Kujaku Confessions
Author: Chaos Valkyrie
First Conceptualized: December 2004
Posted Chapter 02: December 24, 2005

Disclaimer: Do you think Mai would play a bit part if I were writing Yu-Gi-Oh? Shame on you.

Generic Author's Notes:
1. Due to new ffnet standards, all chapters have been updated, most with some minor edits. I'll answer/re-answer reviews between now and next posting in the new area.
2. I have decided on a new update policy. Now that my life is getting back together, I will now post once-a-month on whatever Friday happens to lie between the 15th and 21st. I can't promise an update on every story, but I can promise that if it doesn't post one month, it WILL post the next. This also means that some months, you'll get bonus chapters on some stories.
3. Web page will be up soon with stories that can't be posted here – namely "The Villain's Guide to Evil Stuff" and songfics, etc. I put off the launch to get all this stuff out.
4. By the way, if anyone has Chapter One of "The Chaos Land Tournament" or Lesson 10 of "The Villain's Guide", please let me know. My copies got deleted, and those are the only two I didn't have backed up. You will be rewarded! So please, go to my Author Page for more details…
Thank you for your continued patience, and Happy Holidays!

Chapter Two: Bookends

"No one reads that rag, huh, Yug?" Joey grimaced, looking over at Yugi, who had the grace to look sheepish. It was the day after Téa had read the article aloud to her friends at the café, and Domino High was back in session.

And everywhere they looked, someone had a copy of the Domino Inquirer. Reading it, laughing at it, showing it to friends… apparently, the paper's popularity had soared overnight. And then someone noticed Yugi and Joey entering the campus.

"Hey, it's the punk dwarf!" someone called out.

"Where's Snow White?" another voice catcalled. Yugi turned red and hung his head in embarrassment. Joey patted him on the back.

"Hey Yug, at least that's not as bad as what's comin' for me…" he trailed off as someone yelled out,

"Hey, it's the puppy dog!"

"Mutt!"

"Yugi, shouldn't you have him on a leash?"

"Hey Wheeler, I got you a chew toy!"

"See," Joey asked, resigned. Yugi smiled sympathetically.

"Sorry, Joey. I guess we should just grin and bear it," Yugi pondered out loud. "But I'm surprised at how well you're taking it, Joey."

They had reached their lockers, and Joey grinned at the sight before them. "Yeah, I just want to prove that I can take it better than Moneybags there."

Yugi turned to notice Kaiba was more icy than usual. Especially seeing as he had some poor, terrified underclassman pinned against a locker as he snarled at him.

"What did you call me? Bubblehead, I believe it was?" Kaiba glared at the poor kid, who sweatdropped as he stammered for an excuse.

"Hey, Kaiba, let the poor kid down," Wheeler called as he changed his shoes. Yugi shook his head as Kaiba switched his glare to Joey.

"This doesn't concern you," he smirked, "Mutt."

"Oh yeah, that hurts," Joey clutched his heart in imaginary pain, then rolled his eyes. "The least Kujaku could've done was be original. Like she was with you…" Joey grinned as he looked Kaiba up and down. "At least the school uniform matches."

Kaiba bristled, letting the smaller student go. The kid wisely vanished as Seto walked up to a smirking Joey.

"Say that again?" Kaiba asked threateningly.

"Why, didn't hear it the first time?" Joey mocked. A voice cleared its throat behind them.

"Boys, as much as I love before-school fights, I think you should get to your homerooms. The warning bell is about to ring." Their teacher, Mr. Himura, smiled benignly at them as he waited for the two boys to back away from each other. The bell rang once overhead.

"Or let me put it this way – you suck up your 'mighty ego'," Kaiba glared at the smiling teacher, "and you put your leash back on," Joey sighed, resigned, "and get to class. Now." The normally mild-mannered teacher was eyeing them both sternly, and they hastened to obey.

Joey grinned and winked at Yugi as they heard Kaiba muttering to himself as he stalked ahead of them to homeroom.

"I'll get this Kujaku if it's the last thing I do," he gritted.

Celia Davenport sauntered down the street, smirking over the newspaper clipping in her hand and ignoring the catcalls and appreciative looks given her by passing men. She turned as she reached the building that housed the Domino Inquirer – a modest building, easy to overlook. The newspaper, however, was starting to acquire the attention it deserved.

She walked in, calling out a greeting to several of her reporters who were lounging around the lobby. She lightly walked up the stairs, pushing the door open to the editor's outer office – her outer office.

"Ms. Davenport, your nine o'clock is waiting," her secretary smiled at her, handing her a sheaf of papers, bills, and other mail. She accepted the bundle, her eyes twinkling. She glanced at the clock as she pushed the door open.

"Mai, you're early today! I'm surprised you had time to fix your hair," Celia smirked as the slightly shorter but bustier blond rose to her feet.

"Celia, I'm surprised at you! You know I always make time to be with you," Mai retorted, batting her eyelashes. Celia laughed.

"You haven't changed since high school." She waved at Mai to sit back down as she took off her coat and hung it next to the door.

"Oh, I beg to differ," Mai smirked, glancing down significantly.

"Well, growth spurts aside," Celia smiled, taking her own seat. "The paper has sold out all over the city thanks to your article," Celia tossed the clipping on the desk before her. "We're already planning to increase our run for next weekend!"

Mai smirked. "I'll bet somewhere a certain CEO is having a hissy fit," she grinned.

"Well, I'm just happy that I took a chance on an old friend," Celia replied. "So, have you had any ideas for your next article?"

Mai slid a few sheets of paper across the table to her old friend and new editor. "I made a list of different ideas – I can't just taunt other duelists every article, it would get old after a while. So, I thought I'd switch tactics, rotate through different ideas, like popular strategies, cards, decks. Go over tournament reports, duelist records, things like that," she replied, casually examining a nail. Celia grinned.

"Well, you seem to have everything in order. I'll expect your next article on my desk by Friday." She handed the papers back to Mai. "Are you sure you don't want to put your real name on the byline?"

Mai snorted. "Oh yes, so the lovely Mr. Kaiba can sue me all the much easier? I think not," she replied. "In fact, I think I'll avoid coming in here too much to avoid suspicion. Meet me for lunch Friday? I'll have the article then," she offered, and Celia nodded in agreement.

"I'll see you then, Kujaku." Celia winked at her long time friend as she reached for the door.

"Ciao, Ceelie." Mai laughed as she caught Celia's grimace at the old nickname. She turned as left the office, heading for the lobby. She didn't want to be late for her next appointment by any means.

End Notes: Well, short and to the point. I figured I'd make Joey a little calmer, since I'm sure he's used to the whole "mutt" thing now… that and he probably beat up on Duke enough the day before to get it out of his system. And I think Kaiba could take the taunts for awhile, but he's much more uptight than the others, so I think he'd snap sooner too. Lessee, Celia is an OC, so don't go looking for her in the mangas anytime soon. And lastly, I decided I'd put in an article about every two chapters… I think it'd get old if I tried to do one for every chapter.