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Kaiba slammed two aubergine dress shirts into his suitcase beside the black and navy ones already in place. “Tell me again why we’re paying those useless ‘avionics specialists’ if they can’t even swap out a lightly shattered control screen‽”
Mokuba passed him a stack of folded silk jersey boxer-briefs, each subtly woven in a blue-eyed white dragon pattern. “Because when your reinforced water bottle – remember, the one R&D redesigned not to crush in your hand? – shattered the screen and disconnected half the wiring, its titanium corner guards bridged the wires, shorted the system, and bricked the entire flight management computer.”
“So what? I got us down safely.”
“You did.” Mokuba passed over a pair of folded cashmere turtlenecks, in case the San Francisco weather was unusually chilly. “You’re a skilled pilot. But it’s a nine hour flight in good weather.”
“Are you suggesting I can’t maintain focus for an extended period?”
“Not at all.” Mokuba knew better than to suggest anything of the sort. “But the Ōkoku Civil Aviation Board makes rules to apply to lesser beings than a Kaiba, and without their approval the Blue Eyes jet is grounded.”
Kaiba growled wordlessly but packed the sweaters. “I still don’t understand why I’m stuck on a commercial carrier. It’s not as if we don’t have other planes in our fleet.”
“Because the Cecelia Pegasus Memorial Symposium on Collectible Card Games” – somehow, Mokuba managed to pronounce the full name of Industrial Illusions’ ridiculous event without himself sounding ridiculous – “is in San Francisco. Even the Hawker won’t handle a transpacific flight without stops. Those would inconvenience you more than a first class flight Pegasus is paying for.”
“Fine.” Kaiba slammed the lid of his suitcase closed and fastened the silver, dragon-head latches. “But don’t expect me to like it.”
Mokuba smiled, almost sadly. “I never do, big brother. I never do.”
#
“I still can’t believe Pegasus invited me to this fancy ’do and not you, Yoog!” Joey shoved another t-shirt into the red canvas duffel beside the jeans Yugi had rolled, then grabbed for his socks. “It’s like, the top competitors from each region, and then in Asia-Pacific, it’s just me!”
Yugi smiled. “Don’t sell yourself short, my friend. You’ve earned your reputation. But are you sure you want to put your Duel Disc in your checked bag?”
“Why not?” Joey hesitated, a hoodie in hand. “You don’t think they’ll lose my bag, do you? After Serenity painted it special for me, and added the ribbons and everything?”
“No, probably not. But baggage handlers aren’t always gentle, and it might be safer in your carry-on. Besides, it’s almost a ten hour flight. What if you want to practise or make adjustments to your deck on the plane?”
“Good point.” Joey unwrapped the cotton fleece from around his device and set it carefully on the bed. The hoodie got wrapped around his good shoes, instead.
Beside the duffel on the bed, Yugi opened the hard-sided carry-on bag he was lending Joey for the trip. It wasn’t a gift, certainly – that would damage Joey’s sometimes-fragile pride – but once Yugi had encouraged Serenity to decorate it to match Joey’s duffel, he was pretty sure he wasn’t getting it back.
“Pass me your arrival outfit and dopp kit?” Long experience had taught Yugi not to stow his pajamas at the bottom of the bag. “You’ll want three pair of underwear and socks in here, too, and an extra clean shirt.”
Joey blinked, clearly not following the logic. “But I’ve got my duffel for clothes.”
“Trust me.” Yugi offered what he hoped was a reassuring smile. “The only time my main bag was delayed was when I’d forgotten to add a change of clothes to my carry-on.”
“All right, Yoog. Whatever you say.” Joey passed the requested garments over.
Yugi shook them out and folded them carefully before laying in the bottom of the carry-on. The Duel Disc went on top of that, and rolled socks held it away from three sides of the bag. “Dopp kit?”
“What’s that?”
“The bag with your personal products. Toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, shampoo, conditioner, and body wash, deodorant, shaving kit, face wash, and moisturizer?”
“I guess I should take that stuff, yeah.” Joey disappeared into the bathroom and came back with a giant black pump bottle of “premium type” deodorant bodywash, a gold capsule-shaped deodorant roller, and another 400mL bottle – this one vivid pink – of “perfect clear” shampoo.
“Joey! You can’t take those in your carry-on.”
“Why not? They get me clean, they smell good, and isn’t that the same brand you were using when we met?”