A/N: Greetings, loyal readers. As usual, I would like to thank those of you who read the last chapter:
Lady Phoenix: Well, here it is. The scene with Kaiba and Mai…you may be surprised how it ends. Thanks for reading!
SusAracAhack: Glad you like it. Thanks for reviewing, and enjoy the update.
Malik's Yami: I know…I can be a moron when I wanna be! Anyway, I hope you enjoy the chapter.
Linkin Phoenix:gulps: Looks like I have an offer I can't refuse…Anyway, good points about Mai's dueling capabilities, she did almost beat Yugi and Marik. (though I point out that it seems like EVERYONE almost beats Yugi) Thanks for reading.
Cherry-star-Aus: Glad you liked it…thanks for reading!
Anime Ruthless: I'm just going to say this, the result may not shock…but what happens afterwards may surprise. Thanks for reading.
SpaceyChic468: Glad you didn't think it was predictable or anything. Hope you enjoy the chapter, and thanks for reading!
Shyly in the Dark: Hey, I appreciate your (and LeighC's) enthusiasm for my fics. I'm just hoping that I can get to read more of your work soon!
Well...here it is. Enjoy, people!
Test of Friendship
Chapter 12
"Hello, Tea."
"Hello, Yugi."
After that, nothing but silence. Tea played with one of the branches on the tree for a while, and Yugi looked at the roots of the large tree as if they were the most interesting thing on Earth. This went on for about ten minutes, until one of them finally gained enough courage to speak.
"Do you remember...at Duelist Kingdom?"
Yugi blinked for a moment. She still wouldn't look him in the eyes. "What about it?"
Tea smiled. A seemingly sad smile, but one nonetheless. "Mai tried to get us to speak to one another. It was pretty ackward, even though we've know each other for a long time."
"Yeah..."
"Yugi, last week, when I said that I didn't love you...I wasn't sure that I meant it. It's just that we've been good friends for so long, I'm scared that if something romantic between us didn't work out that we wouldn't be friends."
Tea looked down at the smaller boy in shock as he took her hand into his.
"No matter what happens between us, I'll always be your friend. And I'll always love you too."
Tea couldn't believe this. Was his love for her really that strong? Even though she rejected him for his long-time friend? Even though they hadn't spoken in nearly a week?
The two smiled at one another...then leaned in for a kiss...
"HEY!"
The two turned their heads before their lips could even make contact to see who had interrupted them. When Tea saw who it was, she rolled her eyes.
"Tristan, what do you want?"
He was breathing heavily, so the young man needed a minute or so to respond. "It's going down at Malik's house! His sister's back in town and he's throwing her this huge party TONIGHT! Um...what were you two doing here anyway?"
Yugi muffled a giggle as Tea yelled the loudest curse word she could muster. "It's none of your buisness, anyway, idiot!"
"Geesh...don't kill the messenger. You guys saved me the time of going by your houses! Now I gotta go and see if i can get Jo-" Tristan, realizing what he was about to say stopped. "Um...I'll see you guys there?"
As Tristan sped off, he added another little comment. "OH, YOU TWO MAKE SUCH A CUTE COUPLE!"
Both of the young people instantly turned the brightest shade of red ever seen.
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Mai and Kaiba were comming to the finish of their duel. Kaiba (600 LP) was toying with his captive. He didn't give a damn about the result, he just wanted to see her suffer. Why? Frankly because he thought she deserved it. He felt anyone beneath him desereved to be treated this way, to act out his own live-action soap opera.
"Well, Miss Mai (200 LP), this has been a pretty interesting duel. Interesting, but done. My Blue Eyes White Dragon is poised to attack the next turn after your Swords of Revealing Light wear off, so spare yourself the embarassment. SURRENDER NOW!"
Mai could see that he was trying to rattle her cage, but she knew that he was right. Dammit, he's right! His Blue Eyes (3000 atk) easily beats my Harpy's Pet Dragon (2000 atk). I only have one chance left...
Mai's hand shakily pulled up the card from her deck, knowing that if she failed her life would be over as she knew it.
Please...YES! Kaiba, you're finished!
"What's taking so long? Play your pathetic card so I can get this over with! I have a wedding to plan."
Mai smiled. "The only thing you'll be planning is how to tell Yugi and his friends what you've done! First, I'll activate the spell card Hinotama, taking 500 of your life points!"
"Big deal, I still have 100 life points and there is nothing that can save your pathetic Pet Dragon."
"Yes there is..."
Mai turned the card that she drew so that he could see it.
"NO FUCKING WAY YOUR LUCK IS THAT GOOD?" He roared, looking at the card that would cause his downfall.
"Yes...I play Return from the Different Dimension! At the expense of half my life points, I can summon as many monsters in my Graveyard back to the field as possible! And you know what I'm going to bring back, don't you?"
Kaiba gave no response as he glared at her.
"ALL FOUR OF MY HARPIE LADIES!"
The four Harpie Ladies reappared in the game, much to Mai's relief. "You know what happens next, Kaiba. My Pet Dragon gets a 300 point boost for each of my Ladies on the field...meaning that at an attack of 3200, its strong enough to knock out your Blue Eyes! CONSIDER THIS OUR DIVORCE! HARPIE'S PET DRAGON ATTACK!"
Kaiba closed his eyes for a moment as the hologram of his Blue Eyes was destroyed.
"It's over, Kaiba..."
To her surprise, Kaiba did not start throwing things around. Or start yelling. Or start beating her. He began to laugh.
"Heh...has defeat made you insane, Kaiba?"
"I'm as sane as ever. Go...tell your friends what I've done! I don't care! Besides, do you think they would believe a common slut like yourself?"
Kaiba didn't even feel the hand smacking his face before he jumped up and grabbed her forcefully by the jaw. "DO YOU THINK ICARED WHETHER I LOST?" The cards in his hand at the end of the duel fell to the floor, among them the Ultimate Dragon Ritual card and the other two prized Blue Eyes White Dragons.
"I was toying with you, woman! I could have easily ended our duel at anytime I saw fit!"
Mai had her eyes shut tight...hoping that his yelling and gloating would be all that she would have to endure. "The only reason I let you win is because I want YOU to tell the losers how I played all of them."
Kaiba looked her over as if she were a giant pile of waste, his eyes filled with disgust.
"Get out of my house." Kaiba pushed her to the floor, causing Mai to squeal a little.
Mai looked up into his piercing blue eyes, wondering if he was indeed sane.
"I SAID GET THE HELL OUT!"
Scrambling off the floor, Mai grabbed her purse and ran as quickly out of the mansion. Unbeknowst to Kaiba or even Mai, a young eleven year old had been watching the entire incident. He knew now what he needed to do, not only to help Mai, Yugi and their friends, but to help his brother as well.
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"Go away, Tristan, I ain't interested."
Tristan banged on his best friend's bedroom door. He had been trying to convince him to come to Malik's party, but the blonde would have no part of it.
"Come on, dude! Everybody's gonna be there!"
"Which is exactly why don't wanna go. Poor Yug..."
"Dude, I saw Yugi in the park, he's definitely not in low spirits right now, if I really saw what I saw!"
Joey's demeaor changed in an instant. "Whaddya mean?"
"Well, he and Tea were under that Oak tree in the park about to get hot and heavy before I saw them...Joey?...you there?"
"Gimme ten minutes, I gotta take a showa. AND IF YA TOUCH MY SISTA, YOURE A DEAD MAN!"
"Okay, okay! Geesh, can't I just invite her?"
Tristan got no response as he heard Joey's water cut on. It's about time, Joey, Tea and Yugi have some issues to resolve..who knows? Maybe a little get-together might help.
"Hey, Serenity! You comming to?"
The girl looked up from the couch, her tears dried by now. Now she could play the "happy face" without looking like a fraud.
"Sure! Let me get dressed." Her face then formed a slight frown. "No peeking!"
Tristan laughed nervously. "Of course not! I'm a gentleman!"
Needless for me to say this story is about to come to a serious head! Joey, Serenity, Yugi andTea all in the same building, at the same time! Plus, what about Mai? Will she be able to find the others to tell them about Kaiba's evil scheming! Even if she does, will anyone believe her? And what the heck is wrong with Kaiba anyway? Why has he been doing this to Yugi and his friends? Find out next time!
OK...let's try 100 reviews for the next update, eh? I'm sure enough of you will probably respond to keep this one going. I'll be trying to update my other stories all week, and I have serious urges to write something else, possibly on my Street Fighter or Teen Titans fics, or even head over into another anime, probably either Naruto or Sailor Moon. Well, enough babbling. Hope you enjoyed the update, I'm out!
BDB...out.