I apologize now about how bland this chapter may be. It highlights the latter end of Valon and Joey's fight (when Mai arrives), Mai and Joey's duel and a brief scene for Mai and Raphael's duel.
Having arrived around the climax of their duel, Mai could only watch from the outside of the bright green tinted dome. Even with her lecture and demand to take over, Valon refused, admitting that he could see why she wanted to duel him. She could only watch as the two duelists put in there all. It lasted long enough for Joey to become victorious.
However, something in Mai cracked. Rather than being infuriated at Valon, a sense of disbelief took over her. A sense of sorrow took over as she remember just what Valon had done for her. The sentiment would be short lived, as denial and anger took over. With Valon now gone, she could finally have the satisfaction of dueling Joey for herself.
She didn't even seem to notice or at least care that Joey was in a state of fatigue. He clearly wasn't showing that he cared. However, his method was appearing unorthodox, even for him.
As the duel commenced, memories started to unconsciously return to her. She paid no mind to them, believing them to be a distraction. It wasn't until she was about to deliver the final blow when everything started to shatter. The will for power. The lust for revenge. Everything.
Finally coming to terms with reality, Mai couldn't stay around as Joey faltered from exhaustion. Bolting over to him, Mai held him up. All the while, the Seal of Orichalcos was closing in on him.
"I'm so sorry." Mai apologized. "I was so blind by the power and my own desperation that I'm destroying everything around you. And now, you're going to lose your soul."
"It's not your fault." Joey stated. "I should have been there for you."
"You were. I was just too blind to see it."
Hazy eyes looked into Mai's amethyst ones.
"Just protect Serenity. She needs you now more than ever."
"I've treated her so harshly. She hates me. How can I protect someone who wants nothing to do with me?"
Joey was silent for a moment, worrying Mai.
"She said she hated my mother after my parents got divorced and separated us." Joey recalled. "She got over it. And while I know you must have done something traumatic enough to make her hate you, you can reconcile. Now go!"
Joey pushed Mai away, staling the pendant from around her neck. With Mai out of the way, the seal took its prize. Joey didn't respond much as the seal did its job. He just gave Mai one last forgiving smile before darkness would take over him.
With his soul now gone, Joey lied limp on the ground. Mai approached him once more, embracing him, she grieved. Tears and cries escaping from her. She stayed there for several minutes, guilt and despair in her mind. One person hated her while another was gone because of her. She knew she had to make up for it no matter what.
Knowing that she had to move in order to find Serenity, Mai gently propped Joey against the fence, took the Claw of Hermos, hopped on her motorcycle, and drove towards Paradius Inc. Someone was going to pay for all of it, and Mai was going to make sure of it.
Bursting through the doors to the meeting room, Mai was prepared to fight. There to greet her was Raphael. With him was Serenity, fearfully frozen next to him.
"We've been expecting you." Raphael stated. "Don't worry, I haven't harmed her."
"When I'm done with you, you will be." Mai threatened, activating her duel disk. "She's coming with me, and once I'm done with you, Dartz is next."
Raphael pushed Serenity out of the way, activating his own duel disk.
"We'll see about that."
The duel wouldn't last long and the last thing Mai would utter was a scream and an apology to both Joey and Serenity.
So now that we have it this far in the season, there will only be a few chapters left to cover Raphael and Yami's duel, the Duel with Dartz, which Serenity may or may not be present for the duel itself, and after everyone's soul is set free.
