Hey new chapter! Uh yes! I want to thank those who reviewed! Anyway, I have it planned out in my head who will end up with who! But of course this come in time. . . just remember. . .things are not always what they seem. Then again this is YGO. . . so the whole thing goes without saying!
5animefan- I agree! She is such an interesting character. . . which is why I was excited to write about her as an in-charge business woman with many emotional problems and a heart that she hides away from everyone!
MissDomaYuset- I guess it is depressing. . . but I wanted a more of a drama. . . depressing type of fic. . . the thing I love about Mai is how she tries to be tough, but it always ends up not working for her. . . I'm glad you liked the beginning. Hope I don't disappoint!
JxMobsessivlyDuH!- It's cool. . .you reviewing is all that matters! Oh. . . and don't necessarily count Joey out as a guy for Mai. . .she just has to consider ALL of her options. . . and they have to grow a little bit. . . (But I won't give anything else away!)
Disclaimer: I don't own YGO! But I do own Abby! Who's Abby? Read and find out! Review if you want!
Normal POV- Joey
Joey kicked the ground and unfortunately for him, it was much harder than he had meant too. A throbbing pain spread from his toe to his foot. It would be just another bruise on him. Like he really needed that.
He glanced down at his watch. He had just noticed it was cracked down the middle. Could it get any worse? There was the fact that he was running 15 minutes late, on a night that he swore up and down that he wouldn't be late for. The thing is, Joey Wheeler never broke a promise to a friend . . . guess he's starting something new.
His feet started to walk faster, giving way into a running motion and before he knew it he was standing across his apartment. It wasn't exactly hard to miss. It was the brick building with the porch that had yellow paint peeling off from it. The blue doorknob always falls off and the door is off of its hinges. Plus, if one didn't open it just right, they would experience a world full of splinters.
Joey knows. It's not that he didn't have money. He does. It's Abby, his fiancee. She wants the money saved for the wedding. She somehow convinced Joey to live in the same apartment he's lived in for years, and he kind of hates her for late.
But nobody would ever know, and Joey doubts he could even fully admit it to himself. He walkedup the porch and carefully opened the door and entered the building. Pools of water were following himfromhisfootsteps. He shook his head and opened his door.
Abby was glancing out the window, but she suddenly spun around. Anger crossed her face for a few seconds before utter relief overflowed her.
"Where's your car?" she asked.
"Wrecked it." Joey responded. Her green eyes became huge and she immediately started fussing over him, checking him over to make sure he was okay. She was a nurse after all. In fact that's how Joey met her . . . but that's another story.
"You seem okay . . . I was so worried about you!" she said excitedly as she threw her arms around him. He just stood there motionless.
"Uh . . . are you okay?" she asked as she let go of him. He looked up at her, lost for a second, before shaking his head in a yes motion.
"Good . . . so did you hit a tree or something?" she asked.
"Another person . . . but she was okay." he muttered while he gazed at a picture on the table. It was one of Abby, Yugi and himself. It was back when she wore her short, brown, hair, curly . . . she just wears it straight now. Ever since they got together, she doesn't care much about her appearance anymore, often taking a homely look.
It doesn't bother Joey . . . but sometimes he just wants exciting Abby . . . instead of boring, never wanting to do anything, Abby.
"Honey . . . I'm going to bed . . . wanna go?" she asked in a practiced voice. It was a daily question that bored Joey, and they weren't even married yet.
He didn't say anything . . . he didn't want to talk . . . he just wanted to stand there numbly. Getting a drink definitely crossed his mind, but Joey would not become his father . . . he hoped.
"What is it with you? You never talk to me anymore? It's Tea isn't it . . . I see how you two always pal around . . . " Abby yelled.
"Tea? What? Huh? I'm just a little stunned . . . I mean I did wreck and it was really bad . . . I mean . . . I could have died! You think I'm cheating on you? Where did you get that impression?" Joey snapped, anger rolling off of him in waves. Abby shrugged.
"Sorry . . . it's just that . . . you seem distant, I'm going to bed, wether you're coming or not is up to you." Abby said in a small voice. She left for the bedroom and Joey sighed.
He needed somebody to talk too . . . but Abby wouldn't understand . . . nobody would.
"I'm going to Yug's." Joey said. He heard Abby yell something back at him in a sarcastic voice but he didn't catch it.
Joey just slammed the door and ignored the fact that the doorknob was rolling on the porch.
He walked around for sometime, but quickly ended up at Yugi's . . . partly because he was beyond freezing. It ended up being midnight when Yugi finally answered the knocking sound at his door.
He rubbed his eyes and carefully opened the door. He was startled to see Joey. It was unusual, unless they were saving the world or something.
"Joey?" Yugi asked. Joey nodded and entered the Game Shop quickly.
"What's up?" Yugi asked as he retrieved Joey a blanket to stop his shivering.
"I got into a car wreck." Joey answered, avoiding Yugi's glare.
"Are you okay?" Yugi wondered with hysteria dripping off of every word.
"Yes, no, I don't know." Joey muttered as he sat on the couch in the upstairs part of the shop. Yugi only glanced at him in a confused matter.
"Uh . . . right." was Yugi's only response. Joey quickly explained the wreck, leaving the important detail of whom he wrecked without of the story.
"Well hey, you're okay . . . she's okay . . . and she's paying for it . . . it turned out good." Yugi told him.
"I don't think she's okay this time Yug." Joey said.
"This time?" Yugi explained. Joey was just about to explain when Yugi heard another knock at the door. He rolled his eyes and muttered something about him not needing sleep.
"Wait Yug. . . " Joey said while grabbing his arm.
"I Gotta gets the door." Yugi said. Joey bit his lip and took a deep breath.
"MaiwastheotherpersonIwreckedinto." Joey said in one big breath. Yugi's eye became huge in disbelief. Perhaps any other person would look at Joey dumbfounded, but Yugi perfectly understood what Joey just said. It was just a hard concept to wrap around his head.
Before Yugi could answer, Tristan, Tea, and Duke were in his living room talking a million miles a minute. They had been away for a while, for their own reasons. The trio glanced at Joey and stopped talking.
They ran over to him, asking him a million questions he didn't need to hear at this point. He shook his head and said that he had to go see Abby and whatnot.
"See ya later Yug." Joey said before he left. Tea gave Tristan a worried look.
"What's with him?" Duke asked. Yugi just sighed.
"He was in a car wreck, but he's fine." Yugi assured them.
"I just hope that he goes home to Abby. She must be worried sick." Tea said.
"Not as worried as Joey is." Yugi responded.
"What's that about Yugi?" Tristan wondered. Yugi ignored the question, he felt they didn't need to know anything else. Yugi knew that seeing Mai again at this time in his life was hard for Joey. Joey didn't need to tell him that. He also knew that there were a lot of repressed feelings on both sides. Yugi just hoped things worked out . . . but when Mai was around . . . well things had a tendency to get a little crazy.
"So what exactly are you guys doing here at my house at one in the morning?" Yugi asked them. Tristan and Duke pushed Tea up front to explain.
"Well, there weren't any more rooms at the hotel so we needed a place to stay. I've come down to help Abby prepare for the wedding and Tristan and Duke are applying for a modeling job at the new magazine company in Domino." Tea explained. Tristan and Duke beamed.
"Yugi, we heard that this company is so rich that it's giving Kaiba a run for his money. Whoever owns this is a rich fellow." Tristan told him.
"Hopefully, if we get the job, we'll get to meet him." Duke added. Yugi tiredly encouraged them.
"That's great guys, listen I will talk to you more in the morning. You all know where everything is. Good night." Yugi said as he left them to go to sleep. They all bid him good night.
Normal POV- Tristan and Duke's Modeling Jobs
Duke and Tristan arose early, for they had a very important modeling job to get to. They quickly got ready. They wore their normal outfits, as the application said to.
Yugi quickly wished them good luck. He was going to take Tea to Joey's house and then they would all go out for ice cream. Hopefully food would cheer Joey up. It always used to.
Tristan and Duke walked around Domino for a while before arriving at the huge newly built building. They each took big gulps. It was hard to believe that this corporation dealt with modeling . . . but then again rumors have been heard of it doing something with duel monsters . . . and that was Kaiba's territory.
"Wow." Tristan said. It was all that could be said. Duke could only nod in agreement. Kaiba's company was right across the street. It looked like a mere kitten standing next to a lion.
"Whoever owns this company has surely met an enemy in Kaiba!" Duke said. Tristan laughed at this.
"Let's hope he's not as much of a loser." Tristan hoped. Duke believed this. They walked into the building and noticed how clean and high tech it was. A huge computer made up one wall. It showed pages of past issues. The two men walked up to the huge silver desk. The secretary turned to talk to them.
"Duke Devlin and Tristan Taylor here to apply for the new modeling jobs." Duke explained. The secretary nodded.
"Right this way. I'll take you there. My name is Jennifer, not Jenny. Please follow me this way and be careful not to tread anywhere else." she snapped. She saw the two men give each other confused glances.
"Sorry, it's just that the boss has been in the most terrible mood lately. I feel bad if you guys have to meet her. She just might bit your head off." Jennifer explained.
"She?" Tristan asked. Jennifer raised her eyebrow and nodded in agreement. They climbed into the clear elevator. The two men watched as the bottom floor quickly disappeared under their feet. They soon arrived at the top floor.
"Good luck." Jennifer said. Duke watched her walk away.
"Hey, if things don't work out with Serenity, she's not a bad choice Taylor." Duke joked. Tristan gave him an evil glare. They arrived into a huge photo shoot room. The room was filled with people taking pictures and modeling. It was covered with white backgrounds. Of course they kept changing to fulfill the photographer's needs. Tristan and Duke had their pictures taken several times, then they were told to sit outside the room.
They sat in two chairs in the hallway. The hallway was a mahogany wood color with a red carpet. The outsides of the carpet as well as the border of the hallway seemed to be made of gold.
"I think we did well." Tristan said.
"Yeah, I wonder what was wrong with Joey?" Duke asked. Before Tristan could answer, he heard someone scream.
"Get out of my office before I fire you. Is it that hard to file papers, honestly I don't know why I keep you around, GET OUT!" a woman screamed. It made the floor rumble. Jennifer quickly exited the room that the woman was screaming from. She walked up to Tristan and Duke.
"I said she was in a bad mood." she stated before she walked away. They gulped.
"And were sure we want to work here?" Tristan asked.
"Hey you were the one who was too chicken to apply for the job by himself . . . like I really need the extra money! I have my own gaming corporation too!" Duke said. Tristan rolled his eyes.
A man came out of the photography room and told them that their work was excellent. He called the boss to tell her that she had to inspect these two.
"Why can't you do it?'' she yelled on the other side of the phone immediately after the man called her.
"It's your job." the man whimpered.
"I don't need you telling me what to do. One more step out of line and you're gone. Send them to my office!" she ordered. The man hurriedly closed his phone. He pointed to the office at the end of the hallway. Tristan and Duke went inside, but nobody was in there. They sat in the empty chairs by the desk. They noticed that there was a door that led somewhere else. The women must have been in there. The second thing they noticed was that the main color of this room was deep purple.
"Man, I'm nervous." Duke whispered. Tristan nodded, he was afraid to speak. The door from the other side slowly opened and a woman slowly emerged. She noticed Tristan and Duke standing there and all she could do was stare.
"Mai?" Tristan and Duke both asked shocked.
"You work here?" Tristan asked.
"Can it with the nice guy routine. I own this." Mai snapped. Tristan gave Duke a worried expression.
"Uh . . . are you okay?.'' Duke asked. Mai gave him an unimpressed glare.
"You do look kind of bad Mai." Tristan remarked. It wasn't like she was ungroomed or anything . . . one could just tell. Her eyes said that she hadn't slept in a while . . . and she was standing in a nervous matter, which was never like her.
"Telling me how bad I look is not a good way to get a job Mr. Taylor." Mai said. She sat in her huge black chair facing them directly.
"I was in a car accident last night if you really must know." Mai explained. The two men just stared at her. Duke didn't know what to say . . . but he did want this job . . . why? To prove to Yugi that one can never have too much publicity.
"Does Joey know you're here?" he asked. He was hoping talking about Joey would cheer her up, but it was the wrong thing to say.
"Yeah, he's the one who wrecked into me. He was in a hurry to see his girlfriend." Mai replied madly. Sarcasm dripped off of the last word.
"Oh yeah, you didn't know about them." Tristan reminded himself aloud. Mai looked at him.
"Does it matter? Look at what I did without him. I didn't need him. I didn't need anybody. I only needed myself unlike Wheeler. He needed somebody. It sure in hell wasn't me, so I didn't need him either. Tell your friend while he's making ends meet, I'm up here sipping champaign and eating caviar. I doubt the idiot even knows what that is!" Mai yelled at them. Tristan was about to retaliate but Duke held him back.
"I know you'll tell him. You're his babysitter. Tell him I can move on too. Tell him to watch and see, I'm gonna own this city and I'm going to do it without him. I don't need him." Mai commanded.
"I can see that Joey did something to offend you, so we are just going to go." Duke said. Tristan gave him a confused look. Mai turned to face the window.
"Offend me? No, I was just being stupid. Yeah, it was all me, I thought something was there when it wasn't. Now I'm one of the richest humans alive and he's with some woman who apparently means the world to him." Mai replied. Her tone became soft and her eyes filled with tears. Duke and Tristan backed toward the door.
"Hmm . . . report to work six o'clock sharp. And listen . . . sorry that I flipped . . . lack of sleep and having your favorite car and jacket ruined does that to ya." Mai said.
"Uh . . . it's fine Mai." Duke said nodding appreciatively.
"No, it's not . . . after all we've done for her . . . she should be begging us to work for her . . . not flipping out on us!" Tristan muttered. Mai ignored it.
"Excuse me now . . . I've got to get some fresh air." Mai said as she followed the two out of her office.
"Are you sure you're fine?" Duke asked. Tristan rolled his eyes . . . and she ignored it again.
"The . . . the thing about falling is when you reach the bottom . . . you can only go up. . . but as you go up again, nobody forgets the things you did to reach the bottom . . . " Mai told them as she turned around and walked away.
Mai walked out of the building. She was no one to mess with. She was wearing a black business suit. It was an unusual dress for her. She gave up on the outfits she once wore and now she only dressed professionally. She walked down the streets of Domino alone. She finally entered an Italian restaurant and she got a secluded table outside. She was enjoying the quiet when the waiter came to her.
"I'm sorry miss, but this table is usually reserved for the Kaiba's. " the waiter said. Mai looked at him perplexed.
"Tell Mr. Kaiba that he can sit somewhere else because I'm not moving." Mai snapped. The waiter quickly left. He came back with Kaiba following him. Kaiba sat on the other side of the table.
"What are you doing?" Mai snapped.
"This is my table, so I'm sitting in it!" he said cooly.
"Fine, makes no difference to me." Mai said just as cooly. The wind was blowing through her blonde hair.
"Actually Valentine, I'm surprised to see you her alone. I thought the geek squad would be chasing you, especially the mutt." Kaiba told her. His eyes were searching for any sad emotion he could jump on. She was his new rival, and he didn't like it.
"I don't need their stupid play group." Mai quickly replied. Kaiba laughed.
"What's so funny?" Mai asked irritated.
''I just can't follow wether you want to kill them or help them. It's quite amusing watching you all bicker." Kaiba answered.
"I'm trying to stay away from them. They'll just hold me back and in order for my company to become succesful. I must fully concentrate on that. Besides, I got far on my own. I'm not changing that now." Mai replied calmly. Kaiba had to agree with her. They were alike in many ways, but she was a member of the stupid playgroup and Kaiba didn't sink that low . . . no matter how much she denied it. They were quiet for a while, but their food came and they quickly ate.
"Anyway Valentine I suggest we do this again. We need to talk business." Kaiba said, although it was more of a command.
"I suppose . . . though I don't see anything that we need to talk about . . . but then again hearing about how you keeping losing at everything might be fun." Mai said rasing an eyebrow. She glanced off into the distance and she saw three people sitting at a table. Joey and Yugi were the two she knew . . . but the other one was unfamiliar.
"What are you looking at?" Kaiba asked. He saw Yugi, Joey and his girlfriend eating lunch. Mai looked disgusted.
"Stupid mutt, why are you even looking at him?" Kaiba wondered. Mai just rolled her eyes.
"Is that his fiancee?" Mai asked. Kaiba nodded, he was getting bored with this conversation. He did have an idea that would amuse him.
"I'll give you a ride back to your building if you do something for me." Kaiba slyly offered.
"What?" Mai asked immediately. It was bitterly cold outside, and she was only using the cold air to keep her awake. Kaiba whispered something into her ears and she gave a small smile. Joey had hurt her and left her alone, so she was ready for some payback and fun. Of course . . . that seemed to be all she did anymore.
She just hurt the people she lo . . .
Mai left the table and walked over to Joey's table.
"Hey Joey, is this your girlfriend?" Mai asked him. Joey immediately jumped, he was shocked to see her.
"Yeah." he whispered. Abby stood up to shake Mai's hand.
"I'm Abby and who are you?" Abby asked sweetly. Her disposition made Mai sick, how could Joey love someone so much unlike her?
"I'm Mai, but I'm sure you've heard all about me." Mai responded. Joey was sinking even farther in his seat.
"No, I haven't." Abby replied. Mai let go of her hand.
"Joseph, I'm ashamed. I thought we were good friends, I guess I was wrong about that too." Mai said sweetly. Joey wanted to leave, but he didn't. Abby sat down.
"Mai, you should join us." Abby gestured.
"Oh, that's so sweet. I'm just waiting for someone. Oh here he is now!" Mai exclaimed. Kaiba came over to where she was standing.
'' Mai, I was looking for you. Then I'd figure you'd come over and pity the loser. Are you ready to go?" Kaiba asked her. Joey looked horror stricken.
"Yeah, it was nice seeing you again but Kaiba and I have things to do elsewhere!" Mai replied sweetly. Joey's jaw dropped and he swore inwardly.
Kaiba and Mai rode in the limo for a while in silence. It wasn't like Mai couldn't have a limo at her disposal . . . but she preferred being at the wheel . . . and sometimes she just felt like walking around. It gave her time to clear her thoughts.
"Miss Valentine, Yugi and I are having a formal duel tomorrow at noon, after I win . . . then we can have our business meeting." Kaiba decided.
"Well then Kaiba, should I wait 20 or 30 years?" Mai asked. Kaiba glared at her.
"You don't want be to be your enemy." Kaiba simply stated. Mai smirked.
"Why not, I have a list. You could be on top." Mai teased. Kaiba glared again.
"Fine. I'll watch your stupid duel." Mai agreed.
"It's not stupid. As I recall, you weren't winning any tournaments yourself." Kaiba bitterly pointed out. Mai shook her head.
"I quit dueling Mr. Kaiba. It's a stupid child's game and I refuse to take any part in it. I grew up." Mai answered.
"It's just because you can't handle it . . . besides I've heard you haven't given it up completely . . . isn't that right?" Kaiba said. Mai ignored him. They finally arrived at her building.
"Guess you'll have to find out." Mai said as she climbed out of the limo. She didn't look back as the limo drove off. She just walked into the building without any feelings at all.