The little kids were leaving, all going one by one.
Some grownups came to pick them up,
They came to take them home.

They now became their parents,
the kids new mom and dad.
But he'd never let them take HIM off;
He was too far gone, too sad.

He'd be alone forever. He'd figured out by now
That all the ones he'd ever loved would always leave somehow
He refused to be deserted; it wouldn't happen twice.
He'd never let them in his heart, a heart now cold as ice.

O

Brown.

Her eyes were brown. Such an ordinary color; really quite average even, except for the tiny flecks of gold here and there. Someone else had had eyes close to that shade, he thought absently. Someone who'd sing him to sleep at night, someone whose voice he still remembered vaguely.

The thought struck him suddenly as he smiled now quietly at the girl. Well, not really smiled. Seto Kaiba never smiled; At least, not in the traditional sense.

Her eyes were wide, and her breath came out in little panting gasps from her sprint to his office. The sudden sight of him must have startled her, because for a moment she looked afraid. But then she straightened, lips drawn in a thin, pursed line, eyes staring defiantly back. Do your worst , they seemed to say, except that her hands were shaking, legs poised to run in the most provocative mixture of boldness and fear. It was nice to know that his presence still invoked such an unnerving effect.

He took a step forward then, blue eyes still locked steadily with her own. He said nothing; didn't raise a finger at all in fact, but she still took a stumbling step back none-the-less.

Are you afraid of me, Nadia? he wanted to ask. It was a pleasant thought. A nice thought. He liked being in control. Liked having his employees under his thumb. What he didn't like, however, was insubordination.

It was intolerable.

It was EXTINGUISHABLE.

She would have to be punished. She would be punished. She had to be taught, just like the rest of them. He'd worked too hard; come too far. He remembered a time back when-

But no. Those days were gone. It was different now. He would get the respect he deserved. The respect he'd earned.

He stopped short of her, about two feet away.

"I have a job for you, Ms. Epps."

Just a simple phrase; eight little words. And yet coming from him they meant so much MORE. The 'job' could mean anything within reason; BEYOND reason. He watched as her expression turned from one of wary apprehension to that of confused suspicion. But she was his secretary after all. Surely she didn't expect to get away with doing nothing all day?

The strange smile still on his face, he dug into the pocket of his school blazer, revealing a deck of what looked to be elaborately illustrated poker cards. Did he want to play a game? She frowned suspiciously at them.

"Um what d'you have in mind, Se- Sir?"

He smiled again, fondling the deck absently with long fingers, seeming completely unaffected by her apparent decision to call him 'Sir' again.

"Just a little...test. Nothing major." He shuffled the cards with deft, skillful hands. "I trust you have no objections?" an eyebrow raised in mock concern- or at least she figured it did. His hair fell well below his brow, making it difficult to tell.

Her mind was in a whirl. Object?! Of course she objected! Obviously he was up to something; that much was clear. But even so...this was still a job, right? She doubted he could do her any physical harm... And if she refused, the most he could really do was fire her.

But if she got fired or quit, wouldn't that just prove she was afraid of him?

But...she was, wasn't she?

God. She regretted ever confronting him. Why couldn't she just mind her own business? She was always sticking her foot in her mouth-

And what was with that deck? Did he intend on getting even with her by beating her at a game of cards? The thought struck her suddenly as funny...pathetic, really, and a nervous sort of giggle rose to her throat. He was watching her closely, hair falling neatly into his eyes. Perhaps he kept it that way on purpose, to make his expression more difficult to read. Whatever the reason, it was definitely working to his advantage, and before she realized it, she was shaking her head slowly.

"No. No objections."

She'd never been very good under peer pressure.

His eyes flashed, and he snapped the deck smartly into place.

"Good. Follow me." And he turned, heading for the door. Nadie followed nervously, growing more and more apprehensive. A thousand questions were exploding in her head. Like, why did they have to go to another room just to play cards? But she said nothing, only followed him wordlessly as he led her down the long corridor and to a pair of large double doors. After pausing to type in the security pad on the wall, the doors flew open, and he strode in without a moment's hesitation.

Nadie stayed put.

It was dark in there; she couldn't see anything, not even the form of her young boss. A draft of cool air wafted into her face, and she shuddered. The strangest image was forming in her head…as if she were walking straight into the den of a tiger... an anxious tiger.

No. She wouldn't do it. She couldn't, and he couldn't make her. She'd turn around, hop on that elevator, and leave. Tomorrow she'd hand in her resignation and-

"Is there a problem, Ms. Epps?" She turned back towards the door. He was there, enveloped in shadow, tall form standing regally against the darkness. Something in those blue eyes froze her, and suddenly her decision, her stark resolution deteriorated in her throat. She couldn't talk; couldn't speak. It was as if she were frozen by some unspoken gesture of his. And so she only stared mutely into his stony face.

"I asked you a question."

Forgive me, she replied automatically, and realized too late that she'd said it out loud. It was wrong and definitely nothing she'd ever say, no matter how easily the words had flown out. Her eyes shot up- when had she lowered them?- casting a startled gaze on the boy standing before her and searching his expression for any sort of amusement.

There was none.

If anything, he looked suspicious, as if suspecting her of being a smart mouth. But he said nothing, merely turned away, walking further into the darkness as if he were used to things like this; as if it were perfectly normal to ask for his forgiveness. Light suddenly flooded the room, revealing an odd sort of arena. At least, that's the first thing that came to mind when she looked at it. It was about half the size of a football field and its green floor was lined with grid squares. The surrounding area resembled a sort of ancient colosseum, a stadium of sorts, with enough room to seat dozens of people in the stands.

But right now it was empty.

She turned her attention back to Kaiba to find him studying her once again.

It was unnerving; more than unnerving actually, that unblinking stare of his. He seemed to be waiting for some sort of reaction, but she only gazed back cluelessly. What did he want her to say? But in the next moment he spoke for her.

"As I'm sure you already know, one of the things KaibaCorp is dedicated to is the latest advancement in holographic technology."

…Ohh. So that's what they did! Sudden realization lit her face, and Seto scowled. Apparently he had presumed too much. It was beyond him how a person could work for a company and not know what they did. Never-the-less he motioned for her to come forward, reaching once again into his blazer pocket to draw out the strange deck of cards. Without even a second glance, he handed them to her. But even so, she got the feeling that he was handing her a part of himself. It made her even more nervous, and when she reached to collect them, the tips of her fingers brushed lightly against his palm.

He smiled.

"Just think of this as...a field test, of sorts."

And then she was in the air, high above the arena. Apparently she'd stepped forward right onto some sort of lift.

She didn't like heights.

So she concentrated on remaining as still as possible. Lord only knew what would happen if she shook the thing too much. From above, the arena held a ghostly glow, and one could see that the bright stadium lights were only focused on the actual field. The ceiling itself was blue, illustrated with the intricate design of a web which shone in thin white lights. It only served to remind her even more of her present situation.

What kind of test was this? No doubt it was a response to her earlier challenge. She frowned down at his strawberry head, clutching the side of the railing till her knuckles shone white.

"Choose a card." He instructed from below. He had moved to the center of the sidelines, arms crossed, expression suddenly hard. Reluctantly she did so, choosing the first card at the top of the deck.

He watched her expression closely. Whatever she'd expected was definitely not this, and she studied the card in unconcealed curiosity.

"What's the name of it?" he called curtly. There was a short pause. And then-

"..um 'Mystic Elf'," she read, flipping it over to make sure there was nothing on the back. He nodded, attention focused straight ahead.

"Lay the card face up on the 4th square of the first row on the console." And while she searched, sorting his brief instructions, he smiled again.

"Brace yourself Nadia. You've never seen anything like this."

...whatever.

She placed the card carefully in the designated spot and waited. Immediately the patterns on the ceiling changed. The web vanished, replaced by thick storm clouds which filled the stadium. The room instantly seemed darker - both metaphorically as well as literally - but she had no time to marvel at this, for a sudden green light had erupted from the field, and as it faded, she could make out the slim figure of a female.

She immediately looked back down at the card. A serene looking blue female graced the illustration, and when she turned back to the field her eyes met with the same person, identical to the very last detail. It was as if the machine had brought the card to life.

She gasped, forgetting momentarily her height phobia and leaning over the railing for a closer look. The woman smiled at her, and her golden blonde hair and dress billowed softly, blown by an unseen wind. A Fairy. That's what she looked like. A fae, straight from a Celtic legend.

Oh my God…

Nadie shook her head, suddenly wishing she were on the ground. She wanted to touch this being, pull her hair, see if she were real. She waved a slim hand at the figure, and the woman- the 'Mystic Elf' as her card read- smiled again.

"Amazing, isn't it?," a soft voice below her commented. Wordlessly she nodded. She had forgotten about Seto Kaiba.

"Is..she alive?" she croaked, completely enthralled. She could barely recognize her own voice. It was as if she were another person watching the events. Below her, Kaiba gave a low laugh.

"Alive?," he murmured softly, "No. It's only a simulation; a hologram. My virtual arena perfectly duplicates the monsters to a T." While digesting this bit of info, Nadie lifted the card experimentally, and immediately the woman vanished. She placed it down again, and in a flash of green light she was back.

"Can it do this with anything?" she asked, and without waiting for an answer she lifted the card, slamming down her hand in its place.

Nothing happened.

But maybe her school I.D. would work. It was a card, after all. She dug in her pocket and slammed it down, fully expecting to see an image of herself materialize on the field.

Nothing happened.

"You fool! It only works on duel monster cards", snapped an irritated Kaiba.

Oh.

Undaunted, she reached for another card, eager to see what awaited. Maybe this time a handsome good-looking male would appear. Eagerly, and without even looking at it, she threw it down, then hurriedly repositioned it when it slid off center to the left. Once more, the irritated voice of Kaiba rang through the air.

"Stop bothering it!" How did she expect the machine to get a proper reading on the card when she kept moving it?

"Sorry…it wasn't quite in the middle of the rectangle thing-"

"It doesn't have to be."

But her enthusiasm was unwavering, and she leaned over the console to get a better look at the forming hologram. Again there was a bright light, and her eyes opened wide, not wanting to miss whatever was that was forming. But what shaped on the field was a far cry from the ethereal elf she'd seen before. This creature was dark and twisted, floating about two feet above the ring and looking as though it had come straight out of a carnival from hell. She looked down at the card and read its name.

'Saagi the Dark Clown.' She immediately didn't like this card. As if sensing her aversion, it gave a sudden shrill laugh, though its painted face remained the same. Below her, Kaiba laughed.

"What's the matter? I take it you don't like my clown? I thought everyone liked them. Doesn't he make you laugh?"

She frowned. She had forgotten for a moment whose cards these were. Apparently Kaiba had a sick sense of humor as well as a bad personality. Without answering, she lifted the card abruptly from the field, slipping it at once to the back of the deck and drawing the next one. Below her, Kaiba smirked.

"No?, then maybe this next card will fare better in your eyes.."

She froze.

They way he said it… What if the next card turned out to be even worse than the last? He'd obviously shuffled the deck beforehand. What if he'd purposely planted something horrible next? She glared. He wouldn't lure her into any more of his little mind games. She wouldn't let him. So she skipped the next card up, choosing instead from the center of the deck before slamming down her choice.

Seconds later, a large, shining gold lamp had appeared on the field, and she immediately had visions of Aladdin in her head. Kaiba seemed unperturbed. If anything, he appeared even more amused than before by her obvious deviation.

"Ah. The Mystic Lamp. Did you want to make a wish, Nadia?" He was making fun of her, not at all concerned by her avoidance of the next card. Perhaps his entire deck was filled with dark cards. She looked again at the lamp on the field. A beautiful, exotic, golden lamp. But knowing Kaiba, it probably held something horrible. Nothing had emerged from it, so she guessed the actual genie was a separate card.

She hoped she didn't pull it.

"Draw the next card." The commanding voice of Kaiba met her ears, breaking through her thoughts. He no longer sounded amused. He seemed impatient, irritated by her obvious hesitation.

And suddenly she was angry.

Why was she so afraid?! They were just holograms afterall- 3D images. She was being childish, acting as if they were real. She'd draw his stupid card, alright. Draw it, look at it, and then move on. She was onto him. He intended to scare her, humiliate her with sinister looking images. But why should she be afraid of holograms? She pulled the next card, not even bothering to skip this time, and glared down into the forming green light…and then up again. Something was taking shape, something huge and threatening that towered well above her. When the light cleared, a pale blue creature stood before her, wings spread.

Despite herself, she felt her jaw drop.

She looked down at the cards. There the same creature stood, pictured in the illustration above the words, 'Blue Eyes White Dragon'. Such a majestic name. She stared up at the monster, the dragon, who really didn't look very much like any dragon she ever seen. It stared back at her, and something in its cold blue eyes reminded her distinctively of Kaiba; which gave her enough of a reason to be wary.

"Do you like dragons, Nadia?" he asked now, suddenly in that same coldly amused voice. She wasn't sure what to say. How did you tell your boss 'Yes, I like dragons, but not this one because it's ugly and reminds me of you?' She settled for shaking her head, turning back to the monster, which was oddly still.

"A pity. Perhaps you'll take better to the next card. Why don't you just lay it beside the one on the field." She did so, reluctantly, and soon found herself staring at another Blue Eyes, perfectly identical to the first. This one opened its mouth in an unnatural unhinging of its jaw, and let out the most horrific sound she had ever heard. Her ears throbbed, and she stepped back, for a moment forgetting that she was atop the lift.

"Ah. Another Blue Eyes." he didn't even try to feign surprise, just stood in that same proud position, arms crossed, legs together. She glared, biting her lip nervously. They were just holograms - harmless projections, she knew. But still the size alone was intimidating, and for some reason the two dragons seemed a lot closer to her than the other cards had been. Their dark blue eyes stared holes into her as if daring her to make a move so that they could strike, and she had the hair-raising feeling of being stalked by predators. This couldn't be the field test Seto had been talking about. Everything seemed to be working perfectly; no glitches, no malfunctions. It was time to end this.

She turned to stare down at Seto.

"Hey! Is this what we were going to test?"

He gave a short derisive laugh, and despite her former resolution she felt her blood run cold.

No little Nadie. I think not. He inclined his head towards the twin dragons. "Before you stand two of the rarest cards in the entire game of duel monsters," his voice had gone soft again, and he pronounced each word in a silky purr. "Tell me, how does it feel to stand before such power?"

She looked again to the dragons, at the sleekly layered scales with their shining armor, to the jointed limbs, neck, and finally the elongated head. Truly magnificent, if not ugly, creatures. But when he spoke of power, was he talking about the dragons or himself?

Still, his question had provoked an irresistible response, and it was with amused eyes that she spoke her answer, throwing his own words back into his face.

"But sir, they have no power. They're just HOLOGRAMS."

It was apparently the wrong answer.

His face hardened, his lips drew back in a thin severe line, and his blue eyes narrowed in his face.

"Are they now?", he countered coldly. "Why don't I show you just how 'powerless' a hologram is? White Lightening Attack!"

She'd never considered the monsters having actual power. They were scary, yes. But a hologram couldn't attack you, right?

These could.

She watched in muted terror as the dragons turned towards her, unhinging their jaws and letting out an ear bursting roar before releasing a blue tinged blast. And then-

And then her ears were ringing, eyes temporarily blinded from the saturated light. She rooted clumsily for the railing; the last thing she needed was to fall. But then…then-

Then came the wind.

Surely this was real. It had to be. You just couldn't simulate something like wind. Not like this, with the pounding, driving force of a small typhoon. She screamed, but the noise was drowned out by the sound of the emulated explosion.

And then she was falling.

It s only a simulation. My virtual stadium perfectly duplicates down to a T.

The world slowed.

How does it feel to stand before such power? It didn't feel good. She would hit the ground...maybe even break her neck.

Vaguely to her returning senses, she could make out the roar of a crowd, and suddenly the stands were filled with people. Hundreds and hundreds of blurry, distorted people chanting from an ancient, long dead language. And below her, standing tall and proud in exotic flowing robes stood Seto, with arms stretched wide to catch her.

O