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:Chapter 15:

Joey flopped down onto the bed, his head nearly clipping the edge of the phonebook. He stared pensively at his ceiling, hoping it would provide some sort of inspiration. Unfortunately, the ceiling was as blank as his mind.

He needed cash, and consideringhow his empty wallet would not be of any help, there might be a problem. What he really needed was the pity of a friend... but not Duke, who would want a date with Serenity in return. He wasn't much of a friend, anyway.

Duke was also much worse than Tristan. Really, the dog suit was a bit over the top. It left Joey wondering if Duke was better friends with Kaiba than he let on.

So...what to do?

All this thinking in one day was leaving him with a headache of unprecedented proportions. At least he thought it did...he wasn't entirely sure of what 'unprecedented' meant.

"Man, if Tristan were here, he'd be glad to help." Joey grumbled. "Wait. What am I saying?"

Joey sat up abruptly, glaring at himself in the mirror. If Tristan were here, he'd be bartering cash for Serenity's phone number, the blackmailing jerk. Or was that extortionist...extortionistic? Joey wasn't all that sure, seeing how English wasn't much of his strong point. He couldn't remember the last time he'd actually been to the class...something about falling asleep every time.

But really...now that the idea had wormed itself into his head, Joey had the glimmerings of a new idea. Or what passed as an idea.

"Serenity did say that she would be spending the evening with a friend, so it isn't as if Tristan would actually get the date," he mused. "I still don't want him calling her..." which led back to the whole problem. "I'd have to offer him something of equal value to her phone number, that's all."

Joey considered that theory, but since he lacked manipulative skills that didn't relate to food-based bribery... never mind, that was how other people manipulated him...

Seeing how he had survived the day on an act first, think later basis, Joey thought he might give it one more go.

The phone was dialed. It rang.

"Hello?" Tristan sounded a bit too eager.

"Tristan." Joey offered coolly. Sneaky, traitorous, lying, manipulative (wait, that was him, not Tristan) little jerk.

"Joey." Tristan returned, just as coldly. Two-timing, pug-faced, bald, scumbag, backstabbing mercenary... no, that was description of Pigma Dengar from the Starfox game he had on pause in the front room...

" I have a proposition. " The two of them ignored the fact that neither knew the exact meaning of the word.

"Oh, is that so?"

"Indeed." Joey paused. "I will give you my sister's number on one condition."

"Really?" Tristan couldn't contain the eager tone of his voice. "What is the condition?"

"I have a date with Mai tonight and I... uh... need you to fund it."

"By funding, what kind of numbers are we looking at?" Tristan considered carefully.

Joey counted on his fingers, but he ran out. "One sec." He went and got out his calculator. "Ah...oh shit...somewhere in the forty, fifty range...up to hundred if you're feeling generous and grateful."

"Generous? Grateful? To you!" Tristan snapped. "Like hell. I don't have that kind of money. I can get Serenity's number on my own just fine."

Joey was left holding the phone stupidly while the dial tone buzzed in his ears. So much for THAT brilliant plan.

His eyes narrowed. Fine. If that was the way Tristan wanted to play, he'd give the brainless, bad-hair-styled, little animal a good fight. (Never mind the fact that here was a case of the pot calling the kettle black.) Tristan would never get Serenity's phone number. Well, okay, there was a chance that the pointy haired one would get the number... but at least Tristan wouldn't be getting the number from him.

Joey's gaze returned to the phonebook as he hung up the phone. It was time to continue his battle. So what if the first round of peace talks had failed. At least their reason for having failed at peace was less petty than having decorated the peace tents in the wrong colors, right? (Sadly enough, that has been a reason for real peace talks to fail.)

Besides, who cared about peace when he was going to win the war?

:End Chapter 15: