The Bittersweet Fate Of A Duelist

Chapter 6

The rest of the month passed without any noteworthy event, but problems and hiccups were always ready to jump out around the corner at KaibaCorp.
Yugi was submerged by paperwork, game testing and game designing, and despite trying to alternate everything with the required programming and testing for the "Legendary Dragon" along with his work team, his days gradually became so long and heavy they left him totally exhausted. He would detach himself from work with a hazy and blurry sight, his eyes grown tired from long hours in front of the computer screen, and several times he'd go back home with his neck and back aching, begging for mercy.
To take a break, Yugi often welcomed Seto's invitations to join him in the skyscraper area specifically made for testing the new Duel Disk models, and the King of Games found himself dueling against a robot AI while the CEO oversaw the functionality of new devices and upgrades. A few times the two men dueled themselves, especially if the upgrades installed into the Duel system required a more "human" feel to it.
As if imitating Seto's habits, in addition, immediately after having dinner Yugi took every bit of his time to scan or fix this or that game file, review and inventory, clarify any doubts about the proper functioning of games he designed himself. In most cases, when his grandpa would step into the office, Yugi had already collapsed on the desk, two or three hours later, surrounded by paper and digital documents, various discarded ideas and dried pens.
Yugi started talking a lot with Atem, re-taking their hours long conversations on hand, exchanging with him not just general and useless chatter, but they often discussed about Duel Monsters, about the popularity the Dungeon Dice Monsters was finally gaining, about how much Ryou's work with his Monster World was giving the Duelist of the whole world one more entertaining game to play. They also started dueling again, alternating the games between their soul rooms to play comfortably without switching bodies to touch the cards.
In all that, Atem often advised his partner to rest and take everything more calmly, without tiring himself to exhaustion and exaggerating, but the Pharaoh also saw the positive side in all that stubborn and rushed behavior: Yugi was distracted, so distracted by his work, his though were oriented only towards programming, projects, anything else other than his fears and worries and awful memories.
Of course, nothing has vanished altogether, with a snap of fingers.
Yugi was still suffering from nightmares, there still were times when, instead of looking at the bright computer screen, he stared silently in the void with dull and blank eyes. Yugi still couldn't stop curling up on his bed, tightly hugging his legs, with streams of tears running down his cheeks, from reddened and lost eyes.
But Atem managed to cross the barrier Yugi was unconsciously building around him with much more ease, and even if the old Pharaoh was not yet able to reach his partner and take his hands into his own, despite their bond, he stayed close to him. He was patiently making sure Yugi never felt alone, remaining at his side until his sweet but sad smile returned on his face.

On the last Friday of the month, the atmosphere at KaibaCorp. was more tense than usual. All because of a badly attempted fraud.
Seto and Yugi had participated in a very important meeting with various sponsors, some for the "Legendary Dragon" (about to be released in beta version), some for Duel Links, and a huge number of other ones for the RPG developed by Mokuba and other games.
A meeting that, after almost five tense hours of discussion, proposals, explanations and presentations, seemed to have ended for the better. Or at least, so the most important people of the corporation believed.
At its end, two sponsors stepped forward, with the intention to speak face to face with Seto; their contract was with Mokuba's role-play game, but the young Kaiba had left the meeting room shortly before to return to his office.
Which was the reason why Seto, irritated by the inadequate request, closed his briefcase with a sharp snap: «The Duel Monsters RPG in under the jurisdiction of my brother. If you want to discuss something about it in private, I am not the person you are looking for», he said, his voice flooded with authority.
Yugi was about to leave after putting away his stuff, but he stopped at the door; he knew those sponsors, and he never trusted them. They had always seemed misleading men, surely ready to do anything to get their hands on easy money, and Yugi frequently confronted Seto about them. The CEO had always shaken off his partner's concerns, but he did keep a more focused eye on the matter.
«It's simply a matter of few minutes, Mr. Kaiba. Just a proposal».
«Yes – the second man supported his colleague – we just want to present a good opportunity to the attention of your company».
Seto narrowed his eye, looking at the two men with poorly hidden annoyance: «I'll tell you again, if you want to discuss anything about this game, talk to my brother. Any proposal you intend to present for the role-play game, is not my responsibility. Schedule a meeting with him. And now, if you will excuse me, I have a lot of work to do and important matters to accomplish», he said, thus closing the conversation.
The two, however, did not agree with his refusal.
The one who looked like the oldest, a short man with almost grotesque features, did his best to stood before the CEO with a grin deforming his face: «This is a proposal that could bring benefits not only to that single game, but could also help a huge number of your projects. Lister to us, Mr. Kaiba, you won't regret it».
Seto glanced at Yugi, still in the doorway, and then turned his attention back to the man in front of him; he could already feel the deceiving turn of that issue.
«Fine», he agreed. «Tell me about this great proposal, but make it quick».
The younger man did nothing to hide his satisfied grin while rubbing his hands, before pulling a folder full of documents out of his briefcase. He opened it on the table and scattered some papers on the surface.
The CEO took only a glimpse of the words written on it before agreeing Yugi had been right all along about the two men, and with an excuse Seto took his phone and wrote a quick message. Mokuba's RPG was nothing more than poorly placed bait to gain his attention.
Yugi received the text a moment after and immediately left the room, already dialing a phone number.
On his account, Seto turned his attention back to the folder: «Monster World? Could you explain yourself on the topic? I am afraid I do not understand what is it that you want from me».
«Oh, of course». The elder man widened his sneer and pointed the various documents; all of them had the words "Monster World" printed on in the corner of the page, a clearly failed attempt on making them seem genuine.
Seto took some of the pages, flicking through the papers but giving them nothing more than a disinterested look.
«Our proposal is not hard to understand, Mr. Kaiba. We would like to see a collaboration between the Monster World RPG and the KC Virtual Reality System. Or, better yet, we would like to see the KaibaCorp. take over the Monster World».
«Take over the RPG? And why, care to explain, would I ever want to do that?».
«But to gain even more profit, of course! Figure it, Mr. Kaiba. One of the most powerful and biggest companies in the whole world acquiring such a famous Duel Monsters related game. Your gains will skyrocket if you willingly agree to this take-over!».
The CEO raised an eyebrow, but encouraged the man to keep talking. He had to keep the sponsors occupied a few minutes more, enough to give Yugi time to come back.
After almost ten minutes of chatter and rambling about profit and new promoters, to which Seto had hardly paid the slightest attention, Yugi silently returned to the meeting room.
In his hand, in plain sight, he had his cell phone with an active video call; the interlocutor's face was projected in thin air thanks to a hologram. And he was very, very irritated.
«Yes, I understood very well what you are saying, and your proposal is, indeed... interesting – Seto interrupted the man's unstopped blathering – but care to tell me one thing. What does Ryou Bakura thinks of all this?».
Seized on the spot, the two men failed a sneak exchanging of guilty looks before trying to get the situation in hand. It was worse than watching a child fill a sandpit with seawater.
«Well, it's not... it's not obvious?».
«And exactly, what is it you are labeling "obvious" in you opinion? I asked you a question. I expect an answer».
The younger man nervously stroked his bristly beard, his eyes darting madly in every possible direction as if trying to cling on something valid to say, while the older stood still in place, almost shell-shocked by Seto's demand.
Faced with expected silence, Seto exhaled a depreciatory laugh, a mere noise of derision: «I am answering you, then. Or, much better, I will let himanswer you», he than declared, hinting behind them.
When the two men turned around, Ryou's frowning face was staring back at them in holographic form. His anger was almost tangible, and the flickering hologram rendered perfectly his grimacing eyes, reduced to just two slits.
«Sh- Mr. Bakura! – the younger caught himself before swearing – we...».
«We just wanted to give a helpful hand to your business, sir», the older man took over. «Give your game a bigger opportunity to...».
«Silence!».
Ryou's categorical exclamation had both of them stepping back in fear. The fact that his appearance nearly matched the infamous "Spirit of the Ring Bakura" one did not help in reducing the intimidation.
«I have no intention in listening to useless excuses. You literally just tried to sell my own game on your own initiative, without having any kind of deal with me. You are absolutely ridiculous if you think I am going to accept even a single attempt to justify and trust shady individuals like you». He then turned to Seto: «You're going to fire them, I hope».
Seto nodded, his arms crossed so tightly the sleeves of his dress shirt seemed about to explode: «I suppose they tried to convince you before showing up here».
«They tried», Ryou confirmed. «They came to me last night, not asking for a deal, but demanding I give up every rights on my game. The repeated several times they were only following your orders, Seto».
And that confirmed the attempted scam. Twice as much.
Yugi and Seto had already discussed with Ryou about his Monster World, especially since the game landed on gaming platforms able to combine miniatures and holograms, but he never agreed to a collaboration. On the contrary, their final agreement was to keep the two games separate from one another, because Ryou preferred it that way.
«Very well. Thank you, Ryou. And as for you – he turned to the promoters as soon as Yugi ended the call – if you dare show up again at my company, I will not hesitate to take advantage of the law. And if, by mere chance, I hear of other fraud attempts on your part, I will personally take care on having you arrested for it. Now get out».
The two men, as frightened as little boys who have just been scolded by their mother, quickly picked up the fake documents and disappeared through the door, without glancing back.
Yugi stuck his head out the door, in the hallway, and stared at them until the elevator doors closed, then returned looking at Seto.
The CEO looked tense, irritated and tired at the same time.
It was not the first time someone had tried to trick Seto in taking over or buying property and/or business without the consent of the owners, to throw shadows on his company, but that failed scam was on the verge of idiocy.
Not only Ryou had repeatedly told the press about the independence of his fame, Seto himself had confirmed the same thing even more often, harassed by media and competitors.
«Fucking idiots. As if it wasn't enough dealing every day with one problem or another. Now I have to increase the company security again, until those dim-witted no ones disappear from the scene», he complained, pinching the bridge of his nose.
Then Seto shook his head and sighed, looking at Yugi: «I should be thankful to you, right? Sorry about this, I'm trying to keep you away from troubles».
Yugi crossed his arms, half smiling: «Be thankful Ryou answered the phone. Damn, that poor guy, he's been back from England for just one week and someone already tried to steal his job».
«And speaking of that, I have work to do. Projects to complete. See you later», he then said, speaking quickly.
Seto frowned, puzzled by that, but before he could say anything Yugi was already gone.