Atlantis

[Bloodedge]

Apparently, the young CEO of Kaiba Corps didn't bother with vacations in the like. If said CEO had disappeared some time ago, and that very same man had recently developed and released a very innovative virtual reality hardware... there was a very real chance that his disappearance was no coincidence. Little could anyone know, the coincidences would soon be stacking atop one another very quickly...

He had to shake the thought. At least the gaming industry wouldn't be flipped upside-down by a disturbance in the balance between the top two companies, and there would be no issues with Age of Eternity due to the involvement of a third company: its creators. "I guess everything's fine then, but..."

Kou's thoughts didn't need to finish, as they manifested themselves immediately. The ear-splitting screech of a Dragon echoed throughout Atlantis, reaching the palace with ease. Floating over the streets was a great beast, a Dragon made of Magisteel flew. It seemed more of a Wyvern, but its size was certainly that of a Dragon. White in color, the metal beast boasted grand gems at the center of its body, and at each of its joints. Magical power surged from these gems through its interior, glowing through every crevice the creature had. On the ground below, was a tall male with slick brown hair, a black turtleneck with long sleeves containing double-belted biceps, black leather pants with matching pointed boots, and a very long, sleeveless and studded trench coat with a raised collar, emblazoned with the emblem 'KC' at its collar. A very advanced bit of technology adorned his left ear, seeming to be some blend of an earpiece and a control apparatus. Similar tech was upon his left arm as well, in the form of a slab featuring designs similar to the Dragon above.

[Apollymi]

The gaming industry of their left world wouldn't crumble, but before Kou could make a particular statement about a possibility and while Miki pondered something in her own mind, a commotion began outside of the palace. The loud screech that could be heard throughout the streets of Atlantis would move several people into action. The first of which was the blue haired lass who revved the engine of her bike before taking off out of the front of the palace once more. The bleeping on her screen still showed the two within but needed to know what this creature outside was that it didn't show up on her radar. The sound of the screech hit Miki a little wrong... but they should definitely go investigate as well. As such Miki, Seriri, and Hikari all took off to the central plaza which wasn't technically that far away. And what they saw when they got there made their eyes all widen. Hikari had eyes only for the Dragon above. "Sugoi! It's a like a giant metal dragon..." she murmured excited about the prospect. In the meantime Seriri had slowed her pace down to normal as she took in a sight she didn't know she'd get to see.

'Se...to...nii...san,' she whispered in her own mind, seeming to choke up just a bit with tears forming in the corner of her eyes. Miki stood with her arms crossed over her chest, stunned intrinsically by the look of this lad. This was definitely the CEO of Kaiba Corp but it wasn't just a character made in his likeness. It was him. That same displeased expression returned to the blonde's face, but she'd seen the softness of her friend and gave her a gentle push away and towards the lad with his slicked back hair. "Oi, if you got time to cry then move..." she mentioned which made Seriri look back at the lass where she'd moved forward. "Hai!" she exclaimed moving towards what was obviously her brother. "SETO-NIISAN!~" she exclaimed running towards the lad with as much excitement as she could muster, aiming to hug her older brother in a way that made her look strangely small by comparison.

[Bloodedge]

Kou ran alongside the others, eager to see whatever this screech produced. It was draconic, of that there was no doubt. On the other hand, though, it had a strange undertone of... clanging metal? Could it have been the work of another fiend in Atlantis, or...? No, certainly not. The group's arrival to this Dragon's location gave all present a sight to behold. It was none other than Kaiba Seto himself, stood there in all his Dragon-obsessed glory. An air of supremacy filled the atmosphere around his smug, joyless visage that visually shunned any advances.

... Except one.

Yes, a single individual began running toward the male who stood well over 6 feet. He glared at this Mermaid Queen, no differently than the way he glared at anyone. This being was visually a total stranger, one who should be worthy of his attack. Much to the contrary of this, though, there was a light of familiarity just under that harsh gaze of his. As she approached, the tall male held his right arm outstretched, only to have it wrap around her head - holding it pinned against his own torso - when she reached him.

[Apollymi]

Smug and joyless was indeed the mark of Kaiba Seto, but his younger sister was exactly the opposite. As she approached her brother she bore the biggest smile imaginable, and beyond all of that when he reached out to hold her to his chest, even though she bore the look of a relative stranger she smiled into his chest. Such a sight was strangely heart-warming, even to one like Miki who had no siblings to speak of. 'Sou ka, must be really nice, relying on someone else like that...' thought the blonde lass who began absently coiling a strand of hair around the index finger of her left hand.

Seeming finally drawing her eyes down from the dragon creature, Hikari made a face which was tantamount to a pout. She looked at her own brother and poked him with contempt. "Oh, she gets instant recognition from her big bro though. Mine looks at me like he's seen a fucking ghost," she mumbled. "I had to yell at him and nearly assault him to get a little obvious love.... " she muttered crossing her hands over her chest seemingly a bit jealous but also finding the sight to be a strange one. The girl on the Motorcycle who'd arrived first from a technical standpoint had been off to the side without interfering this was after all an actual threat. 'Kaiba Seto doesn't know how to play video games. Fake Dragon but... real level...' she thought seeing him in the Nexus vision and knowing that the lad had somehow put himself in the game whole, not just in image. Seriri on the other hand seemed to gather herself enough to finally speak properly. "Seto-niisan, is this what your last experiment did? And where did you get a dragon?" she asked of him, wondering if he'd not actually played this game properly but ended up here incidentally for other reasons.

[Bloodedge]

Where Seriri was, would be where she was held for more than just a passing moment. He knew who this was without having to check, before her call to him even reached his ear. Nobody else he knew would choose to be a Mermaid, just to live the rest of their days in Atlantis under the sea. "The project had nothing to do with it. It seems to be just more of the same as what happened to everyone else," he said, sparing no lack of emotion in his tone. "It's not a Dragon. I made it in the likeness of one. Soon, though. I'll find the real Dragons." He said this, and he very much meant it. Kaiba Seto had every intention of discovering the Dragons' secrets himself.

Meanwhile, Kou received the chastising of his own sister during the scene between the other siblings. Kou scratched the side of his head as he looked away from the demi-human girl, knowing exactly why he'd refrained from acknowledging her existence, but being unable to say it. All he could manage was a nervous laugh while he attempted to shy away from the subject overall.

[Apollymi]

If Tsuki was obssessed with Mermaids enough to become one and want to live out her days in Atlantis. Then she knew her brother to be obssessive enough about Dragons to be very interested in finding them, irrespective of this worlds high esteem and lore surrounding Dragons. "Sou ka, I'm really happy to see you. I thought I'd lucked out when Kimi showed up!~" she said about their current lifestyle change. Even so, this life was more exciting to her, and at the very least, now she had her brother with her as well, she was more than content to live her life here without much thought. There was the claim by Seto that this Dragon he had, was only the likeness of one and not a real one. Seriri looked up at it and frowned slightly. "I guess it is missing a real dragon's presence, thinking about it logically," she mentioned. Having spent a lot of time in the presence of two different Dragons she had a pretty good feeling for them. She assumed even a summoned dragon would have a little more umpf.

In the meantime Miki's attention was shifted to the other pair of siblings and she couldn't help but chuckle. It seemed that Hikari was still a bit sore about the lad's lack of initial recognition, but it was easy to be upset about given the bit of touching chemistry they got to watch take place. She realized then that the forwardness of the sibling groups was a bit inverted between the two sets of them she interacted with. Something about both scenes was strangely heartwarming to the lass, still she couldn't really relate and as such was content to stay out of such things. The girl on the motorcycle was still tinkering with her radar, wondering about the nature of all forms of creature currently present and how she could make her presence known without being properly suspicious. Hikari for the most part was done chastising, content to simply lean against her brother. "Still, that kinda thing is super cute from the outside, I'm happy for Seri-nee," figuring that the way this lass was upon their arrival had a lot to do with having a properly protective older brother.

[Bloodedge]

"You're well in this world, then?" the man called Seto asked, taking a moment to view the queen's physical status. She was capable of walking, at the very least. "Sou ka. I guess it worked out in the end," he concluded. At long last, he released his hold on the lass, viewing the others nearby. One of them had a familiar name, and two of them had very, very familiar faces. The other, he didn't know at all, but she was of no importance to him. Seto approached one face in particular, and it was that of Miki. "You," he said, looking at her quizzically, yet with a face that matched her own by expression. "Blonde isn't your color, but it looks like you took the upgrade I sent for that prototype."

[Apollymi]

When asked about her condition in this world, Seriri could only happily reply. "Hai hai, don't even know the meaning of being sick," she affirmed in a manner similar to how Hikari had done upon her first private conversation with Kou. "No need to worry about me anymore~" she chimed happy to feel independent by her own right and capable of looking after herself, though she appreciated her brother's sentiments. Released by her brother Seriri stood by his side a large grin on her face as she watched the lad approach Miki commenting first on the choice of her hair color and then mentioning that she'd obviously taken the upgrades he'd provided for one of her gaming systems. "I don't remember asking the opinion of a man who inserted himself whole into an RPG about fashion. If I change my mind though... you're not even on the list..." she lass replied with as much venom as she normally directed at Karna, and the same rather vicious smile. Seriri laughed and stifled it in the same second turning her head to the side, this was after all an interaction she was used to seeing and it felt so normal in the moment. To be technical she didn't mind the blonde, but if she'd known she'd be stuck with it extensively, she might have just kept the entirety of her original look. But she could always save that for the class she normally played in these types of games. "That upgrade was spot on though, flawless as ever. So, if you want to talk business... I'm on board," she said giving credit where it was due in the moment. Strangely, she'd incidentally started twirling Merchant plate around her finger, as if excited by the prospect. Even in this world, if she could have a hand in something being run by Kaiba as part of her business exchange, she'd do so in a heartbeat. Hikari looked at her brother and seemed a bit confused... 'Why does she talk to the head of Kaiba Corp like that? I mean knowing his sister is one thing, but no normal teen approaches a man of power like they're equals right?' she thought to herself. "Ugh, confusion..." she said tapping her forehead with her wrist as if trying to put something together in her head that wasn't working out.

[Bloodedge]

"Urusai. If you're going to be unappealing, don't also be indignant about it," the male replied. He seemed almost annoyed by this girl's very existence, though that was simply his way. Even with his current expression, he continued discussing matters more related to business with the Avatar Miki. "Good. I'm going to replicate that same model in this world. If it's business you want to talk, are you going to take up that position I offered?" he asked, knowing he'd once offered the original version of this very same girl a job as head of finances in his company.

Hikari's confusion was obvious, and Kou cued in on it rather quickly. He didn't have much to say about it, as things weren't entirely clear to him either. However, he could piece together a few things. "What has you confused?" he asked.

[Apollymi]

Kaiba Seto seemed to be just as full of venom for Miki as the lass was for him. All the while, Seriri seemed to be on the verge of hysterical laughter but also didn't seem like she would stop it. Why wasn't someone stopping these two people from tearing each other's throats out? Well, because this was simply the way they communicated with each other, and as such Miki's reply to Kaiba's words about her attitude would be met by a scoff. Hypocrite. "Your opinion doesn't matter. The least you can do is stew in silence, when something doesn't concern you," Miki mentioned seeming to take no loss to her ego nor any kind of opinion from Kaiba about her appearance. But there was business, and Miki or rather Kimiko was all about business, so much so that it bled completely over into her being and her true personality began to show even behind a mass of blonde locks and the less abrasive form of her being. "You aren't trying to bring to the table, that same small deal you offered before, right Kaiba? I won't just sit around being your head of finance. That cage is too small," she mentioned, knowing she wouldn't accept an offer less than partnership. This created a sigh from Seriri, who'd offered the girl the same position within the Kingdom of Atlantis only to be turned down. "Even Kimi-lite isn't taking that first offer. I tried already..." she said of Miki, which caused the lass to cut her eyes in Seriri's direction. After all, it was the second time today she'd referred to the girl as a 'lite' version of herself and it made her wonder exactly what she'd done while in her other form. She needed to talk to the lass and would make sure to squeeze in some time for that. Regardless, Miki didn't know if the lad simply intended to try and make her run the money side of his business like he'd offered her when she was a bit younger. But he needed to know that even here such a thing wasn't something she'd tolerate out of a business deal. She was way more valuable than that.

In the meantime the confusion of Hikari was noted by Kou and addressed in a more direct manner. She began lightly mumbling through all of her problems with the exchange she was witnessing while still tapping her head against her wrist as if it wasn't clear at all. "Miki-nee, talks to Kaiba-san like she talks to Karna. No, it's worse... now that I'm thinking about it. That's weird enough, but why? She doesn't address anyone with that level of ambient malevolence, but you don't get that way just by random introduction. She's friends with his sister, but he's like a super famous, powerful guy. Most girls and even guys would soften up and back down, defer a little at least. But she has zero fucks to give... It doesn't make sense... I feel like it's there but there is something I'm missing..." mentioned Hikari. And there was, she wasn't privy to who Miki was in life, she wouldn't know about her status as a young economist and consultant for businesses in their home world. And she also hadn't seen the lass at work in Atlantis to get a first hand view of it here. Miki herself had been hinting at her ability to shift an economy quite a bit since she'd showed up, with Atlantis as her shining jewel of accomplishment.

[Bloodedge]

"Hmph!" he scoffed, turning up his nose before the blonde he conversed with. He rested his right hand on his hip, and raised his left arm. The faux Dragon flying above the streets of Atlantis was immediately converted to pure Mana, which collected in his open hand in the shape of a card. A flip of said card, and a flick of his wrist, caused the card to slide into an open slot on the device he wore on his left arm. "Head of finance? KaibaCorp isn't that silly little company I inherited years ago. I'm in need of a way to keep pushing the product, overtake Industrial Illusions, and make sure KaibaCorp stays on top. Somebody has to turn the concepts and experiments into something that will reach everyone," he clarified.

As the older male rambled on, Kou watched with his usual amount of intent, while keeping an ear open for Hikari. The thing that she viewed as strange here was, of course, the type of interaction had between Miki, and one such as Kaiba Seto. Kou didn't find this strange at all; however, he also knew who both of these people were in their original lives. Hikari's confusion was something he thought answerable with only a simple name. "Ashikaga Kimiko."

[Apollymi]

Kaiba turned up his nose at Miki, but such a thing was normal between them. He went on to state with clear intentions exactly what it was he intended to do in joining forces with her. Apparently the lad had no intentions of starting from the same point he'd been living at when he'd first come to her about taking a job with him. No his current dreams were much bigger than that, and he intended to overtake another company and place his at the absolute top of this world too. Such ambition made a grin come to Miki's face. His dragon disappeared from the skies and he put away his card, but the name of the business he planned to take down. "Hoh? You have a target already, and a plan..." she thought it over. There were lots of things in the mind of this lass right now. There were plenty of bonuses involved with cooperation with Kaiba Seto. Perks of the job, that included early access merchandise, large payouts and plenty to keep her busy as far as the business aspects of her life were concerned. And had she been alone in this world when she'd stumbled upon him, she might have even negotiated those terms immediately, in her own favor. But, she wasn't alone, and her own favor wasn't all that mattered, a small smile crept across her face as she gave a sideways glance to those she was currently grouped up with. "That's a pretty good opening speech. Very tempting... Definitely better than the first one you ever gave me," she said knowing she needed to have a quick chat with the others to see what all they might have wanted out of such a deal.

Miki's given name was spoken by Kou and much like he thought that tiny bit of knowledge made all the lights within Hikari's head turn on at once. Her eyes practically shining as several things made sense all at once and not just about the girl's own actions either. Miki not thinking herself lesser to Kaiba made sense, even beyond that her brother's resistance to the idea that the girl liked him now also made sense. It was as if the entirety of Atlantis could have been lit by this girl's thoughts. But aloud she only had something a bit snarky to say. "So, we just get to sit in on what is basically the most tense board room meeting of an entire generation. Yep... that's cool," she said but obviously it wasn't cool. her tail and ears twitched with more than mild irritation. She couldn't believe the amount of luck that had to have gone into producing such a showing of people in one place. Nor the amount of luck that her brother needed to possess to have the affections of a girl like Ashikaga Kimiko whether he was willing to see them for what they were or not.

[Bloodedge]

"Of course I have a plan. There's always a plan." True enough, Kaiba Seto hadn't been entirely forward with his intentions, at least aloud. He'd always intended to take over the company named Industrial Illusions, but in the past, it was his plan to avoid having one such as Ashikaga Kimiko in a high enough position to potentially usurp him. Now, though, things were entirely different. He was confident no one could usurp him, now that his creations had already taken flight, so to speak. "Are you taking the offer, or not? KaibaCorp will rule both worlds, and that's with or without the likes of you."

Kou's gaze wandered. He looked to Seto, to Miki, and to the blue-haired woman as well. It was well beyond the most tense board meeting of a generation; it was an entire uprising waiting to happen, if not something far greater in magnitude. There was one other name here, and it was no less obvious - by the appearance of this avatar - than Kaiba Seto himself. As he looked to the blue-haired woman, he spoke that name. "Hisakawa Hiromi."

[Apollymi]

Kaiba claimed to have always had a plan, and Miki could see that being exactly the case. Industrial Illusions was one of the most prolific companies to ever exist, if he intended to wipe it from both worlds, it was the best possible thing he could do to try and recruit her to his cause. She respected the tactic, though not necessarily the approach, such was the same problem she had with ones like Karna. Still his words struck Miki the wrong way, so wrong in fact that she seemed to lose all tension in the moment. Her body relaxed and her weapon in the form of a pillow came to her and she sat, legs crossed at the ankle and exhaled a slightly held breath. "I don't know if I am or not Kaiba. Contracts made under duress are never fair and though KaibaCorp stands a pretty good chance of doing what it wants whether I join it or not... that only really works if I remain neutral, right?" she paused and looked at him. "If I make a decision, just one little decision then I become a problem for you..." she said that and knew it to be fact, if for no other reason than she knew her own ability to garner resources including people. In fact, the addition of a singular extra person would make it possible for Miki to shift the tides of this conversation and said person knew it.

Hisakawa Hiromi was just mentioned by name. With the dragon created gone, she was left to watch as the two would be heads of business argued the semantics of their points. One trying to force some sort of merger and the other content with her independence. She respected and knew both of these individuals and she knew the sort of interactions they had often ended in stalemates. "Yare yare, this kind of high stress situation is exactly why I wanted nothing to do with boardrooms. These two revel in this sort of shit. I'd rather tinker..." she said lighting a cigarette because the tension of the moment was getting to her as well and she hadn't gotten all the way through her previous one before it was stolen by Karna. To be fair, if it came down to a choose or die moment, right now, siding with the two Geno Killers over Kaiba was a pretty good bet. If one added to that fact that they had Dragons within their bodies they were excellently aligned for her own desires. The choice should be made based on all open facts, and as Hiromi stared down at her radar she looked back to the two who made the blips and sighed. Letting this take place without all knowledge being available was probably misleading, as such she did the one thing she should do without directly involving herself right now. She turned on the sound for the Dragon Radar. And the gentle double bleeping would echo throughout this place. "A man with a plan, a merchant to finance everything and a creator to make both of their ideas come to life. That's too much right? I'm not crazy, that is way too much potentially..." she said assuming the egos of all involved didn't get in the way of a proper agreement being reached. The sound of the bleeping though started interfering with Hikari's thought processes. "The hell is that bleeping?!"

[Bloodedge]

So, she simply refused to make her decision at the moment. Typical. What's more, Miki went on to note what a hindrance it would be to the man if she were to instead side with one of the other companies. His eyes narrowed, and his gaze fixated on her. She wouldn't dare, would she? "Are you going to threaten me with that? Those other companies would do you no good; you'd be doing it only to spite me. You know where the best opportunity is," he said with a snarky undertone.

The tinkerer of Capsule Corporation spoke at last, commenting on her lack of interest in boardrooms and the like. Kou could understand this. If he had a mind to, he'd have interjected to find the proper middle-ground, but... it seemed things would work out just fine in the end. "It would become a problem if you weren't like that," he said, seeming to have blurted it out accidentally as he watched the other two have their discussion. True enough, it would. Two participants was riding the line, but the moment the third member of the 'Big Three' as they were called entered the scene properly, there would be a very big issue at hand, potentially.

"It doesn't seem like it'll be too mu-" Kou's response to Hikari was cut short by the sound of the blue-haired woman's device. Clearly, she'd activated it on purpose. What was it, though? Kou had missed the discussion of Dragons and the like shared between this woman and Karna, but he felt a strange heat in his chest, as if Akashi were reacting to the item. "It's that thing, but... why?"