Back in the storage room, the mugger replied to Dark Ichigo, "A game, huh? What happens if I don't play?"
"I scream for the police," Dark Ichigo explained in a mockingly cheerful tone. "You get arrested, you go to jail for a really long time for a whole laundry list of charges, and me and my boyfriend go on with my day." Dark Ichigo pretended to also be the normal Ichigo in order to keep up appearances to others that did not know her personally, hence why she referred to Masaya as her boyfriend even though he was not. "So, how about you play the damn game before you leave here in handcuffs? I'll let you knock me out again if I lose."
"Fine," the mugger begrudgingly accepted. "I'll play. What's the game?"
"Very simple," she explained to him as she pulled her deck out from her thigh-mounted deck box. "We each pull a card, and if we both pull a monster, whichever monster has the highest level wins. If you lose, you'll have to play a Penalty Game. Best two out of three."
"Sure thing," the mugger replied to her, pulling a card from the deck. "I pulled Gil Garth, a level 4 monster."
"Let's see what I pulled," Dark Ichigo replied as she went next. "I pulled Elemental HERO Bladedge, a level 7 monster. I win this round." She then took his card and shuffled both back into the deck. "Next round."
The mugger once again went first, pulling a card that confused him. "Huh... Right Leg of the Forbidden One? It's a level 1."
"I see," Dark Ichigo replied as she drew a card. "Well, well, I drew another Forbidden One card. Left Leg of the Forbidden One. This round is a tie." As she shuffled both cards back into the deck, she thought to herself, "I wish I could draw two Exodia pieces that easily." "Next round."
The mugger drew, revealing Elemental HERO Clayman. "I got a level 4!"
Dark Ichigo drew next and sighed, losing this round. "I got Elemental HERO Burstinatrix, a level 3. You win this round. The next one decides who wins." She then shuffled both cards back into the deck.
"I got this in the bag!" The mugger then drew his next card and laughed. "I got Bladedge this time! I doubt you have anything that can top a level 7!"
Dark Ichigo closed her eyes and drew. When she opened them, she smiled. "As a matter of fact," she declared in triumph. "I do! I've drawn the Sky Dragon of Osiris, an Egyptian God card! With a level of 10, it beats Bladedge! Looks like I win!"
The man growled to himself in annoyance. He then readied his fists, not accepting the results. "This game is stupid anyway! How about we fight with fists instead, you nutjob?!" He charged at her, a fist flying in the air.
As her Mew Mark glowed on her forehead, Dark Ichigo replied to him, "I don't think so." She then stuck her hand out and declared, "MIND CRUSH!"
With a loud scream, he was flung back onto the ground as the sound of shattering glass was heard, the Mind Crush knocking him out and leaving him unconscious just as Masaya woke up. "Ugh... What... Huh?" He found Dark Ichigo standing over the man, taunting him.
"You won't be extorting anyone anytime soon, you pervert," Dark Ichigo spat at the man. She then looked to Masaya as he stood up from the ground, feeling his head from the pain of the impact of the metal pipe. "Are you alright, Masaya?"
"Yeah," he replied to her. "Are you, Ichigo?"
"Indeed," she replied. "If you're wondering, the 'normal' Ichigo is, too. I took over after she got knocked out. Our little creepy friend here's gonna be asleep for a few hours. I suggest you tell your mom to call the police. By the time he wakes up, he'll be in police custody for sure."
"Thank God," Masaya replied to her as she changed back over into the normal Ichigo.
Just as he was about to open the doors to go outside, Ichigo stopped him. "Hey, wait a minute. I wanna talk to you about something."
...
Back on the field, it was now Bandit Keith's turn once again. "I draw! I summon Mechanicalchaser, with 1850 attack! Once I take out your defense position monster, you're finished!"
"In response to your summon," Mai replied to him. "I activate this! Reverse Card Open! Torrential Tribute! All monsters on the field, including my own, are immediately destroyed!"
As all monsters on the field were blown up by a massive explosion, Bandit Keith yelled back at her, "You screwed yourself over, too! You have nothing to play now!"
"I wouldn't count on that," Mai replied as she began her turn by drawing a card. "I summon Cyber Harpie Lady to the field with 1800 attack! I then activate Monster Reborn to bring back Dunames Dark Witch! With a combined attack of 3600, it's more than enough to wipe you out!" She then pointed at Bandit Keith's field. "Now, wipe out his life points!" Both Cyber Harpie Lady and Dunames Dark Witch swiped at Bandit Keith, reducing his life points to zero.
MAI: 1150 (WINS)
KEITH: 0000 (LOSES)
"And with that," Mai declared with triumph. "I win this duel." Mai then blew a sarcastic kiss to an annoyed Bandit Keith as the audience loudly cheered for her.
On the sidelines, Jounouchi cheered for his fiancée as his friends all joined in as well. He shouted, "You were awesome out there, Mai!" Yugi and Honda also shouted congratulations to her as Kaiba smiled, glad to see a fun, clean, and competitive duel that did not have world-ending or life-ending stakes at hand.
...
Back in the storage room, Masaya asked her girlfriend, "What do you want to talk about?"
"It's about...," Ichigo fumbled around as she tried to find the right words to use. "I guess it's about us, or, more specifically, the level where we're at in our relationship."
Masaya sighed. "Funny you mention that. That mugger your other self knocked out asked me about that sort of stuff."
"Of course he did," Ichigo sighed, somewhat amused. "Anyway, it's been a full year since we've been going out, and it's been a pretty decent amount of time since we've been together on a serious note. I never thought that I'd have to stare death in the face multiple times in that year, but there's no one I'd rather be alongside than you." She then gave a chuckle. "I guess... I just... We have a more serious and mature bond together than almost any of our peers, and I love that we do."
"You're right about that," Masaya replied to her in agreement. "Ichigo, tell me, what are you asking?"
"I'm not really asking anything," Ichigo initially replied. "Okay, maybe I am. Well... I've been thinking recently, ever since the 'incident' that one morning, and..."
"You want to know how far I'm willing to go with you physically," Masaya guessed, to which Ichigo nodded as she blushed. "Well, obviously, I have my own desires, but... I don't want to pressure you into doing anything you're uncomfortable with, Ichigo."
"I'm the same way," Ichigo replied to him. "Please, don't feel like I'm making you do stuff you don't want to do. If at any point you feel uncomfortable with how far I'm taking things, let me know, and I'll stop." She then reached in and gave him a kiss on the lips, affirming her commitment to that promise. As they split from their kiss, she hugged him. "Masaya, if at any point you want to take things up a notch, let me know. I'm willing to go that far."
Masaya smiled and ran his hand through her hair, also scratching her cat ears. "You got it. I'd say maybe now, but I don't wanna take a chance of Mr. Creepy McMuggerson over there waking up on us, or someone else walking in on us from the outside." He then looked down at the camera. "Say, is that thing still recording?"
"Huh," Ichigo replied as she split from Masaya and held the camera up. As she looked it over, she got her answer. "Nope. He turned it off. I'll leave it here for evidence." She then set the camera down and took Masaya's hand. "Now, let's get back to the field. I wonder if Mai and Bandit Keith's duel is over yet..."
