Chapter 19: Unpleasant But Allegedly Good for Me

Mutou and I took the commuter train into the city. I was already beginning to understand Gorou's issues with the system. Our train was virtually empty; the one leaving the city was packed like sardines. I wondered, as we watched it go past, if there was money to be made in opening a competing transit system. I added it to the list of ideas for a new KaibaCorp.

I had other plans for today.

"Kaiba-boy! What an unexpected delight it is to see you!" Maximillion Pegasus greeted Mutou and I with nothing but smiles. "Yugi-boy, you didn't tell me you were bringing a guest; I'd have put out the good silver."

"He didn't tell you because I asked him not to." I said, regretting the decision to come already.

Coming to Pegasus was a choice that usually ranked after ritual suicide in my opinion. But I had to consider the realistic possibility that I could fail in my bid to assume at least temporary control of KaibaCorp. If that happened, and Father did not kill me - literally - I might find it necessary to find a real source of income. Currently, I didn't have the resources to build or design as I'd like, but there was an easy way to obtain both equipment and funding.

Offer my services to one of KaibaCorp's competitors.

I considered H&K or GenDyn but, honestly, I wanted to move away from weapon design. I kept both companies as secondary choices; Father would be furious if I were to work for one of them. There were a number of smaller industries I could have considered, but I wasn't interested in them enough to make any real efforts. The Gaming industry was my passion and it was where I personally had the most contacts and could find the best options.

Industrial Illusions, Doma, Konami, Schroeder Corp. I had spent a half of my life trying to put them out of business, trying to one-up their CEO's and trying to prove that I was cleverer than they. Now, I was forced to swallow my pride and sell myself to the highest bidder. For me, it felt more like prostitution than any quid-pro-quo sex act could.

'If' my plans failed. I reminded myself again that I had every chance of success. That sitting here, whoring myself to Pegasus was only a precaution and not a necessity.

"I wanted to surprise you." I added.

"Well, you certainly did that, Kaiba-boy! You certainly did that." He moved toward his office bar. "I have a few sodas, I think - although I won't mention serving martinis all around if you won't."

"Actually, if we could, I'd like to come straight to business." I tried to remain friendly but focused. "Mutou is still in school so I would not want to abuse his homework time."

"Or your own," Pegasus added pointedly. "Very well! To brass tacks it is. Please, sit!" He took his own plush chair behind the desk and waved Yugi and I to the not-as-plush guest chairs in front. "How may I be of assistance to the unbelievable Kaiba Seto?"

I took a breath and handed him a binder. He opened it and then looked at me. "What is this?"

"My CV and portfolio," I said. Oddly, I was nervous. In truth, I have never had to apply for a real job, never had to interview for a position. I did not realize how unnerving it was to be on other side of the desk.

"Unbelievable." Pegasus sat back and looked at me. "Are you applying for a job?"

"I am ... assessing my skills and their value in the market."

He closed the portfolio. "What did Dartz offer you?"

"I have not spoken with him." I had no intention of ever speaking to that irritating man. "Yet."

"Von Schroeder?" I shook my head. "Four hundred million for the first three years, 30 percent ownership rights for two years, stock options and whatever benefits package you want. I think we have insurance, vacation, some kind of retirement."

Mutou gasped at the offer but I was not impressed. I knew I2's books almost as well as I knew KaibaGames'. "Eight hundred million, two years, 60 percent, ten years."

Pegasus laughed. "Should I just give you the keys and stand back? Really, Kaiba-boy; pretend we're friends."

He might have had a point, I conceded. "50 percent."

"Five years." He counter offered.

That was the useful market life of most game devices anyway. "Agreed. In writing."

"Unbelievable! And what will your start date be?"

"Leave it open ended."

He laughed again. "Oh really, Kaiba! I must say you are just too much!" He gave me his business card - the one with his private phone line. "Have them call me. I'd rather negotiate than have one of those e-bay bidding wars." I took the card but when I reached for the binder he pulled it out of my reach. "HR records. My personnel manager gets quite snippy if I don't keep interview notes."

I tried to keep the snarl off my face; but I would have done the same if the situation had been reversed. Smug bastard.

There were few pleasantries after that and Mutou and I were able to make our exit shortly after. We missed the 7pm commuter train, but waiting with Mutou was marginally better than waiting alone.

"Ok." Mutou said once we had tickets and I had a newspaper. "What the hell was that?"

"Contract negotiation. Surely you've been to one before."

"Nothing even close."

"Which part confused you?"

He snickered. "Everything after 'sit down'."

"When you and Mai..."

"Just Mai." He interjected. "If it involves money, she makes me sit in the corner."

"Wise woman." I had to smile. "I need to be able to demonstrate to the Kaiba Boards that it is a foolish decision to risk my working for another company. One part of that is -"

"Oh! Can you get a better salary offer somewhere else!"

I nodded. "Pegasus offered me four hundred million yen a year for three years plus 30 percent ownership of any new technologies that I develop while working for him for two years."

"But he didn't even look at your portfolio!"

"No. He offered it based on my reputation alone."

"OK. I'm impressed. Four hundred million. Wow."

"I'm worth more." I remarked. "I counter-offered eight hundred million a year for two years and ten years for 60 percent ownership rights."

"More money, but less time?"

"I am willing to bet that he will make considerably more than that if I work with him."

"Wow. So when will he counter-offer - no, wait - you asked him to put it in writing? But what was the final deal?"

"Eight hundred million a year for two years, but only 50 percent ownership and only for five years."

"Wow." Mutou said again. "So when do you start?"

"I don't. This was just an offer. I can use it as leverage against KaibaCorp or I can see if one of the other gaming companies will give me a better deal."

"A better deal? Kaiba-kun, how much better could it get?"

"Well someone might offer me full ownership of my creations and license use of them from me."

"Oh." That idea clearly hadn't occurred to Mutou.

"They might offer a few perks like use of a corporate jet or a corporate condo in Bangkok. Things like that."

Mutou snickered. "I thought I was pretty well off when Grandpa used to let me have a couple free booster packs."

"I rather assumed Pegasus would do that much." I said opening the paper. "No free cards is, of course, a deal breaker."

Mutou looked stunned for a moment and then broke into peals of laughter. "You had me there for a second!" I tried to keep an impassive expression. "Even you wouldn't turn down eight hundred million yen over a booster pack!"

"Dueling is very important to me." I said, pretending to read.

"But ... but ... but..."

"There is a principle at stake."

"You ... you ... oh you lying snake!" He hit my shoulder - which surprised me; Mutou had never been quite that relaxed with me before. "You would not!"

A smile crept through despite my attempts to hide it. "Well, perhaps not over a booster pack."

"Yeah! Perhaps not." He grinned.

I put the paper down. "It is a very good deal if I am forced to take it."

"Forced?"

"My intention is still to return to my original position."

"Oh." He sounded a little disappointed.

"You would prefer something else?"

"Well, no. Not really. It's just that I've gotten a chance to know you better and, I guess, I'm just realizing that whatever happens, we won't see much of each other. I mean the whole Kaiba Posse. You'll be going back to Domino, me and Mai will be traveling all the time, Honda's going out to sea, and -"

"What?"

He stopped and looked confused. "Which?"

"What do you mean 'Honda is going out to sea'?"

"Oh! Yeah. He hasn't made it final yet, but well you know. University is expensive and Honda-san doesn't have much if Hiro can't get a scholarship."

Honda never mentioned his plans to me. In fact, it never occurred to me that he was considering plans for after graduation. I never asked; I just presumed that Honda, Yugi, Pharaoh, all of them would be wherever I was. If they could not arrange things on their own, I would just suit them to meet my needs as always. But if I was not successful in returning to KaibaCorp, I was going to need my own plans for after graduation.

"Kaiba-kun? Are you ok?" Yugi asked, apparently concerned.

"Yes. Of course." I pulled away from my thoughts, vowing to myself to speak to Honda as soon as I returned home. "He never mentioned these plans to me."

"Oh well, we all know you have a lot on your mind. I'm sure he didn't want to burden you with it."