Mai -Domino City
October 14 - Year 18 4AOS
"I'm finally home," Mai thought as she looked out the window of her apartment suite on the twentieth floor. The Kaiba Tri-Towers, home only to the most elite Duelists in Termnnia (Mai is currently ranked within the top 100 players in the continent), and it was smack-dab in the center of Domino City the capital of Eredas, a country that was one gigantic city. It was almost unreal to hold a mug of hot coffee in her hands. To stand in her suite surrounded by technology and modern luxuries not found out West where Termnnians kept a more traditional way of life. The warm glow of the morning sun beaming through the windowpane was like being blasted by rays from heaven. Planes flew overhead, a sound she had not heard since returning back to Domino. Cars beeping in the streets below and the sound of a DJ on the morning radio.
"Rise and shine Domino City!" shouted the DJ from the radio on Mai's counter in the kitchen. "This is Da Silva Fang Awoooo! It is a warm 75 degrees today. No clouds in the sky as far as I can see, but I can promise a shower or thunderstorm tonight. Those of you out on the coasts, be sure to bring a hat and a lot of sunscreen. You won't believe how many burnt people I saw the other day. Ouch! Well, let's get your morning going with one of my favorite tracks. Y'all remember the Duelist Kingdom Tournament way back when? ("Don't remind me," Mai grumbled) Well, this song was written by a gentleman who was touched in the final match of the games. The legendary King of Games, Yugi Muto against his best friend Joey Wheeler. He was so moved by the Duel that he wrote a song in honor of that great match against brothers fighting for the ones they loved. Here's No Matter What by Mike Pasternak."
The song caused Serenity to stir in her bed. Téa was also woken by the song while asleep on the black leather couch. Her hair was a ragged mess, reminding Serenity of the Kuriboh monster Yugi always summoned.
Mai smiled and took a whiff of the hot beverage in her black ceramic mug. "Oh yes, how long have I desired a good Cup O' Joe." She turned her head to look at Serenity, who was crawling out of her sheets. She rubbed her eyes and smiled at Mai.
"Morning, sleepyhead," said Mai. "Did you rest well?"
"Yes, thank you," Serenity said dreamily.
"So, I've been meaning to ask this for quite some time. Did you give our little hero his 'gift'?" Mai asked. "Ahem. The card?"
"I did," Serenity said with a nod. "I sure hope no one finds out."
Téa stood up and wrapped her arms around her legs before resting her chin on her knees. "Someone is going to find out sooner or later. Black Tyranno is not a common card and we've got that informant running around in the Standard Dimension."
"Who's going to know?" Mai asked. "It's not like the people of Earth know a thing about our politics. They're plain folk. They don't believe in magic."
"I meant someone like Yugi," said Serenity. "He should know by now that if anyone deserves the card, it's Yuri."
"Yuri?" Mai asked.
"It's what the prince is called on Earth," said Serenity. "That card belonged to his father. It was supposed to go to him anyway."
"That's not for us to decide," said Téa, who was against the notion of giving Yuri the Black Tyranno card. "That card is the treasure of House Delgado. Yuri's father may have been Gabriele the Black, the heir to the Fossil Throne, but he is a Wollcroft, pretty much a member of House Plantegrast. And you guys do know that the Delgados has denounced Yuri, right?"
"They did once," said Mai. "But once he became chosen to be king, O' how they wanted him back. Fools that they are. Now they've lost their only true blood heir and their sacred card. And I'm sorry how you feel about this, Téa, but I would rather see Black Tyranno in the hands of Gabe's son. Not that spoiled brat, Prince Hector. And you can change a name all you want, but it's not going to change the blood that flows through your veins. Yuri is, and always will be, a Delgado, after his father."
"I know," said Téa. "I know."
"So what are we going to do about breakfast?" Serenity asked.
Mai beamed at her. "Always thinking with your stomach, huh, baby? All right, a stack of flapjacks it is."
"Yay!" Serenity cheered, immediately rushing out of bed to wash and dress.
Later that morning, Mai and Téa watched in horror as Serenity noisily ate her breakfast at their table by the canal outside the tri-towers. It was so unlike her to eat in such a way. She was usually a lady who showed table manners when dining with the kings and queens of the West. Only now as she chomped away at her meal did they see the mannerisms she displayed were not from the heart. Deep down, she hated acting like such a proper lady. Now that she was free of the high-class etiquette of the Western nobility, she could eat at last at her own pace.
"She sure has a healthy appetite," said Téa.
"That she does," said Mai. "Damn, baby, what have you got in that gut? A black hole?"
Serenity swallowed and gave a smile that was disrupted by a petit burp. She gasped and hunched to hide her blushing cheeks behind her shoulders. "Hee, hee. Sorry. It's been forever since we've been back to Domino."
"Oh, Serenity Wheeler, what are going to do with you?" said Mai.
"Don't look now," said Serenity, "but I think you've got yourself a challenger coming your way."
Mai turned in her seat to see the next 'fool' to demand a Duel with her. An Eldori with bright orange hair and bright green eyes wearing a torn vest over a white top and ripped camo trousers.
"Why not?" said Mai. "I could use a Duel."
"You Mai Valentine?" asked the challenger.
"Yeah, who are you?" Mai asked.
"The name is Mick. Do you have some time on your hands?"
"Lots of it."
"Then let's have a match! Unless you're afraid to lose?"
Mai scoffed and activated her Duel Disk. "Lose against you? What kind of fantasy do you live in, hun? I'm not afraid of anyone. I accept your challenge!"
LP 4000
"Duel!" they shouted.
"Ladies first!" said Mai. "I summon Harpie Harpist in Attack Mode! (ATK/1700 DEF/600 LV 4) Next, I play Ties of the Brethren, by paying 2000 of my Life Points, I can summon Harpie Girl (ATK/500 DEF/500 LV 2) and Harpie Channeler (ATK/1400 DEF/1300 LV 4). Then I place two cards face down and end my turn."
"My turn!" said Mick. "Draw. I play Polymerization and fuse together my Rhainmundos the Red Sword and Fairyarou to create the Vermillion Sparrow!"
After a dazzling display of flames, a man with spiked hair colored in a brilliant shade of Vermillion had his appearance. He wore elegant robes of teal blue, goldenrod, and vermillion. Next, I place two cards face down and end my turn. I hope you're preparing some nice defenses Miss Delight of Termnnia. Because that cute little Harpie Girl is first on the menu. How do you like her? Medium or well-done?"
Harpie Girl whimpered and hid behind Harpie Harpist.
"Don't worry, hun," said Mai. "He's not going to hurt you. My turn. Draw! I discard Harpie Queen from my hand to add a Field Spell known as Harpie's Hunting Ground. And I will play it right now. Welcome to my world, hun. A world of hurt, because all Winged-Beasts gain a 200 attack point bonus. Next, I play Pot of Greed and draw two cards." Mai smiled and began to examine her options. It was over for her opponent. "Oh, I am so good! For my next play, I will activate my face-down card, Call of the Haunted and return my Harpie Queen to my field."
A vortex of white feathers appeared before Mai and from it flew out a beautiful harpie with long bluish-green hair and a revealing outfit that caused many pedestrians to stop and gawk at her. Mothers shielded the eyes of their young ones and walked away, hoping to get away from the Duel.
Mai dramatically held out her palm. She was not done yet. "And now my Field Spell Activates! When a Harpie Lady is summoned, I can target a Spell or Trap and destroy it. So say goodbye to your face-down card. Now, I play Elegant Egotist and from my hand special summon Harpie Lady Sisters!"
Now Mick was getting worried. Mai's Harpies were swarming the field without stopping. With the summoning of the Harpie Lady Sisters, his second face-down card was shattered. Mirror Force. Now he was doomed. But Mai still wasn't done yet. She hated challengers who thought they were going to get an easy win off of her just because she was a girl. Many of these fools often stereotyped female Duelists, thinking that they ran cute little fairies and furry animals. Mai loved punishing them for those chauvinistic thoughts by pummeling them severely. She had taught Serenity how to humiliate her opponents as well. You could imagine the terror on their faces when the cute fairies and puffballs they imagined she would be summoning, turned out to be a fierce Red-Eyes Black Dragon.
Speaking of dragons. Mai tribute summoned one. Offering her Harpie Harpist and Harpie Channeler for Harpie's Pet Dragon. The beast towered six meters above the plaza and had a forty-foot wingspan. Her had fleshy-pink scales and winged membranes coming out from the back of her arms. A golden chain and collar were fastened around her long neck. Harpie Queen grabbed a hold of it and flew on her pet dragon's back.
Harpie's Pet Dragon
ATK/2000 DEF/2500
LV 7
She gained 300 attack points for every Harpie Lady on the field, raising her attack to 2600. Mai ordered the final attack. First, Harpie's Pet Dragon heaved white-hot flames from her mouth and burned Vermillion Sparrow to a crisp. (LP 3300). Next, Harpie Lady Sisters had a go at his Life Points. They formed together to create a spell of multi-colored light in the shape of an X (LP 2150). Then, Harpie Queen gracefully flew into the sky, high above the towers of the city. She dove down and was encased in flames of blue before smacking into Mick (LP 50).
"Want to teach him a lesson, baby?" Mai asked the Harpie Girl.
Harpie Girl let out a loud screech and brandished her claws. She flew towards Mick and slashed him repeatedly across the chest ending the Duel. Poor Mick fell backward and fainted from the attack. He liked to play tough, but his body, nor his feeble mind, could handle being in a Duel with Phantoms. The Harpies and their Pet Dragon disappeared.
A clap came out of nowhere. Mai, Téa, and Serenity searched around until a familiar voice shouted: "Over here!" It was Joey, and to their shock, there was Yami Yugi with Ser Gerhalos standing behind him. Yami was no doubt gracious of the victory Mai had, but still, his face showed that he was most displeased with something.
"Yugi?" said Mai. "I didn't think you'd be here."
"He just arrived," said Joey. "But he aint gonna be here fer long."
"No, I am not," said Yami. "I have come to give Prince Michael my blessing into the Alliance I have started when Prince Daveed comes home."
"Oh, I love Prince Michael," said Mai. "Will we get to meet him?"
"No, now listen to me clearly. The treasured card of House Delgado, the Black Tyranno, has gone missing. And now, my informant on Earth has told me that Daveed is summoning one."
"What!?" cried Téa. "He played it already?"
"So you do know something," said Yami.
"We gave him the card, yes," said Mai.
Yami crossed his arms sternly and eyed the girls one at a time. "And may I ask why?"
"Come on, Yugi!" said Téa. "You found the card on your doorstep. It clearly fled from House Delgado to be with a worthy master. Not that Prince Hector jerk."
"The politics of house Delgado do not concern you!" yelled Yami. "If they wish for the card to be given to Hector, there is not we can do about it. Black Tyranno is an Oath Monster, a treasured beast of one's House. He is to be given to an owner from the House of Delgado whether he likes it or not."
Mai, too, crossed her arms. "Well, Yugi, Black Tyranno has been given to a worthy owner from the House Delgado. Yuri is Gabriele's son, remember. Yuri may be Wollcroft, but damn it, he has his father's blood flowing through those veins. Delgado blood! Black Tyranno wanted a new master and we helped him! Period!"
"Hey, she's got a point, Yuge," said Joey. "If anything, Mai and the girls, as reckless as dey are, have done da House a favor. Let 'em slide, man."
"So be it," said Yami. "But if I learn you give any more Termnnian cards to Yuri while he's on Earth, there will be consequences, am I understood?"
"Yes," said Téa
"Yes, sir," said Serenity.
"Yeah, whatever," said Mai.
"Very well," said Yami. "I will now make way for Elleria and give my blessing to Prince Talion. Though that's going to be tough, seeing as how he's in the middle of a war right now."
"Be careful Yuge," said Joey. "He's fightin' in the Emerald Marches. That's really close to Naralian turf. The Church of Yeyu is up there. They're lookin' for ya, remember?"
Serenity agreed. "Yeah, Yugi, Shouldn't you be going with some protection or something?"
"I am going with him," Ser Gerhalos said, jerking his thumb at his chest. "Trust me. I will keep him safe."
"Yes," said Yami. "And Prince Talion is a capable fighter. I just received word from Princess Evelyn that he won a victory against the Naralian army and the Church's Military. If anyone will keep me safe from their clutches, it's going to be him. Farewell, everyone. I will see you late. Ser Gerhalos and I will continue recruiting the other princes I need for the Alliance. And the weapon that will help us against Naralia. Until then, stay out of trouble." He proceeded to walk, but suddenly stopped and pointed to Serenity. "That goes for you, especially!" He continued on his way and Ser Gerhalos followed him across the street.
Serenity waited for Yugi, her brother, and the others to be fully gone from their view before she spoke. "Guys, we need to talk."
"Uh-oh, sounds serious," said Mai.
Serenity inhaled deeply and paused to gather her thoughts. "I've heard that Yuri's making quite a name for himself out there. He's been put on the hit list of some really tough opponents ever since we gave him that Black Tyranno card."
"Sounds to me like he could use the competition," said Téa. "I think it will make good practice."
"That's the thing, Téa, Yuri won't be getting practice if he winds up getting beat all the time. I saw his deck when I sneaked into his room the night I gave him the card. It was pathetic. Not even a starter deck is that weak. At least it gives you some edge when you play."
Téa was irritated at the news and bubbled her lips. "Ugh, that damn Jacob Montgomery. His son is practically called The Prince of Duel Monsters. It doesn't make sense to let him run a weak deck."
"Mr. Montgomey is a very stern man, Téa," Serenity reminded her. "Yugi's contact in that world tells me that Mr. Montgomery won't buy Yuri cards because it gives him an unfair advantage. If Yuri is to get his own cards he needs his own money."
Mai placed her hand on her hip. "Wait a minute, wait a minute. I thought we found Yuri a job last summer. Why can't he buy cards with that?"
"The Montgomery's are smart with money." Serenity sighed, and she placed both hands on her hips in agitation. "They raised Yuri well with that knowledge. And since he feels he lacks the skills to play Duel Monsters competitively, buying cards is the last thing on his mind right now. He's using the money from his job to buy a car; a really nice one so he can impress this girl he really likes."
"Ahhhh," Mai said softly, raising her eyebrows up and down. "Our little prince is in love. And who's the lucky girl?"
"That won't matter," said Téa. "Once Yuri comes home, he can kiss any of his Earthly relationships goodbye. Go on, Serenity. This sounds serious. If Yuri doesn't prove himself as a Duelist his homecoming could be delayed. And we can't afford to have that happen. I want him to come home now."
"Of course, we all do," said Mai. "But, I'm not exactly rolling in gold right now. And paying for my condo is keeping my hands full. What do you have in mind to help Yuri with his finances?"
Serenity's mouth formed into a sinister grin.
"Uh-oh, I know that look," said Téa. "Looks like you and I are going on an adventure, Mai."
"You beat we do," Mai said, swatting Serenity's backside. "Tell her the plan, hon."
Serenity leaned her body to the right, hands still on her hips. "Well, there's been reports of a lesser dragon in the forests near the mountains. He was last seen by the Eredian Rangers carrying a chest with some gold chains hanging from it. They claim he stole it from a caravan he attacked. Something tells me this dragon is looking for a mate."
"How so?" said Téa.
"Female dragons, babe," said Mai. "They're golddiggers. They often find a mate based on his strength, power, and his wealth. The more treasure a male has in his hoard, the higher the possibility he finds himself some loving."
"Sounds an awful lot like you, Mai," Téa said with a roll of her eyes. "So, Serenity, are you suggesting the three of us go on one more big adventure."
"For old times sake," said Serenity. "It's been a while since we've gone treasure hunting. I'd like to do it again, and we're helping Yuri in the process."
Mai smiled. "I like that idea. But we're going to have to get ourselves some supplies. Dragons are tough nuts to crack. Plus it's been a while since I picked up my sword."
Serenity laughed. "Well, we won't have to worry about any third-degree burns while we're in there," said Serenity. "Not with our master White Mage with us." She looked at Téa he gave a grin.
"Well," said Mai. "I guess we're off tomorrow. In the meantime, let's kick back and relax. Ladies night!"
"Yeah!" Téa gave her a high-five.
Mai blessed herself. "Goddesses protect us on our quest. Both ours and Yugi's. I've heard of this Prince Talion guy. He's a wild one so I heard." She saw Serenity stomp away into the city. "Uh-oh, someone's in a bad mood."
"That's weird," said Téa. "A second ago she was glowing with the thought of an adventure. Hey, Serenity! Wait up!"
She and Téa went after her, crossing the street and dodging past a large flood of people before they could reach her.
"Oh, who does he think he is!?" she grunted, kicking a trash bin as hard as she could.
Mai gasped at the sudden outburst. It was so unlike Serenity to display her anger so violently, and so publically. They were still in the city center, and it was bustling with activity as the children of the night began their pilgrimages to the various clubs and Duel Monster stadiums across Domino City. Serenity didn't care if they were there. She was too frustrated to care what anyone thought of her. After everything she had done and all she sacrificed to keep Yuri safe in the Other World, she got yelled at and scorned as though she were a babe of three years.
"Everybody treats me like a child!" Serenity said marching down the dark sidewalk. A quick flash from the iron lamp post she dashed under revealed her cheeks were blushing bright pink. "First I get it from Joey! Then the king! And now Yugi! I put my neck on the line doing more than any of them could ever hope to accomplish and I get punished!" She kicked another trash bin and growled into the night. "Arrgh!"
"Wow! She's pissed," said Téa.
"No kidding," said Mai. "Uh, Serenity!"
Serenity didn't listen and kept on stalking down the sidewalk and passing by the eatery they planned to go to before heading for a dance at the Fountain District's most popular nightclub.
"Well, so much for pizza tonight," Téa muttered in disappointment.
"Oh, come on, Serenity!" Mai called after her. "I know you can hear me!"
Serenity stopped. "What is it?" she said looking back at her friends.
"Uh, this was supposed to be ladies' night," said Mai. "Your attitude is ruining everything. I must say, Miss Wheeler, one more outburst from you and I'll have no choice but to give you a spanking."
Serenity gave a loud scoff. If her face blushed any redder, she would have become one of the stoplights over the streets. Serenity's angelic face scrunched into a nasty scowl. Her eyes twinkled with rage and humiliation. "Great, now I'm getting it from you," said Serenity, crossing her arms.
Téa lightly elbowed Mai in the rib. "Smooth move, Mai," she whispered. She looked at Serenity and sighed. "Serenity, I know you meant well checking up on Yuri from time to time. But you do realize there were a lot of risks with you doing so, right?"
Mai nodded. "She's right, sweetie. Someone could have been watching you. The Different Dimension Gates aren't exactly the most secure forms of transportation. It's only natural Yugi would be worried. Not just for Yuri, but for you, too. We care a lot about you, hon."
Serenity rolled her eyes to the left and scoffed. She tapped her foot irritatedly on the sidewalk. Mai's face formed a scowl.
"All right, keep your shitty attitude, little lady, but do us all a favor and go home. I'm not in the mood for this, Serenity."
"Come on, Serenity, cheer up," said Téa. "Yuri's turning eighteen in a few days. He's coming home this summer."
Serenity couldn't help but form a grin. The gloss on her lips reflected the pink neon from the sign next to her. "Yeah. Yeah, I guess you're right. But that's not what's bothering me. I'm an adult now. Yet, people still see me as little Serenity. That cute, innocent, little babe with the bandages over her eyes. Maybe I was a little timid back then. I went through hell dealing with Marik in the Battle City Tournament. I enlisted in the Silver Paladins. I went toe-to-toe with Orcs in the Battle of Karad-Antha. I saw Anubis and lived. And just recently, Prince Marcel even gave me a deck with the Red-Eyes Black Dragon from his House."
She reached into her pocket, taking out her Dueling Deck. A Red-Eyes Flare Metal Dragon shimmered at the bottom of her deck. The secret rare foil glowed in a spectrum under the neon lights.
Mai stepped closer to Serenity. "Hon, no offense, but, you're thirty years old. You're still in the early years of your double digits. You pretty much are still just a baby in the eyes of our elders. You're still my little baby." She kissed the top of Serenity's head.
"You're spoiling her, Mai," Téa chuckled.
Serenity sighed and tucked her deck back into her pocket. "I know I'm still in the adolescent stages of my life, Mai. You don't need to keep reminding me. Like I said, everyone else does."
"So what if they do?" said Téa. "All those things you've done, Serenity. And still in your youth! Not many people are blessed with the kind of abilities you have. Yeah, you're still young but you're a badass!"
"Hell yeah she is!" said Mai. "Screw what everybody else says."
"Thanks, guys," said Serenity.
Mai placed both hands on Serenity's face. She raised her head up gently so she could look Mai in the eyes looking like precious purple gems. "Now," she said. "No more sad faces. It's our first night out in a long time. And let's face it, we're teachers at the academy now. With Yuri coming back, we're not going to have nights like this anymore. So let's cherish this one. Got it?"
"It's a deal," said Serenity.
Mai smiled and gave her cheek a long smooch. "Mua!" Mai said after she released her lips from Serenity's face. "That's my girl. Now, I don't know about you, Téa, but I don't think Serenity's properly dressed for the clubs."
Téa came in close to inspect Serenity's outfit. A white tank top and denim cutoffs. "No," she concurred. "She isn't. But I must say, she is giving us quite the view in those shorts."
Mai laughed and playfully smacked Serenity's butt. "I'll say. That's kind of why I didn't make any effort catching up with her."
"Oh, Mai," Serenity grumbled, rubbing the spot where Mai hit her.
"Come on you," said Mai. "We're going out for a little shopping."
"Have a good time, ladies," said the bouncer, unlocking the red velvet rope to allow the three friends into a nightclub that was owned by their friend Duke Devlin. A song from earth called 'Sexy Back' was playing loudly on the speakers. Chandeliers in the shape of dice hung from the ceiling. Speaking of dice, there was the owner of the club sitting in a VIP booth surrounded by young ladies from the local university.
Duke Devlin was doing magic tricks with neon dice and a red cup. The ladies were no doubt enticed by his speed with the trick. His eyes seemed to be glowing in the dark as he darted his gaze from left to right making sure every one of the girls was watching. He held his dice under a girl's chin. She giggled and blew on them for good luck before Duke began his trick.
"Show off," said Mai. "Come on, let's go before he sees us. Téa, why don't you find us a booth upstairs. I'm going to the ladies' room."
"Huh? Okay," said Téa. "Come on, Serenity."
As Mai departed for the bathroom, Téa took Serenity into the darkness of the club. Only dark blue neon and bright green lasers lit their way. The stairs were even lined with dark blue neon and night lights in the shape of dice. Serenity kept a firm grip on Téa's purse as they climbed the stairs. It spiraled up to the fourth floor, the most exclusive part of the club where a Dueling Arena was kept. Téa paid a hefty amount of Star Chips to get them into a booth all the way at the corner where a fountain spewing glowing blue water was perched and shaded the two friends in turquoise. Serenity scooted to the right till she rubbed against the wall.
Téa did the same. When she got comfortable she took off her purse and set it on the table. She opened it and took out her phone to text Yugi.
Serenity looked around the club nervously. She heard cheers over the music and the blast of a direct attack from a Duel upstairs. Thankfully there was a lamp at the center of the table which Téa quickly turned on. Despite the keypad on her phone glowing, it was still pretty hard to see anything.
"Anything from Yugi?" Serenity asked.
Téa responded with a quick shrug, her dress sparkling like a thousand stars. "Nothing," she responded. "That big jerk. I know you're on a very important mission, but can you at least talk to us?"
A waitress in a skimpy bunny outfit arrived and handed the two girls large glasses of apple martinis on the house. "Treats from Mr. Duke Devlin," she said, setting a third for Mai. "He says he's heartbroken you didn't say hi."
"Oh," said Serenity. "I guess he did see us."
Téa laughed. "Tell him we're sorry. We just need a little time to ourselves."
The waitress bowed. "I'll let him know right away." She turned and left.
Mai came back, quickly finding their booth and sitting down. She sat next to Serenity and took her glass. "Cheers," she said holding it up. "To Us."
"To Termnnia," said Serenity.
"To the safe return of Prince Yuri," said Téa.
They clinked their glasses together and drank. Mai removed her leather jacket to reveal her wine-red gown with a plunging neckline that revealed the swell of her breasts. A black choker with a tag shaped like the sigil of her House hung around her neck. She took a long gulp of her apple martini. "Where did these come from?"
"Duke sent them to us," said Serenity.
"Uh oh," said Mai. "Careful, he might have spiked it with Thrill."
"What's that?" Serenity asked. She looked at Téa who had a very stern look on her face, a sign she did not approve of Mai's statement.
"Thrill is a powerful drug that's been plaguing the streets," Téa explained. "It boosts you full of energy and fogs your mind. It targets the pleasure centers of your brain thereby causing you to go nuts. You start to do things to boost your need for excitement. In other words, you're looking for a thrill, hence the name. But Duke would never do that."
"It was a joke," Mai said in agitation. She set her glass down. "Geez, Téa, have a sense of humor."
"Hasn't anyone done anything to stop it?" Serenity asked.
"Tried to," said Téa. "You can't really stop something that is loved by good-paying users. Many clubs around Domino have been shut down because their owners would force their bartenders to spike the drinks of girls with the stuff. It would make them go wild. I recently read in the papers that Prince Michael was attending a club downtown for his birthday. To his shock, there was a group of girls having an orgy right there on the dance floor. Being the gentlemen that he is, he didn't approve and launched an investigation right then, right there. Turns out the girls were drugged out of their minds with Thrill. The club owner was severely punished."
"How severely?" Serenity asked.
"Michael summoned his Terrorking Archfiend to cut off his head live on the news for all to see. And as a warning to any club owners who are stupid enough to want to spike anyone's drinks again. Needless to say, it worked, because I haven't heard about any Thrill-related news since the execution."
Serenity smiled and gave a sharp "Ha!" She sipped her apple martini. "Good. Oh, Goddesses, that's sick! How can anyone do such a thing?"
"Dunno," said Mai, stirring her drink.
"There's nothing in there, Mai," said Téa. "Duke's many things, but he's not a creep."
Mai smiled. "I know." She flipped up the menus on the table. "So, what are you ladies interested in eating tonight? Order up, 'cause it's on me. We're about to slay a dragon so we need to have our bellies full before the fight."
"Wow!" said Serenity. "Thanks, Mai. You're the best."
"Hey, yeah," said Téa. "What's gotten into you all of a sudden?"
Mai smiled and finished the last of her drink. "I'm just happy. After eighteen years away from us, our little baby boy comes back."
"Aww," said Serenity. "Yeah, just a few more months and Yuri comes home." She chuckled. "I see his little nickname has become very popular. Little Daveed is now Yuri. I kind of like it. It matches with Yugi almost. The King of Termnnia and the King of Games. I can't wait for Yugi to teach Yuri how to play."
"Uh-uh," said Mai. "If anyone's going to teach Yuri to be a champ, it's me! I have more credentials as a Duelist."
Téa rolled her eyes. "Says the woman who lost in both the Duelist Kingdom and the Battle City Tournaments."
Mai shrugged. "Those don't count. I felt bad for little Yugi and Joey, so I went easy on them and let them win."
"Sure," said Serenity.
"Go ahead and laugh it up, you doubting Thomases, but my deck is all set up for the new Pendulums."
"A little late, don't you think?" said Serenity. "I mean the new Link Format is booming."
"Link Format?" said Mai.
"Looks like you've been in the old world for too long," said Serenity. "You haven't heard about Yugi's latest protege? His name's Yusaku. Industrial Illusions has chosen him to be the official poster boy for Link Summoning because of his work at school. He's amazing."
"We'll see," said Mai. "Say, after dinner, any of you ladies in for a match?"
"You mean Duel Monsters?" Téa's face lit up. She clasped her hands together in eagerness. "It's what I wanted to do all day! I want to try out my new Heralds. Yugi gave them to me before he departed north."
"Well..." Serenity said rubbing her chin. "I guess I do need a head start on my Red-Eyes. I mean, if Joey can use them, how bad can they be?"
Téa snickered. "You poking fun at that knucklehead for a brother, Serenity?" She asked, to which Serenity haunched her shoulders cutely and placed her finger on her bottom lip.
They ordered their food and talked about this and that, mostly what they were going to do when Yuri came back to Termnnia. No doubt all of them were going to teach him since they each landed positions as teachers at Duelist Academy for the sake of being with Yuri. Poor Yugi had to pull a lot of strings with Chancellor Sheppard, the ruler of the Duel Islands and headmaster of Duelist Academy. Yugi said that if it wasn't for their star status for their heroism in the Battle of Rassay, the task would have been impossible.
Once they finished with their meals, Mai led them both upstairs all the way to the fifth floor where the arenas were held. Already there were many Duels taking place. There was a brash young Duelist who played a well-constructed Raid Raptor Deck. He pummeled his last opponent and called it a night before he headed out of the club and into the night. The arenas were open again. Now it was time for Duelists to search for an opponent. However, that was hard to do when the only ones the other players wanted to fight were Mai Valentine and her friends. As soon as the three ladies entered the floor, all eyes darted toward them.
Mai Valentine the Delight of Termnnia. Téa Gardner, Princes of Gardenrealm, and Serenity Wheeler the sister of Ser Joey the Red-Eyes Dragon Knight.
"Duel me!"
No, Duel me! I'm the former intercontinental champion!"
"Duel me!"
Duke Devlin brashly came up the stairs after he heard the commotion from his booth. "Gentlemen, gentlemen," he said. "And ladies."
"Hey, Duke," said Serenity.
Duke smiled at her. "Serenity, how's my former hard-boiled love doing?"
Serenity smirked. "You're still going on about our former relationship, Duke?"
Duke shrugged confidently and defiantly. "Those were the best years of my life," he said. "Your kisses were as sweet as candy. And you were pretty good in the sack, I must say."
"Serenity!" said Mai, blushing red.
"Don't listen to him," Serenity said with a shake of her head. "Nothing happened between us like that."
"Still," said Duke. "Our breakup was the worst thing I've ever experienced. Did you leave because you thought you were too cool for me? You changed after Prince Marcel gave you those Red-Eyes Black Dragons."
"Duke, I don't want to talk about this right now. I just want to Duel."
"And Duel you shall," said Duke. "I just so happen to have some opponents for you girls to face. They're some of my best players from the shop I own downtown. What do you say? Three-on-three."
Duke's Duelists lined up in front of him as if on cue. They were young and well-dressed for the club. All of them of the Eldori race, donning wild and crazy hairstyles.
"What do you say?" Mai asked her friends. "I think all of us kicking butt at the same time could be quite fun."
Téa pumped up her fist. "Yeah, I'm game."
"So am I," said Serenity. "You're on Duke."
The six Duelists took their places on a Dueling Arena with a lit-up LED floor changing colors in smooth and graceful waves. Mai started first. She summoned Harpie Harpist and cast the spell, Ties of the Brethren. She paid 2000 Life Points and summoned Barrier Statue of Stormwinds and Harpie Channeler. She set two cards to face down and ended her turn.
Serenity started after the first opponent ended his turn. He was using a clever deck made of clown monsters. On the field, he had a Crass Clown and Dream Clown in defense mode.
Serenity played Red-Eyes Fusion and summoned Meteor Black Comet Dragon, startling everyone in the club, who thought Serenity was going to summon something cute and fluffy, a stereotype for all female Duelists. Many chauvinistic players assumed that girls would be wielding female monsters, adorable fairies, and woodland creatures. But something as fierce and rare as Meteor Black Comet Dragon was unsettling. Serenity Wheeler stood there in a short white party gown and a pink bow in her hair, with the fifty-foot monster hovering above her in a flaming fury. It seemed so out of place, especially for Duke, Mai, Téa, and anyone else who knew Serenity well.
A long time ago, she did summon fairies and cute creatures. Those days were long gone, and she was quite keen on showing everyone that she was not a girl to be fucked with anymore.
Meteor Black Comet Dragon
ATK/3500 DEF/2000 LV 8
Téa looked at the beast in sheer terror and wonder. "Goddesses, Serenity! Where did you get that!?"
"Who cares," said Mai. "I'm just glad that thing is on our side!"
Soon it was Téa's turn.
"I play the Spell-Card: Advanced Ritual Art! With this card, I can Ritual Summon by sending Normal monsters from my deck to the Graveyard whose total level equals that of my monster." She sent her two monsters away and summoned her ultimate monster. "Come forth, and bring us victory with your radiant light. I Ritual Summon Herald of Ultimateness!"
Herald of Ultimateness
ATK/2000 DEF/3000 LV 12
"You ladies are outshining me now," said Mai, looking up at the new monster. "No pun intended."
Herald of Ultimateness was glowing with multi-colored lights sprouting all over his sleek white frame that was trimmed in gold. His clear wings were glowing in all the colors of the rainbow.
The opponents could not do much with Herald of Ultimateness on the field. If they so much as activated a spell or attempted a Special Summon, Téa could discard a fairy monster from her hand and cancel out their activation.
Mai's turn. She summoned a Harpie Harpist and then Xyz Summoned Lightning Chidori, one of her newest monsters.
A few turns later, Duke's Duelists had summoned powerhouses of their own (Téa only had so many fairies in her hand after all). Master of Oz (ATK of 4200). Fiendish Engine Omega (ATK 2700), and a Sengengin (ATK/2750).
The monsters clashed with each other violently during the battle phases, none of them destroying one another due to the traps and spells each player activated to keep their monsters safe and powered up. Meteor Black Comet Dragon went claw to claw with Fiendish Engine Omega. They rolled and tumbled across the field, meanwhile Mai did everything in her power to keep Téa's Herald of Ultimateness from being pummeled by Sengenjin. Her Harpie's Pet Dragon, powered up by three Harpies on the field could easily stand against the brutish beast. He swung his hammer, attempting to crush the dragon's skull, until Mai activated a trap she decided to use as a last resort.
Mirror Wall. Sengenjin golden hammer slammed against the crystalized wall thereby reducing his ATK in half. Harpie's Pet Dragon flew over the wall and bathed the weak monster in flames.
ARRGH! Grunted Sengenjin, and he shattered into a thousand pieces. Serenity took her chance next turn and wiped out the rest of his Life Points. Soon, the other Duelists followed suit. Duke watched in amazement, rolling a lock of his hair around his finger. "Not bad," he said. "Not bad at all. And this is why Lord Gabriele and Lady Luthia chose them to be Prince Daveed's guardians. A big hand for my friends everyone. Aren't they lovely?"
The club roared with applause. Duke pointed his finger in the air and spun his wrist, signaling the DJ to crank up the music. It was party time.
"Phew," said Serenity. Her monsters vanished. "I don't know about you guys, but I think I'm up for a dance."
Mai put her arms around her friends and kissed them both in the cheek with a long, wet, sloppy kiss. "I love you guys," she said. "Let's make sure Yuri is as every bit as good as us when it's time for him to Duel."
"Oh, we're going to teach him alright," said Téa. "There is no way I'm letting Yugi and the guys teach him everything. They don't know how to Duel like us."
Mai let them go and headed for the dance floor. "Come on, let's party, ladies. I think that's enough Duel Monsters for one night."
Joey - Somewhere in Upper Eredas
October 15 - Year 18 4AOS
"There it is at last," Joey said, leaning against a pole of the tavern's front porch as a caravan carrying precious cargo approached them from the Silver Road, which cut through the Milkwalk Forest. He started counting them. "Ya gotta be kidding me," he said. "Nine wagons? Nine wagons full of gold just for Prince Yuri?"
"Must have been one rich dragon horde," said Tristan, sitting on a rock as he polished the rust off his chainmail. "Your sister and Mai scare the crap out of me by the way. They were only gone a day."
"It was no dragon," Joey said with a scoff. "It was just a horny, young wyvern looking for a mate.
Tristan did his best to conceal his chortle. "Is that jealousy I detect in your voice, Joey?"
"Blah, blah, blah," said Joey. "Come on, Tristan. We can finally stop monster-hunting now. Yuri's money is here."
"It's about time," said Tristan, getting up from the rock. "I'll go get Duke."
Joey cringed. "Take my word for it, man. You don't want to disturb him. He's...indisposed at the moment." He heard a woman screech with pleasure from a room three floors above him.
"Thanks for the heads up," said Tristan, sitting back down with a face of disgust creasing his face. "So, think Yuri will be set with all this gold?"
"He's set up for life with this fortune," said Joey, walking to one of the wagons. He opened the door to look upon the treasures Mai and his sister discovered in the cave of the wyvern they slew. Chests of gold with precious gems, and jewelry. And sacks upon sacks of gold coins of all shapes and sizes with barrels of Star Chips. "Yuri," Joey whispered. "You deserve this, man."