Fifi's
"Please, Serenity?"
Serenity sighed. Life really wasn't supposed to go this way. She felt out of the loop. She knew when she was younger she'd be pretty, but she'd been gifted with being even prettier. Downright attractive.
She didn't really get it. She had the body of a super model, and she didn't earn it. She never dieted, didn't exercise a whole lot, never had been the wrong amount of weight. Her breasts were big, but not excessively. Her butt was big, but not excessively. Women were jealous, and guys around there fancied her more and more.
Serenity was a nice person, so when it first started, she gave guys plenty of chances around there. They always tended to want more though. Some even went so far as to say she had a beauty that must have been a gift from the gods.
It wasn't easy to find guys not drooling anymore. It's part of the reason she chose Tristan Taylor to go steady with. His presence usually shooed them off, and at least she knew he would treat her well.
Too bad he wasn't around right now. "I'm just not interested," she said to the latest person asking for a date. "I'd like to finish my meal. Thanks, but I have a boyfriend." Nothing.
"That means scat."
Hm, that voice was familiar. Serenity looked toward the owner. He was familiar, but she couldn't guess where.
He sat down next to her. "Name's Seto Kaiba. Yours?"
Seto Kaiba. Seto Kaiba. I know him. I know that I know him. He runs Kaiba Corp. He created the cards? No, he didn't create the cards. Features of the cards Joey used to play. I think? There was still more. Personally. "Serenity Wheeler. Do I know you?"
"Probably. My company is famous." He waved the other man goodbye with his hand, and this time, he left. "Getting bothered much?"
Constantly. "Constantly," she actually said out loud. Maybe if she stayed more open, she'd remember who he'd been personally to her?
He wore strange clothes, but expensive. Was that a cape, who wore a cape? His hair was smoother and well taken care of. He had brought a strange bottle of whiskey or something from his own table called God's Brew.
Who was he?
"I feel like I know you," Seto Kaiba said to her. "I don't know how, and that's not a line. From the minute I came in here, I haven't been able to get you off of my mind. I know that I know you from somewhere. I hate leaving mysteries unfinished." He took off the cap of his God's Brew and poured a glass. "Do you live here in the city?"
Hm. "Yes." He was doing exactly what she really wanted to do. "Your company is here."
"Yes, it is. Are you related to anyone at my company?" He asked as he drank some of his God's Brew.
"I don't think so," she admitted.
"This is going to bug me for some time." He looked at his watch. "Are you related to someone in my Dual Academy?"
"I don't play Dual Monsters," she told him. "Sorry."
"Don't be. Would you like to take a drive in my limousine so we can talk more privately?" he asked.
For the first time, she couldn't help herself. She craved it, she had to know.
She wanted to know who he'd been. "Yes."
—
It was so strange. He had offered her some of his drink while he pondered on the ride. If it hadn't been for the fact he was drinking from it, she'd never trust it. Probably. It was alluring, even the bottle. She tried a bit. It was like a sweet strawberry cream traced with what lilacs must taste like. It was amazing.
They each went through guesses as they rode around. The ride was beautiful in the limousine and he even had some exotic snacks. After an hour, they still couldn't figure it out, so he treated her to lunch instead.
Such an extravagant meal. Serenity enjoyed herself the entire day with the man she knew, but didn't. So close, the tip of her tongue. It was almost like a dream.
They both seemed to be enjoying the mystery between them as time kept running. They went out and looked around in different places she'd never been or shopped before. The places were expensive, but Seto insisted on buying something for her.
She ended up in a strange silvery dress, wearing a beautiful cape, eating hors doeuvres and drinking God's Brew by the time supper came around. Once again, he treated her.
This time, they were both waited on hand and foot. "This feels like a strange dream. I'm playing the role of a princess in a stage play." She looked at her dress.
"You are a dream," her waiter encouraged her. "A dream like you only deserves the finest things."
"Would you mind not flirting with my date?" Seto Kaiba commented.
Date? Well, the little trip certainly had turned into that. The mysterious stranger she knew, yet didn't. He just laid it out as it had eventually become. I am on a date. I can't do this to Tristan. She drank more of the God's Brew. "Seto, um?" She was going to tell him that she had a boyfriend already. Instead, her mind went somewhere else. "Where did this come from?" she asked.
"It's rare, or I wouldn't drink it," Seto answered. "The maker keeps themselves hidden, you'll never find it out in a public store."
"It's so good. I've never tasted anything so good," she admitted. "Strange to say that about alcohol."
"I'll send you a bottle to your residence," he insisted.
She thanked him. Usually, she would never accept such a gift, but the God's Brew was incredible. The creator certainly named it right.
"In fact, why don't you come with me to my place? I can get a bottle to you right there instead," he said. "If you don't mind one more spin?"
Oh no. She enjoyed the stops, and it'd be better not to have to wait for it to arrive.
—
At first, Kaiba didn't know how to treat her. She wasn't using the same kind of tactics other women who were that beautiful used. She was even polite and sweet, a trait none of them had without wanting something in return.
She was never haughty, belittling, and she . . . acted like a lower class citizen that shined like the elite. It made no sense. Of course she had a boyfriend, he heard that before he interrupted her to talk. That didn't really concern him. What did was how she could live in the middle of some apartment randomly in the city? Why was she simply employed at an office?
The hunt began when he first saw her, but it had paused when his mind couldn't place her. It would be a bad idea to get mixed up with the wrong person. As time went by though, seeking out how they knew each other, he stopped caring about associations.
It was like she said at the restaurant, but slightly different. She was the very definition of a princess, seeming almost untouched by the evils of life. Innocent, naive, yet she had the body of someone who was anything but innocent.
How could he resist that goddess of a woman?
—
Morning . . .
Well? This wasn't the first time this happened, but it was the first time he didn't remember it. It's also the first time he found himself dressed lying in his bed next to someone. I took Serenity all around Domino City, and then what? Oh well, not a big deal. Dressed or undressed didn't matter. A weak moment of needing someone, that was all. Brought on a little stronger between them by the drinking and spending the entire day together. In the end, she was still just a woman. A woman without even any money, which definitely wasn't his type.
She was an illusion, a vision of what he wanted. As he got up, he was about to mention his usual speech of paying for a ride home when-
"I'm sorry, I have to get out of here."
Their thoughts were aligned, that always made it easier. "I'll pay for a ride if you wish."
"No, no, I'll just walk. I need to breathe, I need to move. I never do this." She looked at her clothes. They were still on as well. "I don't remember anything, but I have a boyfriend, and I'm sorry."
She said sorry too much. "That's fine." How in the world was he attracted to that yesterday? Shoot, he even promised her a whole bottle of his newest acquired brew, didn't he? Well, better just hand it to her. As fast as she was moving, he wouldn't be seeing her again. He went and fetched another one, right before she got on her shoes. He left it on the bed next to her. "Here."
"Thanks." She took it, and then she was gone.
Hm. Usually, he was the one to brush them off faster than they did him.
—
Serenity just wanted to walk home. She didn't care how far she was, she'd call a cab soon, but for now, she just wanted to use her feet to walk out. Seto Kaiba had never done anything nice for anybody.
When her brother and Mai got injured and they needed off his blimp, he refused to take them down. It was too important to finish his games. Even his little brother Mokuba tried to convince him.
He never even noticed her back then. Did he even say two words that were nice to her? Or any for that matter? She didn't know. How could I not see? It was impossible to see how she couldn't see, it was like she was blinded to who he had been! He wasn't even surprised she had a boyfriend! Maybe he even knew it was Tristan? I cheated on Tristan, I am scum! I have to tell him. True, she was still dressed, but the fact she didn't remember anything made her nervous. She just kept walking and walking until-
She bumped into someone. "Sorry, sorry." Then, she saw who she bumped into.
Yugi Muto, Joey's best friend. This was . . .
"Hi, Serenity." As nice as ever. "Are you okay? You walked right into me. Did you need something?"
"Domino City is huge, how did I run into you?!" Then, she covered her mouth, realizing how rude that had just been. "Sorry, I mean, I'm fine!"
"You don't sound fine?" Great, now Yugi was worried. "Are you really fine?"
"I'm fine, don't worry. Hard day. I have to go, bye!" She had to get out quick. If he worried too much, he'd call up Joey. Then Joey would have to call up his little sister to figure out what was wrong. Then what was she going to say?
That she stayed over night with someone that used to be his worst enemy? No. No, to home. Home, home, home. She would tell Tristan what she did, but there's no way she was telling either of them who!
—
That was definitely strange. Yugi usually didn't bother Serenity for any reason, but now it had him wondering what happened. Tristan called him up in the middle of the day and said Joey was doing something stupid.
It didn't matter that he had a presentation over his latest upgrades to his game, he had to come. Joey and trouble usually were intense words to use together. With Serenity's strange act, he was even more concerned.
He stepped into the café where Tristan said he wanted to meet. "Hey, Tristan. I just bumped into Serenity and she looked terrible. What's so wrong with Joey?"
Tristan seemed confused by that. "I don't know, I doubt he'd tell her much. Sit down, Yugi."
Yugi sat down and heard the few details Tristan knew. Joey wouldn't be back for their yearly meetup, but he didn't share much else except Mai Valentine was involved.
"He said to do whatever we wanted, he didn't care," Tristan muttered. "He's probably going to ask for help from you soon. Guarantee it."
That'd be okay. Yugi had plenty of money, if Joey needed help, he'd help. "I hope he calls soon. I don't know what he needs, but I'd help however I could." Yugi's games had been successful, he'd be able to get Mai set up in some kind of a new life to get away from whatever mess she'd been in too if he had to. He just doubted Joey would go for that.
Not with this guy's past. But, he knew Joey. He couldn't risk leaving her behind. Not Mai Valentine. Joey had connected to her when they were younger, and even years later, he doubted he'd leave her in that bind.
—
Joey knocked back on Mai's door. Either way this ended, he'd be ready. Nobody answered it at first. The dear Skeezy must be back. He wasn't giving up, he knocked harder. "Hey, Skeezy! I want to talk to you!"
Mai answered the door. "I told you he ain't here, now go away!"
He caught his foot in the door though. "Mai, there's no way you love a guy that is as bad as this guy. I know you. He's got you wrapped up in something. Give me a few minutes to talk to you? Just a few? Afterwards, I'll beat it. I'll Amscray. Just, a little talking?"
"Oh, like you'd leave." Mai opened the door and then left in a huff to the other side of the room, pulling out the God's Brew. "Damn you, Joey, I didn't ask you to interfere in my life and try to be some knight again. I don't need one anymore." She took a big gulp of it.
Joey went over and grabbed some God's Brew too. "Well, I'm stealing some of this then." He took a glass. "Now? Let's start talking about your soon to be husband. I met him some time ago in a duel tournament. I got a whiff of some things he was involved in. The deeper I got, the more I had to investigate."
Oh yeah. "You're a cop, aren't you?"
"Used to be going for a detective," Joey admitted. "I kept getting too deep though in stuff I wasn't involved in. I was tracking someone and I was watching someone involved with the target. She disappeared. To this day, she's still lost."
Mai squirmed slightly. "Yeah. People tend to disappear someimes." Yeah, that look from him. He didn't tell her that for fun. He wanted her story in return. "It started with a duel."
Joey came closer, intent on hearing everything.
"I won. We dueled again. He won. He wanted to duel again after winning. It was strange someone wanting to duel after they beat me, but I went ahead and played him again. He started to give me a hundred bucks every duel we played, whether I won or not." She sighed. "He was just trying to find out about me. What made me tick. I did the same thing, started looking up stuff on a guy that kept paying me to duel him. I didn't see good things, so I told him I didn't want to duel again. He got." She paused. "Angry about that."
"You knew real early he was dangerous."
"Yeah. He tried to make up for his anger, which I didn't want no part of." She spread out her hand. "I still didn't know what I was getting into, I just went 'Mai Valentine is not about that!'. I thought he got the hint. I heard nothing until after the competition. I went home. There were presents and flowers, and he apparently bribed the landlord to let him in to drop it all off. Along with that was a list of recommendations. People who I should call to check him out."
"You dialed up the phone to find that info?" Joey asked. "I'd be busy calling in some backup. He got into your place and everything."
"Yeah, which is why I dialed up them numbers," Mai insisted. "I had nothing to lose. Not like it made any difference if he traced me at that point. What I found? Wasn't recommendations to how great a guy he'd been. Every single caller was a warning. Warning me not to run away. They were all deserters I rang up, each one shocked I even had their number." She sighed. "Most of them said don't call again and they were packing up and moving off. I got the message loud and clear."
She was quiet for a short time then drank more of her God's Brew. "I planned on saying yes next time I played him. Instead."
"He already knew he won. Why be coy." Marriage. "When does this big old shindig happen?"
"Skeezy doesn't do average. It'll be next year," she answered. "About ten months away or so."
"Ten months. You could try and break free now, with the right connections though?" Joey offered. "Yugi's doing well. I know with the help of my friends, I can find a way to pull you out of here."
"I didn't do anything different," she said, not answering his question. "He'd been obsessed with me since the first game. I never understood it. I flirted with him a little at first, but I do that with everyone. It's just who I am," she admitted. "I didn't do much though, and then after seeing what he was really about, I shut all that down. It?" She shook her head. "I don't know why he's got a thing for me."
Joey tapped the bar area. "You did nothing, Mai. You're just the kind of person he envisioned he could stand for the longest. You're attractive. Feisty as hell, even though he knows you won't cross him. You even play duel cards. He likes all that."
"Well I don't, I hate it!" She was starting to bounce back. "Mai Valentine should be a free bird, I don't wanna be some wife stuck inside and having baby after baby. Sure, I like the money, but I'm just . . . looking at the only bright side I got."
"Then, we are getting you out." He stole the bottle and poured another glass himself as he pulled out his phone.
"Joey, it's too dangerous. No. I'm not involving anybody else."
—
Domino City
Yugi and Tristan had ordered food, waiting to see if Joey called. Joey was both smart and stupid. He'd grown since high school, but the more emotional the situation, the more chances he tended to take. He aimed for a promising career and lost it because he got too involved in a local kidnapping. He couldn't let go.
The food was long gone. They tried to pass time by talking about their day. Then Yugi told him about his new designs. Then, running out of stuff, Tristan brought up another subject.
"I hear Téa got a new gig again. Maybe we should do something to sort of recognize the role?" Tristan suggested.
Yugi's face fell in a goofy smile. "Yeah. She'll be the cutest undead backup person on stage. I don't want to miss Téa." She tried to take a trip home every year that she'd done good. She wasn't a huge star, usually just backup roles. For what she dreamed, it wasn't of course. But? She was happy. She danced and acted, and was positively radiant when she visited. "I can't blame Joey. Last time she came, I had been away. I had to show off my new game."
"Yeah, poor you. Games that bring you a fortune had to be shown off so you couldn't see her. Priorities, Yugi. You couldn't skip that," Tristan said. "I'm sure it wasn't too big a deal."
"I see her once a year, and it was a big deal to miss that." He offered to pay for another ticket or to come see her, but she just said the same thing Tristan just did. She'd see him next year and not to spend money just to see her.
It would be year two that he hadn't seen her if they canceled. "Joey would have had some good ideas on what to do."
They stared at that phone until it finally rang. Tristan picked it up on the first ring. "Joey, you better be okay!"
"I am okay, Tristan. Is Yug there? You know, the guy who actually owns the phone?" He answered.
"I will put you on speaker," Tristan said as he messed with the phone. He put it back on the table. "And?"
"We need a plan to help Mai disappear," Joey said. "She's in deep. Real deep. This isn't an easy guy to pull away from. She isn't even trying."
"Got an idea," Tristan offered. "Téa is coming soon. You know, the one friend your standing up to help another one that stole your soul? Yugi and I can help pay for Téa to take her back with her to New York City. Then, she can get her own life walking New York's streets and stop hanging onto you as her -"
"Tristan!" This was not a time to let old grudges in. Still, Yugi was too late. He didn't even hear another sound from the phone. Joey hung up. "Why? Joey called me for help and you pulled that?" He took back his phone and redialed Joey again. No answer.
—
"I am sure Yugi will help, that was just Tristan butting in," Joey insisted as he heard his phone ring again. "Mai?"
"Tristan is the only one who spoke any sense. I will figure my own way out," she said, "or live with the consequences."
Damn it. He was on a role, why did Tristan have to say that? "After everything is said and done, you can pay us all back if you want." It was gonna be expensive and risky to get Mai out, but he had to do something before she got mixed up in Skeezy's actual business. "Mai. It's not farfetched, and I'm not trying to scare you. You do something, anything that annoy's this guy, and he'll kill you or make you disappear." She didn't look too surprised. "Mai?"
"I'm not the person you knew," she answered. "He likes me for me. I act tough, but I don't stand up to people. I just can't. I lost something, that part of me, a long time ago. He could do anything and I'd just take it."
"Loud but scared." Joey got it. "I saw a young girl, tracked her in her middle school. Got distracted just a few seconds, and lost her. She's still missing. I don't think she'll ever be found." She looked empathetic, but that was it.
"You got tonight to hang out with me, Joey Wheeler. I haven't had another duel outside of Skeezy for a year. He doesn't like me joining tournaments myself. So, you wanna duel me or not?"
—
Joey thought he just had to loosen Mai up again. He talked about his dueling and how the duels he played lacked heart anymore. He tended to stay on paying circuits of dueling when he lost his career. Mai told him about what she had done over the years. They shared what they could over the God's Brew.
It was good. Potent. Just what he needed. They both slid so comfortably into the conversation. Joey even found himself explaining about Atem. And if that weren't enough.
"You could have asked it from me."
"Ask what?"
"To come see you. I wanted to. I wanted to know that you were okay after getting your soul back."
"I wanted to be better first, Joey. Then, it felt awkward to see you. I just felt too much shame. I can never make up for what I did."
"I knew the risks. I wanted to save you no matter what 'cause I loved ya. Did I say that out loud? God's Brew is apparently strong. Sorry."
"Saying anything about that time with you would be wrong. I was like 24 and you were this little guy in high school. You were too young, Mister."
"Not . . . too young now, am I?"
—
The next morning
Joey kind of waited next to Mai in the bed. He knew he had a serious problem. Although he didn't mind the angel next to him? He knew he messed up.
No idea how. They were talking last night about getting her out with Yugi and Tristan. Then Tristan said something stupid. He was trying to recover. Then, they were both just kind of enjoying the God's Brew and the company. Did I tell her how I feel, is this why I'm here?
Last night, thoughts and words seemed to form into each other. Or, did she just feel like she owed me? Could she have actually said something more? Did she have better memories? Oh man, what if she's just like me and doesn't remember anything?
This was bad. This wasn't the time for this kind of thing. Mai was in a jam, a serious jam. If she didn't remember and thought something happened, she might not trust him. She had a serious issue with trust.
Joey snuck out of bed. If she doesn't seem any different, if I make this scene different, then I'll know. He picked up the clothes off the bed and floor. He took one of the pillows and threw it on the floor haphazardly. Like he'd ever make up a bed on the ground? He looked around the hotel room and found an extra blanket. He spread it around the pillow.
He took all his clothes and threw them on the bathroom floor. Mai would probably use like a hamper if they had one. He looked around and found one. He stuffed her clothes in there.
He tucked himself back over on the floor and waited. Soon, he heard Mai starting to move around. He saw her face immediately looking out for him above. "What?"
"Uh? Nothing." She sighed. "Do you know why I'm naked?"
"Um?" He teased to keep the lie in control. "Mai, were just friends. Maybe after this whole-" He stopped as she threw her pillow at him.
"I'm not coming onto you. You stay there and don't peek," she demanded as he heard her footsteps hurry to the bathroom.
There's my answer. If she had remembered, she would have had a brilliant smile when she looked over then said something like 'Wheeler, what're you doing on the floor, Goofball?'
She'd never go through with any plan he would try if she knew. Even now, because of the Orichalchos thing she had too much guilt and shame to get his help. I've got to get her out or she's dead. She'd either find out about what he did and get pinned as an accomplice so she couldn't ever leave, or he'd get tired of her.
Joey felt like scum at the same time. They were with each other, and she should know that. But? Promise Mai. Once your safely away from this guy, I'll tell you the truth. Until then, he needed her working with him.
Best way to keep lies under wrap? "That God's Brew is real strong, I don't remember anything from last night. Ya think something happened there, Mai?" He raised his eyebrows comically. Bring up the truth like it was a total joke.
"In your dreams. You were on the ground and everything. I was . . ." She paused. "Nah. It was fine."
There. Suspicion over. "Hey, Mai." Still, he wasn't a moron. "Once your better off and start getting into tournaments, come get me. I'd love to join one with you again."
A little smile. "We'll see, Wheeler."
—
Yugi pulled himself away from his breakfast when he saw who was finally starting to call. "Joey?"
"Yug? I need some help. I need to get Mai to Domino for a bit."
"Joey, you've been following this for a long time. This guy sounds intense. Are you sure bringing her to Domino City isn't going to be easy for him to find?" Especially since it's where Joey lived too.
"She'll stay off the streets. You could put her in a hotel for a couple of months maybe while I figure out how to bring this whole thing to a close finally? Is that okay, pal? I promise I'll pay it back in the future."
Pricey but yeah. Yugi could swing that. "You don't have to pay me back, Joey. As long as she stays out of sight. I don't know how this will end though. We never get mixed up in these kinds of situations." At least not anymore. They were all pretty settled down. Yugi worked on his games. Tristan worked for his father. Joey used to be a cop but now he dueled professionally. And? Téa was happy with her career.
"Oh, and one more thing? There's something I need to tell you, Yug, but not over the phone. It's a face to face kind of talk, okay?" Joey informed him.
"You bet. When will you be here?"
"I don't know. I need to convince her to come still. Also? Don't tell Tristan where she's at. I don't need him involved in this. Okay?"
"Good idea, Joey." Tristan deciding to go to her spot and talking about the past wouldn't help things. "Although, you didn't tell any of this to your sister, right?"
"Nah, not a word. Why?"
"I bumped into your sister yesterday and she looked terrible. You might want to give her a call," Yugi told him. "I'll see you when you get here."
"Got it, Yug. Take care."
"You bet. Bye, Joey." Yugi hung up and took a deep breath for his next call. Oh, even being on the phone he blushed. He tried to call at least twice a month to Téa. If he didn't, she did.
He used to be able to talk to her everyday. New York City though, it was a long distance relationship from Domino. Still, she'd be taking a whole two weeks off to come down there and see them soon. Those two weeks were always magical. You shouldn't be like this. How many years has it even been? He should have moved on. Done something, but he just didn't want to.
He was waiting for that miracle day that would never come, when she came back to stay. He didn't want to be married, engaged, or even have a girlfriend when miracle day happened. I swore the first year apart I'd be over this. Then the second. I knew by the third it'd be ridiculous. By five, I was downright swearing it. "Ugh. Only the gods know why."
Crazy. He was close a few times too. He'd gotten a date a couple of times, set up by Joey or Tristan. They swore he needed to try. Then that very night, right before the date, Téa would call.
She didn't know about the dates, they didn't tell her. She had no way of knowing. Yet, she always said something like 'Sorry to call Yugi. Just found myself thinking I should really call you for some reason. How are you?'
If he was supposed to move on, she wouldn't call every time he had a chance to move on.
He dialed her number and heard her sweet hello. Soon he'd be able to see her in person. "Hi. It's Yugi. I just wanted to say that Joey won't be able to make it this year, but I'll be right here with Tristan." They talked for a few more minutes before she had to go back to work.
"I can't wait to see you soon too," Yugi insisted. "I know I missed out last year because of the traveling advertising for my game, but I won't miss a single day this time! Can't wait to see you. Bye. Téa."
—-