"I think we got more paint on each other than the wall" Yugi laughed, he was walking with Joey, Tristen and Tea to the Joey's car. It was a week later, the night of the dinner, and everyone was dressed in their finest. For their help, the group got half price tickets. The guys wore jackets and ties, while Tea wore an elegant, sapphire dress.
"Now to pick up Mai and Bakura," Joey asked, as they hopped into the car.
Tea pulled her shawl over her shoulders, "this party is going to be fun. Hey! It's starting to snow!" she pointed out the window at the falling flakes.
"The weather forecast is calling for a lot of snow. It should only start to pick up in the early morning, so it won't really effect the party" Yugi added.
Tristen nodded, "Fun sure, but this whole 'color' thing from the invitations is a little weird though". He pointed to his white jacket with slight disdain.
"It's supposed to be a theme. We're supposed to be characters from the board game Clue" Yugi, in a dark yellow suit, explained.
Joey, in a hunter green suit, shook his head. "One thing I don't get: how come we all got colors, and Tea got an invitation with a bird on it?" he mused. Everyone groaned.
"Um Joey? Peacock is a kind of blue" Tea answered with a sigh.
"Knew that, knew that" he retorted.
Just then, they pulled up to Mai's apartment building. Mai, dressed in a sexy scarlet gown, was waiting outside. She hurried over to the car, "hi guys. Shuffle over Yugi, thanks." She noticed he wasn't wearing his Millenium puzzle. "Decided to leave Yami at home tonight huh?
He smiled, "he wasn't really interested in coming."
They pulled up to Bakura's house, he too was waiting outside. "Hey" he greeted them, getting in. He wore a deep purple suit.
Tristen chuckled, "doesn't Professor Plum have a pipe?"
"Isn't White a woman?" he shot back with a smile.
Tristen frowned, he hadn't thought of that.
"Here we are" Joey announced, putting on the break and turning off the engine. The house looked even spookier at night. It loomed high up on the hill; the only sign of warmth was in the lights coming from the first floor.
Mai heels clicked on the sidewalk, "let's hurry up and get inside, it's freezing out here!"
Joey groaned, "look who arrived in style."
A limo pulled up next to them. Kaiba, dressed in a fancy black tuxedo, opened the door. "Be back by midnight," he instructed the driver.
"Or he'll turn into a pumpkin" Joey chuckled.
"Hi Kaiba" Yugi greeted him.
Tristen huffed, "how come he gets a cool color?"
Kaiba looked him over for a second, "isn't White a woman character?" he asked with a smirk.
He frowned, "so I've been told."
The group headed up the wooden stairs. Before anyone could knock, a thin, balding man dressed in a deep yellow suit and shiny gold tie opened the door. "Good evening everyone! You must be Metanoia's friends, who helped clean up the other day?"
"That's us," Joey said proudly.
The man smiled, "wonderful! My name is Charles McBride. Do come in." He stepped aside and let the teens walk in. The halls looked a lot nicer than when they had first walked in. The place was warm and well lit, and much more welcoming. In the adjacent rooms, other colorfully dressed guests chatted over glasses of wine. McBride motioned to the group, "come in the kitchen. Metanoia is waiting for you, and Susan would love to meet you." They followed him through a sea of guests. Suddenly, Bakura accidentally bumped into someone.
"Oh! I'm sorry" he apologized.
The person was a very beautiful young woman, wearing a bronze gown, and a scowl. "Watch where you're going!" she snapped at him, taking a smug sip from her wineglass as she walked away.
Joey imitated a hissing cat, Tea giggled.
"Well I didn't mean to..." Bakura rounded a corner, and knocked right into Metanoia.
"Heads up there Bakura" he said, trying to regain balance of the large tray of appetizers she was carrying. She wore a long, pale pink dress, and looked quite pretty. He was rather taken aback, both literally and figuratively.
"You...look...really nice" she managed to get out.
"Thanks" she said, not paying too much attention. "Hi everybody, glad you could make it, excuse me for a second" she zipped past them and into another room.
Tristen poked him playfully in the ribs with his elbow.
"As you can see, it's rather busy around here" a cheerful woman echoed from the kitchen. A rather full figured woman in a sparkling silver dress came to the door to meet them. She had a look of kindness on her face. "I'm Susan Calisto. Charles and I run the Canal Street Home."
Everyone introduced himself or herself.
"Oh it's fabulous to meet you. Metanoia was so happy to have so many volunteers, and new friends." She looked to the back of the crowd. "Seto dear! I haven't seen you since you were...well, shorter than me!" He smiled shyly.
"I really don't see why the dinner had to be here, I could easily have arranged for the veterans hall to..." Brown said to McBride as they walked out of the kitchen.
"I told you before Robert," McBride interrupted, "it's for atmosphere. The house has a sense of mystery to it already, what with the legend of the treasure and all".
Brown turned to argue further, but noticed the teens. "Hello again" he said, sounding much more friendly. "If you'll excuse me, I need to speak with someone" he moved through the crowd towards the cocktail room.
Metanoia returned, holding a pile of envelopes, which she began giving out to everyone. She handed Mai hers. "You must be Mai Valentine, nice to meet you. Now remember guys, don't read past the first piece of paper" she instructed.
"Same here, are these our characters?" Mai asked opening hers.
She nodded, "sure are. By the way Seto, check it out," she held out her necklace, it was the one Mokuba had given her. "What can I say? It matched my earrings perfectly."
He grinned, "Mokuba would love to hear that."
"We don't need help in here anymore Metanoia. Why don't you and your friends get some snacks?" Calisto suggested.
"Sounds like a great idea to me!" Joey exclaimed. He had been eyeing the food on the tray Metanoia was carrying earlier.
"Check this out: I'm the son of a senator hoping to run for office soon" Yugi read aloud. They were all sitting around the lounge in the overstuffed couches.
Tea read hers: "I'm famous actress on vacation back in her hometown after making a hit new movie."
A woman in yellow, who had been listening, laughed. "You got a interesting character. I'm just the wife of a stockbroker."
A man in a tan jacket walked up to her and handed her a wineglass. "My real job is much more interesting" he smiled. "I'm the chief of police, Officer Wingfield."
"Yea, I know who you are" Mai commented. "I saw your picture in the paper. You're performing investigation or something like that."
Just then, the woman in bronze entered the room, on the arm of a tough looking man. Joey scoffed, "Miss Cheerful is back."
"You must mean Miss Stone" Officer Wingfield said. He nodded, "that's who I'm investigating. Miss Stone has some company funds missing, and her boyfriend's suddenly got a new car and new house." Miss Stone was shooting him malevolent looks from across the room.
Brown shuffled over, "is everyone enjoying themselves?"
"We were" Metanoia said scornfully, looking at Stone. "She owns the property that the Children's Home is on."
"That's true" Brown agreed. "Sad to say, I hear she wants to knock it down to build a shopping mall."
"That's disgraceful!" Kaiba growled. "If she wants to get rid of the Home so bad, why did she come at all?!"
"Judging by her complaining I'd say her boyfriend, Brad Timbers, 'dragged' her here," Mrs. Wingfield concluded.
Bakura looked out the window. "Wow, the snow is really starting to pick up. I hope the plows get out there soon."
A bell rang in the hallway. "Everyone please make your way to the living room" Mrs. Calisto chimed.
"I hate to inform you all, but our host, Mr. Body has been found dead!" McBride announced dramatically.
"Really?" Joey asked.
Mai groaned, "it's part of the game" she explained".
McBride continued, "the only clues left behind is this duel monsters card, and a vile of poison." He held up a "Change of Heart" card. "One among us tonight is the murderer! It's your job to talk with the other guests, and try to uncover the truth."
"As for now, dinner is served" Brown announced. The guests laughed at this sudden change in conversation.
"I wonder if the card is a clue to the murder, or the motive?" Tea mused.
Yugi agreed, "didn't your character once work for Mr. Body Tristen? You might have wanted revenge," he said in a mock spooky voice.
Joey shrugged, "who cares? I'm starved." They all looking around the table for their place cards.
Without warning, a woman's high pitched scream echoed from the other room, followed by a loud thud. Everyone ran into the hall. The ax once held by a suit of armor had fallen, barely missing Officer Wingfield!
Mrs. Wingfield helped up her husband. He had dove to miss being hit. "Are you ok dear?" she asked worriedly.
He brushed himself off, "I'm fine, I must have knocked into it on my way past."
A man in a gray suit shook his head, "that's a rather dangerous prop Susan."
She didn't answer, a look of horror was spread across her face. "That wasn't a prop Luis," McBride explained, looking puzzled.
"Now to pick up Mai and Bakura," Joey asked, as they hopped into the car.
Tea pulled her shawl over her shoulders, "this party is going to be fun. Hey! It's starting to snow!" she pointed out the window at the falling flakes.
"The weather forecast is calling for a lot of snow. It should only start to pick up in the early morning, so it won't really effect the party" Yugi added.
Tristen nodded, "Fun sure, but this whole 'color' thing from the invitations is a little weird though". He pointed to his white jacket with slight disdain.
"It's supposed to be a theme. We're supposed to be characters from the board game Clue" Yugi, in a dark yellow suit, explained.
Joey, in a hunter green suit, shook his head. "One thing I don't get: how come we all got colors, and Tea got an invitation with a bird on it?" he mused. Everyone groaned.
"Um Joey? Peacock is a kind of blue" Tea answered with a sigh.
"Knew that, knew that" he retorted.
Just then, they pulled up to Mai's apartment building. Mai, dressed in a sexy scarlet gown, was waiting outside. She hurried over to the car, "hi guys. Shuffle over Yugi, thanks." She noticed he wasn't wearing his Millenium puzzle. "Decided to leave Yami at home tonight huh?
He smiled, "he wasn't really interested in coming."
They pulled up to Bakura's house, he too was waiting outside. "Hey" he greeted them, getting in. He wore a deep purple suit.
Tristen chuckled, "doesn't Professor Plum have a pipe?"
"Isn't White a woman?" he shot back with a smile.
Tristen frowned, he hadn't thought of that.
"Here we are" Joey announced, putting on the break and turning off the engine. The house looked even spookier at night. It loomed high up on the hill; the only sign of warmth was in the lights coming from the first floor.
Mai heels clicked on the sidewalk, "let's hurry up and get inside, it's freezing out here!"
Joey groaned, "look who arrived in style."
A limo pulled up next to them. Kaiba, dressed in a fancy black tuxedo, opened the door. "Be back by midnight," he instructed the driver.
"Or he'll turn into a pumpkin" Joey chuckled.
"Hi Kaiba" Yugi greeted him.
Tristen huffed, "how come he gets a cool color?"
Kaiba looked him over for a second, "isn't White a woman character?" he asked with a smirk.
He frowned, "so I've been told."
The group headed up the wooden stairs. Before anyone could knock, a thin, balding man dressed in a deep yellow suit and shiny gold tie opened the door. "Good evening everyone! You must be Metanoia's friends, who helped clean up the other day?"
"That's us," Joey said proudly.
The man smiled, "wonderful! My name is Charles McBride. Do come in." He stepped aside and let the teens walk in. The halls looked a lot nicer than when they had first walked in. The place was warm and well lit, and much more welcoming. In the adjacent rooms, other colorfully dressed guests chatted over glasses of wine. McBride motioned to the group, "come in the kitchen. Metanoia is waiting for you, and Susan would love to meet you." They followed him through a sea of guests. Suddenly, Bakura accidentally bumped into someone.
"Oh! I'm sorry" he apologized.
The person was a very beautiful young woman, wearing a bronze gown, and a scowl. "Watch where you're going!" she snapped at him, taking a smug sip from her wineglass as she walked away.
Joey imitated a hissing cat, Tea giggled.
"Well I didn't mean to..." Bakura rounded a corner, and knocked right into Metanoia.
"Heads up there Bakura" he said, trying to regain balance of the large tray of appetizers she was carrying. She wore a long, pale pink dress, and looked quite pretty. He was rather taken aback, both literally and figuratively.
"You...look...really nice" she managed to get out.
"Thanks" she said, not paying too much attention. "Hi everybody, glad you could make it, excuse me for a second" she zipped past them and into another room.
Tristen poked him playfully in the ribs with his elbow.
"As you can see, it's rather busy around here" a cheerful woman echoed from the kitchen. A rather full figured woman in a sparkling silver dress came to the door to meet them. She had a look of kindness on her face. "I'm Susan Calisto. Charles and I run the Canal Street Home."
Everyone introduced himself or herself.
"Oh it's fabulous to meet you. Metanoia was so happy to have so many volunteers, and new friends." She looked to the back of the crowd. "Seto dear! I haven't seen you since you were...well, shorter than me!" He smiled shyly.
"I really don't see why the dinner had to be here, I could easily have arranged for the veterans hall to..." Brown said to McBride as they walked out of the kitchen.
"I told you before Robert," McBride interrupted, "it's for atmosphere. The house has a sense of mystery to it already, what with the legend of the treasure and all".
Brown turned to argue further, but noticed the teens. "Hello again" he said, sounding much more friendly. "If you'll excuse me, I need to speak with someone" he moved through the crowd towards the cocktail room.
Metanoia returned, holding a pile of envelopes, which she began giving out to everyone. She handed Mai hers. "You must be Mai Valentine, nice to meet you. Now remember guys, don't read past the first piece of paper" she instructed.
"Same here, are these our characters?" Mai asked opening hers.
She nodded, "sure are. By the way Seto, check it out," she held out her necklace, it was the one Mokuba had given her. "What can I say? It matched my earrings perfectly."
He grinned, "Mokuba would love to hear that."
"We don't need help in here anymore Metanoia. Why don't you and your friends get some snacks?" Calisto suggested.
"Sounds like a great idea to me!" Joey exclaimed. He had been eyeing the food on the tray Metanoia was carrying earlier.
"Check this out: I'm the son of a senator hoping to run for office soon" Yugi read aloud. They were all sitting around the lounge in the overstuffed couches.
Tea read hers: "I'm famous actress on vacation back in her hometown after making a hit new movie."
A woman in yellow, who had been listening, laughed. "You got a interesting character. I'm just the wife of a stockbroker."
A man in a tan jacket walked up to her and handed her a wineglass. "My real job is much more interesting" he smiled. "I'm the chief of police, Officer Wingfield."
"Yea, I know who you are" Mai commented. "I saw your picture in the paper. You're performing investigation or something like that."
Just then, the woman in bronze entered the room, on the arm of a tough looking man. Joey scoffed, "Miss Cheerful is back."
"You must mean Miss Stone" Officer Wingfield said. He nodded, "that's who I'm investigating. Miss Stone has some company funds missing, and her boyfriend's suddenly got a new car and new house." Miss Stone was shooting him malevolent looks from across the room.
Brown shuffled over, "is everyone enjoying themselves?"
"We were" Metanoia said scornfully, looking at Stone. "She owns the property that the Children's Home is on."
"That's true" Brown agreed. "Sad to say, I hear she wants to knock it down to build a shopping mall."
"That's disgraceful!" Kaiba growled. "If she wants to get rid of the Home so bad, why did she come at all?!"
"Judging by her complaining I'd say her boyfriend, Brad Timbers, 'dragged' her here," Mrs. Wingfield concluded.
Bakura looked out the window. "Wow, the snow is really starting to pick up. I hope the plows get out there soon."
A bell rang in the hallway. "Everyone please make your way to the living room" Mrs. Calisto chimed.
"I hate to inform you all, but our host, Mr. Body has been found dead!" McBride announced dramatically.
"Really?" Joey asked.
Mai groaned, "it's part of the game" she explained".
McBride continued, "the only clues left behind is this duel monsters card, and a vile of poison." He held up a "Change of Heart" card. "One among us tonight is the murderer! It's your job to talk with the other guests, and try to uncover the truth."
"As for now, dinner is served" Brown announced. The guests laughed at this sudden change in conversation.
"I wonder if the card is a clue to the murder, or the motive?" Tea mused.
Yugi agreed, "didn't your character once work for Mr. Body Tristen? You might have wanted revenge," he said in a mock spooky voice.
Joey shrugged, "who cares? I'm starved." They all looking around the table for their place cards.
Without warning, a woman's high pitched scream echoed from the other room, followed by a loud thud. Everyone ran into the hall. The ax once held by a suit of armor had fallen, barely missing Officer Wingfield!
Mrs. Wingfield helped up her husband. He had dove to miss being hit. "Are you ok dear?" she asked worriedly.
He brushed himself off, "I'm fine, I must have knocked into it on my way past."
A man in a gray suit shook his head, "that's a rather dangerous prop Susan."
She didn't answer, a look of horror was spread across her face. "That wasn't a prop Luis," McBride explained, looking puzzled.