Author's Note

I did my best to stick to the rules of the card game, but found several places when I went back through where I had made mistakes. I tried to correct them, but if I've missed any, I apologize.

Also, this is one of those rare moments where I actually finished a story. I went back through to check for errors in spelling and such, and make a few small revisions here and there, but otherwise I have left it as is. It's not AMAZING, but it's FINISHED, which I am pleased about. But on that note, if there are any loose ends or things you'd like to read more of, make a note or post a review, and I might just add a short story on the end for you. (Believe me, it was hard to get myself to stop and finish the story) I will be very happy to write more, in case y'all happen to like it and want more. I seriously doubt there will be a sequel, though.

Domino City. A bustling, thriving metropolis. The streets were packed with people rushing about their daily lives. Occasionally, monsters could be seen: holographic projections of a card game that was rapidly expanding to become part of world happenings. The game was Duel Monsters, one based on competitions between sorcerers in the ancient past, involving real monsters and the fate of the world.

Its current popularity was due to the contributions of two men in particular – two men that, at the moment, were facing each other in an office at the top of one of the tallest buildings in Domino City.

Seto Kaiba was not pleased.

He was sitting at the desk, the wall behind him a window to the city below. His rich blue eyes narrowed in frustration below his short, well-kept brown hair. He was dressed in a white full-length jacket and a black undershirt, along with a number of straps and belts that gave him an almost draconian appearance.

Seto was the CEO of Kaiba Corp., whose primary focus was to provide cutting-edge gaming technology, and was responsible for the holographic games that would spontaneously occur in the streets below.

Before him stood Yugi Moto, the world champion and King of Games. Yugi was much shorter than the CEO, with violet eyes and spiky black hair that spread in all directions, dressed in a blue outfit accented with a number of belts of his own.

"Yugi, do you grasp the concept of what it takes to run a multi-billion-dollar company? I'm not a baby-sitter. Can't you get one of your dweeb friends to take your brat in?"

Yugi sighed. "I tried. But Joey and Mai have their hands full with their son, Sirius, and they don't exactly have any space. Tristan and Serenity are biking in America, and Duke's doing a tour of his own with Dungeon Dice Monsters. Bakura's vanished off the face of the Earth, and the Ishtars don't even have a home, let alone a place where Kyo could stay and get an education."

Seto grimaced and folded his arms. "So now you want me to give her an education?"

"No, Kaiba." Yugi said patiently. "All you need to do is give her a room. She'll take care of herself. I can offer an allowance if you'd rather consider it a rent."

"She's eight." Seto stated, his voice flat.

"You were the one who suggested I go on tour, and we can't give her an education that way." Yugi rebutted. "Please, Kaiba. Give her a week. She practically raises herself; you won't hear a single word of trouble about her, I promise."

"I'd better not get a word of trouble from her." Seto snapped irritably back. "Or she's going to the streets." He gave Yugi a cold smirk. "And if I'm feeling generous, I might consider having one of my grunts give her a ride to the orphanage."

The two had known each other for years; Yugi was well-used to Seto's threats. While he was fairly certain Seto would follow through on them if he was given a reason, he also knew that Seto wasn't completely unreasonable.

He nodded. "Give it a week, Kaiba. If she's any trouble, we'll come back and try to figure something else out. Would five hundred cover her rent?"

"I don't need your money." Seto growled. "The last thing I want to encourage is that my house is open to invasion. I'm doing this as a favor to you, Yugi. I expect you to repay it."

Yugi smiled wryly back. "I'm sure we'll find a way I can do that. Who knows, this might be a great opportunity for your own daughter, Kaiba." He stopped himself. That was the suggestion he'd given Joey and Mai, but while they had agreed, he remembered belatedly that Seto usually responded poorly to any suggestion of what he'd consider 'soft behavior.'

As expected, Seto's eyes narrowed, but Yugi had snapped his mouth shut, so he settled for a glare. "Believe whatever you want to, Yugi, if it makes you feel better. When are you leaving?"

"Well, we didn't have any plans until we could ensure Kyo would have a place to stay, but Pegasus has been pushing me to get packed. I will be looking for a ticket to Hong Kong sometime this week." He rubbed the back of his head. "Téa will be available to help her get settled. Just let us know when we can bring her over."

"Bring her over tonight." Seto said. "The sooner she's in place, the sooner I can get back to running my company."

Yugi nodded politely and bowed. "Thank you, Kaiba. I promise you won't regret this. I will find a way to repay you."

"Save it, Yugi." Seto turned back to his computer. "Now get lost."