MAI: Hey, what's your problem? You chicken or something? Did I hurt you too badly?

KAIBA: *stops walking away and turns around slowly as if in deep thought* Do you have food, MAI?

MAI: Maybe. So what if I do?

KAIBA: I challenge you to a duel.

MAI: A duel?

KAIBA: Seeing as how we were supposed to be participating in a tournament, I presume you have a deck with you?

MAI: So? Tell me again WHY I should duel a loser like you?

KAIBA: Don't worry; we'll have a wager. If you beat me in a duel, I'll go away and leave you alone. But if I beat you, then you share your provisions with me the rest of the way back to Domino City, meaning we'll have to be traveling together.

MAI: WHAT?! *laughs* So you're lost in the forest with nothing to eat and with nothing to eat and no means of communication with the outside world? THAT is SERIOUSLY FUNNY! This could make the front cover of some newspaper; "Seto Kaiba: Arrogant Fool; Trapped in a Forest, Starving to Death." *starts giggling madly*

KAIBA: SHUT UP! *mutters to himself:* You fool! *out loud:* So will you duel me or are you too scared?

MAI: *stops her insane giggling* Of course I'll duel you . . . . but I want more than your "going away and leaving me alone" if I win.

KAIBA: Fine. What do you want?

MAI: If you win, I share my food with you. If I win, then when we get back to Domino City, that is, if YOU make it back as well, you give me partial ownership of your company, Kaiba Corp.

KAIBA: *laughs* Done. Though if I were you, I wouldn't count on winning . . . . . unless I was planning being disappointed.

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*Kaiba and Mai duel. Mai seems confident that Kaiba's overconfidence will be his downfall. However, Kaiba realizes from the few duels he's lost in the past, that he shouldn't underestimate his opponent. Kaiba duels carefully and with caution. Mai duels with confidence and courage. In the end, (of course), Kaiba emerges as the victor* ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------

MAI: *sighs* Fine, I'll have to admit that was a good duel. But now that we're sharing food, we're going to have to make it back home in two weeks.

KAIBA: Why?

MAI: I have enough food with me for one person to live off of for a month. If two people start eating the food, then obviously it will run out in half the time. A month is four weeks in case you didn't know, and four divided by two is two.

KAIBA: *irritated* I know. I have some money with me, if we can get out of this forest and into civilization, then I can spend it. Of course, you'll have to manage by yourself, because I'm not willing to spend any money on you.

MAI: No. If I share my food with you, then you better share whatever food you get after mine runs out.

KAIBA: *grumbles* I'm the one who beat you in duel, I should get what I want.

MAI: If I don't share my food with you, you'll die of starvation. *remembering Kaiba's weak spot, she adds:* And if you die, who'll look after your brother?

KAIBA: *sighs* Fine, I'll share but to start with, I'd like some of my winnings now.

MAI: Fine. *takes out one of her two pre-made sandwiches and tosses it to Kaiba, who catches it neatly, one-handed*

KAIBA: *eats sandwich* You know, Mai, we may be able to make our food last longer if we scrimp, meaning-

MAI: I know what "scrimp" means. I have no problem with scrimping our food, but you might.

KAIBA: No, I don't.

MAI: Really? Fine then, we don't eat till nightfall. Speaking of which, we better get a move on soon if we ever want to get out of this forest.

KAIBA: Okay, which way?

MAI: Don't you know?

KAIBA: So you're lost?

MAI: No, I know the way out, I'm just wondering if you do. KAIBA: Of course I do.

MAI: Then?

KAIBA: Uh. . . . .I mean um. . . . . er. . . . . *cheeks turn slightly red*

MAI: *sighs with exasperation* Reina Spire's west of Domino City, right? So we travel in the direction the sun rises.

KAIBA: Wouldn't that be east?

MAI: *rolls eyes* No duh. We travel west to get here, we travel east to get back, simple.

KAIBA: Okay then, let's go.

MAI: *starts off towards a path near the river. Kaiba follows*

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Okay, so this concludes the third chapter. In case you want to know, I'm planning on addressing the issue of this non-existing tournament that Kaiba and Mai were invited to in the first place, which is the root cause of all this "walking through the forest" in the next chapter.