Part One: The Bandit's Return
Chapter One
Joey knew exactly where he was heading, to Malibu, Florida, 364 Parkway Lane. Mai Valentine's' favorite vacation home. He had left about a week ago from Japan, and was glad that he had paid attention in his english class. People even said he had a pretty good New York accent, which he heard from Tristan. Yugi had also mention that Mai loved when he spoke with his New York accent, which somehow had been the way he spoke whenever he used english, which was more often than not. It had even become second nature for him to speak english. "Ight.", He thought to himself. "Enough thinking about your lovely charms. It's time to get serious. If she said she was waiting for me, then that means that I was wrong, and she feels the same way about me that I feel about her. Gosh dang it! I could've told her how feel, and she would've been the same way! Curse you lack of self-belief!".
While Joey was torturing himself on the road for not having the courage to admit to Mai his true feelings, Valentine herself decided it was finally time to come out of hiding. She knew Joey had a smart car, so she gave him a call. "Finally, after all these years he's finally come to his senses.", she thought to herself as she picked up the phone. It rang for five long seconds before the man of her dreams picked up the phone, simply to say, "Give me one sec Mai. sorry to make you wait, but let me pull over." She was furious! Of course she knew he was going to face-time her, but she still thought they could've talked for at least a moment.
After an irritating minute, she answered his call. "Hey Joseph. Long time no see.", she said. "Long time? It's been 3 years Mai! I've missed you.", he said, with that whimpering, sad tone he put on only for her. "So how've you been. Ya know, waiting for old Joey n'all." "It's been nice Joseph.", she said. "I'd almost finally gotten that annoying New York accent out of my head.", she lied. She knew she'd never forget it. "Annoying huh?", he said, almost exasperated. "Well then why were you so willing to wait for it for 3 long years? (Sigh) I've missed you Mai. It's been hell without'cha. I'm really sorry I didn't tell you before how I felt about'chu. It's been the biggest mistake of my life. But don't worry Mai. I'm almost to Malibu, I've got about 10 minutes to go."
"It's alright Joey.", she said, happy that he was still her Joey. "I can't wait to see your real face again Mr. Wheeler. But we're not gonna take things too fast at the start. We may have known each other for the last 7 years, but that sure doesn't mean that we know each other as a couple." "And I thought you were impatient!", he exclaimed.
"Impatient!?, I've waited 3 long years for you to come to your senses, and you call me impatient? I've had to be patient Joseph, because you made be a skilled duelist, but when it comes to the wants and needs of a woman, you could sit there twiddling your thumbs for years, which is exactly what you did." "Heh.", he giggled. "I can't say you're wrong Mai. But at least I figured it out at some point." "Better late than never I suppose!", Mai laughed. The moment became silent, before they both awkwardly admitted at the same time, "I love you Joey Wheeler/Mai Valentine.". After another long long pause, the two agree that they wouldn't speak again until they saw each other in person. They hang up, and the the knight mounted his steed to to rescue the slumbering princess.
"Well Boss, what do we do with the punk?", asked Bonz, watching as Joey pulled away from a gas station just outside Malibu. "We wait for him to reunite with that whore, then we take everything from him.", said the man. He was once again back in action, wearing his signature sunglasses, and american flag bandana. "We've got the dweebs sister, all we need now are his stupid cards and his girlfriend, and he'll be finished. That'll teach him to make a monkey outta Bandit Keith!"
Pulling up to the house that she had been waiting years for him in, Joseph Wheeler walked up to the door, and knocked. But when the door opened, he found himself suddenly flat on his back, lying on the ground while the girl of his dreams was sitting on top of him. She was staring holes through his soul with those gleaming amethyst eyes he knew only belonged to one. Mai Valentine. Pulling her even closer, their lips met, and did not part until both were heavily breathing, needing a quick breath. They finally rose to their feet, awkwardly, yet intimately staring into the others eyes. "You know, I've always thought those amber eyes were gorgeous.", Mai finally said. "Not as gorgeous as those big amethyst eyes you got on that pretty face of yours." Joey admitted. "Let's go inside. We've got a lot to catch up on."
"Not so fast Wheeler. You're not going anywhere, or doing anything with that whore.", snapped a familiar voice that Joey knew belonged to the one person who hated him more than even (he thought) Seto Kaiba. "Keith,", Joey replied, furious that he was even there, much less he had called the person that meant more to him than even his own sister almost a whore. "Say that about Mai Valentine again, and I'll do more than just beat you at Duel Monsters this time." "Ha!" Keith laughed. "And what do you think your gonna do whenever you're writhing in pain Wheeler?". Pushing Mai aside, Bonz tried to stab Joey with a serrated knife. But Joey, being not only street smart, but wise enough to have learned to defend himself at a young age, dodged, and fought back.
However, Keith's other two goons Sid and Zygor were there as well, but Mai, who was able to get passed the shock of the initial break in and push, was able to fight as well. While the goons were reluctant to attack a girl, Keith was getting impatient, and was able to pull her away so that his goons could fight Joey, three to one. "Get back here Keith! Mai, no!" Joey cried out. "Joey, help me!", Mai screamed, but Keith threw her into the helicopter he and his goons had come on. "Here Wheeler, one more thing!", Keith yelled, throwing Joey a phone. "If you fools can restrain him, bring him to me so I can finish him myself, but other than that, wait for him to finish the note! Later Dweeb!", Keith yelled to the four of them before taking off.
The goons stopped attacking just long enough for Joey to read the letter. "Hey Dweeb", the letter said, from Keith. "If you're reading this, then you've either beat my goons, or their just nice enough to let you read it before/after your thrashing. I've got your sister, had her captured just after you left Domino. And now I've got your little girlfriend Mai to. Depending on which result occurred, My thugs will wait one day before returning to me with your broken body. Then before I kill you, I'm gonna make you watch as I have some fun with both of those wenches, if you know what I mean! However, if you somehow manage to overcome my worthless goons, then come to the Malibu Dueling Arena. I'll be waiting Wheeler."
Overcome with rage at this information, Joey Wheeler could barely keep himself from killing Keith's goons after he demolished them in the ensuing battle. He tied them up, then called the police, and informed them of what had happened. But before he could get in his car to go to the arena. He received a call from the last person he thought would ever want to willingly talk to him. Seto Kaiba. "Wheeler, I know you probably don't want listen to me right now, but just listen, because it's the only way you'll ever see your sister, or Mai, again.