Chapter 2: First Encounter

"How could this be?" Pegasus cried, placing his hands on both sides of his head. "I had tightened the security to this place since the killer was first loose in the city!"

"You did, sir, but somehow someone must have gotten through the front door and slaughtered Kemo," Croquet said to him.

"It can't be the killer who infiltrated my estate, can it?!"

"Calm yourself, Mr. Pegasus. We'll contact the police and have Kemo's body being taken to a medical examiner for an autopsy."

While Croquet carefully guided Pegasus away, concerned whispers and murmurs could be heard from the guests. They were wondering what had happened to Kemo; they had no idea that at a location that had additional security, one of Pegasus's suits would end up dead.

Who could have done this to him, and why? Mai thought, her eyes still fixated on Kemo's body.

All of a sudden, a card slipped beneath Kemo's right hand, and Mai picked it up from the floor. It turned out to be a monster card she recognized right away: Makyura the Destructor.

That card looks familiar, she thought, examining it closely. It reminds me of a duel Marik had with Bakura, two weeks before he disappeared. He used that card during the duel, and Aurora, Selena and I were the ones watching them that day. Plus, she told me that Makyura the Destructor is one of Marik's favorite monsters.

An eerie chill ran up Mai's spine the moment she heard a dark chuckle coming from upstairs. The masked man was waiting for her, as he took off with his cape billowing in the wind.

It's that man again, Mai thought to herself. Maybe he's the owner of the card I just found, so I'll look for him upstairs.

She departed the crime scene and headed toward the grand stairway, which would lead her to the upstairs hallway. Firmly grasping the Makyura card, Mai began to search the corridor for any signs of the mysterious man, albeit there had been no luck so far. As she passed by a darkened pathway, the masked man emerged from the shadows, and a smirk formed across his lips.

I've found her, he thought of her, before disappearing into the shadows.

"Hello?" Mai called out, her voice echoing throughout as she continued browsing the hallway. "Is anyone there?"

There was no answer, though she wasn't giving up on finding the mysterious person. As she passed by a silver mirror hanging on the wall, the mysterious man appeared as her reflection, making her blood run cold as she swiftly turned around. However, as soon as she approached the mirror, it only turned out to be her own reflection.

That man was walking in the mirror just a second ago, she thought to herself. I think it must be my imagination.

Suddenly, Mai turned to see the figure entering a room, and she immediately dashed to the doorway that would lead her there.

"Hold on! Wait!" she called out.

Alas, it was too late; the door had closed on her by the time she finally made it. However, there was another card lying in front of her, and she immediately picked it up from the floor. It turned out to be another monster card, Mask of Darkness.

I'm familiar with this monster too, Mai thought, as she recalled Marik flipping it face-up in his duel against Bakura. So… does this mean Marik is still alive?

Willing to find out, Mai reached for the doorknob and slowly turned it, and the door creaked open as she stepped inside. The room belonged to Cecilia, and Pegasus had kept the room to preserve her memory after she passed away.

"Hello?" she called out.

There was nothing but an echo of her voice, yet she wanted to continue her search for the masked man. Cecilia's room contained a queen-sized bed with velvet pink bedspread and pillows to match; a canopy from above that was white as snow; and lovely white wooden fixtures that consisted of a vanity, a bookshelf, a drawer and two bedside dressers. There was also a painting of her and Pegasus hung up on the wall, and it was adorned by a golden frame.

Lastly, there was a large golden mirror that reflected the room. Mai turned toward the mirror and gradually approached it, gazing into her reflection.

All of a sudden, a purple fog shrouded the room, and Mai's reflection morphed into the masked man, making Mai jump back. She hurried toward the exit; however, the door slammed before she could even reach the doorknob, and she tried unsuccessfully to open it. An unseen force had locked the door, trapping her inside Cecilia's room.

All she could do was watch in growing astonishment as the masked man stepped out of the mirror and into the room. She could hardly believe her eyes; she had never seen a man emerge through a mirror before.

It's him! Mai thought, a bead of sweat dripping down the left side of her face. The masked killer that's been terrorizing the city!

"I've found you, at long last… Mai," he said to her.

How does he know my name?! she thought, shocked by his newly found knowledge of her identity.

The masked man glanced at the cards in Mai's hand, and though he was pleased that they successfully lured her to him, he had to regain them from her.

"I'll be taking these back," he said, reaching out a hand toward her.

Mai willingly handed the two cards over to the masked man, and she could feel her hands tensing as he took the cards from her. She understood that the cards were his prized possessions, although she suspected that they may be clues to Marik's disappearance.

His face…, she thought, glancing at the lower half exposed below the mask. It's all familiar to me. It has to be the missing Marik—I just know it!

Once she returned to her original spot, Mai was silent for a moment, unsure of what to say to him. She didn't want to keep him waiting, so she took a low breath in an attempt to ease her nerves and spoke up:

"I need to know who you are, and are you the one who murdered Kemo and the other three victims?"

She was suddenly pulled into the masked man's arms, and she could feel his left thumb stroking across her chin as he leaned in toward her, answering in a whisper:

"I'm the one who's looking for you."

These exact words brought chills up the blonde woman's spine, and now they had attached themselves to her mind. She would never let go of them, no matter how hard she would try to erase them. How could that be possible? Why would the masked man be after her, even though she was clearly in love with Joey?

"And to answer your question: I am the one responsible for slaughtering these four people. They were simply in my way."

He gingerly caressed the right side of her face with his left hand, leaving Mai with a tinted light pink blush on her face as he crooned to her:

"Now that we've finally met face to face, my dear, I'm ready to make you mine."

Mai could feel her heart racing as the masked man slowly leaned in toward her lips, preparing for a first kiss. However, he suddenly paused when they heard the sound of Joey's voice calling her.

"Mai?"

It's Joey! Mai thought in a state of panic.

Blast…! I was so close…, the masked man thought, emitting a low growl of disbelief.

Even though he fell short of taking Mai for himself, he knew he had to avoid revealing himself to anyone at Pegasus's estate. He began walking away from her, as the mirror became cloudy once more, just like the fog.

"I must depart for the time being," he said to her, as his body sinked back into the mirror. "We will meet again."

Those last words from him echoed throughout the room and into Mai's mind, as she was watching him in astonishment. She had never asked him his name, thus meaning that the fate of the missing Marik would remain uncertain…

The fog faded away and the door unlocked, just as it opened up to reveal Joey, Aurora, Tristan, Serenity, Tèa and Yugi.

"There ya are," the ginger blonde-haired boy said to her. "We've been lookin' all over for ya."

"What were you doing upstairs?" Tristan asked her.

"I… I was just… exploring some more of Pegasus's estate," Mai answered, covering up the truth.

"Alright, well, you had us worried sick!" Joey exclaimed. "Let's head back downstairs; dessert's gonna be here any minute now."

"What about Kemo?" Mai asked, as she followed her friends out of the room and down the grand stairway.

"Kemo's body has been taken by the authorities, and they'll hand it over to the medical examiner for an autopsy," Yugi explained to her.

Outside the estate, Kemo was hauled out on a cot, his corpse draped by a white sheet. The bloody crime scene had to be cleaned up by the police, even though they didn't find any evidence of the killer's whereabouts. Pegasus was seen in his office with Croquet, having just recovered from his state of shock. He had to tell the police of Kemo's murder whilst still shaken by the crime scene, albeit he didn't witness the complete killing because he was busy prepping the painting of Cecilia for the presentation.

"Are you ready to go back, sir?" Croquet asked him.

"Yes, thanks to your support," Pegasus answered. "As the old saying goes, the show must go on!"

"And Pegasus has just managed to pull himself together," Tèa added. "He should be back any minute now."

"Dat means da gala is still on!" Joey concluded, grinning optimistically.

Mai breathed a sigh of relief, as she was worried that the killer's presence may abruptly end Pegasus's gala. She had been looking forward to attending it since she and her sister received the invitations, and she had everything planned for the occasion: the hair, the makeup, the dress, and the accessories.

At the same time, however, she was still fixated on her encounter with the masked man. His answer to her repeated over and over again in her head, like a record replaying the same song.

"I'm the one who's looking for you."

She wondered when she would meet him again; nonetheless, she had to keep her mind off of him and enjoy the gala with her beloved man and her friends.

The desserts were a hit to the guests, and they had left each of them with a sweet tooth. It was time for the after-party drinks, and Mai took a sip of earl grey tea when Joey approached her, hiding the velvet box behind his back.

"Hey, Mai," he said to her, grabbing her attention. "Want to go for a walk in da garden? Tristan told me about it, and he just took Serenity there. It's a beautiful moonlit night."

The two turned to see Tristan and Serenity talking with Yugi and Tèa, having just enjoyed their romantic walk in the garden. Mai could hear Tristan recommending the place to them, and she was sure that she and Joey would love it just as much as Tristan and Serenity did.

"I think a walk under the moonlight does sound romantic," she said, a smile of content forming across her ruby red lips. "I would love to see the garden."

The moment he heard her acceptance, Joey grinned joyously as his right hand clutched into a fist and rose it upward.

Yes! he thought, sounding optimistic in his mind. Dis is my chance to present my promise ring to her!

Without any further ado, Joey gently grasped Mai's hand and guided her to the doors that would lead them out into the garden.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go check out da garden."

Pegasus's garden was a lush paradise filled with flowers, a hedge bush maze that would be considered a labyrinth to those who would enter it, and a fountain that was beautifully sculpted in the form of a woman pouring water out of her urn. It also had grand pink rose bushes that were grown by Pegasus himself, and to him they were a symbol of his love toward Cecilia. It was another way to preserve her memory aside from her room.

A birdbath was built nearby the fountain, and two bluebirds were splashing into it to cleanse themselves. Once they were clean, they ruffled their feathers of the water and took off, just as Joey and Mai were eyeing on a tall dogwood tree. A couple of its leaves had already started to change color, thus showing signs that the autumn season would soon be approaching.

Then, the couple explored the hedge maze and held onto their hands the entire time so that they would not end up getting separated. It took some time for them to look for the way out, but a race to the exit was worth it and Joey was the winner.

While Joey was admiring a cage filled with white doves, Mai took a seat on the ledge of the fountain and gazed into the moonlit water, and her reflection was crystal clear. The water was shimmering underneath the moonlight like diamonds in a mine, and when she dipped a finger into the water, it formed ripples of the shining moonlight, which was a delightful sight for her.

I guess Tristan was right, she thought. This garden is romantic, especially under a full moon.

She turned to see Joey, who was reaching out to her, and she gladly grasped his hand as she rose up from the fountain. He guided her over to a bench that was underneath the dogwood tree, and they sat themselves next to each other.

"You know, Mai," Joey started to say. "I'm glad we got to spend some time alone together. And like Tristan said, dis garden is da perfect site for a romantic evening like dis."

"I agree with you," Mai replied with a nod. "Pegasus has such a gorgeous garden, and I wish I have one like his."

"Keep dreaming. It requires a lot of maintenance, and only da richest in da city can afford gardens dis huge. I think a smaller one would be easier for ya and ya sister."

"You're right. I'll talk to Aurora about it, as we have been considering growing our own garden since the start of spring. We did plant lilac bushes to start and bought a birdbath, but we felt that they wouldn't be enough. Maybe when the next spring comes, we'll pick out trees and flowers together."

"I'll be looking forward to see ya garden," Joey said to her.

All of a sudden, he rose up from the bench and got down on one knee in front of Mai, to her surprise.

What's this? she thought, as her heart was fluttering like a butterfly and her face was blushing a bright pink shade. Is he going to propose to me, after one year of dating?!

"Here."

The moment Joey held out the velvet box and opened it up, it revealed to be a golden ring with a ruby gemstone in the shape of a heart. It was twinkling in Mai's eyes, which were lit up just as bright as the moon.

"I want ya to have dis."

"What is it?" she asked him.

"It's a promise ring," Joey answered her. "It's quite different from an engagement ring, but dis ring is a symbol of your promise to remain faithful to me."

Mai leaped into Joey's arms, draping hers around his neck as she exclaimed happily:

"Ohh, Joey! It's a really beautiful ring! I'll be glad to accept it, and I will wear it every day as my promise to staying loyal to you."

"Thank you, Mai," Joey said, as he held her close to him.

With their eyes closed, they leaned in toward one another and they were immersed into a passionate kiss. She could feel the kiss melting into her lips, and to her, it was like she had died and gone into heaven with him.

After a minute, the lovebirds released their lips and let go of one another. Joey gently took Mai's right hand and slipped the promise ring onto her right ring finger, and Mai tried her best to hold back happy tears as soon as she gazed at it sparkling in the moonlight.

"Alright, then," Joey said to her. "Let's head back inside and tell Yugi and da others about dis."

The blonde woman nodded to her lover, and they held their hands once more and headed back to the doors leading to the ballroom.

Just as Mai and Joey made their return, they heard Vivian shouting at Pegasus, and her strident voice was startling the guests. Seto was the only one who wasn't bothered by her, however, as he felt that she wasn't his concern.

"What?! You'd expect me to pay this much for a commissioned painting?!"

"I apologize, Miss Wong, but the total cost is the sum for all the labor and materials," Pegasus explained to her solemnly. "I've put all of my hard work into these paintings, and I've always fulfilled my clients' requests as long as they show respect to me as an artist. Your request may be a portrait of yourself and I typically don't mind tackling a simple task like that, but with such a demanding attitude from you, I'll have to turn down your offer."

Vivian was left in a state of dismay and fury over her rejected offer, her face turning bright red and steam rising out of her head. She had such fine taste and had enjoyed Pegasus's artworks; however, her selfishness was what ultimately drove him away from accepting her offer.

"If that's how you choose, Pegasus, then I'll have to find another artist who will accept my request!" she snapped, storming out of the ballroom.

The guests were murmuring about her, as they had been listening to her rage toward Pegasus the entire time and they felt bad for their host. He had never been treated rudely by a client with such high maintenance.

"You handled this situation with such poise and restraint, sir," Croquet reassured him.

"Thank you, Croquet," Pegasus replied to him. "I've had better clients than this classless woman, anyway. And she calls herself a socialite with that?"

As Vivian marched out of the estate and into the street, she was grumbling infuriately about her rejected offer and how Pegasus handled the situation. She always got what she wanted, but in this case, her behavior towards him was what costed her the dream portrait of herself.

"That Pegasus…," she snarled of him. "He doesn't understand my needs, and all he cares about is money."

All of a sudden, she paused and swiftly turned around when she heard a dark laughter echoing into the night. It seemed like no one was there, though she had an uneasy feeling that she was being watched.

"Who's there?!" she shouted, positioning herself into a fighting stance. She was ready to use her martial arts as self-defense, in case the killer would come for her.

"Show yourself, whoever you are! Hiding would only make yourself a coward!"

In the shadowy depths of an alleyway, the masked man drew a card from his left sleeve and held it outward. A white light began to glow, as a monster in the form of a mechanical eel with yellow spikes on the sides of its head and large black pincers sticking out of the front.

"Plasma Eel, come out!"

Vivian gasped in horror as the Plasma Eel approached her, and she could feel her courage draining away as she started to shiver. Because the monster didn't have any limbs, her martial arts would be useless for her.

I don't have my dueling deck on me! I left it at my home, and my martial arts won't work against a hologram like this! she thought, beads of sweat dripping down her face.

"Seize her, and drain her of her energy!" the masked man ordered his monster, once he fully emerged from the darkened alley.

Cowering in trepidation, Vivian started to run away, but the Plasma Eel caught up to her and coiled itself around her body, like a snake would to its prey.

"I-I can't move…!" she grunted, as she struggled to break herself free.

The Plasma Eel's grip was too strong for her, as it attached itself to her head and began to drain her energy. Vivian cried out in agony, as she could feel the electrical waves numbing her body and her energy was gradually starting to deplete.

It only took a minute for the Plasma Eel to complete its task. It uncoiled itself from the socialite, who was now groaning feebly as a result of her energy significantly drained from her. She was lying on the ground, and all she could do in this state was crawl… but at a slow rate.

Vivian could feel her arms trembling, as her fingers grasped the cobblestone street like she would to the edge of a steep rocky cliff. Her legs were also numb, as they were shaking when she attempted to move them. The once sassy, feisty socialite with the moves was no more; she was now reduced to a enfeebled whimpering dog thanks to the Plasma Eel's torture on her.

The moment the masked man appeared right behind her with a sinister laugh, Vivian turned around and a gasp of petrification came out of her mouth.

It's the masked killer! she thought frantically.

Vivian began to crawl in spite of her condition; she was moving at a snail's pace as the masked man pursued her and snatched her by her ebony locks, turning her over and slamming her back against the street.

"Please! Have mercy on me!" she sobbed, tears welling up in her eyes.

"There's no mercy, even for the weak," the masked man warned her darkly, as he pulled out his dagger from the rod and slashed the front of her dress with it, forming a slash mark across her chest. It soon began to bleed, causing Vivian to clutch onto it in an attempt to stop the bleeding.

With another wicked smile on his face, the masked man aimed the dagger at her abdomen and began stabbing multiple times, making Vivian scream in pain. Her shrill screams rang throughout the street and alley, startling a pair of rats that had emerged from the sewers.

Once he pulled out, the masked man was pleased with his fifteen stab wounds he made to Vivian's abdomen. However, she was still alive as her bloody hands clutched onto her abdomen, as she beseeched him once more:

"I beg of you… please! Just leave me alone! I don't wish to die so young!"

"Oh, but death is calling your name, foolish girl," the masked man taunted her. "And there is no turning back once your soul is taken to the shadows for all eternity."

He aimed the dagger at her chest and pierced it deeply, and one final scream from Vivian was music to his ears. A pool of blood was oozing beneath her body as she took her last breath and her black eyes closed forever.

Another successful kill for the night, the masked man thought with a devious smirk. Now my work is done, and I can guarantee that Mai will be my reward for the next night.

The wind howled eerily, and in an instant, he vanished once more, leaving behind Vivian's horrifically mutilated body on the street.