Hello, everyone, welcome to part 2 of Mai's Christmas Carol. Well things were a little slow last time. We saw what Mai has been up to since the Orichalcos crisis. She's actually started her own company that sells women's clothing, jewelry, and perfumes. And it appears Mai is rolling in cash…but she's not very happy. Her company is having some financial problems and Mai is so bent on the monetary aspects of her life and her company hat well…in her efforts to try to become a better person she's turned into something worse. But things are about to get interesting I can assure you. The supernatural aspect of this story is about to kick into gear. Mai's journey is about to really begin. Ger ready, Mai fans, Mai's Christmas Carol continues now.
Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh and all canon characters are strictly the property of Kazuki Takahashi. I'm just borrowing them for a while but will put them away when I'm done. All original characters in this story are strictly my property.
The techno music at the club was pumping hard and people were out on the floor gyrating and moving with the beat. The deejay stood behind the turntables leading the traffic and music like a policeman directing travelthrough a busy intersection. From her usual place at the neon lights lit bar, Mai Valentine stared out at the variety of dancers. For some reason Mai just wasn't up to her usual line of merriment and dancing to the beat tonight. As much as she wanted to, Mai had a lot on her mind from work. Janice had really pushed her buttons today.
Sebastian was a pretty competent bookkeeper and accountant. And yet Mai knew there was something going on with the company's profits, Mai just knew it. Mai looked out on the floor. There dancing with some of the rather muscular male club goers was an Asian woman with her long jet black hair and wearing a long Chinese dress that had a slit at one side to show off some leg. This was Mai's friend of the last two years, Vivian Wong. Mai and she had met after Vivian had won a tournament here in Los Angeles. The two had gotten to talking and instantly struck up a friendship. Vivian was a superb martial artist with a killer figure. She had even done work for Mai Girl fashions in its earliest days.
Vivian had a very bubbly and outgoing personality. Although it was also no big secret that she had more than her fair share of lovers all over the world. Monogamy was not something that Vivian did and that was probably why she'd never married, or started dating anyone steadily. Still Mai knew Vivian was about to take some time off as she was about to star in a new action movie "Til' death do us part" with Jet Li. At least you're happy, Viv, she thought in a mildly sour tone.
"Excuse me, Miss Valentine?" A voice from behind her said.
Mai turned to see the bartender, a young man of around 22 years of age smiling at her. He offered her a glass with her choice drink. "Your vodka martini with a twist of lemon just as you asked." the bartender said.
Mai took the drink and said, "Thanks, hon."
The man said, "You're welcome," and went off to get a drink for another customer.
Mai turned back to watching the world that was the club dance away. Mai again felt those conflicting emotions she was trying to forget. At once she wanted to make contact with them, but on the other hand she was afraid to because she knew how much they would hate her. Mai had to face facts, as good looking as she was she wasn't always going to be this way. Even her mother's looks had eventually faded. Mai had hated to admit that but it was true. Vivian and the others clapped their hands and cheered as the deejay took a bow and left the stage. Vivian along with a very strong and handsome looking young man, obviously of German ancestry, walked over to the bar where Mai was. "Hey there, girl friend, what goin' on?" Vivian chimed merrily.
Mai shrugged and said, "Just thinking, Viv."
Vivian smirked wryly and said, "Don't do too much of it or you'll hurt yourself."
Mai glared at her friend even though her jibe was good-natured and said, "Ha, ha real funny, Vivian!"
Vivian looked at her friend with genuine concern. "You're not your usual chipper self, Mai, something wrong?"
Mai sighed and answered, "Oh it's nothing, work is being a pain in the ass again!"
Vivian shook her head, "Mai, you really have to separate yourself from your work, I swear you're becoming a real workaholic, girl friend. You need to loosen up, relax."
Mai knew that Vivian was right, she should be enjoying her life. She was making money, had a company that was about to really hit the big time, a home, and everything she could ever ask for. And yet somewhere in the back of her mind Mai couldn't help but feel that something was missing. Mai shook herself back to reality. "I'm sorry to be a total downer, Vivian," she said before she took a long sip of her drink. "I'm just not feeling it tonight."
Vivian looked at her friend in genuine concern. "Why don't you head on home, Mai, you look like life is eating you up." The Asian woman suggested.
Mai finished her drink quickly and said., "Thanks Vivian, I think I'll do that."
Mai finished her drink then quickly made her way over to the elevator the nightclub had for the underground garage. Mai took the elevator down, quickly found her car, and got in. A security guard passed by on his route. Mai sighed in relief as she sat in the convertible driver's seat. The good thing about this night club was the garage was heavily patrolled by the club's security detail. So Mai didn't need to worry about any creeps trying anything. Mai pulled the keys from her purse. Mai found the key she was looking for and put it in the to start the car. Mai got the surprise when her car didn't start. Mai then noticed the security guard was gone. Mai's face furrowed in puzzlement. She'd just had her convertible taken in for a check-up by Janice and the car was doing fabulously. Mai turned the ignition switch again…and the car didn't start. Mai growled in frustration when she saw something.
She looked in a rear view mirror and saw a figure who was standing there staring at her. Mai couldn't see who it was as the light from the garage was distorting the image. But what she could see is the man was wearing some kind of business suit. But what got her attention were the chains that seemed to be around the man. Mai blinked her eyes…and the man was gone. "What the…?" Mai asked started to get a little freaked.
Then Mai heard what sounded like the rattling of heavy chains. Mai looked around as her free hand reflexively moved to her purse for the mace she carried. Had someone managed to slip by club security to stalk her? If so they would be very sorry! But the rattling ceased. Mai heard no more rattling. "My imagination must be really playing tricks on me!" she growled.
Then she looked in her mirror and saw, sitting in the back seat, a man with a deathly cold face, wearing wire-rimmed glasses, had thinning blonde hair, and his eyes, those cold violet eyes Mai knew too well. Mai gasped and turned around. But there was no one in the back seat of the convertible. Mai was starting to shake from feeling visibly nervous. Mai then suddenly felt a hand on one shoulder. She let out a yelp and turned in surprise, only to see that it was a security guard. "Are you all right, ma'am?" the guard asked in genuine concern.
Mai's heart which was beating like a war drum started to slow as she calmed down. "I'm fine, hon. Just seeing things. I may have to lay off the vodka martinis for a while."
The man nodded and said, "Very well, you have a good evening, ma'am."
Mai nodded as the guard stepped away. Mai turned the key in the ignition, and was rewarded with the car starting. Mai let out the br she hadn't know she was holding. She must've been imagining things. Mai pulled out of the parking lot and drove to the exit. After Mai paid the guard at the booth he opened the gate. Mai zoomed out of the parking lot and into the city streets. Mai felt the old exhilarating rush as the world passed by. When Mai was personally behind the wheel of her convertible this was where she felt the most in control. Free from her worries and cares. Mai turned on the radio and listened to the techno station as she continued to drive through the streets of Los Angeles. Mai wasn't sure what happened. But somewhere along the way the station she was listening to began to fade into static. A deep set voice as if talking in an empty hallway whispered out, "Maaaaiiiii, Maaaaaiiiiii?"
Mai screeched to a halt at the lights of a crosswalk. Mai looked around and called, "Who is that?"
There was no answer. Mai grimaced and said, "Those vodka martinis must've done more than I thought. As soon as I can I'm going to have to take a trip to the doctor." Mai said to herself.
Mai as she saw the light turned green zoomed down the streets nodding her head in time with the fast paced super urban techno beats. However something odd happened along the way. The music began to turn to static…again. At one stop the music turned completely to static. Mai growled and slapped the radio with a hand. But then from the radio she again heard that voice call, "Maaaaiiii!"
Now Mai was starting to get both annoyed and fearful. Mai looked around and said, "Okay whatever prank show this is, I'm not laughing! Now cut the crap before I really get pissed off!"
Mai didn't like to swear all that much but when she did it was because she was really scared and/or really angry. And right now she was both. Mai shut off the radio and drove through the streets. Looking around she noticed she was back in the downtown neighborhood where her house was. Mai at first let out a sigh. But as she drew closer to her home somehow it seemed different from its usual hipster urban self. There seemed to be a certain eeriness about it. Mai shook her head. Her mind was playing tricks on her. She decided it was better to go to bed and hopefully things would be better in the morning. Mai pulled up to the garage and moved to the glove compartment of her car. She opened it and pulled out the remote control. She clicked on it. The garage door opened no problem. "Good thing Janice is so organized," Mai thought out loud.
Mai pulled the convertible into the garage and shivered as she felt a cold wind brush over her. The night felt more cold than usual. And having traveled the world a dozen times over, at least, Mai knew what cold was. Mai clicked on the remote after the car was in the garage. The door closed. But Mai for some reason felt little comfort. Mai put the remote away and turned on the garage light. Mai saw the lioness head knocker for the garage door she'd had installed. Mai turned the doorknob to open it. Then Mai saw the lioness head knocker change into the face of a man wearing glasses, had thinning blonde hair, a deathly looking face, and a cold violet eyes. The face said, "Maaaaiiiii!"
Mai leaped back as she let out an involuntary scream of terror. Then she saw the lioness head had returned to normal. Mai growled and said, "Okay that's it, I'm putting an end to this nightmare right now by going to bed."
Mai entered the house and shut off the garage light. As she traveled through the rooms of the house it seemed the inside was no better than the outside. It felt cold, empty, and lifeless. And now Mai had the sinking feeling she was being watched. Mai looked around and saw nothing before returning to walking through the house. Out of the corner of one eye Mai thought she saw a hand reach out for her. Mai turned with a start, and saw there was only a window to the outside before her. Mai stormed into her bedroom. Mai changed into a night dress that went down to her knees. The flowing white fabric didn't do much to hide her figure. Mai sighed and headed over to bed. Mai crawled into it. Tomorrow she would come to a decision where Janice was concerned and her company would skyrocket into the stratosphere of fashion. Mai muttered, "No more supernatural crap."
Mai started to close her eyes…and was awakened moments later by the sounds of chains rattling. Mai was instantly awake. She instantly made for the closet and threw on a long robe and her purple slippers. Mai then moved to the drawer beside her bed and pulled out the container of pepper spray. She heard the sounds of chains again. "Okay whoever or whatever you are…" Mai growled trying to sound more confident and sure then she felt. "You want a piece of me, I won't go down without a fight!"
Mai's heart pumped and she felt her blood flowing in her ears as she looked this way and that in the room. Mai stayed like that for a few minutes before she felt the cold sensation start to sweep into her bedroom. Mai involuntarily shivered, this sensation was comparable to a bone-chilling wind. Mai was afraid, she was very afraid, and she hated it! She hadn't felt like this since Marik, a situation she had wanted to forget. Mai wanted to not believe that the supernatural existed that she lived a normal life and that all that crazy stuff she'd experienced all those years ago hadn't happened. Mai's thoughts were interrupted as she heard leather shoes walk her way and chains rattling. And that's when she saw the ghost walk through her door and into her room. The ghost was dressed in a business suit from out of the 1980's. The man had a pale and lifeless face, cold violet eyes and thinning blonde hair. On the man's face were a pair of wire rimmed glasses that only added to the man's overall intimidating presence. But what set him apart was the massive chains around him. And Mai could tell the ghost was burdened greatly by what he carried on him.
Mai let out a scream and fired the pepper spray at the ghost. The man simply let out a mirthless laugh that sounded like it was from a long distance and had a slightly distorted tone to it. But Mai recognized the man. This was a man who, even after all these years, she hated with a passion! It was Ray Valentine, former CEO of Valentine associates. A man who had been revealed to be a petty corporate raider who had defrauded and stolen the money and lives of many people in his infamous business career. "That little bottle of pepper spray only works on the living, not the dead, girl!" The man stated in a mocking tone.
Mai then noticed the horrific burn on one side of his head as if…and then remembered he'd killed himself with a pistol to the head! It had been in order to avoid being prosecuted by the Federal Government for fraud. "What the fuck are you doing here you son of a bitch!?" she snarled angrily.
To Mai's surprise the man dropped his head and commented, "I admit I deserve that as much as your mother would deserve that."
Mai snapped, "What the hell is this, shouldn't you be burning in Hell after all you did, you bastard!"
The man said, "I am, but I've been brought here as a spirit to offer you up a warning, stupid girl!"
Mai growled, that was a name he had often used for her. It was no secret that the relationship between Ray Valentine and Mai's mother, Faye Valentine, had been based entirely on appearance. Mai had been for the sake of appearance. Mai knew all about the men that her mother had been seeing on the side as well as her father's unethical and illegal business dealings. Mai guffawed and said, "And why should I listen to you? I recall you often said you wish I'd never been born when not saying how stupid I was! What could an arrogant ass like you possibly offer?"
The ghost let out an unearthly shout of "ENOUGH!"
Mai couldn't help it even after all this time Ray Valentine still had an effect on her. The man glared at Mai Valentine. "Listen well, Mai!" He began. "Look at me, look on these chains I'm wearing! These are the chains of sin that I wove in life with my actions. Your mother has chains similar to mine where she is!"
Mai harrumphed and said, "Nothing short of what you deserve after all those lives you ruined!"
"YOU'RE DAMN RIGHT! ALL PEOPLE WERE MY BUSINESS!" the ghost yelleed sending Mai stumbling back a step.
The ghost explained, "As I said. these are the chains of sin I forged in life. These are the chains I created from all those companies I stole and all those lives I destroyed. And you, Mai, with everything that's going on, are weaving chains of your own. Those chains will be far heavier than mine. I admit I've never been a very good father. I admit I was a monster, a greedy monster and inattentive towards you. But the thing is, you're still young and your soul has not yet been stained like mine has." He pointed a ghostly finger at Mai before he spoke in a dire and final tone, "You are going to be visited by three ghosts this evening. The first will come at nine, the second at ten, and the third and final one at eleven."
Mai snapped, "What do I look like Ebenezer Scrooge? This isn't A Christmas Carol, I don't believe you actually exist, this is all nonsense!"
The ghost of her father snapped, "You can believe what you like, Mai! But that doesn't change the truth that's in front of you! This is my warning, your mother and I have paid the price for our sins by wearing these for all eternity! But you still have a chance. This is the one gift that I can give my daughter."
The man turned and floated off as he called out, "REMEMBER MY WARNING!" and let out a horrific cry as he floated away.
It was too much for Mai. She ducked under the covers of her bed and shivered in terror. Mai wasn't sure how many minutes had passed before she got out from under the covers of the bed and looked around. She was still breathing heavily and her heart was still pumping in fear. Mai, after a few minutes, felt herself calm down and said to herself, "What the hell was in that martini?"
She went to the kitchen. She opened the refrigerator, got out a bottle of the water she drank whenever she was feeling nervous. She drank some down and let out a sigh. "Three ghosts," she muttered. "Yeah right, pops, you've never kept a promise to me in your whole stinking life! Why should I believe that you'd keep your promises now?" She snapped at the air around her.
She growled, and continued to drink. Mai went over to the T.V and turned it on. Mai watched the various programs that were on. But there was not much except the evening news and gossip programs. Finally Mai turned it off…or at least tried to as the clock stuck nine. Mai noticed the grandfather clock in the living room. She had been in an antique clock store in L.A. and had fallen in love with the fashionable looking clock. But as she tried to turn off the T.V.…it turned back on. "What the?" Mai said in surprise.
She tried again, and found that nothing happened still. Mai sighed in consternation. Again and again she tried to turn it off and T.V. turned back on by itself. Mai began to notice that the screen was turning to static. Mai walked over to the T.V. and pounded on it and nothing happened as the screen turned to all static. Mai growled and said, "Great first I start seeing things now the T.V. is on the fritz, what else could happen tonight?"
Then she saw the T.V. turn off by itself. Mai sighed in relief and said, "Finally," and walked around. "This thing is being temperamental. I am seriously tempted to get one of those new…" she commented as she came round the T.V. screen in front.
And that's where she stopped short as she saw a set of yellowish eyes with only black pupils and no irises watching her. But what was crazier still was the set of yellow teeth being shown on a ghoulish and yet goofy smile. "Hi there, how ya' doin'?" the thing in Mai's T.V. said in a silly and yet sinister sounding fashion.
Mai yelped and dropped the remote as she leaped backwards. The face in the T.V. screen then vanished. From out of the T.V. a head of flat blonde hair on a ghoulish head appeared. The strange person was dressed in the most unfashionable black and white striped business suit Mai had ever seen in her life. The man called out, "Attention Safeway shoppers," before he let out an insane cackle.
Mai could only stare as the Beetlejuice look-a-like stepped out of the set and looked around. He noddedin obvious approval. "Nice digs, wouldn't mind a pad like this back in the netherworld."
The ghost slid over to Mai and said, "Hi there, you must be Mai Valentine, I'm the Ghost of Christmas Past. And ho boy have you ever got a crazy past."
"Okay," Mai said, "I know I haven't watched much in the way of classic T.V. but I haven't watched Beetlejuice since I was a girl."
The ghost said, "Yeah I get that a lot." he then checked his watched. "Oops no time for chit-chat gotta' go!"
The ghost grabbed Mai with a cold hand and dragged her to the door. "Hey!" Mai yelped.
The Ghost of Christmas Past said, "Sorry but we're on a schedule here, I gotta' get you to the past so you can see where you've been."
Mai couldn't free herself from the grip of the strange ghost as he dashed for the door. Mai called out, "Hey what are you doing we're going to crash into the…" and as they went through the door Mai yelped as she called out, "DOOOORRR!"
The two ran down the walkway and towards what looked like an old 50's style Cadillac that had two eyes for headlights and a big mouth for a bumper. It looked like a cross between Stephen King's Christine and a cartoon character. Then Mai remembered what it reminded her of. Beetlejuice had had a car named Doomy in the cartoon series. The Beetlejuice look-a-like took Mai and tossed her into the passenger seat before he leaped into the driver's seat. Mai saw a seatbelt shoot out of one side of the seat she was in and click into place. The Ghost of Christmas Past had a seatbelt wrap around him. The ghost pouted and moaned, "Aw come on, can't I just this once try something a little risky?"
The Doomy look-a-like let out a series of honks and beeps. The ghost responded with, "Yes but…" and "Come on that's no fun at all!"
Finally the ghost sighed and pouted in frustration. "All right, all right fine, but you're no fun at all!"
The car let out a couple of beeps. The Ghost of Christmas Past said, "All right, all right I hear you, I know safety first!"
Mai wasn't sure if she was in some kind of crazy dream or if this was real. All she knew is the spirit of her father had appeared and now this crazy ghost had essentially kidnapped her and was taking her God only knew where. And what was the most insane about it is that no one could see what was happening. The Ghost of Christmas Past grabbed the stick shift of his car and moved it into first gear. The car let out an excited beep. And then Mai yelped as the car shot off down the road at breakneck speed. Mai was pushed back into her seat by the insane pace at which the car practically flew. And people say I'm an insane driver, she thought.
The car zoomed down the street and turned at an impossible rate as it flew on to the highway. Mai yelped and said, "Are you out of your mind…the police will be all over you for driving like this!"
The ghost said, "You thought it yourself, Mai, they can't see you or me, so they have no one to go after!"
The car sped down the highway and it seemed to be getting faster and faster. And then Mai rubbed her eyes and noted the world around was fading. Mai said, "I really am going insane."
The Ghost of Christmas Past laughed. "Considering how your past was it's no big surprise. And just what's wrong with that? It's done wonders for me." He said conversationally before he spit out a laugh.
Mai glared at the Ghost of Christmas Past who was already starting to get on her last nerve. But Mai continued to watch as they continued down the highway. Finally after a while the car started to slow. And Mai began to notice a change in scenery. They were still in L.A. that much was clear. But something had changed. And that's when she noticed the jeans on some of the people looked a little tighter and some of the fashions that were being worn hadn't been seen since…the 80's! Mai looked around and couldn't believe it she was in the city of her birth Los Angeles in the 1980's. And some of the fashions Mai thought, by her standards, were an absolute eyesore. But then again, Mai had to remember it was the 80's. Fashion sense wasn't exactly the biggest prerogative back then. But the car kept going and finally made its way to a several story mansion in Los Angeles. Mai looked around and felt her heart freeze. She knew this rich, very well-to-do neighborhood well. That house before was the same house she had escaped from when she was 16. "Why the hell are we here?" Mai snapped angrily.
Her seat belt flew off and back into its holder. The Ghost of Christmas Past leaped out of his seat free of his seat belt and on to the sidewalk pavement. He groaned as he stretched and said, "It's good to get out of that seat and stretch my legs."
Mai then got out of her seat and stepped out of the car. Mai snapped, "You didn't answer my question, why the hell are we here?"
The Ghost of Christmas Past gave her a ghoulish smile and explained, "This is part of your past whether you want to admit it or not."
Mai snapped, "I know this is part of my past but it's a part I would rather…"
Then she heard a voice from within the house snap, "Mai Valentine, don't you dare look at me like that!"
Then Mai heard the sound of someone getting slapped and a little girl letting out a scream of pain. Mai involuntarily let out a shiver. "Oh God, not her, not that slut!"
The ghost grabbed Mai's right arm and said, "Come on, Mai, we're going to take a look at your past whether you like it or not."
Mai shook her head and held fast, "There is no way on God's green Earth you're dragging me in there! I've already had my fill of that life, and I don't want to see it again!"
The Ghost of Christmas Past in a gesture of sanity said, "The first step towards changing yourself in the present begins with confronting your past."
That stopped Mai as it sunk into her head. And that gave the ghost the moment it needed to pull Mai along. The Ghost leaped into the air and towards a lighted window on the second floor of the house. Mai let out a yelp as the ghost carried her along. And then saw they were approaching the wood and stone wall and called out, "Hey wait, the window is closed, we're gonna' crash through that!"
Mai got an even greater shock when the ghost…and her passed through the wall and window. The ghost released Mai as she fell to the floor and rolled around. Mai came to her feet and looked round. The room was shrouded in a shade of pink and flowery frilly designs. Now Mai did admit to liking some girly things. But this was way too girly even for Mai's tastes. Then she saw the Barbie dollhouse at one end with the various dolls in it. It had been one of the many 'Gifts' her father had bought her to buy her love. Though he never paid any real attention to her. And there on the bed sat a little girl with wavy blonde hair dressed in a one piece dress, bright pink in color, and frilly flowers in her hair. And she had a nasty hand shaped welt on one side of her face.
Standing in front of the little girl, dressed in a rather slinky red ball gown, was a woman in her mid to late thirties. She was holding a cigarette in one hand while another was against her rather curvaceous waist. The woman had cold green eyes, and wavy blonde hair like the girl…and like Mai's. The older Mai felt an intense rage wash over her she knew this woman. This was one of the two people who had abused her and neglected her all those years ago. It was her mother, socialite, home wrecker, and conniving schemer extraordinaire Faye Valentine. And the little girl she saw before her was her younger self.
Oh boy, Mai's really in for it this time. She's staring at her younger self, and one of the two people who abused her when she was a child. And something tells me this is one vision of the past that's not going to be pleasant. But what else will Mai see from this and the rest of her past? Get ready to delve into the psyche and the background of Mai Valentine next time. Mai's Christmas Carol continues as she and the Ghost of Christmas Past journey into where Mai's come from. See you next time readers.
