Scene Two: Dance lessons, conga lines and pillowfights
Joey was the first one into the commons after Tristan. "NO! No way in hell!"
"What's his problem?" Tea jerked a thumb at the blonde's disappearing backside. Bakura gulped nervously. "I don't know…but I don't think we should doubt a reaction like that!" He leaped off the bed and swung around the corner…just in time to see Tristan slipping a disc into the CD player, while Joey darted from side to side behind him, trying to snatch the thing away. Strains of Neil Diamond blasted out of the speakers, knocking them both backwards.
Yugi and Tea rushed out into the open almost simultaneously, and with one arm protecting his face from the dust particles flying out of the speaker covers, Yugi fought his way to the sound system and twitched the volume knob. Mr. Diamond went quiet and Yugi dropped in front of the console, shaking his head to clear the ringing. Bakura crouched next to him. "You all right?"
Joey and Tristan were tangled on the other side of the room, unconscious. Tea dropped onto the couch. "Never underestimate the power of that man's voice."
As everyone recovered, Mai had the poor taste to walk in. What she saw was two boys sitting against the stereo together (one in his underwear), two boys lying unconscious in a corner (one also in his underwear) and Tea with an impassive expression on her face.
"Is this a bad time?" Mai asked, with patent lightness.
"Not if you've got some decent music in that bag of yours."
"Well of course I've got music…what happened?"
"Long story." Tea jumped up and sauntered over to the CD player. She patted Bakura on the head. "How's Yugi?"
"I'm fine." Yugi rubbed at his ears and got up—immediately spying Mai and blushing five shades of red. The blonde girl simply crossed her arms and gave him a questioning look. "You've got five seconds to start explaining before I die laughing."
It took five seconds and more to explain. By the time he'd satisfied Mai's curiosity, Joey and Tristan were starting to revive. The latter wore an apologetic expression. "Sorry, that's what I get for borrowing someone's burned CD…they're never labeled!"
"Who did you borrow it from?"
"Uh…I don't remember…" Tristan exchanged nervous glances with Joey. Mai waved her hand dismissively. "Ah, forget it. I don't want to know."
"But it's NOT mine-!" Joey leaped up in defense of his honor—forgetting just long enough about his current apparel to give everyone a good look at him. Mai snickered. "Good one. I give that blush a 9.6 for effort, and a 10 for originality. Now put on some pants?"
Bakura collected the missing articles, and returned them to their owners, who dragged them on hastily. Several minutes elapsed before Joey and Yugi resumed their normal coloring. Tristan migrated toward the stereo again. Yugi looked suspicious. "Please tell me you know what you're subjecting us to this time?"
"Yup." Another CD went into the player, and everyone cringed in anticipation.
"Good heaven…where are you getting this stuff?" Mai dashed for the stereo.
"OW! My ears…they're bleeding!" Tea snickered.
"What would you play? Disney theme songs?" Tristan sneered. Tea glowered in response.
"Hey, don't you listen to those, Tristan?" Joey asked honestly. Tristan tried unsuccessfully to ignore him.
"Quit fighting. I hereby claim next song." Mai dashed back to her room and returned with her own music, which she popped in.
"Now that is music!" Yugi leaped out energetically, grabbed Mai's arms and looped them around his neck. The others watched them move, stunned—not for the first time that day.
"I HATE that song!"
"Can't we just listen to…" Tristan's eyes lit up and he disappeared for a few minutes…returning with another CD. Mai examined the cover. "The Miami Sound Machine? You've got to be kidding me. My parents liked them!"
"I'm not kidding. And since you wouldn't let my last one finish, I demand we listen to this one." He pointed at a track number. The blonde girl sighed and threw up her hands. "Fine. Come to think of it, that's not a bad idea. Everybody up!" She shoved a squat coffee table to one side and stood in the center of the room, hands on her hips. "Line up behind me. Tristan, once you press play, you take the rear."
"All right!" Tristan punched the air and stood ready to hit 'play.' Meanwhile, Mai directed the troops, who remained unmoving and were currently considering her with wary expressions. She crossed her arms. "Haven't any of you ever danced in a Conga line?"
"I've danced the chicken dance…does that count?"
Everyone cautiously hid their snickers for Tea's benefit (or was it fear?).
"Um…not quite. So, getting back to my question…?"
"I have." Yugi raised his hand
"Me too." Bakura and Joey nodded.
"Okay, Tea, stand behind me and put your hands on my waist."
"Huh?" The other girl looked clueless…and just a tad worried. Yugi smiled at her. "Don't worry…we'll teach you!" With everyone's help, they maneuvered Tea into position and lined up behind her—Yugi, Joey, Bakura…and Tristan, waiting eagerly at the stereo console. Mai looked over her shoulder and smiled encouragement at the smaller girl. "Now, just watch my feet and do what I do. It's really easy…you'll catch on in no time. Tristan?"
"Got it!" Tristan mashed the play button and jumped into line behind Bakura.
"OOF! Not yet!"
"Oh, sorry…"
"Come shake your body baby do that conga…""Tea, I'm not a life preserver. Can you remove your nails from my skin, please?"
"Joey, will you stop trying to trip me? It was only funny the first time…"
"Who said I was trying Yug?"
Two minutes later…"I should have known this wouldn't work."
"Oh, do cheer up Tristan."
"Are we having fun yet?"
"Not until Yugi takes his hands off my…"
"Er…sorry Tea!"
"Does somebody else want to take the lead? My ribs are sore."
"Come on shake your body baby do that conga!""Out of shape, Mai?"
"No…but now I know how it feels to be on the receiving end of Shining Fingers."
"What?"
"Oh…forget it!" Mai stalked over to the refrigerator and got herself a soda. Tristan snickered. "It's okay that you watch an Anime other than ours."
Everybody was already bored with that particular gag, and so Mai's response is lost to us. The song came to a close, and the group collapsed into chairs, weak once more with boredom.
"Now what?"
"Heck if I know."
"We could always just…"
"No." Joey interrupted. Yugi sat back. "Darnit. You're no fun when there's girls involved."
"Hey, I have my pride. I'm not going to run around in my…erm…well, you know…in front of 'da girls!"
Tea and Mai grinned at each other. "But you didn't have problems with me seeing them before Mai got here!"
"Uh…" Joey started to turn slightly pink again.
"And so you're saying that you do run around in your underwear when there's no girls around?"
"You're saying you don't when there's no boys around?" Bakura leaned forward, innocently earnest in his curiosity. Once again, the two girls looked at each other and immediately burst into laughter.
"Well of course we do! Pillow fights in our underwear! Of course!" Mai smacked her forehead dramatically. "I guess it must have just slipped my mind."
Nearly every male in the room currently wore a round-eyed, vacant expression. Tea gave Mai a subtle high-five. The older girl winked at her. "Score one for the babes." Tea snickered.