Under the Table

Hello readers! This is my first story on here. I'm still a rookie, so if it sucks please just bare with me for the moment. This idea came to me watching GX episode 35. I started wondering why Kaiba would trust something as important as his school's fate on a teenager he doesn't even know and Voila! This story was born. This takes place about a year or two after the Memory World saga. (This used to be under the Yu-Gi-Oh category, but it didn't do very well over there, so I thought I'd put it in GX. They don't have a Kaiba category, so I put it under Chazz and Slade because they're both in the story. Hope no one minds.)

Disclaimer: If I owned Yu-Gi-Oh or Yu-Gi-Oh GX, do you honestly think I'd be wasting my time here?

I watched the people around me with indifference. They stood in clusters, woman on one side, men on the other, with very few willing to cross the invisible boundary. The woman gossiped about trivial matters and admired each other, while their husbands spoke of things such as golf and other various sports. It reminded me of a middle school formal, or at least what I'd imagine a formal would be like if I ever bothered to go to one.

It was a party. Not the type one went out of enjoyment, but social obligation, and as far as I was concerned, I had fulfilled my duty.

I'd already made the necessary rounds, engaged in the dreaded "small talk" with all who were important, and a great deal of people who were not. However, I've been told it is rude to leave a function after only being there a half hour. Normally I wouldn't care if others thought I was being impolite, but being viewed that way by so many important people would be bad for my image.

To be honest, right now I envied Mokuba. Technically he was vice president of Kaiba Corp, but no one expected him to go to these things. Probably because he actually was in middle school.

Of course, if it had been up to me, I would've gladly skipped this gathering of half-drunk idiots, but according to the head of my PR firm, the hosts were one of my biggest stock holders and I couldn't afford to offend them.

So instead I did the only thing I could do. I stood in the corner of the large ballroom, and glared at anyone who dared to try and bother me. This plan was working beautifully until I saw something out the corner of my eye. A small form appeared out of nowhere, seized a piece of cake being served on a nearby table, and disappeared under it.

I was instantly curious, and without even thinking about how strange it would look, I soon found myself walking over there, getting on my hands and knees, and lifting up a corner of the white tablecloth. A part of me was hoping it would be some kind of large animal that would scare all the guests into leaving.

Unfortunately, I was destined for disappointment. The "animal" turned out to be a small boy huddled under the table. His knees were up to his chest, and the child was happily munching on the pastry he had pilfered. Evidently I wasn't the only one hiding.

Eventually he noticed my presence, and his already large eyes widened to roughly the size of dinner plates. "You're Seto Kaiba!" He gasped.

"Yes," I agreed, slightly amused.

"I'm you're biggest fan!" I had heard this particular statement millions of times, but I decided that pointing that out probably wasn't the best idea. For all I knew he could've been. The boy looked pretty young, maybe eight or nine. What I couldn't figure out was why someone would bring a small child to a party like this.

"So you're my biggest fan? What is your name?" I wasn't quite sure why I was choosing to waste my time talking to an eight year old. It was probably a mixture of boredom and the fact that he somewhat reminded me of a young Mokuba.

At my inquiry, the little boy's eyes got wider, if that was even possible. He quickly scrambled to get out from under the table (much to my relief, for my legs were getting sore), and took a moment to fruitlessly brush the cake crumbs and frosting of his black dress pants. Once he realized the hopelessness of the situation, he performed a low bow that I was certain had been drilled into him by countless etiquette teachers. Apparently he had forgotten the formality in he excitement.

"My name's Chazz Princeton, sir." He introduced himself solemnly.

It was then my turn to be surprised. The Princetons were the ones holding this party in the first place! When I was younger, Slade and Jagger were among the children my stepfather had forced me to "play with" while he talked to their important parents. I had almost forgotten there was a third sibling. Chazz had only been a toddler at the time and on the rare occasions he wasn't on his mother's lap, entertaining him had always been Mokuba's job.

Even if I had recalled the youngest Princeton brother, I never would have considered that he would be this boy. There was a definite resemblance, but Chazz was still a stark contrast to his well groomed, immaculately pressed brothers.

He had a skinny build and extremely pale skin. His eyes were a sharp steel grey that was a common trait in his family. However, as mentioned before, they were big and expressive, like he hadn't quite grown into them yet. And then there was Chazz's hair. It was a wild, thick black mess that spiked out in all directions, especially in the back.

"What brings you to this kind of party…Chazz?" I asked, snapping out of my stunned stupor. "I'd think you would be bored." God knew I was.

Chazz made a face. "My brother's made me. I don't know why. They just said that they wanted me to meet some people. But I never had to do that when Mommy and Daddy were alive."

I had never liked Slade and Jagger Princeton, but I was disgusted when I realized how they were using their little brother. Slade, I remembered, was a politician. And in a room full of rich, influential people, what better way to gain support and funding than to introduce them to their cute little brother, who they were taking care of after they all were so tragically orphaned in a freak plane accident?

"But…maybe being here isn't so bad if I get to meet more great duelists like you." Chazz added suddenly. There was a moment's pause, and then he informed me, small chest puffing out in pride, "I'm going to be a pro duelist someday."

This was another statement I had been told on countless occasions, but I couldn't help but smile at his simple, confident declaration. Despite the fact that I had found him hiding under a table, the young Princeton definitely wasn't shy.

"I assume you've built a deck then."

Chazz nodded vigorously and patted his coat pocket. "I take it everywhere with me."

"May I see it?" I asked. I had the sudden desire to find out if this kid was actually any good, or if he just had delusions of grandeur.

Chazz's mouth fell open in shock. "It would be an honor sir." He answered in an awed whisper.

I shifted through the cards slowly, fully aware of his eyes on me. It actually wasn't a bad deck. There was at least some thought and skill put into it. More than I would expect for someone his age.

Eventually I gave Chazz his deck back, and as I did so I remarked thoughtfully, "You know, I'm actually working on opening schools where aspiring duelists can learn about the game."

"Really!" Chazz practically squealed in delight. "Do you think I could get in?"

"Well, you're too young for the academies, but I'm also opening prep schools you could probably enroll to in a couple of years," I replied truthfully.

"Chazz," a cold voice called, causing the boy's excited smile to fade away, as he turned slowly to face his brothers.

"Yes Slade?" Chazz asked, his voice squeaking slightly.

"Where have you been?" Jagger, who was standing right by Slade, demanded. "We've been looking all over for you." Apparently not that hard if it took them this long to find him.

I took one glance at Chazz's frightened face and stepped in. "He was with me," I announced, feeling a small thrum of satisfaction as the two's frowns transformed into nervous smiles.

"Please forgive me if our brother has been bothering you in any way," Slade apologized while grabbing Chazz's arm.

"Not at all," I assured him with a venomous smile. "We had a very interesting chat."

" Mr. Kaiba says he's opening dueling schools. Schools I could go to! Isn't that cool?!" Chazz told them enthusiastically. Evidently his fear was very short lived.

"That's…great," Slade agreed, but I didn't miss the flicker of irritation in his eyes. Obviously he didn't appreciate me indulging the boy on something he probably viewed as "a childish waste of time."

"Isn't it time for you to go to bed Chazz?" Jagger hinted not so subtly.

Chazz stared at him incredulously. "It's seven thirty." His brothers however, chose to ignore this fact and proceeded to drag him away.

"Wait!" Chazz called, somehow tearing out of his siblings' iron grips and running up to me. "Before I go…do you think I could have your autograph?"

Without a word I grabbed a nearby napkin and signed it for him. "Good luck kid."

"Thank you," he replied sincerely, holding the napkin carefully, as if I had just presented him with the Holy Grail.

I watched Chazz run back to his brothers, and in that moment I decided I was also leaving. My PR could go to hell for all I cared. If the Princetons ever choose one day to stage a hostile takeover I will fight them every step of the way, and I will win. I always do. Besides, that little display of "brotherly affection" had made me miss Mokuba. We were far from the perfect family, but at least we weren't that dysfunctional. I felt sorry for the little boy for having to put up with it.

All the same, I still found myself smiling as I walked away. Chazz Princeton was the reason I was building my schools. Him and the millions of talented young duelists just like him. And somehow I knew I would see Chazz again. In the dueling arenas of the future.

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