15 - Stylishly Late...

Takashima Nobu was in a funk. He was elected Duel Monsters National League Spokesman this year, despite his many objections, and now he was facing a firestorm from above. 

Anubis was news, and they wanted a piece of that. To ride his coattails and let his entrance to the Regional Championship Tournament boost their ratings & ticket sales even higher than previous years. 

It all came down to money, and they, The Duel Monsters National League, were ready to offer a hefty sum for him to just show up. The money they would earn back would more than pay off anything they used to ensure he participated.

Takashima was of middle-age, middling height, and middling build. His black hair was slicked back and the greying temples were starting to show his 43 years of age. His stone-grey eyes were dead looking as he held his face in his hands.

The truth of the matter was simple:

'I either get Anubis to join the tournament or I am going to be forced to resign.'

He had this thought many times a day, as of late. He was sitting on a ticking time bomb that was about to explode, and he had no way of ensuring it didn't. 

'Damn him.'  He cursed Anubis once more. 'All you had to do was provide a mailing address and I would have at least been able to show I have tried to contact you. Now, with regionals being only 2 weeks away and with no progress in recruiting you, I look like an incompetent fool. Having to go so far as to use press conferences to try and reach out. How...embarrassing.'

Takashima had a great career before this. He was the 3rd ever Duel Monster's World Champion nearly 20 years ago now. He had used that fame and glory to secure a high-paying position in the Duel Monster's National League. One that he had done an admirable job with for many years after his glory days.

But it meant nothing now. He was about to be thrown away because his usefulness had reached its end.

'Damn him! If I meet this Anubis, I will give him a piece of my mind, just you wait and see! If I get fired because of him, I am gonna hunt him down, find where he lives, and-'

"Nobu-sama, Someone claiming to be Anubis is here to see you." The lovely voice of his secretary told him through his phone intercom.

Takashima's mood did a complete 180. He was safe. All he had to do was get this guy to join, by any means necessary. 

"You are an angel Victoria, please send him in." He said with a smile of relief coming to his face.

"...Does that mean you will take me out Friday to celebrate?" She asks, quietly, with a coy voice.

"Yes, yes. But I thought I told you, to not bring that up on these lines." He answers sternly, still enjoying the playfulness of his most recent lover.

"Aww...You're no fun." She says with a playful pout, "Sending him up now."

Takashima felt like years of stress were melting off of him. He had done it in the end. He could relax now. 

Standing up quickly and checked his clothes in a nearby mirror, Takashima smiled back at himself professionally. Black suit jacket, white shirt, yellow tie, black belt, black slacks, and black loafers. 

'Perfect.' He thinks as he sits down in his chair and pulls out some papers to look like he was working. 

A knock is heard at his door. 

"Come in," Takashima says simply, playing up the important, busy, boss role.

In walked a man in Anubis costume. Takashima waited to look up, showing he was busy and not to be rushed from his duties. 

'Make it official looking. Make him squirm for coming to me so late.'

"Um...?" The voice of Anubis spoke in question, trying to garner Takashima's attention.

Deeming that the time was right, Takashima looks up and starts speaking at the same time.

"You are a hard man to reach, Anubis. I would have thought you would be more...interested...in the..." Looking up and trailing off his prepared speech, Takashima does indeed see someone in an Anubis costume. 

The problem was that it was obviously a recreation. It was like the one Anubis wore, but it was tacky and he could see seems in places where there should be none. On top of that, the mask was completely different. It looked like whoever this was just bought a jackal mask from a party store and painted it black and gold. 

"I-I am very interested in Regionals! I think my deck is more than ready to win!" Fake-Anubis said. 

...

Takashima glares at the man. Seething rage billows out of him in waves as he realizes he has been tricked. 

Fake-Anubis, possibly realizing the gig was up, decides to make a quick getaway. 

"W-Wow! How dare you glare at me like that! I-I don't have to take this! I-I am leav-"

"You know it is a felony to lie to a Duel Monster's League representative, correct?" Takashima says, his voice quiet and calm, which scared the phony even more.

"I d-don't know what you are t-talking about! I am l-leaving!" He says and all but bolts for the door. 

There is a brief moment where Takashima feels like a coiled snake, ready to take his anger out on this insignificant rat, but he holds back. 

'That would likely make a scene. I cannot draw more heat on myself at the moment.'

Instead, the terrified man in the shitty costume runs out of the room to safety. 

"Viki..." Takashima leans one arm on his desk as he calls up his secretary. 

"Yes, sir!" She answers in her usual bubbly tone. 

"You knew he was a fake didn't you." He states as a fact.

"Whaaaa!?! How could you accuse me of doing such a-"

"I am not going to punish you in the way you want. Instead, I am going to ignore you for the next week." Takashima answers, a sadistic smile making its way on his face.

The voice on the other end hitches. "N-Nobuuuuu~~~" She whines in a depressed way. 

"I am going on lunch. Be sure to vet my appointments better in the future." He answers coldly, despite his growing smile.

He makes his way out of his office, ignoring the pleading, teary-eyed look of his 32-year-old, black-haired, lilac-eyed secretary.

She could be such a brat, and he loved her all the more for it. Or rather, he loved their creative ways of trying to fix that bratty attitude. 

* | * | *

Takashima decided to grab some street food from a random stall and walk around to clear his mind. 

He was going to take a long lunch today, of that he had no doubt. He needed some time to get over his sudden boost of confidence that had shattered like glass dropped on stone. 

He was still hopelessly fucked. 

The Saturday crowd on the main street of Domino City was not to be underestimated. People walked in groups and foot traffic on the sidewalks was clogged and slow. 

Takashima was about to turn the corner and head back to his office when he heard a shout from an announcer nearby.

"Today is the day of the monthly Duel Monster's Tournament with your hosts Sakamoto Games! We will be starting at 1 PM, so don't miss your chance to sign up!" A beautiful and questionably dressed woman calls out to the crowd. Earing as much attention for her outfit and sultry tone as she did with her words. 

Takashima pauses and considers.

'Anubis has been recorded appearing for tournaments...This could be my chance! Well, regardless. Kicking some newbie ass sounds therapeutic right now.'

Making up his mind, he phoned Viki to let her know he was following up on a lead for Anubis and wouldn't be back until later. He then made his way to the rapidly forming queue to sign up for the tournament. 

To be honest, when he announced his name as he signed up, he expected people to be surprised or in awe of the celebrity that was in their midst. Reality is as cruel as it is eye-opening, however. 

No one recognized him. At all. 

Feeling depressed and more than a little pissed off, Takashima finds a lone table where he pulls out a small case filled with his 2 decks and side decks from his inner jacket pocket. 

He was trying to remember the most recent decks used at the World Championship Tournament, in an effort to counter what he expected to be the meta in this season, but was distracted when someone sat across from him at the table. 

Hoping that this newcomer would just fuck off, Takashima completely ignored him and focused on building a competitive deck for the tournament. 

"Is that...?"

"He really did show up!"

"Quick, call your hot reporter friend!"

"Girl, you should totally go and talk to him!"

"Are you kidding me? He is so intimidating..."

"Do you think he is hot under that mask or is he wearing it because he is an Ugo?"

The sound around Takashima increased exponentially as furious whispers took over the once quiet space. He looks up to see who was garnering all this attention, it could be Anubis making his entrance after all. 

He scans the crowds around but found them all staring in his direction. Takashima allows a small smile to form on his lips.

'Looks like they didn't forget about me! They just needed some time to recognize me and it is starting to spiral now. Ah...This is much better. I feel like nothing could bring me-'

*Ahem* The deep, cold voice of someone clearing their throat pulled Takashima out of his musings. 

He looks at the person to whom the voice originated, blinks, rubs his eyes, and then looks again. 

Sitting across from him with his hands steepled on the table was none other than Anubis. Not a fake, Takashima made sure to check, but the real Anubis. 

"A-Anubis!" Takashima yells and stands suddenly, spilling the deck he was working on all over the table.

"That is, indeed, my name." The jackal masked man says in his deep bass voice. He starts collecting and stacking the spilled cards in front of him and Takashima with casual grace.

He continues speaking while still cleaning up the other person's mess. "Good afternoon to you Duel Monsters National League Spokesman Takashima Nobu-san. I have heard you have been looking for me. I apologize for the lateness of this meeting...but I never expected to make as big of a splash as I did. Preparing a mailing address was not a high priority of mine."

Takashima came back to himself and quickly helped to collect the rest of his cards. 

"Thank you for that, sorry to spill them all, but you surprised me." He says and wipes a bead of sweat on his brow.

'I...I'm safe! I just need him to accept. Maybe if I offer 10,000 Duel Points...'

"It is fine that we met now, it is not too late. The Duel Monsters National League would like to offer you an invitation as a rookie participant and, hopefully, a dark horse in our coming Regionals Tournament. It is located right here in Domino City in 2 weeks, so you will not have to worry about traveling. If you wait here, I can run back to my office and grab the paperwork-"

"Thank you, but I would like to participate in this tournament, so I will not be leaving for now. I would also hate for you to have to drop out on my account...Why don't you send the paperwork to Kame Game, I will sign it, and have it returned to you within the next few days? I can even deliver it to your office if you would prefer." Anubis offers with a wave of his hand. 

This threw Takashima off completely. It sounded...like he would accept without a reward even being offered?

'But...Why?' He thought, truly not understanding this masked individual in front of him at all.

It is almost impossible to get a read on him. His mask blocks all facial expressions, and all Takashima could see of his eyes were golden pits in the onyx and gold mask. 

"Kame Game? I have never heard of it..." He trails off but then shakes his head. "We can do that, but I must insist on us having a proper conversation about this."

Anubis simply nods his head.

"Fantastic. And, just so you know, your entrance will not go unrewarded! We plan to offer you a nice sum of money to participate! We would like to ensure the continued support in-"

"I am not interested in your money." Anubis cut him off.

"I...What?" Takashima responds, completely thrown. Everyone is interested in money. That was bullshit if he ever heard anything.

"I duel because I enjoy it. I duel to face strong opponents." Anubis explains, "I have money, what I want is a chance to improve my skills."

"I...See...Well, there will still be some sort of payment, but we can work that out later..."

A thought strikes Takashima then.

"Wait, is that why you didn't want me to leave right now and stay in the tournament?" He asks in exasperation.

"Yes. Facing the 3rd World Champion would be very entertaining and rewarding for me." Anubis answers and Takashima can swear he hears a smirk in that tone.

"All...Alright. Well then, I hope we meet up in the finals!" Takashima says offering his hand. 

"Indeed. I am looking forward to it." Anubis says, taking the offered hand and shaking it.

'Well...I guess I will have to show this Rookie that his rising fame means nothing to true duelist...' Takashima thinks with a sadistic grin making an appearance again. 

Though no one else could see him past his Anubis disguise, Toshiaki was wearing an equally mad smile behind his mask.