Refineshipping (Pegasus x Mai)

Mai made decisions about people quickly. The first time she saw multi-millionaire Pegasus J. Crawford while he explained the rules about Duelist Kingdom was no different.

She decided she didn't like him.

That wasn't about to change when she entered his eccentric castle for the Duelist Kingdom finals, and she wasn't too pleased about the seating arrangement at dinner. Pegasus was at the head of the table, and she was next to him at the end, with the only other person to talk to being Yugi sitting across from her. He didn't seem happy about the arrangement either, as could be figured out from her stiff shoulders and pointed looks to direct his conversation towards his friends.

So that left Mai to sit next to Pegasus.

"So, Mai Kujaku, wasn't it?" he said in smooth Japanese. "I'm very pleased to meet you…it's always wonderful to see a new face in the dueling world."

"Mm-hm," Mai said, focusing on her soup.

"How did you become interested in my little game, if I may ask?"

"I don't small talk, Crawford," she said.

Pegasus laughed lightly.

"Ah, you duelists. It is all right to relax for a bit, you know. Have a little fun – this is supposed to be a game, after all! And the tournament doesn't continue until morning."

Mai rolled her eyes and pretended not to listen. Pegasus didn't seem to be bothered by this, as he continued to chatter.

"I've heard a bit about you, you know. You won some of the biggest regional championships in Japan. It is a shame to have lost so close to qualifying for nationals. But the cards we draw determine how the game was played; I guess it just wasn't meant to be that day."

"I'm making up for it now."

Pegasus nodded, smiling cheerily as though excited to have gotten her to respond.

Mai chanced a glance at the wealthy American businessman. He sat at the table with the refined poise of a British nobleman; in fact, Mai was surprised he wasn't British. His long, silvery hair was absolutely ridiculous, and she had no idea how he'd go about finding such a ludicrously red suit.'

"So, are you ready for the finals tomorrow, Kujaku-san?" he said, continuing the conversation.

She shrugged.

"Good, good, good. You have quite the competition out there tomorrow. Little Yugi is becoming quite the accomplished gamer, I've heard."

"Mm-hm."

There was just something wrong about him, she thought. The way he would only look at her with one eye, the other one hidden beneath thick bangs. It was unnerving. Even more than that, it was…somehow sad.

Pegasus wasn't real, she realized. This cheerful conversation was nothing more than another puzzle piece in his mask.

He continued to chatter, and Mai gave him one last, cursory look.

Dammit. She hated men.

A/N: Can't believe anyone ships this… Next is Refuseshipping (Marik's dad x Rishid). Really? This is a thing?