A/N: So, lots happening. But I won't bore you with details now. I'll elaborate at the end if you're curious.
Thank you so, so much for your kind words and encouragement. It's really a wonderful thing to hear how people are enjoying the story, and seeing the reviews, favorites, and follows really motivates me to continue writing. So again, thank you so much.
I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season! Quick shout-outs to Counting Sinful Stars, animagirl, Zap97, Drachegirl14, Sky65, realisticFantasy, Delphine Pryde, and ChimericWings for reviewing, and a big thank you to those who have followed and favorited the story. And now, on with the chapter!
The song featured in this chapter is Castle by Halsey. There are two version of this song, the original from the Badlands album and also the remake from The Huntsman: Winter's War movie. I'm a fan of both versions, but I feel the Badlands version best suits this chapter. I do not claim any ownership over the lyrics or music, and all rights belong to their respective parties.
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 17
Sitting slumped in the back of the limo, Mokuba pouted slightly as he gazed out the window. Seto refused to tell him where they were going, only that he had needed to dress up nicely and be on his best behavior. He'd argued a little, saying that he didn't want to go anywhere since he couldn't go see Reila perform. But eventually he had to give in to his older brother's directions. He hadn't been able to see her at all today, since she had been busy with sound checks and a final costume fitting, on top of helping Hojo with the final preparations for everything else to do with the meeting. Mokuba still didn't see what the harm in allowing him and Seto to attend would be. Reila's friendship with the Kaiba brothers was well known, and having someone as well known as Seto there to show support for Reila could have helped a long way. Years of watching Seto had given him a little insight to how important a show of power was in the business world.
Not that Reila necessarily needed it. Mokuba was sure people would love her singing, and Sarota Entertainment would become even more powerful by having her as one of their star.
Still, it had taken Seto a good twenty minutes to get Mokuba to cave in. He hadn't wanted to go anywhere, because he hated having to pretend that he was enjoying himself. He didn't like going to corporate functions anymore than Seto did, but in the end he had given in because he loved his big brother enough not to fight him... Well, not to fight him too much anyways.
"Seto, why can't you tell me where we're going?" Mokuba shifted his gaze from the outside world to his older brother, still curious as to why Seto had changed his clothes. Recently he had gotten hold of a new white trench coat that he'd been wearing a lot. But tonight, he'd changed into more sedate clothing. Instead of the attention grabbing coat, he was wearing a navy business suit and black tie. Mokuba was wearing a suit as well, dark grey with a dark purple tie. He hadn't understood why they needed to dress up, but Seto had been firm on that part.
"I told you, it's a surprise." Seto said, pausing in his typing to briefly glance at Mokuba before returning to his work. Tomorrow was the final test for his new duel disk system, and if everything went well then by this time next month the Battle City Tournament would officially begin. Seto had been slammed with work, trying to keep Kaiba Corp. afloat in the midst of possible sabotage and losing five of his executive officers - their own fault, of course - and all the while pouring any spare time into the duel disk creation and planning out the tournament details.
"I don't like surprises." Mokuba mumbled, tugging his tie a little looser. Seto always tied them so tight, it felt like someone was trying to cut off his air supply. Turning back to the window, Mokuba frowned in confusion as he saw where they were. "Seto, isn't this..." His words were cut off as they pulled up outside the Sarota corporate building, his wide eyes going to Seto.
Seto had put his laptop away, flashing a small grin at Mokuba. "Come on. As the newest owner of three percent in Sarota's stock I don't want to miss out on the projections for the next year."
Feeling a wide grin form on his face, Mokuba felt his spirits brighten. He would get to see Reila's big reveal after all! "Thanks big brother, you're the best!"
"And you're absolutely sure that there's nothing I can do or say that will get you out of that outfit and into something not so revealing?"
Looking at Hojo in the mirror, I scowled. "It's not like I've never shown this much skin before. Besides, it covers more than that dress I wore at the white party."
"That's different. This is... What is this even?" Hojo asked, frowning even more as his eyes scanned my costume.
Sighing I ran a hand down the dark leather pants I was wearing. Really, Hojo was being overly dramatic - the outfit wasn't as revealing as he was making it out to be. I'd taken inspiration from the outfit that I'd worn in the virtual reality trip, but with a few changes. So here I was, in dark leather pants and boots with my hair pulled into a stylized mess of curls and braids. Some feathers and beading had been added in, to really hit on the 'warrior chieftainess' look. Instead of the top that I had worn in the game however, I had worked with a costume designer to craft a top that I was sure would have people talking for ages. We'd taken a leather pauldron, covered it with some light metal painted a silvery-gold, and taken royal blue feathers and layered them down from the strap of the pauldron to create a backless, feathered top. Thankfully it hadn't gotten too cold at night so far this season, otherwise this entire idea would have had to be scrapped. As it stood now, I was going to shock the crowd. In a good way, hopefully.
"Hojo, would you quit acting like some spinster aunt? I'm supposed to be fearless and bold, ready for war. That's the theme of my song, remember?" I had to speak without moving, because my stylist was putting the finishing touches on my warrior inspired make up. It reminded me a lot of the Kyoshi warrior makeup from Avatar: The Last Airbender, it just didn't go all the way up to my eyebrows and was a deep blue instead of red. Also, I'd opted out of a complete face mask and instead focused on my eyes.
"All I'm saying is that I think you should let your song speak for itself; there's really no need to put in this much effort, especially since you're already known as a talented singer." Hojo said, scowling a little. "And yes, I'm acting like a spinster but it's only because I'm not used to my little cousin parading around dressed in something that's being held together by string and glue."
I rolled my eyes. "If you're questioning Ryuka's sewing abilities, best make sure she's not around - those scissors she uses could do some serious damage, especially to the parts of your body that you hold dear.."
Hojo didn't even rise to the joke, which told me that he was more stressed than he was letting on. "I'm serious Reila, I know that you're revamping your image but does it have to be so..." He gestured vaguely in my direction.
I sighed and thanked the stylist as she began packing up her things. "Hojo, this is a costume for my performance. Artists worldwide use costumes for performances, and wear normal clothes any other time. It's not like I'm going to be wearing this kind of thing all the time, I'm not that type of person." Sitting forward I reached out and took his hand. More and more I had seen Hojo getting worked up over the tiniest things, and most of them seemed to focused around me."Hojo, what's really bothering you? Every time I ask you what's wrong you deflect the question or bring up something completely unrelated."
Hojo sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Look, we'll... We'll talk about it later, alright? It's nothing serious, just me being stupid. Just... Break a leg out there, okay?"
It was as good an answer as I was going to get. Sighing and nodding I tilted my head to the side as Hojo placed a good luck kiss on my cheek before leaving me to finish preparing. Whatever it was that had him so worked up would have to wait. Right now, it was show time.
Seto felt some pride when he saw how hard Mokuba was trying to remain calm and not fidget. Springing this on him last minute might not have been the best thing to do to a kid his age, but Mokuba was more mature than other kids. His excitement at seeing Reila's performance was making it difficult for him to sit still, but he was doing an admirable job. Seto - and Reila as well - had been drilling the importance of appearance into Mokuba's head these past few months. Things that Seto had been trying to teach Mokuba that had half-way stuck into his younger brother's mind, Reila helped firmly cement. Seto was grateful for the help, although he suspected he would have succeeded eventually on his own. Reila just helped speed up the process.
Seto kept half an ear open to Hojo's speeches, but the other performers that were showcasing new songs didn't interest the eldest Kaiba. Seto was very particular when it came to what music he listened to, and artists like Yumi and a few of the other pop artists that SE had signed on didn't really interest him. Gorou Kimoto had a few songs that Seto found entertaining, but he wasn't a huge fan like some people. What Seto looked for was substance, and despite the immense talent there were few artists who really had the sound that Seto really appreciated.
Seto returned his attention to the stage as Hojo stepped into the center again, waiting for the applause to die down once again before continuing. Seto had to grudgingly admit that Hojo was doing a good job, able to pander to the shareholders in a way Seto would never dream of doing. The Sarota family spent much more time garnering approval than Seto himself did, but for them it worked. Whereas Seto had the ultimate say in his company, Sarota Entertainment gave a lot of emphasis to their board of directors and shareholders than Kaiba Corp. did. But again, for a company that owed its success to the public at large it was the best option. Seto's inventions and innovations were the backbone of the new Kaiba Corp., so it made sense that he had the most power within the corporation.
Seto and Mokuba had taken up a spot near the stage, wanting to have a clear view when Reila made her appearance. So far there hadn't been any mention of her, minus a few whispered conversation between other guests. From what Seto had overheard, a majority of them applauded her for her part in the dismantling of Royalty Records. But her absence was conspicuous, and those who didn't know the full plan for tonight would be in for a surprise.
"Seto Kaiba. Truth be told, I didn't expect to see you here tonight. The music industry is much different from the gaming industry." Seto turned to his left, seeing a man approach him from the huddle of Sarota's board members.
Women would find him attractive, Seto assumed. He was immaculately dressed in a well fitting black suit, and the way he carried himself made it apparent that this was a man who knew his worth. He had a slightly squared jaw, straight nose, and thick black hair pulled back into a small ponytail. Something about his features reminded Seto of the pictures one saw of emperors of the past, but he still had no clue who the man was.
"Allow me to introduce myself; I am Manabu Tanaka, head of Sarota Entertainment's A&R department." The man said with a slight bow.
The declaration gave Seto a moment's pause; from the way that Reila spoke of the man, Seto had expected the man to look like a weasel. But he seemed ordinary enough, and spoke evenly. Not at all with an evil sneer as Seto had imagined. It was… Possible that Reila's judgment was clouded. When it came to her family, anyone who spoke ill of them was by default bad. Reila could read people, but her prejudice might not let her see the reality; for the moment, Seto would remain impartial, until he could see what was really going on.
Manabu didn't seem to notice Seto's silence, or he didn't care as he continued speaking. "I must admit, I'm surprised that you're here. Inviting outsiders is almost unheard of at this event."
"I heard that you hardly ever attend the shareholders meeting." Seto said, trying to figure the man out. He spoke calmly, matter of factly. Nothing in Manabu's tone or body language showed any hint of knowing that something would happen tonight.
"It's true, I normally don't attend. My business is with the artists of the company, and I have little to no interaction with shareholders. But as our future CEO is the one leading the festivities tonight, I wanted to come and see how well he does." Manabu paused to take a drink as he listened to Hojo's speech. "He's doing well. Charismatic, well spoken, and a true showman - Sota has done a great job in raising him. Our future will be secure with him as the leader of this company."
"You have no aspirations to take over?" Seto asked, studying him closely.
"No, I don't. My talent lies in management and knowing an artist's worth. Hojo has been groomed since birth to take this position, and will have much more knowledge on the real expectations of a CEO than I have. Besides, Sarota Entertainment should always have a Sarota at it's head. Otherwise we would lose the popularity we have garnered as a family owned corporation, one of the few in our industry that can use that distinction." Manabu chuckled. "But enough about business. Tell me, what spurred you to be here tonight?"
"Sarota is a good investment. Since I've bought stock in this company, I want to know that my money is being used in a smart way." Seto said simply, noting that Mokuba had finally turned his attention to the conversation. Mokuba had a wary look on his face, as though he himself couldn't quite figure Manabu out. Given that Mokuba was firmly in the 'Reila can do no wrong' camp, it wasn't surprising that he was just as puzzled as Seto was.
From what Seto could see, Manabu was just a businessman. Not an evil, smarmy troll as they had been led to believe. But Reila had mentioned that he might have been involved in Royalty's theft, so his praise of the Sarota family had to be false; unless the clues hadn't really meant anything. Reila herself had said there wasn't any concrete evidence against him. But it was also possible that the information itself had been false, or so vague that any conclusion could be made. Still, Seto's eyes narrowed at the possibility that Manabu was as two faced as Reila said. Only time would tell.
Manabu nodded in response to Seto's statement. "Of course. I thought that perhaps you were here as guests of Reila, but I haven't seen her tonight. Perhaps she's keeping herself from the spotlight since she's receiving such negative publicity at the moment. A smart move on her part, if that is truly what she's doing."
Ah, there it was. Seto could see the slightest narrowing of the eyes, hear the slight tightness in his voice as he praised what he assumed was Reila's decision. It didn't appear to be outright malice, but there was definitely some negative emotion attached to his thoughts. But now Seto could see where Reila got the impression that Manabu hated her. And for nothing more than being born and looking like her father, a man Reila idolized. The idea of her being targeted based on a family resemblance to a man Manabu hated irritated him more than it should.
"Calling out a thief in such a spectacular way doesn't seem worthy of negative publicity. Your property was being taken, she found the culprits and brought them to justice. If it were me, I would have been much harsher in my treatment of them." Seto said sharply, watching Manabu's face closely for his reaction. Manabu seemed intelligent, but maybe his ego would get in the way of his common sense and get him to slip up. Reila had once tried to warn Seto of possible snakes in his company, so if he could get even a small amount of proof that there was one in Sarota, Seto would let her know.
"Perhaps you would have, and you as the CEO have that right. But Reila didn't tell anyone what she was doing, and in acting in such a way while using the company's name she opened us up to ridicule that could have been controlled had she thought more with her mind and not her emotions." Manabu's face had a small, sardonic smile. "Sadly, the Sarota women sometimes allow their emotions to rule them, rather than reason."
Before Seto could respond, the lights dimmed and the soft strains of music could be heard as the fog generators sprang to life, beginning to enclose the area in a blanket of white. Hojo, a single spotlight fixed on him grinned widely. Seto felt a smug grin form on his face, because he knew what was coming next. Manabu's reaction would be interesting, and telling.
"It is well known that Sarota Entertainment searches far and wide for talented artists to join our family. But sometimes, that very talent we've been searching for is right under our nose. For years now, shareholders and fellow artists alike have been asking for one of our own to step in from the sidelines and take her place as a true Sarota artist. And finally, she has agreed."
"What are they doing?" Manabu asked, more to himself. His brow furrowed as he studied Hojo intently, and Seto felt a jolt of amusement at the perplexed look on the man's face.
"Ladies and gentlemen, it is with no small amount of pride that I introduce our next upcoming artist! Taken under the wing of Gorou Kimoto as her producer, and with years of experience under her belt already, I give you the debut of one we all know and love. My dear cousin, Reila!"
The lights from the stage cut out, plunging the enclosed party area into murky, smoke filled light. Reila's voice could be heard over the speakers, but she couldn't be seen. The suspense and the mysterious atmosphere only heightened the experience of hearing the song for the first time, and the few facial expressions Seto could see from the surrounding guests were filled with awe. Manabu looked shell shocked, and Seto could only guess what thoughts were running through the man's head at having been so completely blindsided.
With a swell of music, the lights flared up as what he assumed was the chorus began. It wasn't enough to blind the audience; instead most of the light focused on Reila, making her way from the back of the crowd to the stage. Acrobats and dancers performed around her as she steadily walked to the stage, looking fierce and ready for battle.
"I'm heading straight for the castle.
They want to make me their queen.
And there's an old man, sitting on the throne there
Saying that I probably shouldn't be so mean.
I'm heading straight for the castle.
They've got the kingdom locked up.
And there's an old man, sitting on the throne there
Saying I should probably keep my pretty mouth shut.
Straight for the castle."
Seto himself was theatrical to a certain extent. But Reila made him look sedate in comparison at the moment. With her intense makeup, the way she walked with pride and grace rolled into one, and the daring feathered top she wore, it was clear to see she was playing for keeps. Glancing at Manabu, Seto recognized the calculating look in his eyes. Again there was no contempt, more like a man weighing his options to decide what was the best course of action to take.
Reila moved slowly, almost sensuously. Every movement calculated to present herself as an enigmatic, powerful creature - and it worked. The audience appeared captivated, almost ignoring the dancers in favor of the ethereal image that Reila had created for herself. She had the audience eating out of her hand, and she knew. Despite her reluctance to put herself in the spotlight, Reila was a born performer. She knew what people wanted to see, and she delivered it in spectacular fashion.
Seeing her like this, a proud warrior declaring war, was inspiring. As Seto watched her make the final steps to the stage, he was shocked by the amount of skin that she showed on her back. But her outfit made another statement asl - she was confident enough to leave her back unprotected, because she was observant and powerful enough to not be taken by surprise and struck from behind.
"I never thought I would live to see the day Reila took to the stage. Her mother preferred red, but I think blue will always be Reila's color." Manabu murmured, studying Reila intently. The look in his eyes sent a flash of anger through Seto, seeing the appreciation on Manabu's face.
Turning his eyes back to Reila as she finished her song, Seto did have to agree with Manabu- Reila wore blue well. It emphasized her pale skin, and the deep red of her curls. Reila wasn't attractive in the traditional sense - her eyes were wide, her form curvier than the traditional sense of beauty, her hair wild and unruly. But it suited her, all of it. Her features, even the eyes that she both loved and hated, were what made her Reila. To change anything about her would be to make her someone else. And Seto couldn't think of anything about her, even her temper, that he would change.
The feeling you get when you're standing on a stage receiving thundering applause… It's intoxicating, it really is. The bright stage lights make it almost impossible to see anyone in the audience, but the applause is almost palpable - like a warm blanket, or a thick and fluffy robe. It completely encloses you and feels so good, you never want it to end.
It can be addicting.
Hojo joined me as the applause doubled when I took my bow, and again when Hojo raised my hand in a triumphant pose. "Reila Sarota, ladies and gentlemen!" Hojo beamed with pride, and from the side of the stage I could see Uncle Sota with a look of fierce pride on his face as well. My heart swelled with gratitude towards them, because these two amazing men were part of the reason that I had gotten this far. Still, I knew that I had to leave the emotional part aside as I bowed again to the crowd, whose cheers and applause hadn't died down.
"Thank you everyone! I'm so thrilled that you are among the first to know that I'm taking the steps to become a true recording artist, and I apologize that I've made you all wait so long." The cheers turned into laughter at my cheeky joke. "I won't bore you all with details to why I waited so long. What I will say is that now that I'm taking this step, I will do my very best to represent this company as the paragon of highest quality that it is. By using new sounds, new techniques, and dedicating myself to this heart and soul I hope to make Sarota Entertainment a world famous name and cement our place as number one in the worldwide music industry!"
My declaration was met with another round of wild cheers, not just for me but for the idea that Sarota would be competing with names like Sony and Universal. We'd already cemented a foothold in the American music industry, but if we could tackle the European and the entirety of the Asian market as well…Just the thought of it was enough to send a shiver of anticipation down my spine, and widen my smile even more.
Bowing once more, I left the stage to give Hojo the spotlight back. Although it was addicting, I was more than willing to let Hojo take center stage. Tonight was really about him showing the shareholders how effectively he could run this company. My announcement was mainly to help give Hojo even more credibility - some shareholders would be sure to think that it was Hojo who convinced me in the end. For his reputation thought, I was would let them think that if they wanted. My main goal was to get under Manabu's skin, to back him into a corner so that he couldn't stop me from taking the department in the long run. And, while I was at it, maybe I could frustrate him to the point that he would slip up and make a mistake, so that I could finally get the proof that he had been trying to undermine my uncle and sell us out to Royalty Records.
My uncle was waiting for me in the wings of the stage. He wrapped me in a warm hug, which I happily returned. "Reila, I'm so proud of you. I think you might have stolen the show." Holding me at arm's length, he beamed proudly. "Although I think that a part of that is the elaborate costume you're wearing."
"I know, Hojo already voiced his displeasure at my design choice. But with a statement this bold, a bold image is needed as well." I moved to my uncle's side and we both watched as Hojo finished his speech. "He's doing so well, I've never been prouder of him."
"I couldn't ask for a better son, or a better niece. You two are truly the pride and joy of Sarota, both the company and our family." HIs praise meant the world to me, and I felt my spine straighten a little as his pride became infectious. "I must warn you Reila; Manabu is here tonight."
I turned my head to him quickly, feeling a pop in my neck and a scowl on my face. "He's here? He never attends these meetings, ever."
"I don't know what made him choose to come tonight, but I could see him from the wings. He looked genuinely surprised to see you perform tonight, so I don't think it was to try and stop you. Just be careful, without evidence we can't prove that he's involved in anything unsavory." My uncle said, beginning to applaud as Hojo took his final bow.
Clapping as well, I craned my neck to peer around the corner and sure enough, there was Manabu… Next to Seto and Mokuba. How did they get into the event? Seeing him near them made my hackles raise, because I didn't trust the snake to be anywhere near my friends. Especially not when I couldn't hear what was being said.
So, this is the one name Manabu. He does not have the look of an evil man about him. Are you sure that he is truly the one behind all your grievances? Ydor's voice was contemplative, like he couldn't put the image of Manabu that I'd built and the reality together.
Don't let his looks fool you - Manabu has tried to undermine me every chance he's had. He's tried to diminish my role within the company almost from day one. He even went so far as to try and ban me from the company building, saying it was 'a courtesy to try and give me as normal a childhood as possible'. The truth is that he hates me for looking so much like my father and he can't let go of his obsession with my mother. I watched him closely as he leaned in to speak with Seto, and again I was immediately on the defense. My friendship with the Kaiba brothers was no secret, so what was his angle? Was he trying to weaken our friendship to damage my reputation somehow? I rolled my eyes as Manabu's wife sidled up next to him, I really couldn't stand her.
What… I mean who is that? I almost laughed aloud at Ydor's choice of words, and the disbelieving tone in his voice.
True, after being so obsessed with my mother it's hard to believe that Manabu would settle to marry someone like her. That's his wife, Tashika Tanaka. There are rumors that he married her only because she was pregnant with his child out of wedlock… The child passed of an illness as a toddler and they never had any others. She's from a family of no importance or standing, and I still do not know what he saw in her, or why he stays with her.
Truth be told, it's a little insulting that after "loving" my mother so much he would downgrade so drastically. Tashika isn't an ugly woman, but she's far from beautiful. Much shorter even than me, she had trouble maintaining a healthy weight. She always seemed to carry an extra 9-13 kilograms in weight; roughly 20-30 pounds in the American metric system. But a big chunk of her weight had to be from her chest. By the gods she gave Mai a run for her money in the excessive cleavage department. A woman who once had aspirations to be a voice actress, after the death of her child she had taken to living a lavish life of poor style. Her clothes were always too tight and too garish, her hair seemed permanently damaged from the number of times she colored it, and her choice of friends was questionable. Still, every time I spoke to her she was pleasant enough, and even funny in a low brow sort of way. But mostly she was annoying.
Rumors persisted that theirs was an unhappy marriage, but the two of them still stayed together for reasons that were beyond me. Even now, although he appeared smiling and warm there was an edge to his smile that showed Manabu's unhappiness at her appearance. Her red silk dress was a little too tight and showed far too much cleavage for a woman her age, but those of us who knew her wouldn't be fazed by that at all. And her appearing at her husband's side wasn't that unheard of, especially when it was a star studded event like this.
"Ah, I see Tashika has also joined the festivities… If I could find a way to bar that woman from this building I would. She's never learned how to behave with any form of tact." Uncle Sota had a small frown on his face as Hojo came to join us, following our line of sight.
"Oh gah who let the hag in? Is it too much to ask that she fall off a cliff or something?" Hojo said, grimacing as Tashika's raspy laugh echoed towards us.
"As long as she doesn't light up a cigarette in that ridiculous holder she insists on using. What other women can use in a classy way just seems so out of place in her hands." I said, as Hojo and I shared a laugh. The last time she'd smoked a cigarette in one of those fancy holders she'd almost set Yumi's hair on fire. "Speaking of, I should probably warn Yumi that Tashika is here."
"Hush now, both of you. You've both made an outstanding impression on the shareholders, don't ruin it by making inappropriate comments about others." Uncle Sota said quickly as the lights slowly brightened. "Now I want the two of you to go out and mingle, and show these people that their trust in us is not misplaced."
Hojo and I nodded our understanding and made our way from behind the stage, finding ourselves immediately swamped by shareholders and directors from the company, congratulating us and asking a slew of questions. We answered them to the best of our abilities, making people laugh and feel connected with the company even more than they had been before. For almost twenty minutes we were barely able to move, before finally the crowd thinned out enough for us to go our separate ways. I practically made a beeline for Seto and Mokuba, the later immediately latching onto my waist in a fierce hug.
"Reila! You were amazing! I mean I've seen you perform before but tonight was the best that I've ever seen from you!" Mokuba's face was shining with pride and admiration. I smiled back widely, bending down to give his cheek a tender kiss.
"Thank you Mokuba. But how on earth did you manage to get in? There's a very strict guest list to this event." I said, smoothing some hairs out of his face.
Mokuba's smile widened, if that were possible. "Seto bought some stock in Sarota Entertainment last night, so we were able to get in on the guest list!"
Mokuba's announcement honestly took me by surprise, and I turned to look at Seto as he walked over to us. He had a small grin on his face, one barely noticeable unless you knew what you were looking for. Stepping forward, he ruffled Mokuba's hair that I had just smoothed down. My scowl didn't seem to faze him one bit, but instead seemed to amuse him even more.
"Mokuba would have never forgiven me if I didn't get him in here to see you perform." He said simply.
"Of course. Still, I'm glad to see the two of you. And thank you Seto." I smiled at him, because I could see that there was pride in his eyes. Pride from Seto Kaiba, directed at you… It's potentially more addicting than the applause of an audience. It warmed me even more than the stage lights had.
"Reila Sarota. I must admit, you did well tonight." The new voice intruding in the conversation caused my spine to stiffen slightly, something that Mokuba picked up on from the concerned look he sent up at me.
Turning I kept a pleasant smile on my face, even though I wanted nothing more than to snarl at him. "Manabu, how wonderful to see you here! It's been so long since we've seen you at a shareholders event."
Manabu merely nodded, and before he could say anymore he was interrupted by his wife, Tashika.
"Oh Reila, it was so wonderful to see you perform! Why on earth have you been keeping all your talent to yourself? It's selfish to not let people hear your wonderful voice." Tashika simpered, and something about her voice seemed… False is the only way to describe it. But her wide smile didn't match the tone, so I brushed the concern off as unimportant.
"Why thank you Tashika. It's wonderful to see you again as well. Have you been keeping busy?" I subtly moved Mokuba behind me, and Seto stepped closer as well. Glancing at him, I could see how he narrowed his eyes when he looked at Tashika - he didn't like her.
I knew from personal experience that Tashika could be a little manipulative, but she'd never intentionally hurt anyone or gone any further than using people to get ahead in life. But she wasn't that good at it, because she wasn't able to keep her intentions hidden for long. She was always inevitably found out, because she didn't have the ability to cover her tracks nearly as well as she thought she was. And whenever she was caught, she threw a fit that would make even the most insolent toddler raise their eyebrow in disbelief.
"Oh yes, I've been having the most marvelous time working with a new charity organization. You really should visit me sometime, I'm sure that your reputation will only help strengthen our cause." Tashika said, clutching Manabu's arm. Manabu, for his part, looked… It was hard to describe. Almost like he was barely tolerating Tashika's presence… Or maybe it was my own he was barely tolerating. It was hard to tell when he wasn't looking at either one of us.
To be honest, I didn't want to help Tashika at all. But I had to be tactful in my refusal. "I would love to, but I'm afraid that I'm going to be fairly busy for the next few months, if not the next year. I agreed to help Seto with his new tournament, and then after that I'll be devoting every free minute to getting my album ready for release. Plus I'm sure that I'll be called on by my uncle to help with something or another. If I had the time I'd love to help, but…"
"Of course Reila. Your dedication to your family and friends is admirable." Manabu said, cutting off Tashika's reply. "If I may be frank, I'm surprised that you would take this step. Katsumi always said that she wouldn't wish that kind of life for her children, especially given the demand and stress that comes with it."
"I spoke in depth with my uncle before making my final decision, and we decided that my parents would understand my decision. My father and mother both encouraged my love of music, and I'm sure that both of them would be proud of my decision." Purposely mentioning my father caused Manabu's eye to twitch, something that I took immense pleasure from.
Manabu nodded. "Of course. You and your uncle would know best what your parents would have wanted. Still, I'll admit I wish that you had spoken to me before this announcement. I know that we've had our differences, but I believe your decision is in the best interest of the company and will only serve to further cement us at the top of the industry. An official announcement will overshadow your recent bad publicity, and your uncle was quite eloquent when he addressed the board earlier today. He said that it was you who came up with the plan to integrate some of Royalty's former employees into Sarota to prevent too bad of a public backlash. I must say that I'm impressed by your plan."
I couldn't tell if he was being sincere, or if he was being facetious. "Things were so chaotic getting this song prepared that I barely had a spare moment. If I had been able to spare a moment I would have spoken with you, but I just couldn't fit it into the beyond tight schedule."
"Perhaps in the future you can make the time, instead of blindsiding him as you did. After all, you two work for the same company, so everyone should be working together!" Tashika said, with a wide smile. "It's rather rude to leave the head of your A&R department out of decisions like this! Though I have to say I'm impressed you managed to wrangle Gorou into being your producer. How on earth did you manage that? Some kind of… Side agreement?"
Tashika's implication made me grimace. I wasn't above using my looks to get my way when it could be done innocently, but I would never lower myself to using my body like that. "Gorou was more than happy to help me, given how close he is to my cousin and uncle. And I look forward to learning even more from him in the future."
There was a calculating gleam in Takashi's eyes that I almost missed, but it made me wary. Chancing a glance at Manabu, he looked irritated as his gaze was focused on his wife. Maybe there was more between them then I was aware of? But speculating about their personal life wouldn't do me any good.
Manabu and Takashi said their goodbyes and left us to mingle with the others as the party was beginning to wind down. I stuck with Mokuba and Seto, occasionally stepping away to say hello to a shareholder or executive officer for the company. It felt good to be back where I was in control and knew the playing field - Seto may be able to dominate both the dueling field and the business world, but when it came to duel monsters I was a fish out of water. Here though I was in my element, and loved every minute of it.
As the guests began to head back down to their cars, Seto approached with a tired looking Mokuba. "Reila, I need you to come to my office tomorrow. I'm doing the final test of my Duel Disc system, and the official announcement for the tournament will be tomorrow. Is everything ready on your end?"
I nodded slowly. "I'll need at least a week to finalize everything with the mayor and city council, but announcing beforehand is a good idea. Did you…"
"Yes, I sent an invitation for Mai Valentine to your house. She should receive it tomorrow, and I expect that you haven't given her any insight into the tournament that she shouldn't have." Seto said, crossing his arms over his chest.
Ah, so he was slipping back into I-will-win-at-all-costs mode. I really hated when he acted high and mighty like this, but maybe I could keep it from getting too out of hand. Rolling my eyes, I let my face show my irritation with him. "The only thing I mentioned was hearing whispers of a tournament coming up and that you might be involved in it. I haven't given her any more information then that."
Seto seemed ready to say something, but paused a moment before nodding. "Alright. Be at my office by four tomorrow afternoon. After the final test I'll announce the tournament, and then I'll finally be able to take back my title of best duelist in the world."
"Of course Seto." Giving Mokuba a final kiss I waved to them both as they headed to the elevator, a little troubled. I wanted to be fully supportive of Seto, but knowing what was going to happen made it hard to give him the support I should be when I knew that he would ultimately be beaten.
Sometimes, I wondered if my having knowledge of what was to come was really a good thing. Because there were times that I felt like a fake friend. And if Seto ever found out that I had knowledge of what the future held and didn't tell him…
I don't think he'd ever forgive me.
Second A/N: So, I know that this is kind of a short chapter, but I had to finish up this round of filler before we can move on and focus on the next arc... BATTLE CITY.
I am so excited to get this arc going it's not even funny. I have such plans! :D
So, brief update for those who are interested in the life of Panda: My family and I are officially moved back to our home state and have settled in. I still haven't found a job, and I'm starting to get pretty worried about that but I'm doing my best to keep my spirits up. My writing kind of suffered from my getting low, but I'm going to keep pressing on and look at the bright side so yeah. There's that.
I want to thank everyone again for their patience and understanding. It really means a lot that there are people who although we haven't met, are sending me encouragement. Thank you so much, and give yourself a big hug from me because you're awesome!
Some people have asked about my deviantart account, however I haven't been keeping up on it lately. Sorry about that, I just haven't really taken the time to update the chapters on that account. But I think I will be soon, so if you're interested there's that. A few months ago I took the time to "build" Reila using an anime doll maker that I found online, so if you're curious about a visual for our heroine there's that. It's not exactly how I imagine her, because the art styles are different and it was limited with colors and hair styles. But I feel it's pretty close.
Thanks again everyone, you all rock my socks off!
~Panda