A/N: This ficlet means more if you've seen the original ending of Yu-Gi-Oh!, not the butchered version presented by the dub. Go to www. youtube. com/watch?v (equals sign) vV8lD4ObHNs to see it.

14. My Happy Ending – Avril Lavigne

"But why?"

Mai sighed and kept her arms folded. Somehow that managed to piss Vivian off even more. "I already told you this."

"You told me some pack of hooey about finding yourself and whatever." Vivian fanned her hand as though batting away flies. "I thought we were having fun. We're slaughtering those guys out there." Her hand movement became more decisive, gesturing to the stadium that would be filled to capacity tomorrow. "And now you want to break up the team?"

"There's more to life than Duelling."

"Not much."

Mai hook her head sadly. Vivian was possessed of a powerful urge to fist her hair and smack the other woman's head against the wall a few times. This wasn't the Mai Kujaku she'd seen on TV, full of fire and passion. Nor was she the sad and vengeful creature who'd partnered up with Vivian to slice their way through the Asian Doubles Duelling Circuit. They were a team to be reckoned with, and for the first time since leaving Shanghai for Kaiba's tournament, Vivian was getting the kind of recognition and respect she deserved.

Her hands formed angry fists by her sides. "How can you say that? You used to live for duelling!"

"And now I don't. It's one of the things I've learned since …" Mai trailed off, eyes becoming unfocussed as she looked at the horizon. She did that sometimes, though what she was looking for was anyone's guess. Mai was cagey about her personal life; still, Vivian knew how to spot the fingerprints of an ex on a person's psyche. "There's more to life than duelling."

Trembling with rage, Vivian crossed the three steps between them and really did fist her hand in the back of Mai's hair. However, instead of knocking some sense into her, she instead crushed their lips together. She started it, and she ended it too, then leaned her forehead against Mai's in a far more tender gesture.

"Please, stay," she said hoarsely. "For me."

For a half-second it seemed like Mai was surprised enough to say yes. Then she shook her head. It rubbed their foreheads together, reddening their skin. "I can't. I can't do this anymore."

Vivian stepped away from her, a few long blonde hairs caught under her nails. "Bitch," she spat, whirling on her heel. Bad language wasn't her usual tack, but now it seemed justified.

"There's more to life than duelling, Vivian!" Mai called after her. "There's living!"

But Vivian just slammed the door behind her and never saw Mai Kujaku again.