Sow and ReapChapter 44 If One Sows Trees One Reaps Forest
- 3 years ago
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At 9:05am, Mokuba and I opened the conference room door to find we were the last to arrive.
"Finally!" my father snapped. "Let's get this over with, son. Who is this?" He gestured to me.
"Tak?" Shuzo said confused.
Anzu's head snapped up and she gasped. Ryou stepped beside her and squeezed her shoulder. Konosuke and Chikuzen started to greet me, then realized that my father did not recognize me. Chikuzen shook his head sadly, but Konosuke smirked.
Mokuba looked confused. He glanced from my father to me and back again. "He doesn't look that different, Dad."
"Kaiba-san." Shuzo said in a voice that was one part dread and one part shock. He backed away from the table.
"Please don't Otaki." I said. "We have much to cover today." I held up the DVD. "There might be a video at the end. I don't think you'd want to miss that." He turned pale and pulled back to the table again.
My father sneered at me. "So you managed to sneak in like a thief in the night, did you, boy? He doesn't need to be here for this, Mokuba. Let's get this little farce over with."
I sat down. By tradition, Mokuba ran this meeting. Today, however, would be the first time the meeting would actually be included in the board minutes. My brother swallowed hard and gathered himself. Around the table everyone gave him their attention.
Then he smiled, but I could see his distress. "First." He stepped around the table and kissed my father's cheek. The man growled, but most of the others around the table were amused. "Now. This year we need to consider the question as to whether Kaiba Gozaburo is, frankly, too old to run KaibaCorp. The company has been moving in a more war-like direction when survey after survey shows that the world opinion is moving toward peace. Now, granted, terrorism is on the rise, but we don't have contracts with terrorists." Kogoro's face twisted, but he didn't comment.
Mokuba went on as if he hadn't noticed. "I think we need to look at the younger world market. Expand into new areas, maybe not concentrate on the military so much." He took a breath. "And I think Kaiba Seto is the one who should lead us to these new markets."
My father laughed darkly. "You think of that all by yourself, son?"
Mokuba looked at him seriously. "Yes, Dad, I did. I don't like what the guys at school say when they talk about KaibaCorp."
"I'm not running this company for you to be popular."
"Dad, that's not what I mean."
"Sit down, son, and let's get this over with so the hippy can go get a hair cut."
"I've grown rather accustomed to it long." I commented.
"Not in my office."
"I presently do not work for you."
He sneered. "All in favor of ending Seto's sabbatical and returning him to work now?" There were several 'aye's around the table as he locked eyes with me. "All opposed?" No one responded. "There. Cut it. Today." I nodded but didn't speak. "Now, Mokuba sit down. Some of us have real work."
Mokuba sat to my left. I nodded to him as I stood. "Thank you, brother." I addressed the table. "I have several ideas I wish to explore at this time, the most obvious two being –"
"Wait!" My father interrupted me. "Are you two idiots serious? Do you think you can actually oust me?"
"I," I stressed, "am always serious. I also do not like the way people discuss this corporation and I assure you I have no concern about my popularity. I call for a vote to make me the CEO of KaibaCorp and the Chairman of all Kaiba Boards." I turned to Mokuba. "Will you vote first?"
He smiled sadly at me. "Of course, Nii-sama." He looked at our father. "Kaiba Seto. I'm sorry, Dad. But you knew this would be how I voted."
My father nodded. "I knew. You were always controlled by him."
Mokuba shrugged but didn't comment. He handed his proxy form to me.
Noah was next to him. "I vote Kaiba Seto as well. Forgive me, Uncle, but I do not agree with the direction you are taking the firm." Noah handed his proxy form to me, and then pulled some pages from a folder and passed them down the table. "The remaining stockholders don't agree either. KPMG is still tallying the proxies, but as of this morning 84% of them had been received online and, of those, 92% are for Kaiba Seto."
There were murmurs of appreciation and surprise around the table and I struggled to keep my expression emotionless. These were the easy votes.
Bakura was next and looked at me. "Kaiba-san. My position here is not as simple as it appears. Kaiba-sama is my Patron. If I vote against him, I will dishonor myself and my Okiya."
"Then let me assist you, pervert." My father spat. "I release you! Get out, you disgusting creature!"
"Just a moment." I gestured to Bakura, but also noticed that he hadn't moved to leave. "Bakura's position as your Geisha has no bearing on his inclusion on either of these boards. If you wish to vote on his removal, you may do so. Once the current vote is concluded."
He glared at me. "Oh you think you have this all resolved, do you? Wait, boy, just wait."
I ignored him. "Bakura, your vote?"
"Thank you. As I was saying, I cannot vote honorably against Kaiba-sama but neither can I vote honorably against Kaiba-san. I therefore cede my votes to Kaiba-chan." He leaned across the table and gave his form to her.
"Kaiba-chan?" He surprised me with that and, apparently, surprised my Aunt.
Bakura smiled serenely. "She has the least to gain from either side and therefore is in the most objective position."
"Very well." Tactically, it was brilliant but – since I still did not know how Auntie intended to vote – the move shook my confidence a bit. "Mazaki."
Anzu looked at my father. "Do you love me, Gozaburo?"
The question seemed to stun nearly everyone in the room. Kogoro and Bakura were the only two who seemed not completely blindsided and even they looked up when she spoke. I could not imagine a phrase I less expected to hear in my lifetime. Anzu and my father? At least that explained why she had not returned Honda's calls.
My father looked annoyed. "That, Mazaki, is a conversation for another time. Vote your shares."
"Quite the contrary." She shuffled the papers in front of her into an orderly pile. "That is a question for now. There is no one in this room who should not know of our relationship and no reason that the question isn't a simple one to answer. You asked me to marry you. Do you love me?"
"Irrelevant."
She nodded. "Kaiba Seto."
"WHAT?" Father roared, but Anzu was surprisingly calm as she handed over her form.
"I was voting my shares for him either way."
"You insignificant cow!" He hissed at her. "You have betrayed my trust!"
"Never, Buro, not ever. You are the one who taught me not to confuse personal and professional interests." She insisted. "I will be your wife, but I will never be a weapon for you to use against your son." She looked down for a moment and seemed to gather a bit more strength. "If the way you feel about me is irrelevant, then what possible value could you give to the way I feel about you?"
"You will regret this, you bitch!"
"No." I could see her eyes tearing and I wanted to reach out to her, but at the moment, I needed to stay focused. "Not this."
My Aunt was next. Her vote was always a matter of form. In the past, she'd never even attended the meetings, but sent any proxies through Noah. She had three forms in front of her, which confused me.
"Brother," She said softly. "I have enough shares to win this for you, don't I?"
Father's face twisted. "Yes, sister, you do. You could, with your vote, keep the family legacy from falling apart. You could do for your son what mine is – what mine are – too ungrateful to deserve."
"Our family legacy is one of lies, pain and loss. I wouldn't wish that on anyone. Not on any of your sons. Not even on mine, if I had one who..." She stopped abruptly and looked at her hands.
Noah stared at her. "Mother?"
She lifted the three proxies and dropped them one at a time. "I vote my shares for Kaiba Seto. I vote Bakura's shares for Kaiba Seto. And I vote my dear departed Kisara's shares for Kaiba Seto." She stood up. "I resign from this board." She started to leave the room, but stopped and turned back to him. She kissed my father's head tenderly. "That is for the boy I once loved with all my heart. Do not contact me, Brother."
She left and Noah bolted after her. "Mother!"
My father's face was set in stone. Anzu reached across the table, but he pulled his hand away before she could touch him.
"If we could continue." I said. "Konosuke, your vote."
Konosuke was one of my father's oldest associates. If he fell, there was a better chance the others would fall like dominoes.
He looked at me, then at my father. "There will always be a market for KaibaCorp's products." He mused. "But the world is changing and it maybe time for a younger management with some fresh ideas." He grinned. "And a few older hands to guide them." He offered his form to me. "Kaiba-san?"
I took it without a word and looked at Shuzo. At some point his shock at realizing who I was drained out of him taking his strength with it.
"Kaiba Seto." He handed his proxy down to me. "You'll have my resignation in the morning."
"Pity." I couldn't resist. "Working with you is so educational." He deflated even further. I looked to the next seat.
"Make me an offer, Kaiba." Chikuzen said to my father. "Make the game interesting."
"You know what you're worth." My father sneered.
"Yes." The lawyer nodded. "I do. Kaiba Seto. Here, catch." With a flick of his wrist, he slid the proxy lightly into my reach.
Soichiro had a business card in his hand that he periodically tapped on the table. I could see part of the I2 logo under him fingers. He looked at the card, then at me and tapped it again.
"You're bluffing." He said finally.
"Then call me." If I lost anyone, I lost the game, but Soichiro was a technician. When it came down to the wire, he had always followed the science in the past.
He looked at the card again, then at my father. "Kaiba Seto." He said finally. It almost seemed painful.
Kogoro looked at my father. "Of course you realize that this was all a set up."
"What?"
"He offered me that VP of Operations position you have denied me for so long. I'm sure he's offered all of them nice things." Father looked at me and for an instant seemed almost proud. Kogoro went on. "But you only need one of us to side with you in order to win this. Would you like to know why it will not be me?"
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Over the last few hours, Yugi, Honda, Pharaoh and I had taken turns sitting with Joey, rotating an hour or so at a time in pairs. None of us wanted to be alone when the machines went quiet. Pharaoh and I sat beside Joey's bed. We had placed two extra blankets over him because he was shivering in his sleep. I was beyond tears. Pharaoh had stopped praying. Joey groaned and we both looked up. He winced. He had requested that we reduce the amount of pain medication he was receiving and that...
I was really glad my Yugi-bear agreed to stay home this time. I had four tournaments that I had registered to compete in as a duelist before our quickie wedding. I could have cancelled my registrations but Maxi and I both agreed that it was probably better if people still considered me a serious threat and a few solo duels here and there would help 'the Pegasus Pair' over all. Especially this particular tournament – the Gyrl Power Duel. I've either won or place in the top five every year...
When I woke, the sun was up and Honda and Joey had already left. Honda-sama was making breakfast. "Ah good, you're awake!" He said cheerfully. "Eggs, bacon, melon. We eat then we go see about your apartment." It was easy to see that Honda had gotten his charm and ease from this man and I quickly found myself smiling with him. He went with me to the manager's office and helped me inspect the apartment for damages. The rent was 44,000 yen a month for one room with a half-kitchen and a...
I hate admitting it, I really do, but the truth is – I like Kaiba Seto. I'd never tell a soul that, of course – not even Ryou – but he's actually a nice guy if you can get past his ego. His very flexible both physically and mentally and that's the highest compliment I can pay anybody. People who are stiff break under pressure. You have to know how to bend, to weather life's storms. That's how I know he's not completely the bastard he wants people to think he is; he's weathered too...
I have a tendency to live in the now. I plan for the future - especially with operations - and I acknowledge the past. But I live in the now because I can only change now; yesterday is gone and tomorrow may never come. Many people cannot live that way. The 'now' eludes them. They allow 'then' - the past and the future - to control their decisions. That is why Moke-san often surprised his security teams; they were seeing in the past not in the present. It was much easier 'now' to...
Mokuba's handgun design turned out to be a drawing pad full of small caliber weapons. I made a few suggestions but overall the designs were well thought out and easily marketable. "You and your brother are seriously into guns, aren't you?" one of my classmates asked me as I looked through the pad. "It is the family business." I reminded him. "Isn't it violent, though? I mean, don't you worry about all the people who die because of you?" Someone at a press conference once asked...
"Hey, Nii-sama! Let me see your phone." Mokuba bound into my office with all the excitement of a child half his age. And with no concern for the meeting I was having with the Marketing Dept. I looked at my brother, more amused than annoyed. "You do see that I am in the middle of something here, yes?" He shrugged. "It's on the desk. Continue, Gorou." "Yes, uh, well we found that 61% of users..." "Ok dude, I switched it. Send me the signal." Mokuba's voice cut over my new section...
I was awakened by someone banging on my door. Bleary-eyed, I made my way to the door and opened it. "Geez!" Joey and a middle-aged woman were standing there. "You look like crap." He observed. "What is it Wheeler?" My back and neck were both stiff. A bed of some kind was moving up on my priority list. "My Mom wanted to meet you." He muttered. "Mom, Kaiba. Kaiba, Mom." Meeting your lover's parents was supposed to be an important event. I bowed slightly. "Forgive my appearance....
"Nii-sama, this is Tamura." Mokuba caught up to me at school, at lunchtime, which was about the only time we'd been able to see each other recently. I thought he was introducing another student but when I looked up, I realized it was an adult. The man was well over six feet, broad shouldered and chiseled. He was dressed casually, in a polo shirt and khakis, but it took me only a moment to realize that he was Kaiba Security. There was something in their stance that gave them away. I...
"This is the last thing on today's agenda." Kogoro said, handing me an envelope and my seal. "The changes you made have been updated and it should be ready for your signature." My last will and testament. I updated it once a year to ensure it reflected my current state of affairs. It rarely changed. The corporate assets went to the little bastard; Noah, Mokuba and Sister split the rest equally. This year, however, I had to make major changes. I had to add Mazaki. Love was a strange...
The rest of the week was pointless and forgettable. I went through the motions of operating the company, paying just enough attention to not burn the place down. Mazaki selected staff to travel with us from current staff members I tolerated well. She selected office intermediaries from a list provided by my father. Except for the new Office Senior. For that position, I chose my cousin Noah. Noah and I had grown up together and while I held no illusions that he was loyal to me, I knew his...
I went up. I still had an hour or so of study time before I needed to sleep. An odd odor struck me as I reached the door and I realized that I was wearing one of Shuzo's unwashed gym shirts. 'The man's ego knows no bounds' I laughed to myself as I opened the door. "Hey, Kaiba!" Honda yelled out. "You survived." Otogi unexpectedly added. "I was – Good lord! What are you wearing?" "His shirt." I said, amused. I held up the gi. "The clean one, relatively speaking." "Collecting...
We went back to Kame Game shop where everyone else was waiting. Mutou asked if I wanted him to attend the cremation. "There is no need to inconvenience yourself." I replied. "He means yes." Honda told him. "He'll just never admit that." Mutou let the jibe go. "I'll tell Grandpa and Mai. They'll want to be there too." He walked away and I noticed that the first person he spoke to was Pharaoh. Yamada, Kawai, Mokuba and I stepped into Mutou-sama's office. "The police have a...
Much to my own surprise, I got the job at the mall. I suspected it had more to do with my appearance than my skills, but I wasn't going to complain. It was a job and it paid enough to meet my current expenses – mostly assisting Honda with household costs. They required that I wear clothing purchased from the store stock while on shift, but they provided me with a monthly allowance for 'uniforms'. My first day, I quickly discovered that my co-workers were all girls. It was a bit...
The next afternoon, I meet a thoroughly mentally exhausted Honda at the Headmaster's office. "Honda, I'd like to have a word with both you and the Headmaster." I said in my best 'no argument ' voice. "Now?" He groaned. "Kaiba – fine!" He went in and threw himself into the nearest chair. "What?" Headmaster gave me an odd look and I let a small smile cross my face before turning sternly to Honda. "I do not see why you are being allowed to opt-out of the Sociology paper purely...
I had been at the top of a hill when I tripped, lost my grip and my cycle began dragging me. I'd run out of gas an hour ago and walking home in the cold and dark was getting old. My attention had waned as I thought of all the ways I could end my self-imposed hardship and I failed to notice the change in the pavement height. "Shit, shit, shit, shit!" I yelled as I tried to slow the vehicle to no avail. There was a time when a word that coarse wouldn't have been in my vocabulary, but now...