2. BETRAYAL

Me: Wow.I guess people like this story so I'll be happy to continue it.here goes nothing.

Mai sat shuffling her deck as she watched her next opponent get ready to duel. He looked up at her and she just smiled sweetly at him and had the satisfaction of watching him drop some of his cards. Batting her eyes at him, she asked if he was okay and he blushed and nodded. This would be a piece of cake.

This duel was worth $500 and she needed that money. She had grown in the past four months and needed new clothes; this duel was won before it even started.

It took less than ten minutes for the match to end and Mai was declared the victor. She smiled at the guy and walked out with the prize money. It was on her way out that she met 'him'. He was beautiful with long black hair and deep blue eyes. His body wasn't half-bad either. He stood there dressed in designer clothes and approached her.

"So, you must be Mai, the up and coming female Dueler." She nodded and he took her hand. "I would like to speak with you, privately, that is if you don't mind?" His eyes locked with hers and she felt her throat go dry an all she could do was nod. "Thank you. I'm glad to finally meet you."

He led her to a limousine and they both stepped inside. He poured her a drink and then they began to talk about anything and everything. He kept flattering her and she fell for it, but somewhere in the back of her mind, something fluttered and tried to call out, but she ignored it.

They arrived at a fancy mansion and he led her inside. She felt dirty and insignificant, but he just smiled warmly at her and led her into the living room. They sat together and the silence was easy, but after a while he broke it.

"I have been very rude, I know your name but you have yet to learn mine. I am Virgil and am owner of this house." He made a small bow from his sitting position and she smiled at him.

"So what did you want to talk to me about?" He smiled at her.

"Actually, I wanted to Duel, but didn't want to do so there. You see the stakes on this game are quite high. You have some very powerful cards in your deck and I would like to duel for one of them. So, I'm asking you to put your most valuable card facedown to the right and I shall do the same. Whoever wins gets their opponent's card. If you wish not to duel that is fine by me, and you may stay here the night, if you win, you may also stay here the night."

She looked at her surroundings and then at him. Her most valuable card was her Harpie Lady and she had never lost a duel trusting in her yet, so she decided why not, it would be nice to stay in a mansion for a night. Besides, she felt herself blush, if he saw her skills first hand, maybe they could work out something a little more lasting.

"You're on." He smiled at her and they brought out their respective decks. She picked up her first five cards, but to her surprise he set his first five, facedown in front of him. "What are you doing? How can you play, what you can't see?"

He smiled and looked at her. "I know my cards and they speak to me, telling me exactly which card to play." She had never dealt like this before and uncertainty crept over her. "You may go first, Mai." She nodded, but was questioning herself

"I play Neo the Magical Swordsman in attack." He smiled and chose one of his cards and put it on to the field.

"Red Skull Bird, in attack." He flipped it over and it was that card. She was shocked. Was he some kinda a psychic? Could he read her mind as well? He tapped another card and placed it on the field. I also place this card facedown."

She attacked without thinking, rattled by his playing and soon found out that it was the wrong thing to do. A land monster couldn't attack one that could fly and his facedown card was follow wind, which increased his monsters attack. He quickly destroyed her.

She continued to play like this and had even sacrificed her second Harpie Lady and than finally the duel was over and he had won. He smiled at her as she was left shaken.

"Dear, dear child. You are so new to this. You don't wield the power needed to play and you lost focus. This game is all about power and you lost it, consider this a lesson. I keep my word and you may stay the night, but understand this. A Dueler can't afford to have friends. Because one day you just might have to face them in a duel and they will know everything about you." He took her card and frowned when he saw which one it was.

Something clicked in her mind. He hadn't known what card she had played facedown! So he wasn't psychic, there was a trick to it.

He took her card and his deck and left her to sleep. He hadn't even said she would get a bed. She was angry and hurt and deep inside she knew she hadn't been the only one betrayed. She had betrayed her friend and she was going to get her back. As the mansion dimmed and everyone went to sleep, Mai waited and then set out.

She searched everywhere in the house and finally came to a study of some kind. There she found what she was looking for. Her card and his deck were lying on an old wooden table. She went over to them and took her card and then sat down and looked at his deck. At first she could see nothing different and then as she threw it down into the light, something shone on the back of the card.

She looked closer and smiled in triumph. Each card was marked on the back, so he knew exactly what card he was playing and he could afford to play head games. She smiled at this and went to a desk in the room and took out a sheet of paper and a pen.

'I learned your trick and am taking back my card. I suggest you never duel again, because this time I will know all your tricks. Love Mai.'

She folded it up and left the mansion, her cards all with her. If there was one thing the bastard had taught her, it was that she would need to toughen up. This was her dream and she wasn't going to let anyone take it away from her.

She entered the mall the next day and with her prize money she bought herself a new outfit. It was purple and white and showing off more than just her. It stated that she had the power and the beauty and that nothing was going to stop or frighten her. On her way out of the store she smelled something.

Perfume. Her mind wandered back to Virgil's trick and she knew what she was going to do. She would use his trick and with more style. Also, her way would never be caught. The rest of the money was spent on all different tiny bottles of perfume. The only thing that bugged her, was that the wings in her head were still beating a warning. But she ignored it.

This was her dream, but something was trying to tell her no.