Pegasus did his best to help Mokuba get up there, not letting him go until he was safely being drawn away from him.
He strained to look up at Kaiba then and caught the strain in his grip on the metal railing. He quickly raised his other hand to take Kaibas arm too, but once he had him he turned his head and looked down.
"Seto, you're slipping..."
He called worriedly. Pegasus hands were shaking with strain too, but they suddenly stopped and gripped harder as he turned his face back up towards him. He had an expression of such certainty on his face and his usual playful smile.
"Don't worry Kaiba-boi, I won't let you fall."
There was almost laughter in his voice as Pegasus completely let go.
Croquet had been waiting for that. He knew his master too well sometimes, and Pegasus had also been waiting for Mokuba to get off him because he knew Croquet well too. The bodyguard had already tied a length of cable around him.It seemed like nothing for him to jump right off another parallel bit of bridge work to catch his master as he fell.
"Don't try this at home kids! Ow! Ow! Croquet! My hairs caught in your button!"
Pegasus sang up at them as he let Croquet do all the work of pulling them up on the rope while he just clung to his back. It was a regular circus act and Pegasus could act the perfect clown.
Seto was slipping, he had been holding on so long, his hands sweating, making his grip on both the railing and Pegasus falter. But he was determined, he was not going to let Pegasus fall. Then Pegasus looked up at him that way, and his eyes widened in horror as he let go. He threw himself forward, clutching at the air, Mokuba and Isono both leaping and grabbing at him, pulling him back from the edge.
He watched in dumb horror, sat on the secure catwalk, as Isono caught Pegasus much to his relief. Mokuba threw himself into his arms, and he held him tight, needing to after the terror of seeing him fall.
"Its okay Mokie, I've got you." He murmured softly.
He looked up at Isono.
"Get a team up here now, and examining the wreckage, I want to know what the hell happened." He snapped, frightened and angry.
He hurt too, and would be sore for days after this, from the effort of trying to save them both.
"Sorry Kaiba-boi, but every once in a while I have to let Croquet earn his keep."
Pegasus said as he finally pulled himself back up over the side of the metal railing on the solid catwalk. He did it all too gracefully and carefree for someone who had been clinging on for dear life only moments ago.
Croquet for his part only frowned slightly and untied himself from the cable, looping it up back neatly.
"A thousand apologies, Sir. I should have gone ahead and checked the..."
"Non sense Croquet, there's no adventure to it if you know it's safe. Who needs all those roller coasters out there when we have industrial accidents right here? I bet the safety inspector is going to love a turn on this ride."
Pegasus was heavy on the dry sarcasm before turning a more concerned gaze to Kaiba and young Mokuba.
Kaiba had yet to let go of Mokuba, who was clinging to him so very tightly as Pegasus was safely on the catwalk again.
"One of these days, you are going to be the death of me."
Mokuba was shaking still in his arms.
"Come on Mokie, let's head back down okay." he murmured soothingly to him.
Though Pegasus was asking after them.
"We're all alive, that's what matters. Though I demand to know why this happened. There is no way in hell that should have failed." He said as he and Mokuba got up slowly.
"You didn't answer me before when I asked you how often the two of you come up here to check the projector system. And who might know that you do."
Pegasus pointed out. He was quite relieved that everything had come out ok but he had no patience for saboteurs either. Though he wouldn't say it bluntly in front of Mokuba, someone was obviously still after Kaiba.
"I don't know about the two of you, but I'm heading for the executive lounge and a good stiff drink after all these wobbly platforms!"
Pegasus started to lead the way back down with Croquet keeping much closer to him this time. He did spare a guiding glance back at them to make sure they were coming.
There hadn't been time to answer the question in the end, though the implication was clear. In the future when the dome went into full use, open to the public, he'd be hands off, everything left to technicians. At the moment he was up here about once a week.
"Often enough," He said quietly.
"Seto." Mokuba said sadly.
"It doesn't matter, we won't let these people have their way."
Though he was all for having a stiff drink himself. His heart had all but stopped at the thought of losing Mokuba.
"Certainly." He said, rubbing at his sore shoulders.
"Why does it always happen to us?" Mokuba mumbled miserably.
"Don't worry Mokuba, I'm sure it was all my fault. I haven't the faintest idea why, but some people just don't take all that well to me...like your brother there for example. Not a day goes by he isn't threatening to do something nasty to me and not everyone is all bark like him."
Pegasus stopped and gave Mokuba a bow with his hand over his heart.
"I do give you my most sincere apologies for bringing such dangerous circumstances to your doorstep. I promise if such a horrible thing ever happens again I will fire Croquet at once!"
He was somewhat smiling when he said it, though Croquet for one could never really tell. He'd like to think it was impossible for Pegasus to ever let him go, but then, impossible and Pegasus seemed to go together on a daily basis so he realized he'd better keep on his toes.
Mokuba smiled a little as Pegasus talked about Seto.
"Oh he doesn't mean it really."
No, Kaiba mused, had he really wanted him dead, it would have been all too easy to drop him when Mokuba was safe. It would have looked like an accident too.
"Don't tease Croquet like that," Mokuba chuckled a little, spirits lifted by Pegasus just a little. "He doesn't deserve it."
Kaiba meanwhile had led them to the Executive Suite and was heading for the bar.
"Oh he knows I couldn't go a day without teasing him, what ever would I do without him after all? But as for your brother, he probably very well should mean it, but we both know he's just a big softey inside no matter how much he growls and roars about things."
Pegasus was grinning over at Kaiba, especially at his offer of alcohol.
"A shot of vodka would be lovely please."
Pegasus decided to throw refinement out the window and not be fussy for once.
"Young Mokuba doesn't drink yet, does he?"
Pegasus gave him a look, not wanting to leave the little guy out. He still looked rather shaky and as Pegasus took over a place on one of the long couches with his usual artful grace he gestured the boy to take the seat next to him.
Kaiba just glared at Pegasus for calling him a softy, and just got on with pouring him a drink. He put the shot on the bar for Pegasus, and looked at his own little brother.
"No, he doesn't but circumstances as they are, this once won't hurt."
Except he suspected that Mokuba would be sick if he drank straight vodka, so he put a shot into a larger glass with some orange juice from the fridge. He however was being even less fussy, and poured himself a large measure of scotch. Mokuba had gone to sit with Pegasus, so he took the drinks over on the tray.
"It's not the strongest thing out there, but it does the trick. Usually."
Pegasus said as he held out his glass to Croquet who replaced it with a white wine spritzer. He almost sighed a little at the new drink. He knew he couldn't get away with more than one shot during the middle of the day. And he was still technically working at the moment with people about who wanted to kill him or Kaiba or possibly both.
"It shouldn't knock you back too much kid, you'll be fine with just one."
"I'm not sure I like the taste." Mokuba confessed.
"Good, don't go drinking it then." Kaiba advised.
It didn't take him or Kaiba to finish their drinks, and he was pretty sure he was watching it go to Mokuba's head. He wouldn't be drunk, but he would be feeling it. And it would certainly calm him some. He looked to Pegasus.
"Was there anything else you wanted to see? Obviously at a secure floor level."
He was having everything up there checked and double checked before anyone went back up there again.
"Well, I suppose I should take a look at the arena floor itself and the stage and dueling platforms. This is mainly an entertainment venue and it would be irresponsible of me not to ensure that everything is on schedule and matches the needs of the projects design."
Pegasus finished off his own drink and got to his feet, ready to head out once more. He trusted Kaiba to make sure any other safety concerns up int he rafters would be taken care of.
"Perhaps I could even try out that projector system with my own deck. What do you say to a duel Croquet?"
The stoic bodyguard simply shrugged in a non committal way. He had a deck, but he'd never brought it out away from Duelist Kingdom and his Masters private amusement before.
"As you could see when you came in, we are just installing the systems now. That is what you caught me doing, with Mokuba's help of course."
"Saves him yelling at some tech head he is not going to listen to anyway." Mokuba chuckled, feeling a fair bit happier.
"In any case, this way."
He led them back to the lift, that got them down to the ground floor with no further mishaps.
"The duelling platforms are in place, I was doing the fibre optic hook up to the holographic projection systems when you arrived. Ten more minutes work should have the platform usable enough for a test duel, though I wouldn't expect it to perform perfectly on its first test run." He warned.
He strained to look up at Kaiba then and caught the strain in his grip on the metal railing. He quickly raised his other hand to take Kaibas arm too, but once he had him he turned his head and looked down.
"Seto, you're slipping..."
He called worriedly. Pegasus hands were shaking with strain too, but they suddenly stopped and gripped harder as he turned his face back up towards him. He had an expression of such certainty on his face and his usual playful smile.
"Don't worry Kaiba-boi, I won't let you fall."
There was almost laughter in his voice as Pegasus completely let go.
Croquet had been waiting for that. He knew his master too well sometimes, and Pegasus had also been waiting for Mokuba to get off him because he knew Croquet well too. The bodyguard had already tied a length of cable around him.It seemed like nothing for him to jump right off another parallel bit of bridge work to catch his master as he fell.
"Don't try this at home kids! Ow! Ow! Croquet! My hairs caught in your button!"
Pegasus sang up at them as he let Croquet do all the work of pulling them up on the rope while he just clung to his back. It was a regular circus act and Pegasus could act the perfect clown.
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He watched in dumb horror, sat on the secure catwalk, as Isono caught Pegasus much to his relief. Mokuba threw himself into his arms, and he held him tight, needing to after the terror of seeing him fall.
"Its okay Mokie, I've got you." He murmured softly.
He looked up at Isono.
"Get a team up here now, and examining the wreckage, I want to know what the hell happened." He snapped, frightened and angry.
He hurt too, and would be sore for days after this, from the effort of trying to save them both.
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Pegasus said as he finally pulled himself back up over the side of the metal railing on the solid catwalk. He did it all too gracefully and carefree for someone who had been clinging on for dear life only moments ago.
Croquet for his part only frowned slightly and untied himself from the cable, looping it up back neatly.
"A thousand apologies, Sir. I should have gone ahead and checked the..."
"Non sense Croquet, there's no adventure to it if you know it's safe. Who needs all those roller coasters out there when we have industrial accidents right here? I bet the safety inspector is going to love a turn on this ride."
Pegasus was heavy on the dry sarcasm before turning a more concerned gaze to Kaiba and young Mokuba.
"Everyone is alright then?"
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"One of these days, you are going to be the death of me."
Mokuba was shaking still in his arms.
"Come on Mokie, let's head back down okay." he murmured soothingly to him.
Though Pegasus was asking after them.
"We're all alive, that's what matters. Though I demand to know why this happened. There is no way in hell that should have failed." He said as he and Mokuba got up slowly.
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Pegasus pointed out. He was quite relieved that everything had come out ok but he had no patience for saboteurs either. Though he wouldn't say it bluntly in front of Mokuba, someone was obviously still after Kaiba.
"I don't know about the two of you, but I'm heading for the executive lounge and a good stiff drink after all these wobbly platforms!"
Pegasus started to lead the way back down with Croquet keeping much closer to him this time. He did spare a guiding glance back at them to make sure they were coming.
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"Often enough," He said quietly.
"Seto." Mokuba said sadly.
"It doesn't matter, we won't let these people have their way."
Though he was all for having a stiff drink himself. His heart had all but stopped at the thought of losing Mokuba.
"Certainly." He said, rubbing at his sore shoulders.
"Why does it always happen to us?" Mokuba mumbled miserably.
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Pegasus stopped and gave Mokuba a bow with his hand over his heart.
"I do give you my most sincere apologies for bringing such dangerous circumstances to your doorstep. I promise if such a horrible thing ever happens again I will fire Croquet at once!"
He was somewhat smiling when he said it, though Croquet for one could never really tell. He'd like to think it was impossible for Pegasus to ever let him go, but then, impossible and Pegasus seemed to go together on a daily basis so he realized he'd better keep on his toes.
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"Oh he doesn't mean it really."
No, Kaiba mused, had he really wanted him dead, it would have been all too easy to drop him when Mokuba was safe. It would have looked like an accident too.
"Don't tease Croquet like that," Mokuba chuckled a little, spirits lifted by Pegasus just a little. "He doesn't deserve it."
Kaiba meanwhile had led them to the Executive Suite and was heading for the bar.
"What can I get you?" he asked Pegasus.
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Pegasus was grinning over at Kaiba, especially at his offer of alcohol.
"A shot of vodka would be lovely please."
Pegasus decided to throw refinement out the window and not be fussy for once.
"Young Mokuba doesn't drink yet, does he?"
Pegasus gave him a look, not wanting to leave the little guy out. He still looked rather shaky and as Pegasus took over a place on one of the long couches with his usual artful grace he gestured the boy to take the seat next to him.
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"No, he doesn't but circumstances as they are, this once won't hurt."
Except he suspected that Mokuba would be sick if he drank straight vodka, so he put a shot into a larger glass with some orange juice from the fridge. He however was being even less fussy, and poured himself a large measure of scotch. Mokuba had gone to sit with Pegasus, so he took the drinks over on the tray.
"Don't tell anyone I am letting you drink."
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Pegasus took his glass and raised it.
"To Kaiba, for allowing us all to live to be glared at another day!"
The silver haired CEO was smiling widely as he downed his shot. His visits here in japan were certainly never dull.
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"I am head of a company, not a bar maid." He muttered as he sat down.
Though he actually chuckled a touch as Pegasus made his toast. Mokuba outright giggled, then took a swallow of his drink, his eyes suddenly very wide.
"Oooh wow!"
"That's why yours had orange juice in it. Didn't want you being sick." He said as he drank his scotch.
"You drink this neat?" Mokuba asked Pegasus.
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Pegasus said as he held out his glass to Croquet who replaced it with a white wine spritzer. He almost sighed a little at the new drink. He knew he couldn't get away with more than one shot during the middle of the day. And he was still technically working at the moment with people about who wanted to kill him or Kaiba or possibly both.
"It shouldn't knock you back too much kid, you'll be fine with just one."
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"Good, don't go drinking it then." Kaiba advised.
It didn't take him or Kaiba to finish their drinks, and he was pretty sure he was watching it go to Mokuba's head. He wouldn't be drunk, but he would be feeling it. And it would certainly calm him some. He looked to Pegasus.
"Was there anything else you wanted to see? Obviously at a secure floor level."
He was having everything up there checked and double checked before anyone went back up there again.
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Pegasus finished off his own drink and got to his feet, ready to head out once more. He trusted Kaiba to make sure any other safety concerns up int he rafters would be taken care of.
"Perhaps I could even try out that projector system with my own deck. What do you say to a duel Croquet?"
The stoic bodyguard simply shrugged in a non committal way. He had a deck, but he'd never brought it out away from Duelist Kingdom and his Masters private amusement before.
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"As you could see when you came in, we are just installing the systems now. That is what you caught me doing, with Mokuba's help of course."
"Saves him yelling at some tech head he is not going to listen to anyway." Mokuba chuckled, feeling a fair bit happier.
"In any case, this way."
He led them back to the lift, that got them down to the ground floor with no further mishaps.
"The duelling platforms are in place, I was doing the fibre optic hook up to the holographic projection systems when you arrived. Ten more minutes work should have the platform usable enough for a test duel, though I wouldn't expect it to perform perfectly on its first test run." He warned.
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