Nine
# CW: Ah, yes. Where were we? Uh, I've forgotten. Maybe we should just go right back to the beginning and start again. Nee-hee! Jus' kiddin'. It was the horrible cliffie. #
They sat down on Yugi's couch and Joey prepared to tell Mai what he'd been wanting to say for all these years.
'Look, you may not have guessed it, but there's a reason for my dating Seska.' He began quietly.
'Because you love her?' Mai interrupted irritably. 'Because you thought you had so much in common and she was so pretty and you were so lonely?'
'No, Mai. Just hear me out.' Said Joey.
'I don't wanna lecture about relationships and how you're so happy that you're not single anymore.' Snapped Mai.
'It's – because – of – YOU!' Joey interrupted at the top of his lungs. 'I am dating her because I wanted to get to you.'
'Why the heck would you wanna do that?' sneered Mai.
'Because I love you!' Joey blurted out. 'Mai, I've thought of nothing but you ever since you left eight years ago. I love you. When you turned up at the tournament, it was like a dream come true. Then you hit me and it turned into the worst nightmare possible.' Joey's voice dropped to almost a murmur. 'Mai, could you ever love me in return?'
'Joey, I knew this would come up someday.' Mai sat back with a sigh. 'I already know how you feel, but I thought you'd tell me when we were both happily settled and there was no way we could possibly get together. You'd say: 'Mai, I had such a crush on you back then!' And I'd say: 'Yeah, I know!' And we'd laugh and say no more about it.'
'Mai, I asked you-'
'Joey, let me put it this way. Love sucks. I've never had a relationship that I didn't want to break. I've been married once, but that was just for publicity, and I got a divorce like, a week later anyway. I've been truly in love once as well, but I could never be with that guy, no matter how much I wanted to. I'm sorry, but I wanna stay single from now on, huh?'
Joey clenched his fists in anguish.
'Mai, you're just – just – arggh!' Joey whacked the arm of the couch with all his might.
'I'm sorry, Joey, but that's the way it's gonna be.' Mai folded her arms sternly. 'What're you gonna do about it? Dump me? Ha!'
'Mai, just – PLEEEAAASE!' Joey gave up aggression and rolled off the couch onto his knees.
'Please what?' Mai sniffed, although she was clearly enjoying the attention. 'Please love you? Joey, I'll love who I want.'
'Ok.' Joey sighed. 'I've been a jerk. It's just, well, the moment I saw you in the car back then, I knew I didn't wanna be with Seska anymore. I wanted you. That's all I'm gonna say. I'll see you around, huh?' Joey heaved himself heavily from the couch and trudged down the stairs into the shop, then out through the door, turning the sign on the way.
Yugi had forgotten.
Joey swallowed hard as he wandered along the sidewalk.
He could feel something welling up inside him that he didn't want to come out (A/N No, it wasn't Téa's cooking, and no it wasn't gas).
He sniffed a couple of times and cleared his throat to get rid of it. He'd always hated men who cry, and he wasn't about to become one.
But eight years-
It wasn't worth thinking about. Only a numbskull wastes that amount of time waiting for someone who isn't worth the mud beneath his shoes.
That was Mai, alright. Worthless. She may have posy clothes, a posy car and a posy career, but she was worthless.
But eight years-
~
'I won't do it! I've had enough, Sanu!'
'Brother!'
'No. I don't care what happens now. I'm a different guy.'
'You mustn't be, brother! Think of what you could achieve!'
'No, Sanu.'
'Yes, brother!'
'Leave me in peace. I don't want this.'
'Well, I do.' Hissed Sanu as she stalked out of the room. If Seto hadn't the nerve, she had.
No more dallying with this pathetic tournament.
~
'Nice one, Joey!'
'Thanks Mako. Man, it's weird seeing everyone again after so long.'
'You said it! Why, I saw Rex Raptor yesterday and I barely recognised him!'
'Yeah, we met Weevil and he's taller than me now!' laughed Joey, stowing his duel device back in his pocket along with the two locator cards he'd won from his old friend.
'Wha'?' Mako was dumbstruck.
'It's true!' grinned Joey.
'Well, catch you later, friend.' Smiled Mako. 'I must go and see to it that I stay in the tournament.'
'That's the spirit, man! Whoop the socks off of them!' Joey grinned, slapping his friend on the muscular shoulder.
Mako gave him the thumbs up and wandered off.
'Yo! Mako!' Joey called after him. 'Any news of your dad?'
'You bet!' Mako beamed. 'He's alive and well. He was living on an island, and man, was he a sight to look at!'
Joey laughed. 'See ya round, Mako!' he called, then turned his back to wander back to the rest of the group.
He crashed straight into another man.
'Hey! Watch it!' he was about to exclaim, when he noticed that the guy was Mokuba Kaiba, his forehead shiny with sweat, his hair in even more of a tangled mess.
'You Ok, tiger?' he asked.
'Joey, the weird woman's got Sandra!' Mokuba panted. 'I need to tell the guys now!'
'Who's Sandra?' Joey was confused.
'My girlfriend! You know, the blonde one?' Mokuba was agitated.
'How many others are there?' Joey could tell he was really starting to bug the youth.
'Where are the guys?' persisted Mokuba.
'Just over here. Come on!'
Joey and Mokuba hurried over to the group standing quite a way off.
'Great duelling, Jo-' began Seska, but Mokuba interrupted.
'Yugi! Guys, come on! That woman's got my girlfriend!'
'Woman?' Yugi look up at the dark haired teen.
'You know, the one who was after my brother.'
'Come on guys! We're gonna help!' said Yugi gallantly.
'Bu-' began Duke, but Tristan grabbed him by the collar and dragged him along behind the rest of the group.
'Where was she taking her?' asked Mai.
'I'll show you.' Mokuba began to run and the others followed.
Mokuba led them down and alley, then another, then took a left turn.
He stopped dead in front of an old warehouse.
'So - that's where they've got the girl, huh?' said Rain nonchalantly, leaning against a wall.
'Yeah, this is where she took Sandra.' Said Mokuba.
'Do you hear anything?' asked Seska.
'Yeah, your big mouth yapping.' Snapped Mai.
'Let me go, God damn you!' Duke snarled at Tristan.
'Ssh!' Yugi put a finger to his lips.
'What, do you hear something?' hissed Joey.
'Not likely with all the noise you guys are making.' Weevil pointed out.
There was a small chuckle.
'Ah! What was that?' Serenity clung to Duke, making Tristan growl.
'Up here!'
'Oh, goodness me!' Ryou jumped out of his skin as he looked up.
Above their heads, suspended in mid air, floated the white-caped figure of a young woman, a glowing belt-like thing around her waist.
'Oh, for all those who don't know, my name's Sanumun.' She said matter-of- factly. 'Welcome, my friends. I knew you'd go squealing as soon as I caught the girl, Mokuba. Thank you for that.'
'Hand her over, Sanumun!' Yugi's voice had gained a sudden power.
Most of his companions recognised this instantly as the voice of Yami, the ancient Egyptian pharaoh.
'Ah, I was wondering when you would grace us with your presence, my liege.' Sneered Sanumun mockingly.
'Enough of that, just give the girl to us and there will be no trouble.'
'Oh, but pharaoh, I WANT trouble.' Cackled Sanumun.
'Now she's starting to sound like my old spirit of the millennium ring.' Muttered Ryou.
'You'll have to play this MY way.' Sanumun sneered.
'Oh yeah?' Joey growled. 'Make us!'
'Shouldn't have said that.' Muttered Mai.
'You know what, I think I will.' Sanumun raised both arms and brought them down suddenly.
The earth itself began to rumble, loose splinters of concrete and stone skittering about on the surface. (A/N cheesy, I know.)
All of a sudden, the ground beneath them cracked and caved in.
They fell, arms flailing although they knew it was hopeless.
The dust began to clear and Ryou sat up, coughing.
'Is everyone mildly alive?' he asked.
Everyone agreed that they were, apart from Duke who insisted that he was dead and seemed certain that he would not be resurrected until all danger had passed.
One by one, the friends heaved themselves to their feet and looked round.
They were obviously in an underground level of the warehouse. It spread out much further than the top floor.
The floor was made from concrete and the walls were smeared with damp.
It was freezing. Rain shivered as she scanned the area.
'Can anyone see a way out?' she asked.
'I'm dead.' Replied Duke, out of the blue.
'That's nice.' Weevil said, to shut the dark-haired man up.
'Look, I don't like the look of this.' Said Yugi. 'I mean, being trapped underground by a woman with strange powers, that can't be good, can it?'
'Hmm, let's think-' said Mai sarcastically, scratching her head. 'No.'
'Mokie!' A disembodied voice echoed around the hollow space.
'Sandra? Where are you?' Mokuba looked urgently this way and that.
'She's here!'
Sanumun appeared again, her chestnut hair rippling as she descended through the hole the gang had just fallen through.
In her fist, she held the arm of a young woman, who was struggling and flailing her skinny arms about wildly in an attempt to break free.
'Let her go, Sanumun!' Mokuba growled, but Yami out an arm out in front of him.
'No, Mokuba.' He said quietly, 'If she wants to do this her way, we'll play along.'
'So.' He turned to the levitating woman. 'What do you want in return for the girl?'
Sanumun threw her head back and let out a long, shrill laugh.
'My pharaoh.' She sneered. 'You know what I want! I wanted it in my last life, the life that I and my brother forfeited because of our unquenchable lust for it, and I still want it now!'
'Who are you?' hissed Yami.
'Remember the sorcerer, my pharaoh? Look at me. Tell me who I am.'
Yami looked deep into that pale face, into the icy blue eyes, hard with pain from the past, but glowing with determination for the future. The eyes of his rival.
'Kaiba.' He muttered under his breath. 'You-' He began, a glimmer of recognition in his own violet eyes. 'You are the sorcerer's sister.'
'That is correct, pharaoh, now tell me what I want.'
'The same thing your brother wanted those thousands of years ago. My power.'
'You are getting good at this game, aren't you Yami?' mocked Sanumun, gripping Sandra tighter. 'Now, what will you do? Save your little friend's sweetheart or run to keep your title safe?'
'You must think me mad!' snarled Yami. 'I will do neither, yet.'
'Ah, you have the usual in mind, do you?' Sanumun's eyes glimmered.
'Yes, a duel.' Said Yami. (A/N AAAAAAAAARGH! Oh well, I knew it would have to come into it. I hate Yami's 'settle every damn thing with a duel' philosophy!) 'You win, Kaiba can have my title and anything else he might possibly want. I win and I keep my title and get Sandra back, agreed?'
Sanumun smirked. 'Agreed.' She said venomously.
# CW: 'NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! *gasp for breath* I'm gonna have to write a duel scene! I hate these! Urgh! They're sooooo boring! Down with Duel Monsters, let's all just have a nice social scandal instead! #
# CW: Ah, yes. Where were we? Uh, I've forgotten. Maybe we should just go right back to the beginning and start again. Nee-hee! Jus' kiddin'. It was the horrible cliffie. #
They sat down on Yugi's couch and Joey prepared to tell Mai what he'd been wanting to say for all these years.
'Look, you may not have guessed it, but there's a reason for my dating Seska.' He began quietly.
'Because you love her?' Mai interrupted irritably. 'Because you thought you had so much in common and she was so pretty and you were so lonely?'
'No, Mai. Just hear me out.' Said Joey.
'I don't wanna lecture about relationships and how you're so happy that you're not single anymore.' Snapped Mai.
'It's – because – of – YOU!' Joey interrupted at the top of his lungs. 'I am dating her because I wanted to get to you.'
'Why the heck would you wanna do that?' sneered Mai.
'Because I love you!' Joey blurted out. 'Mai, I've thought of nothing but you ever since you left eight years ago. I love you. When you turned up at the tournament, it was like a dream come true. Then you hit me and it turned into the worst nightmare possible.' Joey's voice dropped to almost a murmur. 'Mai, could you ever love me in return?'
'Joey, I knew this would come up someday.' Mai sat back with a sigh. 'I already know how you feel, but I thought you'd tell me when we were both happily settled and there was no way we could possibly get together. You'd say: 'Mai, I had such a crush on you back then!' And I'd say: 'Yeah, I know!' And we'd laugh and say no more about it.'
'Mai, I asked you-'
'Joey, let me put it this way. Love sucks. I've never had a relationship that I didn't want to break. I've been married once, but that was just for publicity, and I got a divorce like, a week later anyway. I've been truly in love once as well, but I could never be with that guy, no matter how much I wanted to. I'm sorry, but I wanna stay single from now on, huh?'
Joey clenched his fists in anguish.
'Mai, you're just – just – arggh!' Joey whacked the arm of the couch with all his might.
'I'm sorry, Joey, but that's the way it's gonna be.' Mai folded her arms sternly. 'What're you gonna do about it? Dump me? Ha!'
'Mai, just – PLEEEAAASE!' Joey gave up aggression and rolled off the couch onto his knees.
'Please what?' Mai sniffed, although she was clearly enjoying the attention. 'Please love you? Joey, I'll love who I want.'
'Ok.' Joey sighed. 'I've been a jerk. It's just, well, the moment I saw you in the car back then, I knew I didn't wanna be with Seska anymore. I wanted you. That's all I'm gonna say. I'll see you around, huh?' Joey heaved himself heavily from the couch and trudged down the stairs into the shop, then out through the door, turning the sign on the way.
Yugi had forgotten.
Joey swallowed hard as he wandered along the sidewalk.
He could feel something welling up inside him that he didn't want to come out (A/N No, it wasn't Téa's cooking, and no it wasn't gas).
He sniffed a couple of times and cleared his throat to get rid of it. He'd always hated men who cry, and he wasn't about to become one.
But eight years-
It wasn't worth thinking about. Only a numbskull wastes that amount of time waiting for someone who isn't worth the mud beneath his shoes.
That was Mai, alright. Worthless. She may have posy clothes, a posy car and a posy career, but she was worthless.
But eight years-
~
'I won't do it! I've had enough, Sanu!'
'Brother!'
'No. I don't care what happens now. I'm a different guy.'
'You mustn't be, brother! Think of what you could achieve!'
'No, Sanu.'
'Yes, brother!'
'Leave me in peace. I don't want this.'
'Well, I do.' Hissed Sanu as she stalked out of the room. If Seto hadn't the nerve, she had.
No more dallying with this pathetic tournament.
~
'Nice one, Joey!'
'Thanks Mako. Man, it's weird seeing everyone again after so long.'
'You said it! Why, I saw Rex Raptor yesterday and I barely recognised him!'
'Yeah, we met Weevil and he's taller than me now!' laughed Joey, stowing his duel device back in his pocket along with the two locator cards he'd won from his old friend.
'Wha'?' Mako was dumbstruck.
'It's true!' grinned Joey.
'Well, catch you later, friend.' Smiled Mako. 'I must go and see to it that I stay in the tournament.'
'That's the spirit, man! Whoop the socks off of them!' Joey grinned, slapping his friend on the muscular shoulder.
Mako gave him the thumbs up and wandered off.
'Yo! Mako!' Joey called after him. 'Any news of your dad?'
'You bet!' Mako beamed. 'He's alive and well. He was living on an island, and man, was he a sight to look at!'
Joey laughed. 'See ya round, Mako!' he called, then turned his back to wander back to the rest of the group.
He crashed straight into another man.
'Hey! Watch it!' he was about to exclaim, when he noticed that the guy was Mokuba Kaiba, his forehead shiny with sweat, his hair in even more of a tangled mess.
'You Ok, tiger?' he asked.
'Joey, the weird woman's got Sandra!' Mokuba panted. 'I need to tell the guys now!'
'Who's Sandra?' Joey was confused.
'My girlfriend! You know, the blonde one?' Mokuba was agitated.
'How many others are there?' Joey could tell he was really starting to bug the youth.
'Where are the guys?' persisted Mokuba.
'Just over here. Come on!'
Joey and Mokuba hurried over to the group standing quite a way off.
'Great duelling, Jo-' began Seska, but Mokuba interrupted.
'Yugi! Guys, come on! That woman's got my girlfriend!'
'Woman?' Yugi look up at the dark haired teen.
'You know, the one who was after my brother.'
'Come on guys! We're gonna help!' said Yugi gallantly.
'Bu-' began Duke, but Tristan grabbed him by the collar and dragged him along behind the rest of the group.
'Where was she taking her?' asked Mai.
'I'll show you.' Mokuba began to run and the others followed.
Mokuba led them down and alley, then another, then took a left turn.
He stopped dead in front of an old warehouse.
'So - that's where they've got the girl, huh?' said Rain nonchalantly, leaning against a wall.
'Yeah, this is where she took Sandra.' Said Mokuba.
'Do you hear anything?' asked Seska.
'Yeah, your big mouth yapping.' Snapped Mai.
'Let me go, God damn you!' Duke snarled at Tristan.
'Ssh!' Yugi put a finger to his lips.
'What, do you hear something?' hissed Joey.
'Not likely with all the noise you guys are making.' Weevil pointed out.
There was a small chuckle.
'Ah! What was that?' Serenity clung to Duke, making Tristan growl.
'Up here!'
'Oh, goodness me!' Ryou jumped out of his skin as he looked up.
Above their heads, suspended in mid air, floated the white-caped figure of a young woman, a glowing belt-like thing around her waist.
'Oh, for all those who don't know, my name's Sanumun.' She said matter-of- factly. 'Welcome, my friends. I knew you'd go squealing as soon as I caught the girl, Mokuba. Thank you for that.'
'Hand her over, Sanumun!' Yugi's voice had gained a sudden power.
Most of his companions recognised this instantly as the voice of Yami, the ancient Egyptian pharaoh.
'Ah, I was wondering when you would grace us with your presence, my liege.' Sneered Sanumun mockingly.
'Enough of that, just give the girl to us and there will be no trouble.'
'Oh, but pharaoh, I WANT trouble.' Cackled Sanumun.
'Now she's starting to sound like my old spirit of the millennium ring.' Muttered Ryou.
'You'll have to play this MY way.' Sanumun sneered.
'Oh yeah?' Joey growled. 'Make us!'
'Shouldn't have said that.' Muttered Mai.
'You know what, I think I will.' Sanumun raised both arms and brought them down suddenly.
The earth itself began to rumble, loose splinters of concrete and stone skittering about on the surface. (A/N cheesy, I know.)
All of a sudden, the ground beneath them cracked and caved in.
They fell, arms flailing although they knew it was hopeless.
The dust began to clear and Ryou sat up, coughing.
'Is everyone mildly alive?' he asked.
Everyone agreed that they were, apart from Duke who insisted that he was dead and seemed certain that he would not be resurrected until all danger had passed.
One by one, the friends heaved themselves to their feet and looked round.
They were obviously in an underground level of the warehouse. It spread out much further than the top floor.
The floor was made from concrete and the walls were smeared with damp.
It was freezing. Rain shivered as she scanned the area.
'Can anyone see a way out?' she asked.
'I'm dead.' Replied Duke, out of the blue.
'That's nice.' Weevil said, to shut the dark-haired man up.
'Look, I don't like the look of this.' Said Yugi. 'I mean, being trapped underground by a woman with strange powers, that can't be good, can it?'
'Hmm, let's think-' said Mai sarcastically, scratching her head. 'No.'
'Mokie!' A disembodied voice echoed around the hollow space.
'Sandra? Where are you?' Mokuba looked urgently this way and that.
'She's here!'
Sanumun appeared again, her chestnut hair rippling as she descended through the hole the gang had just fallen through.
In her fist, she held the arm of a young woman, who was struggling and flailing her skinny arms about wildly in an attempt to break free.
'Let her go, Sanumun!' Mokuba growled, but Yami out an arm out in front of him.
'No, Mokuba.' He said quietly, 'If she wants to do this her way, we'll play along.'
'So.' He turned to the levitating woman. 'What do you want in return for the girl?'
Sanumun threw her head back and let out a long, shrill laugh.
'My pharaoh.' She sneered. 'You know what I want! I wanted it in my last life, the life that I and my brother forfeited because of our unquenchable lust for it, and I still want it now!'
'Who are you?' hissed Yami.
'Remember the sorcerer, my pharaoh? Look at me. Tell me who I am.'
Yami looked deep into that pale face, into the icy blue eyes, hard with pain from the past, but glowing with determination for the future. The eyes of his rival.
'Kaiba.' He muttered under his breath. 'You-' He began, a glimmer of recognition in his own violet eyes. 'You are the sorcerer's sister.'
'That is correct, pharaoh, now tell me what I want.'
'The same thing your brother wanted those thousands of years ago. My power.'
'You are getting good at this game, aren't you Yami?' mocked Sanumun, gripping Sandra tighter. 'Now, what will you do? Save your little friend's sweetheart or run to keep your title safe?'
'You must think me mad!' snarled Yami. 'I will do neither, yet.'
'Ah, you have the usual in mind, do you?' Sanumun's eyes glimmered.
'Yes, a duel.' Said Yami. (A/N AAAAAAAAARGH! Oh well, I knew it would have to come into it. I hate Yami's 'settle every damn thing with a duel' philosophy!) 'You win, Kaiba can have my title and anything else he might possibly want. I win and I keep my title and get Sandra back, agreed?'
Sanumun smirked. 'Agreed.' She said venomously.
# CW: 'NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! *gasp for breath* I'm gonna have to write a duel scene! I hate these! Urgh! They're sooooo boring! Down with Duel Monsters, let's all just have a nice social scandal instead! #
