A Christmas Carol with Kaiba

Saving Kaiba's Only Friend

Next stop was the Domino Psychiatric Hospital. On his way he popped in his bluetooth and dialed up Mr. Whitaker to tell him to take the day off. The prototype could wait till Monday, even till the end of the week, if it had to. The man was, needless to say, speechless with surprise, but very grateful. When Seto hung up, he already had plans set in place to figure out a way to find his wife's medical information, privacy laws be damn. Mr. Whitaker may have to wait on the crappy medical system of Domino for his wife's life, but Seto had no such limitations. Money was a beautiful thing. Strangest thing was, he never realized it until now. What was he doing with the billions of dollars he had anyways? Mokuba and him should go to Hawaii, or Tahiti next week. Hell, why not Russia? He had always wondered about that place himself.

When he stepped through the glass doors of Domino Psychiatric Hospital, all personnel within sight froze. A helpful burst of winter air added to the drama as it set his gravity-defying trench-coat into many much flurries. He was sure the smirk on his face didn't help.

"I'm here to see Yugi Motou."

The secretary or whatever she was fumbled pointlessly with the papers in front of her. Her colleagues behind her did plenty of piteous staring. They didn't have to know Seto Kaiba to feel the brunt of his intimidating air.

"I'm sorry, but you will need signed consent from his guardian."

Seto scowled. "He's twenty-four years old, I highly doubt a grown man needs a guardian."

This flustered the poor girl even more. "I'm sorry, it's with the case of his condition--"

"He has no condition."

"I don't believe that's up to you to decide."

"Then let me talk to his doctor, where is he?"

"He's out for the day, it is Christm--"

"I don't give a damn if it's his freaking wedding day, get me in contact with him, now, or I'll buy out this place and have you all fired."

Her face paled and the corner of her mouth twitched, as though she weren't sure whether to laugh or be angry. "Who exactly are you, sir?"

"Seto Kaiba."

Her eyes popped. "The Seto Kaiba?"

"Did I stutter?"

Five minutes later he had a phone in his hand and a very flustered psychiatrist on the other end. He learned from him that they hadn't been able to verify any of the symptoms that Mrs. Motou had turned him in for, or at least no current symptoms. It was clear that, whatever Yugi had, he had gotten over it or learned to deal with it in his teenage years. However, the doctor couldn't discharge Yugi without the consent of his mother, who had been the one to admit him in the first place. It all had to do with laws and policies that the psychiatrist had no power in changing, and the man apologized profusely before Kaiba hung up on him with an annoyed snarl.

Of course, the nurses couldn't give him Yugi's mother's number (privacy policy), but there was a phone book for a reason. He soon had Mrs. Motou on the phone. He cut right to the chase, and at first she was furious, Seto Kaiba or not. But once he started listing numbers, she settled down nice and easy and they came to an agreement. She would be there in fifteen minutes, and all Yugi had to promise was to not return home. Lovely woman, really.

While he waited for her, terrifying the nurses and dropping the temperature of the hospital out of sheer impatient will, he called up his Human Resources manager for the number of a certain white-haired, blue-eyed, ex-employee of his.

Mrs. Motou was a slight, dark haired woman, who came in with as much dignity as a woman who had essentially just sold off her son could do. The nurses and orderlies that had filed in to watch the drama did plenty of whispering as she signed the necessary papers, accepted the check from Seto, and walked out without a glance back. Seto just snorted to himself. It would be hard to believe for any normal person that people like this woman existed, but Seto knew better.