J: This is in my opinion the real beginning of the story, because that prologue for the most part was a recap, and it's usually the first chapter that I get the reviewers to start coming in :P Now here's a question for you my little duckies, in this fanfiction would you like the romance to be more intimate or the same level I had it at in the prequel? Let me know before I get to the chapters where I need to put in the good stuff:P
THANKS TO: the first reviewer of the fanfic L'archangel! (Yay for carry over reviewers lol. And I know what you mean, only my issue is with past and present tense grammar -.-")
Disclaimer: ME NO OWNEE YUGIOH PEOPLES OR PLACES!
Chapter One – Copy Righted
Seto Kaiba sat in his big swivel office chair rubbing his temples, it was getting close to midnight and Mokuba still had not returned from his fake run away. Seto knew exactly where he was, though it bothered him that his brother would run there of all places. His security team had located Mokuba at the residence of the Gardener family. Last time he'd been abducted to that house by Ryou Bakura, there was really only one reason for Mokuba to go there. 'Now it's just a matter of waiting for-' 'Beep beep' "Mr. Kaiba?" The voice of is secretary Yuki buzzed through the intercom.
Pressing the little blinking red button he growled," What is it?"
Seto had hired Yuki for one purpose only, she would handle his angry mood swings and act just as level headed as ever, that reason applied to that very moment," There's a call on line 3, it's a Miss Gardener."
Seto couldn't hold back his groan of irritation," Thank you." He then switched off the intercom and picked up his phone. Hitting the button for line three he growled," What is it Gardener?"
"We're setting the issue tomorrow after school, you come to my house as soon as the bell rings or I swear on my dance fund that I will turn your brother into the girliest man on the Earth. Good night!" Seto heard the phone line go dead and hung up the phone on his end. Continuing to rub his temples he had only one thought, 'Mokuba can go without an allowance for a month, and all his bank accounts will be frozen too.'
-The Next Day-
'Slam!' Tea held nothing back when putting her knapsack on the desk. Yugi, Joey, and Tristan all leaned away slightly to avoid any of the heated waves of anger radiating from their female friend.
Being the braver man Yugi hesitantly asked," S-something wrong Tea?"
"Only if you consider Seto frick'n Kaiba stealing Dance Dueling from me a problem! Oh! And Mokuba is staying over at my place." The last little bit had no true anger behind it, not with how her parents treated him like their own son right off the bat. Tea had told them about everything they'd done on their play dates and her parents thought Mokuba was a good kid. Having spent just an hour with him they couldn't leave the little guy alone. They'd set him up in the spare bedroom and told him to stay a run away as long as possible. They'd drive him to school, make him lunch and all that jazz.
Thus named CEO (who still has to attend school no matter how rich and powerful he was) entered the room just then and glared directly at the also glaring Tea. Joey got to his feet ready to attack, but Tea subdued him by sitting down and breaking the eye contact. Leaning towards Tea Tristan whispered," What are you doing about it Tea? The guy would rather pay over a million dollars than stop a project."
"I've already dealt with it, and he is not going to be impressed." A confident smirk appeared on her face, giving the room a sudden air of danger. The boys didn't see a smile of that high caliber of confidence on Tea, only on the Pharaoh right before he brought down his opponent in duel monsters. Seeing it on Tea was very unnerving, and the they weren't the only ones thinking that.
Seto had kept watch of Tea from the corner of his eye, upon seeing the confident smile a bad lump formed in the pit of his stomach. Taking his seat with a book Kaiba did his best not to let this unwelcome development bother him. It was near impossible for someone of Tea Gardener's class to get a lawyer able to sue him for taking her idea. The only real thing he was worried about was the loss of his project, if she managed to get a copy right placed on the game before he did then would have to pay up big time. 'Knowing lower class people I'm sure she'd charge me for every penny I can offer. Not that I'll let that happen though.' Confident once more Seto Kaiba returned to his book with an emotionless expression.
Needless to say their first day of school was nothing but a tense disaster that even unnerved the teacher to the point where they sent Tea out in the hall for no genuine reason. This only made Kaiba happier and the room that much more tense when Tea was allowed back in.
At the end of the day the guys practically glued themselves to Tea. "Would you three g home already? You're not coming to my house, end of story! Or do I need to call my dad?" With that threat they gave her a salute and a thumbs up and departed very quickly.
Stepping into her house the first thing Tea noticed was her parents. They were home and busier than bees. Which made no sense whatsoever to Tea. 'The fact that Kaiba is coming over to get his head ripped off must have gone through one ear and out the other. It'll sink in when he shows up with his lawyers.' Rolling her eyes as she thought this Tea stepped over her father on the floor scrubbing with all his might and went into the kitchen. She danced around her frantically cooking mother to grab some cookies then left to go change out of her school uniform.
She was just slipping on her dark blue business skirt (courtesy of mother insisting that a woman always needed a set of professional clothes) when there came a knock at the door, followed by Mokuba informing her," Mr. Uzumi, your lawyer, and my big brother are here with his five lawyers. Oh! And your mom made giant chocolate chip cookies! Hurry before big bro and I eat them all!" Tea couldn't help but giggle at the thought of Seto Kaiba stuffing freshly made chocolate chip cookies in his mouth.
To add the finishing touch to her professional look Tea threw on her matching dark blue blazer. The final appearance was that of a young woman ready to take down any person in court. Upon entering the living room she wasn't the least surprised to find her mother fidgeting next to her stone faced father and Seto Kaiba sitting across from them looking cockier than ever. To make her presence known she started with an apology," I apologize for the wait, I felt this situation needed a proper appearance." All eyes were on her as she took the spot her parents made for her right between them.
On the outside Kaiba appeared to be totally unfazed by Tea's change of outfit, on the inside he felt something stir. An emotion he'd felt only in Yugi's presence while in the midst of a duel. It was the emotion of uncertainty. For just a fleeting millisecond Seto Kaiba felt uncertain about winning this new challenge. Shifting to become more comfortable he played it cool by responding," No need for the apology, I was just enjoying your parents' hospitality. Getting to business we both know what this is about."
'Well, here's something I didn't expect. Seto Kaiba acting like a good guest. Must be a hitch to being a powerful CEO, he can't reveal how much of a jerk he really is in front of strangers.' Tea met his gaze coolly when speaking," Yes, MY invented game, Dance Dueling. No one knew about it except Yugi, my parents, and myself. You didn't begin working on your project to mass produce it until…certain events, occurred during weeks past. That being the case I have taken legal action and put into effect copy rights upon the game. If you want to make this game national then you have to pay up for using it, as well as following the original rules I've created for it. And half of the earnings go to me and my parents. If you agree to these terms your project may continue." As Tea listed all this she took the stack of papers her lawyer handed her and pushed it towards the now clearly irked Kaiba.
'There's no way Mr. Ego-for-Brains will agree and there is nothing he can do to change my idea on this.' Tea's smirk conveyed this thought loud and clear for Kaiba and all five of his lawyers to receive.
Kaiba could feel all five of his lawyers stiffen behind him, they knew things were getting bad and could only escalate to worse legal actions. He had to think but couldn't in these conditions. He needed time," Would it be possible to think about these terms over a time span of ten days?"
"Of course, but you must already know that until a decision has been made all productions of this 'Dance Duel' must come to a halt. You may have longer than ten days if you wish." Mr. Uzumi, the official lawyer for the military regime her father worked for carried his voice the same way a general would indiscreetly tell his men they have the right to get away with something. The lawyers that represented Mr. Kaiba were well paid, well educated, but still witless weasels that had never had to defend a man from execution just because he almost killed his wife from post traumatic stress.
Kaiba inwardly sighed at all these inconveniences, no doubt his schedule would have to be drastically altered to work some thinking time in. To Tea and her lawyer he accepted," Thank you, if I'm in need of an extension I will inform you. Mokuba let's go."
"Okay. Um, Auntie? Can I bring some cookies home with me?" Tea never thought a child's eyes could get as big as Mokuba made his at that moment.
Mrs. Gardener giggled and reached down between her feet to pull up a brown paper bag filled with cookies. Handing it over she whispered," You're more than welcome here any time you like sweetie. You can even bring your brother if possible…As long as he doesn't fire me. Now run along before your brother blows a gasket." Mokuba laughed and ran off to make sure his brother didn't leave without him just because he actually had his ass handed to him by a girl with one lawyer at that.
Tea thanked her lawyer, promised a nice addition to his pay, then saw him out the door. Grinning ear to ear she announced," Dinner on me tomorrow mom and dad!"
"Uh, Tea? We won't be home tomorrow and the next three nights." Tea's mother fidgeted slightly as she cleaned up the coffee table of the tea cups and cookies.
Her dad met Tea's disbelieving gaze head on to explain more thoroughly," Your mother is needed for a presentation in the next town over and I'm required for a weapons demonstration in Singapore. Your mother will be home before I am, but for four days you will have to fend yourself. Unless you'd rather spend that time at a friend's. If my trained memory is sufficient you had some rather trying experiences in our lack of presence not too long ago."
Tea bit the inside of her lip to keep from yelling so she could calmly reassure her parents," That won't happen again. I won't let anyone, not even Mokuba inside the house this time. You can go off to work for a month and I'd be perfectly fine…As long as you sent money to get food that is. So there's no need to worry about me." To emphasize her toughness Tea hit herself on the chest.
Mr. and Mrs. Gardener exchanged a worried glance, they were going to need to think about this.
Suddenly feeling uncomfortable Tea pulled off her blazer and went to her room, she felt a good phone conversation was in order.