"Uh oh," Tea said, coming in Mai's hotel suite. "You'd better hide." She put her coat down and studied the taller girl with wide blue eyes. The two girl were staying together, since Joey had switched with Tea because he was still pissed off.

"Hide!" Mai laughed as thought that were the funniest thing she'd ever heard. It was nearly sundown the next day, and Tea had just come aftera whole day of helping the boys to get around the tournament. "So did they win any duels?"

"Well, some of them. These Spanish people have cards no one has ever heard of! And, I can't read Spanish that well." Tea shook her head.

"So, you think they might be cheating?" Mai picked up the phone to order room service.

"No!" Tea looked astonished to think such a thing. Then she looked thoughtful.

Mai smiled and shook her head. "What do you want to eat?" She turned around. "OR do you want to go to a restaurant . . .?"

"Not really. I'm tired." Tea yawned sleepily. Then in an abrupt change of subject, she wondered, "Did you do that marker thing to Joey?"

"Well, if you want the truth . . . ." Mai ran a manicured nail down the menu. "Yeah. Ever since Battle City, I've got the weirdest urge to play mean tricks. I don't know why . . . ."

"Maybe . . ." Tea frowned, then said in her usual blunt way, " because some of that Marik's evilness rubbed off on you." Mai paused in mid finger. "I mean, when he took your mind," she pushed.

Mai didn't answer.

"Is that why you've quit Duel Monsters?" Tea got up and went around so she could see Mai's expression. " . .. . because you're too traumatized . . .?"

Mai scowled uncharacteristically at her over-perceptiveness. Then a slow smile spread on her pretty face into a wicked grin and she advanced on Tea. "Sooo, Tea," she said, grinning as the teen girl took a cautious step back. "How Are things between you and Yugi?"

"Oh. Very mature." Tea crossed her arms with a glare.

"Are things . . .progressing?" Mai pushed, knowing the tables were turned and that power was on her side. "I bet you jumped at the chance to be . . . .ALONE with him, eh?" she teased, nudging and winking her.

"Whatever! I give up," Tea stepped back with an exaggerated show of exasperation. Then, suddenly she said angrily, "You know, that's really getting old." Mai continued to snicker. "I could say the same thing about you and Joey, you know, but I won't-"

"Me! Me and that . . . .kid? Aha ha ha ha!"

"He's only . .. " Tea frowned in thought. "Four ,five? Years younger."

"Try sixteen, that is. At least in the way he acts." Tea had to nod. " And you know I had to drag him away from . . . ." Mai glanced behind, and whispered, "Serenity."

"Oh. Riiight. Her dating Kai-"

"Ssh! Not so LOUD."

"Oh, it's still a secret?" Tea shook her head, in disgust. "So out of the goodness of your heart, you decided to help?"

"I don't like your tone. She asked me to help."

"And you helped by playing a joke and now he's angry."

"Idiot." Mai frowned put set down the now forgotten phone. "Did you know, last night he actually threatened me? I mean, isn't he the one always saying I ought to have a sense of humor?"

"He threatened you?" Tea looked shocked.

"Yes, and. . .. " Mai didn't say how just as shocked she'd been last night. She knew Joey was a hothead, but he'd been so furious. " . . .and . .. .today at the dance clubs I couldn't even have a good time because I felt guilt!" She said it like she'd never felt it before, which was true. "Can you believe that!"

"Actually, yeah." Tea said dryly. "Sometimes we humans feel guilt."

"Ha, ha."

"-When we play a horrible mean joke on our friends."

"But-" Mai raised one finger in the air. "A funny joke."

There was a silence while Tea struggled to keep stern. " . . . . . .. well, today some group of old nuns were chasing him, calling him Lucifer in spanish."

"What! Really? But," Mai frowned in confusion, "The marker . . .wasn't permanent . .. w-was it?"

The front door flew open as Tea nodded in answer. Apparently it'd been left open. "Yesss . . it WAS permenant," a biting voice said.

"Oh. MY God." Mai clapped her hands to her face as Yugi and Joey stepped in. The angry expression on Joey face said You'd better run, but Mai was stubborn. "N-no it wasn't! The marker said, 'Washable'!"

"Do ya really think . . ." Joey seethed, struggling with his temper, " Dat I'd walk around like this if it wasn't!" The mark were faded, but you could still read a word on his cheek, along with the beard and moustache.

"It was!" Mai walked over to her purse, and opened it. Don't laugh, she told herself. What's wrong with you? It's not funny! An unwanted mental image of nuns chasing him down the city armed with crosses came to her, and a snicker slipped out. "S-see, I'll s-show you!" she lifted the marker and pointed. " 'Washable!' "

"Lemme see that!" He lifted it to the light to see better. " 'Washable Marker . . .' "

"See! See!" she said defensively.

" . . . .' only when wet.' "

Ulp! Mai gulped and backed away as he advanced dangeroursly. Hating confrontations, Yugi stepped forward between them and said lightly, "Come on, Joey, it was an understandable accident." Trying to change the subject, he looked over at Tea, who was watching the scene with placid interest. "Tea, c'n you help us order some food at the restaurant?"

"Sure." Tea nodded.

"Come on, then, Joey." Yugi coaxed. "I'm sure no one even noticed!"

"Are ya kidding, Yuge? You saw everyone making fun of me calling me vampire and da like and holding silver crosses in my way and throwing garlic!" He took out the clove that was still in his pocket digustedly. "Yuck. I don't even like garlic! ...'Cept on pizza, maybe . . . ." he said thoughtfully, considering.

At this, Mai couldn't keep it in. She ran to her bedroom door and closed it behind her. "E-e-e-excuse me!" Slam.

"Wow, she sounds really broken up about it," Yugi commented in the silence.

"No, she jus' need to laugh her head off." Joey said, scowling darkly as loud, unsuccessfully muffled laughter drifted from her door. He paused, looking down at the marker still in his hand and said, "You two go on ahead and order. I'll be right there."

Seeing the dangerous light in his friend's eye, Yugi was worried, but agreed. "All right. . . . ." and he and Tea left the suite. "I hope he doesn't . . .do anything to make it worse . . . ."

"Me too." Tea agreed.

Later

"Hoo. . .. boy," Mai pushed her long, curly blond hair out of her face and sat up. I haven't laughed like that, since .. . I don't know when, she thought, rubbing her sticky face. And she still felt like laughing. She jumped out of her skin, when the door was kicked open with a bang!.

"God! You scared the wits out of me!" she said, clutching her heart. "What is it? I said I was sorry." She got up and straightened her dress. "What more do you want?" She immediately regretted it as he unscrewed the cap of the marker. "W-what do you think you're going to do with that!"

"Payback." he said sinisterly, which was sort of ironic, with the way he looked. Slowly, he advanced on her with the marker raised like a weapon.

"Oooh, no you don't!" She backed away warily. "If you come one foot of me, Joseph, I will slap you so hard!" she threatened, sounding like like she meant it. "This is going too far."

"Is it? It sounds like it's pretty fair ta me." He narrowed his dark eyes ominously. He didn't really intend on drawing on her face, but just wanted to giveher ascare. Which was a bad idea as he'd soon find out. "Don't ya think?" Mai dashed for the door. But he cornered her between the table and a lamp. "Or didn't you think at all when ya did dis to me?"

Mai sighed at the hurt look on his face. "No. There. I admit it, okay? I wasn't thinking. Happy now?"

"Yeah." he said sarcastically, still advancing. "Now, you'll have a better drawing than mine. Or maybe, I should do somethin' else to pay ya back?"

"Wait!" she edged toward the front door and put her hand on the doorknob and racked her brains for good blackmail. "If you don't pay me back, then . . . I won't tell anyone. . . . whosenameyou were calling out for on the plane!"

"Huh?" he said taken aback." What? I wasn't! What're ya talkin' about?"

"When you were sleeping!" With a smirk, she mimicked, " ' Oh, my love!' And then the girl's name; remember?"

"Riiight." But still looked unsure. "Who was it?" She laughed. Grr. She always laughin' at me! "Is that why you drew all over me?"

She stopped abruptly. "What!"

"Cause . . .you were jealous?" he shot back said with a grin.

"Ohh. Give me a break. Here I try to do something nice for you-"

"Nice for me! You wrote on me with permanent marker! When I was just about to enter a tournament!"

"You wouldn't even of entered if it weren't for me!"

"All right. I'll give you dat. And," he added, putting away the marker, "I won't get revenge, neither. Only . . . if you tell me da real reason why you didn't enter this tournament."

"W-w . .. No!" she sputtered.

"Ah, so there is a real reason."

"No! This isn't any hidden reason. We should've even be having this conversation!" She sidestepped him. "Aren't you hungry?" she mumbled. "Your friends are waiting downstairs."

"Mm . . .nah. Not hungry." She gave him an incredulous look."Hey, sometimes I'm not hungry!"

"Riiight. Well, just go away then. I'm busy. Go on." she made shooing motions while he just stared. "Well?"

Joey sighed and lauguidly took out the marker. "Always takin' the hard way, eh, Mai?"

Without warning, he charged at her. She didn't even have time to hit him. Using the table to block her kicks, he pinned her arms up. With the other hand, he tapped the marker to his face thoughtfully. "Now lessee . .. . what kinda drawing for you? Hmm . . . . ."

"If you put just one mark on my face, Joseph, just one-I'll-"

"Ah! A 'number' one! Dat's a good idea. Now hold still," he said, as she tried to move to the side, "Or it'll come out crooked . . ."

"Okay, okay! I'll tell you why; just let me go!" Suddenly she kicked at the wood table with a foot. When she looked up, he was staring, stunned, at the table over turned. It had rammed into him painfully. Ow. Dat's gonna leave a mark . . "Are you . . . okay? I don't know . . .I panicked!" She hurried over, a concerned expression on her face. "Are you all right?"

"Yeahh . . . I always . . .whimper like this when I'm alright," he said with sarcasm. "What've ya been eatin', mega-vitimans!" He pushed at her. "Get off!"

" . .. Fine then!" She backed away with an insulted expression. " I was going to help you, but you can obviously do it yourself! Whatever!" Mai grabbed her purse and was gone, slamming the front door behind her.

TBC