Okay, I cant write Kaiba- the abridged series influenced my handle on his personality- sorry.
Zane was sitting in a room with the Kaiba Corp panel. Kaiba had taken him under his wing a few years ago. He had commented that "Truesdale, you're the only other person in this league with half a brain." So the easy job that was waiting for him in accounting? It was gone; instead he was being groomed to be part of the board of share holders. It was a great thing in theory, not such a great thing in practice. It often involved boring meetings that ran late into the night, and then more meetings that started early in the morning.
Walking into the room, he realized that Kaiba was in his late forties, and still looked the same he had during his pro league career- in high school. Zane half entertained the idea that Seto Kaiba did not sleep, and he maintained his young appearance by selling his soul to the devil.
Zane was the only duelist in the room, everyone else was a business type, and had, gasp gone to college. Zane had a bachelors degree in business, he had gotten it by taking self taught classes (what else was he supposed to do on the long flights to and from tournaments?) but these men went to business school, and had masters degrees.
"You're late" one of the older ones said to him, it was just past eleven, when the meeting was set to begin.
"Traffic was bad" Zane apologized. Respect went a long way with these people, but he still felt a bit out of place.
"Let's begin. Our profits are still down by four percent, and we need to make final decisions about who to accept in for the next season. We need more publicity, and because so many of our best duelists are hitting their last years, were going to have to really step it up a notch" Kaiba said. The meetings always started like this, a short sweet and to the point speech from the boss, and then they would get to work.
Imagine ten men sitting around a large table looking over resume's for dueling hopefuls, only allowing in about ten or so per year. Now imagine thousands of applications left over, very few of the hopefuls being even halfway qualified. Makes you want to rip your hair out, right?
"Another duel academy alumni" A booming voice said over the tremendous pile. All duel academy alumni's applications were sent to Zane, because he was the only one there to have graduated from said academy.
"Reject" Zane said. Any blue that got a recommendation from Crowler saying that he was an "elite duelist" was automatically rejected. Simply because Crowler tended to reuse his recommendations and "elite duelist" basically meant:
It's a regular student, nothing special, but it boosts our rating as the number one school to get accepted into the pro leagues with.
After a few hours, they had finished sorting. There were about a hundred maybe's who were going to get looked over again. Then it would be cut down to fifty who would be brought in for interviews, and then ten would actually get to duel.
Zane had been on the board for a few years and sort of liked looking at the duel academy hopefuls, it brought him a nostalgic feeling.
"I'm too young to be feeling nostalgic" Zane mumbled, looking at the tiny pile of duel academy students he felt were worthy.
"You don't think your going a bit too hard on them do you?" An elderly man, at almost eighty asked, looking at Zane's pile that was by far the smallest.
"I went to the academy, I know what to look for" Zane explained, sorting the pile into three piles: Blues, Girls, Others.
"Zane, please look at this pile, it's from the over sea's duelists" Kaiba said, handing over a pile with about twenty resumes.
Zane thought it was funny at how people from over seas wanted to duel in the Japanese circuit so much. Japanese duelists were among the best in the world, but circuits such as the Italian and German were highly competitive. Everyone knew the North American circuit was crap (bringing in duelists such as Bandit Keith) but it paid the most by far.
As expected- they were all high ranked, but not the top. Zane knew better than anyone that when you're on the top, you don't want to compromise your position.
He sighed and began looking for ones who would bring attention to the circuit, nothing too gimmicky, but ones with talent, and was attractive. It was a trade secret, but if you were attractive, you were more likely to be accepted, because you would sell.
"We can continue this tomorrow, thank you for your work" Kaiba said, dismissing them.
Zane began to pack up his briefcase with his not sure yet pile that he would review once he got home.
"Truesdale, could you stay back a minuet please" Kaiba asked.
The others took this as a signal to get the hell out.
Leaving Zane alone.
"Truesdale, I'm going to be blunt about this: I'm not sure if I want you to duel this season" Kaiba said, sitting in his big boss chair.
Zane swallowed and stayed calm.
"Is it rude of me to inquire why?" Zane asked.
"You are one of the best we've had since the beginning of the league, but it would seem as if you are a ringer. Nobody wants to duel you because they are sure that they would loose, and as fun as it is to pair you with Yuki or Phoenix, it would seem as if your more of a novelty or a given than a real exiting player." Kaiba explained, taking out a long list from his brief case.
"This is your record over the past 12 years. When you go up to duel, there is no surprise anymore," Kaiba said.
Zane Truesdale, age 33
Wins: 1056
Ties: 2
Losses: 3
"You've tied Yuki twice, Lost to Phoenix once, and have had to forfeit two duels. The chances of you loosing are a million to one. I'm not going to tell you to throw your matches, because you're too good to do that. But you don't really fill as many seats as you used too, Truesdale. When you were a rookie, you filled them because you were attractive and young. Then ten years ago you filled them because your name was always all over the papers. Then you filled them because you were a dueling legend, a powerhouse. You're married with three children, so you don't fill them for your face anymore. You are out of the papers constantly, which I both admire and envy, but that doesn't help you. And everyone has seen you duel before. People don't want to go to your duels because they don't want you to wipe the floor with their favorite duelists" Kaiba explained.
So I'm loosing my job because I'm too good?
"Which is why you offered me the job on the board" Zane assumed.
"No, I did that because your smart and your opinions are slightly helpful. What I am proposing is that you don't compete, but we bring you in to duel the top duelists," Kaiba said, hoping that Zane wouldn't freak out.
I'm a novelty… I don't know whether to be offended or honored.
"I understand" Zane said with silent disappointment.
"And… one more thing" Kaiba said.
What could make this worse? Zane thought.
"Were going to put you in for the pre season rank determining duels, they will be highly publicized, so if you need a body guard, just call the corporation and we will provide you with one" Kaiba said, in an I'm sorry, if this is any consolation tone.
Zane nodded, trying his best not to argue with his boss.
"I'm sorry Truesdale" Kaiba said once Zane reached for the door.
Yeah, so am I…
Zane was more disappointed than angry: not only was he being forced into early retirement, he was going to have his last duels in the PRE season.
Walking through the front door, he tried to keep his lips from going into a frown. It wasn't like he had suddenly become happy go lucky, but he was most definitely less angry when he was around his children.
Nicolette was sitting on the couch of the living room with her doll's clothing spread out around her. Luca was sitting next to her, drooling on a Barbie doll.
"Daddy!" She shot up from the couch and ran over to him, hugging his leg.
Zane tried and failed to brace himself, and was pushed back a few feet.
"Nick, how was your day?" He asked.
"Fun! Luca was really crabby and Mommy kept apologizing to me all day though, it was weird!" Nicolette said smiling and running over to the explosion of doll clothes.
"Just clean it up when you're done okay?" Zane asked.
"I promise" Nicolette said, in a tone that implied she had no intention of cleaning it up.
Zane rolled his eyes and walked down the hallway to Xander's room.
Xander was sitting in a trance, staring at his cards.
Zane flickered the lights once to alert him of his presence.
"Hi Dad. Dad do you think that cyber ice dragon could be powered up with this card? I found it in your leftover cards box" Xander said, holding up a piece of cardboard.
Zane almost smiled when he saw it.
"You could definitely power up the cyber ice dragon with that card, but it depends if you know how to play it" Zane said.
"You use it to fuse the machine cards, such as the cyber dragon and the winter dragon" Xander said, with an eye roll of his own.
"You know how to use it, but do you know how to play it?" Zane said, leaving his son with a puzzling question.
The smell of slightly burned vegetables alerted Zane that something was cooking.
He walked into the room to find Alexis dressed in sweatpants and a t-shirt.
"Are you alright?" He asked.
"A bit stressed, Luca puked on my clothing and I didn't want to change into something uncomfortable to cook dinner in. How was your day?" Alexis rambled.
Instead of his usual:
"Boring and sent straight from hell"
He said:
"I'll tell you once the kids are asleep"
Alexis stopped what she was doing and looked panicked.
"I just don't want them to be worried" He said.
"And what about me!?" Alexis said, looking like she wanted to have a heart attack.
At nine thirty, once the children were safely tucked into bed, Zane and Alexis went into the quietest place in the house- the crawl space above their closet.
Both of them sat on a stair and shut the door. They were carrying a key, a flashlight, and a telephone.
"What is it?" Alexis asked.
Zane sneezed from the dust specks (of doom!) floating around his head, but spoke in a quiet voice.
"Kaiba is forcing me into early retirement," He said calmly.
Alexis screeched.
"Seriously?"
Zane put a finger to her lips and continued.
"He says that I'm too much of a given, a novelty, that I am basically guaranteed to win, so there's no excitement. I don't have a choice, my last duel will be against the person they announce as number one for this season, and I'll be brought in for legend duels, but I have to retire" Zane said, quietly, his eyes bursting with disappointment.
"Zane, you won't have a job anymore?" Alexis asked quietly, doing some quick mental math. They had bought the new house once Luca was on the way, they hadn't paid it off yet. With neither of them working…
"I'll continue to work on the board at Kaiba Corp. But I wont be a duelist" Zane said, not hiding his disappointment.
Alexis wrapped her arms around him,
"I'm sorry Zane, it's completely unfair and it sucks" Alexis said, not helping at all.
Zane nodded, and let Alexis rest her head against his shoulder; she seemed more surprised then upset, as if she thought it was a joke.
"How are we going to tell them?" Alexis asked.
Zane paled.
"I'll tell them that I was offered a really good job at Kaiba Corp, and it was someone else's chance to be number one" He said hoping it was a sufficient answer
"How did you think of that?" Alexis asked.
"My publicist emailed me and said that was going to be the official story." Zane said, ashamed.
"Are you okay with your new job?" Alexis asked, uncertainty.
Zane inhaled, and shook his head.
"I don't want to give up dueling, and this job pays just as well, if not better, but it's disappointing" Zane said, choosing his words carefully.
"I'm sorry, I really am. One of the kids is bound to wake up, we should go back downstairs" Alexis said, grabbing the key and unlocking the door, letting them back into the bedroom.
Zane took a shower, when he walked out, Alexis was looking pale while she spoke on the phone in French.
"aucun je les ai détestés... Oui... J'ai juste choisi de ne pas les employer... Aucun je ne pense pas que je sais où on est... Ah, vous ... Vous payerez eux que j'assume ? Aucun je ne suis pas bien avec lui... Je n'ai pas dit cela... Non, je ne dis pas que non plus... Arrêtez svp juste avec ceci... Ah, il est ici maintenant... Oui, je comprends "
"No I hated them… Yes… I just chose not to use them… No I don't think I know where one is… Oh, you did… You'll pay for them I assume? No I'm not okay with it… I didn't say that… No, I'm not saying that either… Please just stop with this… Oh, he's here now… Yes, I understand"
Alexis held out the phone to Zane and made a fake gun with her other hand.
Zane shut his eyes tight, took the phone, and hoped for the best.
"Zane, how not wonderful it is to speak to you again" Jamison said in very shaky and very formal Japanese.
"What do you want?" Zane asked.
"Your daughter has been raised in the lime light of an uncivilized at best society, I think it would be best if she took some etiquette classes, which I will pay for, considering your financial state. Not only must she take the class, she must pass and graduate first in her class. That is my task for you for the next six months. I will call to check in on her progress, she starts next Saturday- have the little slut of your wife take up the phone, I want her to hear the next part" Jamison spoke slowly using formal Japanese. Zane thought it was ironic that he said such harsh words in a formal dialect.
Alexis grabbed a cordless phone and turned it on.
"Now that I have both of you together, I'd like to tell you that Jamison Jr. has taken an apparent interest in dueling, which he may act on as a hobby, but not a career. I think I will send him to spend a week or two at your home so he can understand how pitiful the life of a professional duelist is. He has a break from school in two weeks, and he will be spending it with you, and no you may not disagree" Jamison said in a superior tone.
"Fine… its better if Nick and Jamison Jr. meet each other before they are at an age where they will not be able to connect" Alexis said reluctantly, sending Zane a look that said I'll explain my reasons later.
"Good, Zane I wish to speak to Alexis alone" Jamison said.
Zane didn't move.
"Il a raccroché?"
"Did he hang up?" A voice asked in French.
Zane closed his eyes; he had a very tiny understanding of French, but not one big enough for him to understand everything.
"Oui" Alexis said
Yes
"Vous êtes en aucune position pour ignorer mes commandes, vous rappelez juste cela" Jamison said happily.
You are in no position to ignore my commands, remember that.
Alexis was silent. Zane was confused.
"Sur vos genoux" Jamison said before hanging up.
On your knees
Alexis went catatonic and Zane was thinking hard.
Sur is on top, Vos is your, genoux… what the hell does genoux mean!?
"Lex, Lexi, what did he say to you?" Zane asked.
"Sur vos genoux" Alexis said quietly.
"On top you're something. What does it mean" Zane said gently, touching her shoulders.
"It means on your knees, and it's what he said to me the night he tried to rape me" Alexis began to cry. Zane held her in his arms, unsure of what to say. He knew what on your knees generally meant. They didn't talk about Jamison, not often at least. The subject was 100 percent taboo. Zane didn't care anymore, he wanted the whole truth.
"Lex, tell me what happened that night" Zane said quietly.
TO BE CONTINUED!
So yeah… written in haste, hoping you enjoy!
10join
Fei!