they think, and they'll think that by gaining your friendship and support that they'll have won a victory against me and my uncle. I don't think there will be any major repercussions against you, especially if we're careful and you're not seen helping me."

"As if I care about that." Seto scoffed, sitting forward in his chair. "So you need me to fake interest in Royalty Records, get into this party – and you know how much I hate going to parties – and then what?"

"I know Hojiro Watanabe's style – he'll let everyone mingle, get a little alcohol in them, and then try to wow them with a big speech. Right before his speech, Hojo and I are going to crash their party. I already have a song in the works, and an associate of mine is putting together a video representation of their plagiarism and thievery to be broadcast on the screens inside the club while we perform." A malicious smile slid onto her lips, and she paused for a moment as though she could already see it. "Then immediately after the song is over, I'll have my attorneys serve them the lawsuit paperwork."

Seto felt a small grin slide onto his own face – this was why he called Reila his friend. She was just as devious as he was, just as ruthless. Only she was more graceful in dishing out retribution against those who dared attack her or her family, more subtle and patient. She would sit and wait for years if it meant she could completely annihilate a competitor.

He himself was more of an attack hard and fast type of person.

Seto thought for a moment, although his mind had already been made up. Even without his help, Reila would be able to pull this off on her own. But she was asking him for his help, offering him a chance to see her in action as she did what she did best, protecting her family and business. She did it well, and he could see now how she managed to get so many people to sign deals and get the type of contracts she did. Her ability to read people, to use just the right words to ease their misgivings while also bolstering their sense of self-worth was almost poetic. She'd presented the scenario in such a way that she made it seem like her success hinged on his help, like he was the central part of her plan coming off flawlessly. It was second nature to her, otherwise he would be irritated at someone trying to manipulate him. But for Reila, he could make an exception... If she did something for him in return.

"I'll do it, but in return you'll need to do something for me." Seto's mind raced through possibilities, a way that she could repay him for his help. Because there was absolutely no way that he would do this for free, especially given the amount of effort it would take to not snap at the Royalty Records family and get out of there before Reila made her grand entrance.

"What did you have in mind?" Reila's lack of hesitation almost brought a smile to his face. She knew as well as he did that she didn't have to agree to anything, but this was a major dynamic in their friendship – their respective industries kept them separated enough to not be competition with one another while still being close enough to offer or request help. So when one of them helped the other, the party who received he;p was quick to repay the debt.

"The tournament that I'm hosting – I'm making it a city wide tournament, not enclosed within a building. I need someone who is better with people than I am to negotiate the details of what can and cannot happen with the city board." Seto pulled a file from a drawer and handed it to Reila. Now that he thought of it, this was perfect – freeing him from having to haggle with the board would give him more time to work on his hardware. "I could just bribe them with enough money, but putting someone in the negotiations that has a good reputation with the public might make them agree quicker than money alone."

"Hmm, so you need me for my pretty face?" Reila snickered as she looked over the file quickly. "This shouldn't be too much trouble. But I am going to need your authority to give and take certain points in the offers."

"I'll put you on the tournament's committee as our public relations representative." Seto said, jotting it down onto a note to remember to add her onto the committee list. Putting her name on the committee would give his tournament even more credibility, since Reila's management skills were so well known. And it would give him a reason to have her there in the finals to finally see him triumph. She'd seen him defeated twice now, and the thought of her only ever seeing him defeated in a game that he once held the title of World Champion in didn't sit well.

"Alright, I'll do it. Just let me know when you have an invitation and I'll finalize the plans for Royalty's downfall. Do you have an rough idea of when you're going to hold the tournament?" Reila grabbed a pen and began making notes on the outside of the folder, and Seto shook his head at how easily she switched from one plan to another. Her ability to juggle multiple projects at once was just one of the traits that she could and would use to excel as the head of A&R for Sarota Entertainment when she finally got the title.

"Once I've finished the hardware it won't be long before the tournament starts. But with the constant interruptions it's taking longer than I had planned." Leaning back again, he watched as Reila skimmed the file, making notes in the margins of the papers and completely crossing out other parts. "The location for the finals will be held outside the city, and I've already arranged transportation to and from the arena."

"That will help with negotiations, since they'll only have to anticipate active tournament participation for what, two, three days? How many people are you planning on inviting?" Reila finally looked up and Seto handed her a sheet, a rough draft of the guest list. Scanning the list she nodded thoughtfully. "Ah, so the usual regional and national champions. I recognize a few of these names... What about Mai? She made it to the semi-finals of the last tournament, and she's well known in the community."

"This is just a rough draft, but I guess I could add her name in – if she's gotten stronger that is." Seto said, studying Reila's face. Seeing her lips purse slightly, he sighed. "Let me guess, that's why she's still hanging around your house right?"

"She's really excited about the tournament, and it would mean a lot to her to get an invitation." Reila said, and Seto noticed the way she was carefully avoiding outright asking him to invite her. She was treading a thin line, trying to respect that Seto was the one who ultimately made the decisions while trying to not use her influence to help a friend. She was protecting Mai's pride, and a part of Seto could respect that.

Turning his chair back to his desk, Seto opened his laptop to get back to work. "You may be right, maybe I should take another look at her dueling stats. If I do send an invitation I'll just send it to your house." Seto saw the small, genuine smile out of the corner of his eye and knew that Reila had seen through his bluff – to make her, not Mai happy, he would include her friend.

"Sounds good Seto. I'll email you the final plans for the club and once you have a date for the tournament let me know – but try to give me as much notice as you can, please?" Tucking the file under her arm, she began walking to the door before she stopped and looked over her shoulder. "Oh, and one more thing – although we've put our disagreement behind us, until the Watanabe family is out for the count, I think that it would work in my favor if we didn't act like we had reconciled in public. Let them think that we're still fighting, it will make it that much more entertaining when they see that we're back on friendly terms."

"I seem to remember Hojo once saying that you are like a shark in the water – and he's right. I suppose I can act like I'm still angry with you easily enough." Seto grinned as Reila rolled her eyes, but a small grin on her face showed that she knew it was a jest. Turning she left Seto to his thoughts and programming, and while half his mind was focused on finishing his current project, the other half was wondering what on earth was making him agree to such a big favor – friendship couldn't be the only reason.

Two weeks later...

"He just sent out another round of drinks." Seto opened a side door, the light from the hallway spilling into the alleyway behind the newest night club in Domino City, Rscapes. The entirety of the Watanabe family was in attendance, and the club was filled to the brim with the wealthiest people in the city, and some from other countries as well. Seto had officially had his fill of being around people for the next year after being here only an hour.

"Thanks again Seto, you're the best." Reila stepped into the hallway, followed quickly by Hojo. Both of them were working without Sota Sarota's knowledge, to protect him from any negative backlash. But it was a gamble, using Hojo in her scheme. The idea of unity should be the strongest one coming across, but there was the potential for it to blow up in the future CEO's face.

Seto nodded, scanning Reila's attire. In place of her usual neutral colors, she'd chosen a bold outfit to match the boldness of her actions tonight – a strapless red jumpsuit and glittering gold jewelry. Glancing at Hojo, he noted the dark jeans, red button up and black vest that made him look less CEO material, but more like an artist and matched Reila perfectly. The two of them were geared up for war, and this was a war that the other side didn't even see coming. The only thing that annoyed Seto was that Reila was back to wearing those death traps she called shoes, although it was a little easier to speak with her now that he didn't have to look so far down.

Reila pulled out a cellphone from a hidden pocket of her outfit and dialed a number, waiting for the other person to answer. "Jillian, it's me. We're inside, what setting do we put the microphones to?" Hojo produced two microphones, both golden but Reila's had jewels embedded in it. Flipping the microphone to show the bottom, she set it to the setting needed to pipe into the sound system. "Alright, give us about four minutes and then cue the music and video. Thanks again, you're the best." Hanging up the phone, she turned to Seto who wore a frown on his face. "What?"

"Why are you trusting someone else with something this big?" Seto questioned, knowing that it didn't match Reila's style to trust an outsider with something like this.

"I trust Jillian, and as much as I would have liked to have you help me I couldn't risk you being dragged into the middle of my battles. Jillian is an independent contractor who I have used in the past and she's never betrayed me – I pay her too well for her to think about betraying me." Reila shrugged and the three of them made their way down the hall, where the music from the club was muffled and allowed them to speak without shouting. "Alright two minutes and counting. Seto, I'm going to ask you to head back into the party – people will have noticed your absence and if they see you come in with us they'll start throwing accusations your way."

"You act like I can't handle it." Seto said, his frown deepening. Reila was acting like she had the capability to order him around, but he answered to no one.

"I know you can Seto, but the less involved you are in this the better. If you're suspected of being involved then you're likely to get dragged into the court case, which will delay your tournament even more." Reila explained, and Seto had to admit she had a point. Rolling his eyes in annoyance, he made his way back into the throng of people, returning to the spot that he'd silently claimed as his own – close to the exit and right at the edge of the crowd, leaning with his back against the wall and a scowl on his face.

"There you are! I thought you'd dipped out." Arisu Watanabe smiled as she sidled over to stand next to him, a bright smile plastered on her face. Although Arisu was pretty in a way, she was too high maintenance for Seto's tastes. Her hair was painstakingly styled, her clothing a tad too tight and too revealing. Her makeup accentuated her features well, but without all the work she would be a remarkably plain looking girl. At his continued silence her smile fell a little. "What took you so long?"

"Business call." Seto replied, scanning the crowd. Socialites, actors, actresses, and powerful business people all mingled and danced like they were having the time of their lives, but Seto could see the undercurrent that ran through their collective body language. They were only here to be seen and have their esteem boosted. None of them were truly loyal to Royalty Records, but Royalty boasted that they were wealthier than Sarota so the leeches clung to them. In reality, Sarota was the more powerful of the two companies, and the only reason that they weren't wealthier was because they paid their workers well and donated much more than Royalty to charities and various organizations.

"Oh, well I hope everything is fine." Arisu said blandly, scooting a little closer. Seto bit back the callous remark on his tongue because Arisu was far too emotional to take him snapping at her lightly. Reila took his barbs and shot them right back at him, but Arisu would dissolve into tears if something upset her. Hojiro had done a terrible job raising her, letting her grow up a soft spoiled child.

Arisu turned to him again, her mouth opening to spout more small talk at him when the music suddenly cut and the lights dimmed. Seto felt the corner of his mouth tip up in a smirk as Arisu excused herself, making her way to the central stage where her family had gathered. Before Hojiro could calm his guests, another voice rang out as Reila and Hojo emerged from the hallway where he had left them.

"Hello Mr. Watanabe. I would say we're sorry for barging in on you like this, but we're not." Reila smiled brightly as the crowd parted and she and Hojo walked slowly to the center of the dance floor. "You see, my family and I don't tolerate thieves, and we certainly don't give them the same respect we do to others."

"Now I know what you're all thinking." Hojo turned in a slow circle and eyed the crowd. "What right does Reila have to call them thieves? What proof do we have? Well, the proof will be shown on the screens that surround this lovely establishment. And really Hojiro, your architects did a wonderful job in designing this club." Hojiro's face was slowly turning redder as Hojo spoke, buthe kept a pleasant smile on his face as he continued. "And to celebrate such a triumph, my cousin and I have prepared a small presentation for you and your guests."

Stepping back, the music started just as the footage on the monitors changed to a steady stream of incriminating files, images, and emails sent between Kaiji Watanabe and someone named Tatsuo Ichibane, whom Seto assumed was the guilt party from within Sarota Entertainment. As Hojo began his part of the song, Reila stayed in the background, moving around the edge of the crowd and getting people to join in with clapping and dancing. Some did, but most had their eyes glued to the monitors, beginning to whisper about what they were seeing and hearing. Still, Hojo and Reila could be heard above everything, verbally belittling the Royalty Records family for their acts of thievery and plagiarism.

"Keep singing songs for me,

That I could write in my sleep just like I'm counting sheep.

Keep singing songs for me,

Man you're boring me with your monotony.

Keep singing songs for me,

Just following the leader with your 'blah blah blah'!"

Seto wouldn't say it was awe, but a certain amount of pride was present as he watched Reila play backup to her cousin. She could have taken the center of the stage, but she'd allowed Hojo to be the main accuser, the one who was throwing the sharpest barbs within the song. To anyone who didn't have knowledge about the plan before it's execution, it would seem as though Hojo and been the one to uncover the plot and the main orchestrator of the big reveal. Although he didn't understand Reila's reasoning for not taking credit for her hard work, he could see what it looked like to an outsider, or more accurately to Sarota Entertainment's investors, board members, and stock holders – Hojo Sarota would defend his company and it's property no matter what. Reila was literally bolstering his image and getting him one step closer to becoming the next CEO.

Seto smirked as Hojo spun once, pointing an accusatory finger at Kaiji Watanabe. The lyrics he sang were something that Reila must have had a lot of fun writing.

"Wow, congratulations on your new purchase,

I heard you bought a crib on Biter's Block downtown Plagiarism's Paradise,

You're not a movement you're purely amusement,

A poster boy for Xerox and the role model for parasites.

You serve no purpose,

You're purely decorative,

And bore us to death with your auditory sedatives."

As the song came to a close, Hojo and Reila stood side by side, confidence bleeding from their pores. The entire room fell silent as they waited for the any of the Watanabes to deny the accusations, but the entire family seemed in shock. Arisu had tears streaming down her face as she stared in horror at the screens, still playing the video on a loop. Hojiro had gone pale, and even from a distance Seto could see in his eyes that he'd already accepted defeat. The two older brothers, Minobu and Hatsuhiro, stared at their younger brother with a mixture of shock, anger, and disappointment. While Kaiji...

Kaiji Watanabe looked as though he was envisioning every possible way he could murder Reila where she stood. Too her credit, she met his gaze straight on, not even blinking as he finally caved and looked away, shame and disgust on his face.

Hojo seemed to note the silent exchange between his cousin and the youngest son as he wrapped an arm around her bare shoulders, a silent gesture of protection. "You'll be hearing from our lawyers- oh look at that, here they are." Hojo grinned wolfishly as four lawyers entered the room, making a beeline for the stage and serving the suit papers to Hojiro and Kaiji. "We'll be in touch." With that last comment Hojo gently steered Reila to the front doors, Seto silently falling into step beside them as they exited with their heads held high.

A loud shout stopped them in their tracks, and the three turned to see Kaiji being visibly restrained by his guards, a murderous look on his face as his gaze focused solely on Reila. "You heartless snake! How dare you!?"

"How dare I?" Reila raised a brow at the accusation and stepped forward just enough so that only Kaiji, Hojo, and Seto could hear her. "How dare you think that you could steal the hard work of others and profit from it. How dare you steal from my artists, my songwriters, and more importantly my family. But most of all, how dare you threaten my company and family. I warned you – those who cross Sarota don't stick around to tell others about their mistakes." Stepping back, she kept the same pleasant smile on her face, but raised her voice so others around them could hear. "I wish that you'd fully thought out your actions – it's heartbreaking to see your family suffering over your greed. But I will forgive you for attempting to assault me. After all, your emotions are obviously running high and I would hate to but even more misfortune on you and your family."

Seto bit back a laugh – the Princess was in control alright. By loudly forgiving him for the attempted assault she was painting herself as a saint, and no one would suspect that she'd purposely set a trap to snare a mole. Not only had she found the snake in her own company, she'd also caught on hell of a catch.

The means to completely take out an opposing company.

Safely ensconced in Seto's limo, I grinned widely as Hojo and I watched the steady stream of guests leaving Rscapes. From behind the heavily tinted glass no one could see just how much joy I was taking from the night's events, but Hojo and Seto saw it.

"Oh that was too perfect! Hojo you did an amazing job." Leaning over I kissed his cheek happily before sitting back and clapping my hands together. "Did you see Hojiro's face? He looked like he was ready to blow a gasket. I don't for one second believe that he didn't know what Kaiji was doing – he had to have known."

"Regardless of if he did or not, he and his family are done for. They'll never be able to work in this industry again, not after being publicly shamed like this." Hojo said, studying the faces of the guests who were leaving.

Hojo was right, of course – there were very few ways to come back from such a huge scandal. The Watanabe family would have to work long and hard to get their image back, and the trust of their associates. No one wanted to deal with thieves, or at least not be caught dealing with them. Sure corporate sabotage happens all the time, but most are smart enough and careful enough to not get caught. It's only when you get caught that things can go from bad to worse.

Turning to Seto, I smiled widely. "Thanks again for your help Seto – and for escorting us out." The look on Arisu's face when Seto had left the club with Hojo and I, without so much as a backward glance in her direction had been priceless. I don't know what her intentions had been towards Seto, whether they were romantic or strictly platonic, but either way Seto would never speak to her again, of that I was sure.

Seto nodded once before reaching into a briefcase by his feet, handing me a thick file just as the car began driving. "The hardware is almost finished. In that file is a more detailed schedule of events that you can use to get the city council on board and minimize the amount of griping that they'll be doing."

Nodding I opened the file and scanned, my heart rate increasing slightly. Training with Ydor was going better, but I still couldn't handle his magic at full force – Ydor estimated that it would be at least another month or so before I was able to handle the backlash from wielding such strong magic. But if Seto was almost done... "So about a month and a half from now? That should be plenty of time, I'll call tomorrow and schedule a meeting with them and the mayor. You said that the finals weren't being held in the city?"

"The location won't be disclosed until the finalists are gathered and on the blimp." Seto raised an eyebrow as I bit my lip to keep from laughing, but he didn't say anything about it. "All transportation, lodging, and catering will be handled by Kaiba Corp. for the finals."

"Of course. We'll have to coordinate with local air traffic control to ensure that there won't be any problems with incoming commercial liners, and I think notifying the police force would be a good idea so that they're not chasing their tails with concerned calls from residents of the city." Holding out my hand, Seto rolled his eyes before placing a pen in it and I began jotting notes in the margins of the paperwork.

"Does she always deface documents like that?" Seto asked, glancing in Hojo's direction.

Hojo nodded his head, reaching into the mini fridge for a drink. "Yeah, it's how she keeps herself focused. Apparently if she doesn't write it down, she won't remember it." Hojo glanced over my shoulder, a frown on his face. "Uh Reila, I don't normally pry into your personal life but you might have a problem with the proposed day of the finals."

"What? What problem are you talking about? My schedule is wide open, I made sure of it once Seto asked me to help with his tournament." Frowning, I wracked my brain for something that I'd missed.

"Uh you don't remember agreeing to be in the music video for Killpop? Remember, Tyler Correl asked you personally if you would be his co-star in the video." Hojo furrowed his brow as he studied me. "Seriously, how could you forget? You were so excited about it you were actually jumping on your bed. He's coming to Domino City ont hat very day to shoot your parts of the video."

I blinked as I thought back, the pieces clicking into place. "Oh no no no no no! I can't believe I forgot..." I had agreed to be in his band's music video, because I was such a fan of their music and because the song was one that I was addicted to. Not only that but Tyler had said he would fly to Japan just to make it easier on me, instead of my flying to America. "Wait, Seto am I going with you to the finals?"

"I thought you were, didn't I mention it?" Seto sat back, his arms crossed over his chest.

I could see from his body language that he was annoyed. His wanting me to be there worked in my favor, and I thought about how to make this work for a moment. "If I schedule the video shoot for earlier in the day, there shouldn't be any problems. We'll get an early start on filming and focus only on the parts that they need me for, that should give me plenty of time to change and get to the departure area." Looking up at Seto, I saw some of the tension leave his shoulder and smiled. "There, problem solved!"

Seto nodded in agreement, and the limo pulled to a stop at the front doors of the Sarota Manor. Now the only thing left to do tonight was inform my uncle of what Hojo and I had done... And hope that he wasn't going to be upset with me taking action and not informing him.

"Thanks for the ride Kaiba. If you ever need anything, just ask – we owe you a lot." Hojo said, shaking hands briefly with Seto before exiting the car. I followed after him, but turned back to face Seto before his driver closed the door.

"Thank you." Leaning down, I gave him a small kiss on the cheek before turning and walking up the stairs to my house, amazed that I wasn't as flustered this time. Maybe because I was still on an emotional high, or maybe because I knew it was nothing more than a friendly kiss to show gratitude, nothing more. Either way, it was done and couldn't be taken back.

Although the expression on his face was downright adorable, just like when we were kids.