The days following the horror that was so graciously bestowed upon them by their sadistic professor were agony for the female brunette. No doubt Kaiba was cursing Higurashi's name as well, but at least he had the opportunity to waste his time on something else. Not only was she already forced to watch this jerk's every move, but now she had to sit through his abusive pouting. As much as it pleased her to see him so bothered, she did not appreciate that he took it out on his employees. He fired two people and suspended three associates in four days for even so much as looking at him in the eyes too long.

Granted, it wasn't like she was bouncing off the walls herself; the last thing she wanted to do was play house with him, but she wasn't so cold as to take it out on everyone who crossed her path. It wasn't as if living on the same grounds with him was feasible anyway; her explicit restriction from the Kaiba manor wouldn't allow her to set foot on the grass within the compound, let alone on the tile floor. She sighed as she watched Kaiba fire his third victim. All that glitters ain't gold, thought Anzu, recognizing Kaiba as the prime example that all the money and intelligence in the world could not compensate for the glaring lack of charisma.

Deciding it was time for a change of scenery, she switched over to her Wooden Horses to see what Mokuba was up to. He really seemed to be taking the rebellious route as of late, which concerned her greatly. During the Duelist Kingdom and Battle City adventures, she remembered the young Kaiba being chock full of spunk and youthful mischief -now, it seemed that in place of his once feisty, bright-eyed spirit was a deep void that was slowly filling with loneliness. It hurt her heart to see him like that, and it angered her far more than she expected at the elder Kaiba's negligence. How long has the Mokuba been lonely, yearning for his brother's attention and approval only to be overlooked by the newest designs for KaibaCorp? It drove her mad to see the contrasting differences from Duelist Kingdom and Battle City to now. How had things deteriorated so quickly between the brothers?

Over the years Anzu's knowledge of the Kaiba brothers surpassed even that of the obsessive fan girl. She knew how much time Mokuba spent on games and was well acquainted with Kaiba's sleep schedule. She knew their habits, their flaws, and their personal quirks (even though Kaiba would never admit to having any), and she knew better than anyone else her age how close those two were. In fact, it was their deeply regarded relationship for each other that caused her to develop a love of some sorts for them. Well, for Mokuba at least. For Kaiba, it was more of a permanent loathing; his recent neglectful attitude wasn't aiding his case either.

The image in her glasses revealed that the youngest Kaiba was out in the park somewhere, unbeknownst to his older brother. He meandered along wistfully with no destination in particular before walking over to a tree and leaning against its trunk, hands dug deeply into the pockets of his jeans. He looked both angry and depressed as he stared down at his shoes in contemplation. He looks so lonely.

"That's it!" She exclaimed, mounting her bike. "Something has to be done, and if Kaiba won't do it, I will!" She pedaled off in the direction of Domino City Park with determination set into her features. As she closed in on the park, she began wondering what she would say to him. It was true that she loved the kid and it was also true that she shared many memories with him; but the last time that she actually saw Mokuba in person was after the final duel between Yugi and Atem. She gradually reduced her speed to a crawl as she approached the entrance to the park. Now that she thought about it, she probably didn't know Mokuba as well as she initially believed. She dismounted her bike and walked into the park, allowing herself some time to think about what she would say.

"It's not as if he and I have spent that much time together." She mused aloud. "Yeah sure, we were held captive together by Malik and I helped him escape. But I don't think he and I have really spent that much one-on-one time together." She sighed. "Maybe I was getting a little ahead of myself here. Just because I watch him from the shadows doesn't mean that he'll be happy to see me. It's been what? About a year since we last actually talked?" She paused on the bike path and noticed that the path ran mostly parallel to a stream that wound itself through the park. She stared into the water, watching the sun's reflection bounce off the surface as she contemplated her actions. She wasn't used to doubting herself, but now that she took in the possibility that Mokuba probably wouldn't be inclined to enjoy her company she felt the hesitation rising in the pit of her stomach.

She looked up and found that she had let her mind wander away with her for longer than she anticipated, because not fifty yards away from her was the adolescent in question. He had decided to lay back on the grass and a take a nap beneath the shade. She wondered if she should bother him, conflicted about keeping him company. She sighed, well she was already here so she might as well say "hi". Maybe they weren't close friends, but she still regarded him that way- and it had been a very long time since she last spoke with him.

She guided her bike over to the tree Mokuba was snoozing under and leaned it up against the trunk. She leaned over Mokuba and took in his face; his features had matured more than she had noticed through her glasses. His jaw was a bit more defined and she noticed that he had cut his hair. It was still bushy, but it no longer fell past his shoulders. The trim looked fresh though, so he must have done it for the summer. She couldn't blame him, it was terribly warm still. Summer term has since ended, but it was still September and autumn wasn't exactly a cool month in Domino. Speaking of cool….

Anzu glanced up at the stream and couldn't help the mischievous smirk that found its way on to her face. Quietly, she made her way over to the bank and scooped up some clear water before approaching Mokuba again, this time with not-so innocent intentions. She let a little bit of the water drip onto the grass first before splashing him in the face with the remainder of it.

Anzu wasn't quite sure how it happened, but no sooner than the water connected with his face did he shoot up off the ground and try to swing at her. Anzu dodged with ease, but tripped backwards onto the grass in a moment of classic klutzy stunts. "Get the hell away from me, idiot!" Demanded the angry, pubescent voice.

Anzu blinked, too stunned to feel hurt or angry. "Um, Mokuba?" She asked the incensed youth.

Her voice seemed to register something in him and he looked down, recognition forming on his features. "Anzu?" He was confused and just stared at her for a minute. "Was that… you, just now?"

She nodded silently, not wanting to provoke him any further.

"Really?" His corners of his mouth turned up in a slight smirk as he thrust his hands into his pockets. "Well then, I guess that makes it all right."

Anzu smirked a little bit at him. He looks like Jounouchi doing that. "Did I really catch you that much off guard?" She asked, dusting off the grass blades that clung to her legs as she stood.

He scoffed, but answered her. "Not really; I've just been waiting for someone," he mumbled.

Curiosity naturally getting ahold of her, she asked, "Really? Who?"

She could have sworn he cast a glare at her, but it was too quick to fully register. "Just… someone…."

"A girl?" She asked, teasingly.

Mokuba's head snapped in her direction, embarrassment splashed all over his features. "W-what? What makes you ask that?!"

Anzu shrugged. "Oh, no reason in particular. I just wanted to get that reaction out of you." She couldn't help the giggle that escaped her.

Mokuba cast his eyes towards the grass in embarrassment. "So, it wasn't because you thought I would actually have a girlfriend?"

That wasn't the reaction she was expecting at all. "What?"

Mokuba scoffed again, "Whatever. Just forget it." He went back and leaned against the tree.

Anzu sighed; this wasn't how she wanted things to go at all. She approached him gently. "Hey." He didn't look at her. "What's up?"

"Nothing," he dismissed her question with one single word, effectively rubbing her nerves the wrong way.

"Really? Nothing is wrong?"

"Nothing." He insisted.

Anzu could feel a vein beginning to pulse. "Fine. Okay, Kaiba." She sneered a bit.

Mokuba's eyes shot up in shock. "What?"

"You heard me." She said, with her arms crossed. "You're acting so much like your brother, I figured I might as well address you appropriately."

Mokuba looked away from her, his eyes much softer than before. She seemed to have hit a soft spot. "You… you really think I'm acting like my brother?"

"Like a clone." She rolled her eyes. "I haven't seen you since… well, since that final duel between Yuugi and the Pharaoh so I was excited to see you. I know I surprised you with my little stunt, but I wasn't expecting the greeting of a mini-Kaiba to come my way." She huffed, her agitation growing with every second her mind rested on the elder brother. She was positive she felt her eye twitching.

Silence filled the space between the two awkwardly. When Mokuba didn't say anything she decided that this was not a good idea after all. She made for her bike. "Sorry to bother you." She said as she passed him, grabbing the seat of her bike.

"Wait!" Mokuba reached out for wrist. "I'm sorry," he said, catching her arm. Anzu peered at him over her shoulder, waiting for him to continue. "I'm just…" he sighed again, "I'm just having a bad day, I guess." He dropped his eyes down to the grass again, a meek expression settling over him.

Anzu's eyes softened, leaning her bike against the tree again. She slipped her arm out of his loose grip and patted him on the head like she would to a small child. "Hey, it's okay." She pulled him into a gentle embrace. "I'm sorry you're having a bad day." She was taken a little aback when returned the hug with a tighter grasp.

Suddenly, she felt him trembling. "Mokuba?" She pulled away slightly and noticed that there were tears spilling over the sides of his cheeks. "Hey, what's wrong?" She asked with sincere concern.

Mokuba cleared his throat and tried to pull away, but Anzu held him tighter. "Ah no, I don't think so." She smiled at him, "It's okay, you know. I'm not here to judge." He looked up at her, his large violet eyes begging for whatever solace she could give him. He must have taken her gentle silence as permission and he let the tears roll uninhibited. She stroked his short hair as he sobbed into her, gripping her shirt as if she were his lifeline. She let him cry until he was exhausted, simply embracing him while gently caressing his hair. As his cries continued, she wondered what had him so down while silently sighing with relief knowing that she made the right decision to see him after all.

Sitting on the ground, beneath the shade of the tree she found him under earlier, Anzu had made herself comfortable right beside Mokuba, who was hugging his knees and casting his eyes downward. His eyes were still red from crying, but the puffiness had since subsided. They had remained in each other's embrace for a while as Mokuba vented out his frustrations about school, his brother, his friends, his brother, work, and his brother again. He was a sobbing mess not ten minutes prior, but it seemed to Anzu that she had helped lift a heavy weight off his shoulders just by letting him cry and that made the trip over worthwhile.

They listened to the quiet sounds of the park before she spoke. "So, bullied, huh?" She began, glancing over to Mokuba out of the corner of her eyes. She noticed him flinch a bit. Well, that explains his hostility earlier. "And it's over your brother?"

He nodded his head.

She sighed. "And you're not going to tell him?"

He shook his head.

"Why not?"

Mokuba looked away from her. "It's embarrassing…" he admitted quietly.

"Mokuba. I don't think-"

"I just don't want to bother him about it!" He cried out.

"I see." She sighed again. "I'm sorry, Mokuba. I really wish there was something I could do for you." I really, really wish I could, she thought sincerely. Even during all of her Kaiba-sitting these past several months she could have never imagined how much pain the younger Kaiba was in.

Mokuba smiled wryly. "Me too."

She smiled gently at him and placed a comforting hand on his arm. "It may not be much, but if you need me Mokuba I will be there for you. No matter the day or the time."

He looked at her in surprise. "Thank you, Anzu. But you don't need to do that."

"I know I don't, but I want to." She pulled out her cell phone from her pocket. "What is your number?" She entered his number into her phone as he rattled it off and sent him a message. "There, I just sent you a message so you now have my number." She put her phone back in her pocket and looked him squarely in the eyes. "Call me any time, okay? No matter what it is, I will always be there for you." She smiled at him, holding out her pinky.

Mokuba blushed and looked away. "You don't have to do that. I trust you."

"Nonsense! Pinky promises are totally legit!" She insisted with a smile.

Mokuba rolled his eyes, but smiled as he wrapped his own pinky around hers. "Got it. I might even hold you to it."

She grinned back at him. "You better."

The silence fell between them again and neither of them felt the need to speak for a while. Anzu stared up at the sky and thought again back to her previous thoughts a few weeks ago about Mokuba needing a tutor; but now more than ever he needed a companion to rely on. She would love to watch after him herself, but her restrictions prevented her from doing so. She now felt it was imperative for her to remember to make the suggestion to the KCSP to assign someone to be there for the kid.

She stretched her arms as she felt her muscles beginning to stiffen from the lack of movement. "Okay!" She said, getting to her feet and offering her hand to Mokuba. "You know, let's go get some ice cream! For old time's sake." She offered, with a bright smile.

Mokuba's lips curled into a small smile. "Thanks Anzu, but I need to stay here. Remember, I'm meeting someone?"

"Oh right! You never did answer my question, by the way." She replied with a sly grin. "So, is it a girl?"

The light blush on Mokuba's cheeks elicited a whistle from Anzu. "Oh, really now? Now I have to know!"

Mokuba turned away to try and hide the blush that deepened with every passing second. "It's… not like that…." He muttered.

"Uh-huh, and Jounouchi is gay for your brother." She replied sarcastically.

Mokuba snorted into a very loud chuckle. "Anzu that's so disturbing! Don't you mean for Honda?" Tears began forming at the corners of his eyes as he clutched his stomach from laughing.

Anzu shook her head, "No way! I'm pretty sure the constant threats Jounouchi throws at him is just his shy way of begging for attention."

Mokuba snickered at that. "So the mutt barks to get his master's attention, is that it?"

Anzu shrugged, "Well, he is constantly trying to jump your brother."

Mokuba laughed again. "You're right! Maybe I should warn Seto that a punch to the jaw is not exactly Jounouchi's goal?"

Anzu laughed too. "More like a big, wet kiss!" They laughed heartily together; the image of Jounouchi as a dog trying to lick Kaiba in the face was just too entertaining. Good, she thought. At least I got him to laugh a bit. "Now, are you going to tell me who this girl is, or should we get into details about Kaiba scratching Jounouchi behind the ears?"

Mokuba snorted again. "You have a really weird imagination!" He exclaimed.

"Better than a boring one!" She countered.

"True." He let his giggles finish before he continued. "She's a friend from school. She's really smart and she's also into duel monsters. It's been awhile since she and I actually managed to hang out because she's always out of town, but she keeps up with her studies very well despite." He glanced quickly out the corners of his eyes as a light blush settled on his smiling cheeks. "She's pretty cool, actually."

Anzu couldn't help but find the sight before her endearing. Her eyes softened as her grin widened. "That's great to hear, Mokuba!" She exclaimed. "I'm really happy for you."

He smiled in return but it melted into a sigh. "Thank you, Anzu. It's just… I know she doesn't feel the same way…."

Anzu's smiled melted as well. "What do you mean?"

"She… she likes someone else…."

"Who?"

"Well…."

"Mokuba!" Called a voice from the distance. Both Mokuba and Anzu looked up. A young girl Mokuba's age was running in their direction, her bright blonde hair billowing in the wind as her glasses bobbed up and down on her face. "I'm sorry I'm late! I just-", she tapered off when her aquamarine eyes connected with Anzu's azure ones. "Anzu?"

The realization hit Anzu like a ton of bricks. "Rebecca? Rebecca Hopkins?" Anzu tried to shake off the shock. Well, that explains the love triangle, she though. It had been ages since she last saw Rebecca! The young American had grown well, her white blouse and tan skirt fit well on her maturing petite frame. The sun had increased the number of freckles on her cheeks and brightened the blonde highlights of her hair, contrasting against her tanned skin.

Rebecca came to a rigid top for a moment, looking back and forth between Mokuba and Anzu. "I'm sorry, am I interrupting something?" She asked stiffly.

Mokuba stood up quickly from his spot on the ground, shaking his head. "No!"

Anzu also shook her head, holding up her hands in front of her. "Not at all. I was riding my bike and I saw Mokuba sitting here so I decided to say 'hi'." She pointed to her bike that had been resting against the side of the tree.

Mokuba nodded insistently, violet eyes focused intently on the blonde in front of him. "I've been waiting here for you!"

"Oh, I see." Rebecca let a wide grin grow on her lips as she visibly relaxed. She approached Anzu and stretched out her hand. "It's good to see you again, Anzu."

Anzu extended her hand out to Rebecca and gave her a gentle shake. "It's good to see you, too. How have you been?"

"I've been well!" She exclaimed, her youthful cheeriness gracing her features once again. "We just got into town a couple of days ago from Peru. You wouldn't believe the discoveries we've made!" She turned to Mokuba, her excitement mounting.

Anzu smiled secretly to herself as she watched Mokuba blush ever so slightly when the object of his affections focused entirely on him. Rebecca reached down and grabbed Mokuba's hands joyously. "Grandfather believes he's discovered Patiti!"

Suddenly, Mokuba was just as excited as Rebecca was. "You're kidding! Where?!"

Rebecca laughed as she tugged Mokuba closer to her. "I'll tell you all about it back at my place! Grandfather let me bring back a few artifacts and I can't wait to show them to you!" She pulled him in the direction she came from, Mokuba tagging along happily. He waved behind him, "I'll see you later, Anzu!"

"Bye!" Called Rebecca behind her as the pair took off.

Anzu waved but didn't call after them; it was pretty clear to her that those two were lost in their own little world. Oh to be young again, thought the teenager. She then mounted her bike and kicked off towards her new destination: the ice cream parlor. She saw no reason in keeping herself away from one of her favorite creamy treats, after all. She smiled to herself as she put her Blue Eyes sunglasses on to block the glorious rays of the sun from her eyes. Time to check up on the brat.

Five. The grand total of employees he effectively fired that day due to their incompetence was five. Taking into account the previous associates who were currently on suspension, he had nearly terminated a total of ten employees this week alone. Seto Kaiba massaged his temples at his desk, cursing anything and everything he could think of. The only employee he seemed he could rely on that day was his driver, Isono. As soon as he had fired his Research and Development department manager he demanded his driver fill in the lead role while his Human Relations department recruited a new, far more competent, manager before he went home.

After leaving things to Isono, he felt the need to distract himself from the company personnel and delved into KaibaCorp's stock portfolio. Looking at his corporation's financial statements and stock earnings provided him with a rare sense of relief and satisfaction. No one his age was able to successfully manage a company of this rapport. He was quite proud of the changes he made since he took over and ever prouder of the fact that the company flourished in the game industry. His dear step-father could rest peacefully knowing that the company that was ripped from greedy hands was thriving in the industry he loathed. Kaiba smirked to himself as he scrolled through his portfolio. There's nothing better than proving people wrong.

As he analyzed KaibaCorp's stockholders, he noticed the some of the ownership had shifted to one company. He smirked again, knowing that whoever was buying his corporation's stock must be quite cocky, yet intelligent. The market was doing very well right now, which meant his stock prices were at least the equivalent of one-thousand dollars a share, and this newcomer had purchased an impressive ten percent of his stocks. Kaiba frowned at that. "Ten percent?" That was unexpected; he alone held fifty-one percent and his brother held another twenty-five percent, allowing for only another twenty-four percent available on the market. Not only was a sudden acquisition of ten percent of his stock impressive, it was unheard of.

Suspicious…. He looked at the stock symbol: BKCLN. He hadn't heard of them before and he needed to find out who these no-names were. With the power of technology at his fingertips, it didn't take long to discover who BKCLN was. He slammed his fists against his mahogany desk in a fit of sudden rage. Black Clown. What the hell did Otogi think he was doing? It was highly doubtful that he just wanted to invest his money the smart way. While companies did occasionally buy some of their competitor's stock, it wasn't logical to make such a large investment, especially for a local game shop. "What is he trying to do? Buy out my investors?" He sneered at the thought, but contemplated it a bit. If he was attempting a buyout, that meant he was attempting a hostile takeover.

Kaiba scoffed. "A takeover? Really? How futile. What kind of fool does he take me for?" And yet, he had already obtained ten percent of his shares. How the measly little game shop that had once contended and lost to Kame Game Shop managed to start buying his company's shares while the market wasn't bearing down was beyond him, but he most certainly wasn't going to let some no name company succeed with their pathetic little creeping tender offer.

He punched in the extension on his intercom to the R&D department; Isono immediately answered: "Yes, Sir?

"My office. Now." The line went dead immediately. Not five minutes later Isono came through his office door. "Yes, Mr. Kaiba?"

Kaiba beckoned him over to this desk. "Since you are the only reliable person I employ, Isono, you are hence the only one I can confide in." He motioned to his screen. "Look at this."

Isono reviewed the contents of the screen; he was taken slightly aback. "A creeping tender offer? What is it that you want me to do?"

Kaiba couldn't help but smirk a little. "I want you to investigate this company, Black Clown. I know that Otogi and his jester father could never afford our stock pricing in this market; it's too strong and our ownership has been incredibly stalwart since Dartz was disposed of. I have also not received any merger requests or letters of intent; I have a feeling they are not the ones truly responsible for this little ill-humored stunt."

Isono nodded. "Understood, sir. I will look into it immediately." He bowed and turned to leave.

"Wait a moment. I have not dismissed you yet." Isono turned back around, offering a another slight bow in silent apology. "Please, have a seat." Isono was, once again, visibly taken aback, but he took the seat across from his employer's desk with grace.

He waited a moment before inquiring, "Is something bothering you, Mr. Kaiba?"

Kaiba smirked again, "Isono, you know me well enough by now to know that something is always bothering me." He sighed and slumped a bit against his chair, suddenly feeling very weary.

Isono lifted his brow slightly. "Mr. Kaiba?"

"It's Mokuba." He sighed out. "His rebellious nature is starting to rear an ugly head and, for once, I don't feel well equipped to deal with the situation." Kaiba pinched the bridge of his nose and breathed out another sigh. "I don't know what to do. The only role model I've ever had in my life for raising a child wasn't even fit to run a company in the end and I'm certainly not going to follow after that poor excuse." He said, referring to his late stepfather.

Isono nodded. He sat contemplatively for a moment before speaking, "May I have permission to speak plainly, sir?"

Kaiba gestured his permission.

"Thank you." Isono stood. "I admit that I have noticed that the young master has been a bit on the unruly side lately." Kaiba scoffed in sarcasm, That's putting it mildly. "However, I cannot help but feel that it is very closely affected by his relationship with his elder brother and his peers."

Kaiba cocked an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"Simply put, Mr. Kaiba, it would appear that Mokuba has lately been on the receiving end of bullying at school."

"WHAT?!" Kaiba launched out of seat, "He's being bullied and you never informed me?! For crying out loud, Isono what in the world am I paying you for?!"

Isono took Kaiba's outburst in stride. "Please listen to me Mr. Kaiba. Just as I am your confidant, I am also your brother's. There have been many quiet moments in the car when he would pull out his personal first aid kits to cover his cuts and aid his bruises so you wouldn't see. He has never asked me to not mention anything to you, but he has also trusted me to keep his secrets. If he wanted to let you know, he would have by now."

Kaiba sat back down in his chair, glaring at Isono mercilessly. "So why tell me now?"

Isono sighed, "Because now it is coming between you and your brother. I am sure you have already been made aware that he has recently been involved in a few scuffles at school. While every child will eventually have a rough passage in youth, it appears that he is being targeted simply because he is your younger brother."

Kaiba growled. "Are you implying that this is my fault?"

"If I may so bold, Mr. Kaiba, yes - in a way it is."

"And how is this my fault?"

"Most of the kids who attack the young master are children of the employees you have fired."

Anger seethed under his skin. "So these incompetent morons whom I have relieved from their posts have their spawn attack my brother out of spite? Is that what you are telling me!"

Isono shook his head. "No, sir. I personally believe that these children are defending their parents against you. However, you are out of their reach. Mokuba is not."

"Don't be ridiculous, Isono! Why would a child go out their way for a situation they don't understand?"

"Mr. Kaiba; all these children see are their parents coming from their former posts in complete devastation." Isono explained. "Whether these parents vent out their frustrations in front of their children or not is something I cannot rightly speculate; but children are in tune with their parents. They see the exhaustion their parents try to hide; they see the sadness, the frustration, and the weight of their responsibilities in their eyes. They don't understand it entirely, but they see their parents are unhappy and in turn it makes them angry. So, they righteously feel they must defend their parents; it's a natural familial connection." Isono peered at Kaiba over his glasses. "A connection I know you can understand yourself, sir."

Kaiba growled again. "I do not fire my employees rashly, Isono. I always have a reason."

Isono made no response. It was not his place to question his employers decisions; only to offer support and advice when it has been requested.

Kaiba stood from his desk, feeling incredibly agitated. He turned to his window and stared out over the cityscape below. "If you have said your piece you are dismissed." Isono stood, bowed, and exited contently without another word, leaving Kaiba to his thoughts.

Moments passed before he sighed again in frustration. Damn you, Isono. He did not want to admit it, but Isono was right. He, who was normally collected in every situation, was out of control these past two weeks. He allowed his frustration to get the best of him and he's taken it out on his employees. Where, though, was all of this frustration coming from? It wasn't as if anything else had changed so drastically as of late. The hostile takeover was news as of today, not a couple of weeks ago. Even this stupid chemistry assignment that had been imposed on him was only a few days ago, not long enough to be the source of this irritation.

He opened the top left drawer of his desk where he usually kept the Advil and caught a faint gold glimmer. He scoffed as he picked it up to analyze it; he scowled. It was that dreaded wedding band that Mazaki shoved onto his left hand days ago. Just the thought of her caused his blood to boil.

Mazaki.

The realization hit him like a ton of bricks.

She was the culprit. She was the one who kept getting under his skin, irritating him beyond reason. She had been the one to plague his thoughts with her slurs and insults. Ever since her mother's death, which had been at least two weeks by now, his temper had been exceptionally foul.

He chucked the ring back into his desk and slammed the drawer shut, cursing the it and Mazaki to Hades (Advil completely forgotten). It was bad enough that she somehow managed to affect him so much; but to actually be the indirect cause of his brother's bullying was unacceptable. She needed to be put in her place and soon.

He sat back down in his desk. He'd have to think of a way to get back at her. Loathed as he was to admit it, she was a lot like him and it ticked him off to no end.

Before he could devote any more time to that infuriating female, he dialed the HR department on the intercom. "Get me the numbers of all the employees I relieved immediately."

It couldn't be… it just couldn't. Anzu, slowly removed the Blue Eyes from her face and set them down on the tiny table she was at. She felt her mint chip ice cream melt down the side of her cone onto her hand but she didn't care, she was too stunned by whom she had just seen in Kaiba's office.

Was he… was that…. Anzu gulped as she leaned against the chair. "Was that my reaper?"