The price of a card von Semiramis-Audron (Pegasus x Banner => Sabatiel the Philosopher's Stone) ================================================================================ Kapitel 1: Commercial proposition --------------------------------- "I hope this was the last one for today Kemo!" Pegasus said sending a young man away who had failed to impress him with an idea for a new card. "No Sir, I'm sorry but there is another one waiting... actually since this morning!" Sighing Pegasus allowed his underling to let the hopefully now last one enter his office. A young man, his skin almost as pale as his white shirt and his hair as dark as his black necktie walked in. Obviously a bit nervous as he was pushing his rectangular specs three times back up in this single minute. The huge rucksack on his back looked like he was going on a wilderness trip for a month and his leather pants... well they seemed uncomfortably tight... But had it not been for the bulge in their crotch, Pegasus would not have been sure he was facing a young man. The hair was long enough to reach the young one's bum and his hips had a rather female form, not to mention his unnaturally long legs... and arms... and four hair bangs... Did I mention the long hair already?... Still nervous he let his backpack slide down next to the chair he was offered and looked at Pegasus who scrutinized him with a frown. "Good Evening my boy. Say, do we know each other? You look slightly familiar..:" The chef of Industrial Illusions said leaning slightly over the table offering the young man his hand to shake. This one seemed to be a sympathetic person, especially with those eyes that were... well... squinted to a smile all the times... Even in nervousness he was smiling... "L... Lyman Banner, Sir... I ...Yes..." He wasn't allowed to finish his stuttering. "Lyman Banner? AH! Now I remember! Archeology student?!" "...Huh...Uh Yes, Sir... Egyptology and Archeology, yes...I was in one of your lectures, nya...." Pegasus frowned even more at the nya but it was something that made this youngster even more interesting. "Oh yes I was guest lecturer a view times. Right, Banner! A curious student, you asked me a lot of compromising questions!" Maximillion looked at him with a slight air of annoyance on his face. Banner blushed and looked down ashamed. "It is okay, that only showed you were interested. Probably the only one back then who was... So, what could you want from me? Shall Industrial Illusion finance an archaeological excavation?" The man with the silver shoulder long hair smiled friendly. But the other one now sighed with a gloomy look on his face. "No Sir, I'm no longer studying archeology, that's not the reason I'm here." Pegasus leaned back in his armchair wrinkling his forehead. "That is sad Lyman boy. You were very promising, what happened? If you can't afford to study... I think I would help you to a scholarship if..." But the young man shook his head. "Thank you Sir, but no Sir... I got a grant at Cairo University but I had to exmatrikulate early due to... health reasons... well something private... " He didn't look up all the time he spoke. That made Maximillion wonder, but it was not his business so he wouldn't dig further. "So what are you doing now Lyman... I may call you Lyman, may I?" The onyx-haired man nodded faintly. "I'm teaching at Duel Academy now... History..." Pegasus smiled. That were good news even if he still didn't like Kaiba very well. But that school was a good place for Duelists. "Anyways, Pegasus, Sir... I'm here because of your other 'hobbyhorse' ... Duel Monsters... I am here to solicit a favour of you, nya... I want you to create a card ..." He gulped a moment and continued. "Though I don't have much money..." Pegasus leaned back in his armchair crossing his arms in front of his chest, raising his right eyebrow. "Mhm, you don't come here simply asking me to create some card, am I right my boy?..." He leaned slightly forward again trying to have a closer look at those far too squinted eyes. They were bothering him, what color would they be?... Banner gulped and looked up at the elder man. "No Sir...I...already have...something in mind, nya..." Pegasus smiled and leaned back again as he unfolded his arms, what gave his look a much more inviting air. "So, well then tell me about your ideas... and then I will decide what we can do about the payment!" The young man's face lightened up. He was good at talking people into things. Pegasus was clever but maybe he could... "Uhm..yes, yes Sir, of course, nya!" Lyman said slipping from his chair and stooping for his back pack. He reappeared with several sheets of paper detailing the picture image of the card, the name, the type, and of course the function. As well was explained on this little essay the reasons and inspirations for his invention. He handed them over to Maximillion Pegasus with an enthusiastic smile on his face that looked like it could not be shattered by anything but sudden, unexplainable death. Then he sat back... in his chair... waiting... nervously, nibbling on his thumbs' nails. He looked at Pegasus with all his attention trying to figure any change of facial expression that could tell him something about his opposite's thoughts. Pegasus however was quite stunned about this amount of pre work. Normally people came with a card text full of spelling mistakes and a swiftly drawn doodle... if any... But this... was like a small dissertation and the picture was... very simple in its form but expressionistic in it's colours... and the contrasts of each colours very well chosen and obviously drawn with... something... one could call love for the detail. The artistic heart within Pegasus made a dido. (http://www.directupload.net/images/070608/o8g8oF8l.jpg) "Mhm...It reminds in the basic layout a bit to Mystical Shine Ball..." Were Pegasus' first words and Banner twitched, then shifted uncomfortably in his chair and spoke. "Yes..Sir if you... if you take page..uhm... three..." He said leaning over the table handing Maximillion said page and pointing at a paragraph. "You'll find that this card... and especially uhm 'When you see its beautiful shape, your dream will come true.' have inspired me to think about... my card... I..I have it written there with every trademark and copyright notice to you and I²... " Pegasus laughed at him, standing slightly up and forcing the young man back into his chair. "It's alright my boy! Don't feel like I'm going to sue you for it!" He looked at the younger on whose squinted eyes expressed worry now. "Well I must say I am impressed Lyman... It is an extraordinary card..." Maximillion took the sheets again, looking at the text of the card, reading it aloud... "Sabatiel, the Philosopher's stone... Normal Spell Card... When a winged Kuribo is sent to the Graveyard, place this card from your Deck into your hand. Pay half of your Life Points in order to play the effect of this card as the effect of a card in your Deck and then place that card in the Graveyard. This card returns to your hand. This effect can only be used 3 times. You can equip this to 1 monster on your side of the field in order to increase the ATK of the equipped monster times the number of monsters on the opponent's side of the field... mhm... Say, why out of all a Winged Kuribo?... I didn't see an explanation for this in your notes?" He looked at the young man with a questioning face. "I ..uhm... why a Winged Kuribo?... Well... it is a basic monster, one that is very easily send onto the graveyard, nya... And Sabatiel would be a very powerful card... Someone whose whole deck consists of very powerful monsters already should not be able to boost it even more with a card like Sabatiel... but... Someone who... has a Winged Kuribo in his deck... most likely... thinks higher about his monsters than as simply a way to beat an opponent... Winged Kuribo is a weak monster but only a duellist that believes in his whole Deck and in his monsters as spirits and friends... should be allowed to use... Sabatiel..." A huge sweat drop ran down the side of his temple. "I'm sorry Pegasus Sir, I'm talking nonsense..." The silver haired boss of I² burst out in laughter. "No! No Lyman boy you aren't! This is a very good thought, after all the duelists in ancient Egypt who created that game played it with those spirits, so you are very right... and believe me, this card wont fall into the wrong hands...IF I let it be printed, there will be only two cards, one for my collection for I posses every card at least once except for the Sacred God Cards...and the second will go directly to you, and will be used hopefully wisely... But I'll still need a day to think about it..." Pegasus looked pondering at the picture again, then at those squinted eyes that showed enthusiasm again... How could two black slits show so much expressions?... These eyes really bothered him. "Say Lyman, boy, will you stay in the city a day longer or shall Kemo leave you a message about my decision on your phone?" Lyman beamed with joy, this was as much as a yes already... He knew that, he felt it... and he always had a sixth sense about things like that... Just the payment... what about the payment? How should he pay? He had money if he wanted to but... He had sworn never to touch that account... it was dirty money he would never use for himself... Sighing he nodded. "I'm here for three more days Pegasus, sir... I have some other things to settle to, shall I come back tomorrow?" The older man stood up and led him to the door. "Yes I think that would be perfect Lyman. If I decide I will do it we can talk about the contract and payment tomorrow, so be here... let us say at 2pm." Smiling a neko smile with those mysterious squinted eyes Lyman Banner left the office of Maximillion Pegasus to return the other day... Hold out for chapter 2 =^n_n^= Hosted by Animexx e.V. (http://www.animexx.de)