“Excuse
me?” She waved her hand in front of the suited man in front of her, “You know,
not that I don’t appreciate the free limo ride but I kind of had plans for
today.”
“I’m
sorry, Miss Green, but Master Pegasus was most insistent that we find you.” The
guy did look apologetic at least.
Green went quiet. She was a reporter in the Duelling world, so she had run into the C.E.O. of Industrial Illusions before. He had never had her brought in for a meeting before and she couldn’t think why he would do so now. She had been a little rude about Kaiba Corp’s recent total system failure but she hadn’t belittled Industrial Illusions once the entire time.
“Did
he say why?” Green finally asked, looking a little worried.
“He
said you would understand if I were to mention ‘four years ago next Sunday.’ He
also told me to offer you anything you wanted from the drinks bar.” The goon
informed her.
Green
paled at the mention of four years ago. She remembered what happened four years
ago all too well and she had hoped that no one else had known about it. It had
been a little event she had gotten involved with purely by accident and had
been the most involved with magic she had ever gotten. It had also changed her
world and left her trying to re-centre herself and understand how her world had
changed for weeks.
“If
we’re going to be talking about four years ago, I’ll take a glass of whatever
is the strongest thing he’s got in that bar.” She grimaced, “I’m going to need
it.”
The
goon chuckled and poured her a glass of champagne. “This is the strongest thing
in the bar, enjoy.”
“This
glass is probably worth my entire week’s wages.” Green said as she swirled it
around gently before taking a sip, “And I probably should have eaten before
drinking this.” With that she downed the glass.
“Another?”
The goon asked, “We’ll be pulling into Industrial Illusions London in another
minute or so.”
“No,
one is quite enough.” Green could feel the haze settling in already, helping
her relax about what was to come, “Especially with your boss waiting for me.”
The
goon nodded and when the car pulled up he followed her, still holding the open
bottle and the used glass, both of which he put on the table next to her.
“Master Pegasus will be here shortly.” He promised, “If you need anything, I
will be right outside.”
“Thank
you.” Green nodded to him. There was no need to be rude to the staff when they
were only trying to do their job after all.
The
goon nodded back and left the room. Green was there for less than ten minutes before
the door opened again and Maximillian Pegasus walked through the door.
“Ah,
Dani-girl!” He grinned at her cheerily, “Sorry about the pickup, but you see
there’s something rather urgent come up and I’m afraid it just couldn’t wait.”
“Mister
Pegasus.” Dani shot to her feet and offered her hand, “It’s an honour sir,
but...”
“If
I thought there was anyone better for the job, I would have sent my men to pick
them up instead.” Pegasus informed her, “However, there wasn’t and you’re
perfect for what I have in mind.”
“I’m
not magical.” Dani shook her head, “Surely there’s someone with magic who’d be
better suited to sort out this mess. I can’t...”
“You
can and you must Dani-girl.” Pegasus interrupted, “You see, I have a rather
large problem and to be quite frank you’re the only person who can get in there
and solve it before it turns from a big problem, to a mass murder.”
Dani
went very still at that. “Mass? But it only takes one...”
“Not
this time, not as far as they’re concerned.” Pegasus shook his head. “And it’s
that time again. I know you aren’t normal, Dani-girl. None who are touched by
the Shadows as you were four years ago are ever ‘normal’ again. But that isn’t
entirely why I asked you here today.”
“Oh?”
Dani asked, wondering how much he knew of her ‘changes’ in the last four years
and how it had made her job easier.
“I
find myself in need of your skills as a reporter and as a Duellist.” Pegasus
explained.
“What
skills as a Duellist?” Dani pointed out, reminding the head of Industrial Illusions
that she was just as famed for her lack of Duelling ability as she was for her
reporting skills.
“Not
your skills with the game, Dani-girl, but your skills with the monsters.”
Pegasus chuckled, “Your deck loves you and you love them. More importantly you talk
with them, not to them or at them. When
you step into the VirtualNet, they will aid you because of that. That’s what I
need. Someone I know I can trust with my secrets, who I know will not rest
until she has uncovered the truth and protected as many people as she can and
who I know will be protected in turn.”
“What
is it, exactly, you want me to do?” Dani asked, confused and curious, “And what
VirtualNet?”
“You
haven’t heard, Dani-girl?” Pegasus looked far too amused by that, “I thought
you were on top of everything.”
“Apparently
this slipped through the gap.” Dani grouched, trying not to get mad and
wondering if she should have skipped the glass of Champaign if Pegasus was
going to talk circles around her.
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