Chapter 1
Reason Smoulders into Nothing
# CW: Hi!! My Mai fic will probably take a while to update (I've forgotten what order stuff happens in in Duellist Kingdom! Ssh!), so I'm writing this one. I based the name on a song from Les Miserables. It basically means: 'hard times come, but stick through them and you'll get something beautiful out of it!' Ok, so all my stories so far have had romance in them, and I'm getting sick of it, but it's all I'm good at. Here goes! #
Mai stared at the phone.
It was for emergencies only, of course. She wasn't in the directory – she had made sure of that – and friends, well, giving someone a shoulder to cry on only results in one thing – getting wet.
But today, well, today seemed different. It was just one of those gut feelings.
Mai wanted to talk. She just wanted to talk to someone.
Perhaps it was that photo she'd seen this morning, on the front desk in the Game Shop. It was a picture of the shopkeeper's grandson, Yugi, and his three best friends: Téa Gardner – Mai had never really got along with her. She was a little too cutesy, – Tristan Taylor – quiet guy, a little too macho for his own good. He sometimes seemed grumpy, – and Joey Wheeler.
Apart from Yugi (who only did because the other guys followed him round in awe because he was going to 'save the world'), Joey was the one who stuck out most.
NOT in a good way, mind you. Mai had managed to convince herself this long ago.
He was goofy. Life was a joke he just didn't get. He pissed about all the time, never taking anything seriously, never quite working out why people picked on him occasionally.
But then, that side of him didn't seem quite genuine.
If Mai didn't know any better, she'd think it was a front. Mai knew all about those. If Joey had been anyone else, she would have thought that he was insecure because of his ugly past, that he was afraid that everyone would hate him like his mother did (or so he had been brought up to believe – his father blamed her departure on him), so he tried to act wacky so that he could make friends. But he was Joey, and Joey had the IQ of a dead potato chip in a blender. He couldn't develop a front if you gave him ninety years.
Was he truly stupid?
He'd tried to save her so many times, and he talked to her like an equal. Sure, his grades were so low you could stand on them and plummet to your death, but you don't need to have a diploma in advanced rocket science to be intelligent.
No matter. She wasn't his friend, he wasn't hers.
What a way to spend an evening! Thinking about Joey Wheeler! Argh, she'd have nightmares.
Mai looked at the clock above the kitchen door.
Eleven thirty. Time she got some rest. This was an early turn-in for Mai Valentine.
Joey wandered along the streets of Domino City.
Best idea not to return tonight. Pop was drunk.
Joey sighed deeply. He'd never slept rough before, but there's always a first time. When Pop was in this state before, Joey would usually drop in on Yugi for the night, but Yugi, Téa, Tristan, Ryou and Serenity were out camping. Joey couldn't go because he was g-r-o-u-n-d-e-d. He'd set the microwave on fire when he was roasting some nuts.
Pop had said 'Yours are next, boy!'
Joey had winced at the thought.
Joey was bushed. Best to keep walking, though. Better than trying to get some shut-eye whilst on your guard for muggers.
Just as Joey turned the corner from the main street, there was a smash, then a massive roaring bang.
Flames sprang from a lower window of a posy building at the other end of the road!
Joey turned immediately and began to run to find the nearest payphone, when something struck him.
Number one two seven, Lamberth Avenue. That was the house that had just burst into flames.
That was also the address Mai had written when filling in the form for the new model duel-disk. Joey had committed it to memory.
This changed everything.
Mai was in that house!
Joey felt like someone had thrown a blanket over his brain. Who turned out the lights? His mind was blind, which left only the searing in his heart to guide the way.
Ok, soldiers! This body's under new management. Any complaints? Good. Now run!
Yes, sir! Barked Joey's legs.
Faster, men! Run like you've never run before! Ordered Sergeant Heart.
Joey's lungs were on fire, but he whizzed along the avenue, the wind whipping strands of hair from his eyes.
Hold on, Mai! I'd never let anything hurt you, and Joey Wheeler would never break a promise to a friend!
By the time he reached the house, the whole of the lower floor was ablaze. He could see through the windows.
There were no screams, no cries for help. That worried Joey, but then, Mai wasn't the type of girl to scream.
Joey put his hand to the doorknob, then withdrew it, swearing.
The knob was so hot, some of the skin of his hand had stuck there. There was a patch of raw, sticky burn from the base of his thumb to the second joint of his index finger.
Joey closed his eyes, reached out a hand, grasped the brass handle and turned it, roaring in pain.
The door swung open and crumpled against the wall. The other side of it had been ablaze.
Ashes flew into Joey's eyes and he coughed with the smoke.
'Mai!' he choked. 'MAI!'
'Get out!' A strong female voice replied. 'I can handle this!'
The sound came from the kitchen. The door was closed and blazing.
The windows were shattering in the heat, and Joey barely dodged the flying glass. A large piece caught him across the arm and stuck there, but Joey ignored it.
He ran for the kitchen door and smashed it open, the fire catching his T- shirt. Joey slapped it out with his good hand and hurried inside.
'Mai!' he roared. 'Mai!'
'Down here!' Mai was sheltering under the blazing kitchen table, curled up on the tiles.
'You're Ok!' Joey almost cried with relief.
'I am now.' Replied Mai, then realised what that sounded like and added, 'But I doubt I'll stay that way for long!'
'Don't worry, I'll getcha out!' Joey shouted above the roar of the flames.
No sooner had he said that than there was a crack from above and a beam fell blazing from the ceiling just above the table.
Mai rolled away, but the bean caught her across the leg and she screamed.
Joey yelled and hurried over, heaving the beam away with all his might, burning his hands and arms.
Mai was breathing heavily and her face was pale. She was seriously injured.
'I gotcha, don't worry.' Joey lifted her into his arms and hurried from the room, into the hallway and out through the front door onto the patch of grass outside, just before the sidewalk.
He set her down there, and knelt by her side.
Mai was unconscious, probably from pain, but she was breathing fine.
Joey stroked the hair off her sticky forehead with his burnt hands. She had a severe, bubbling burn on the side of her leg and a dark, purpling mark was forming on the other where the beam had struck.
Joey could feel tears pricking the back of his eyes.
Who? Who would do this to such a wonderful person?
'Joey?'
Joey took a sharp breath. Mai was waking up.
'Joey, is that - ' the girl choked.
'Yeah, it's me.' Joey couldn't think of anything else to say.
'What – happened?' asked Mai trying to sit up. Suddenly, her face contorted with pain and she cried out.
Joey wrapped his arms around her and held her to him, rocking her like a baby. Mai draped her arms round his neck and sobbed freely into his T- shirt.
That must hurt pretty darn bad to start Mai Valentine crying.
'It's Ok. It's Ok.' Joey murmured. 'I'm here.'
Mai pushed him away.
'Yeah, you're here!' she growled weakly. 'Why didn't you just call someone? I could have lost – I mean, I could have handled it!'
'It's just - ' began Joey, his eyes shining with tears.
'Look - ' began Mai, interrupting.
'I didn't want you to get hurt!' they both babbled at the same time, then stared at one another, blushing deeply.
'Joey, I didn't - '
'Like I always say, Joey Wheeler never breaks a promise to a friend.' Joey emphasised this last word just to reassure Mai, and himself, just what she was to him.
'I'm sorry, Joey.' Said Mai quietly.
Joey turned his face away sadly.
'I didn't know what to do.' He sighed. 'And now you're - '
'Oh Joey, your face - ' Mai reached out and gently stroked a spot along Joey's jawbone.
Joey felt a searing pain.
'I'm burnt, huh?' Joey smiled down at Mai. 'Hey, I don't mind a couple o' burns. Hell, what's skin compared to someone else's life?'
# CW: Ok, so Joey's being sickly noble in this chapter! Don't worry, it gets more interesting when the arson investigation starts. #
Reason Smoulders into Nothing
# CW: Hi!! My Mai fic will probably take a while to update (I've forgotten what order stuff happens in in Duellist Kingdom! Ssh!), so I'm writing this one. I based the name on a song from Les Miserables. It basically means: 'hard times come, but stick through them and you'll get something beautiful out of it!' Ok, so all my stories so far have had romance in them, and I'm getting sick of it, but it's all I'm good at. Here goes! #
Mai stared at the phone.
It was for emergencies only, of course. She wasn't in the directory – she had made sure of that – and friends, well, giving someone a shoulder to cry on only results in one thing – getting wet.
But today, well, today seemed different. It was just one of those gut feelings.
Mai wanted to talk. She just wanted to talk to someone.
Perhaps it was that photo she'd seen this morning, on the front desk in the Game Shop. It was a picture of the shopkeeper's grandson, Yugi, and his three best friends: Téa Gardner – Mai had never really got along with her. She was a little too cutesy, – Tristan Taylor – quiet guy, a little too macho for his own good. He sometimes seemed grumpy, – and Joey Wheeler.
Apart from Yugi (who only did because the other guys followed him round in awe because he was going to 'save the world'), Joey was the one who stuck out most.
NOT in a good way, mind you. Mai had managed to convince herself this long ago.
He was goofy. Life was a joke he just didn't get. He pissed about all the time, never taking anything seriously, never quite working out why people picked on him occasionally.
But then, that side of him didn't seem quite genuine.
If Mai didn't know any better, she'd think it was a front. Mai knew all about those. If Joey had been anyone else, she would have thought that he was insecure because of his ugly past, that he was afraid that everyone would hate him like his mother did (or so he had been brought up to believe – his father blamed her departure on him), so he tried to act wacky so that he could make friends. But he was Joey, and Joey had the IQ of a dead potato chip in a blender. He couldn't develop a front if you gave him ninety years.
Was he truly stupid?
He'd tried to save her so many times, and he talked to her like an equal. Sure, his grades were so low you could stand on them and plummet to your death, but you don't need to have a diploma in advanced rocket science to be intelligent.
No matter. She wasn't his friend, he wasn't hers.
What a way to spend an evening! Thinking about Joey Wheeler! Argh, she'd have nightmares.
Mai looked at the clock above the kitchen door.
Eleven thirty. Time she got some rest. This was an early turn-in for Mai Valentine.
Joey wandered along the streets of Domino City.
Best idea not to return tonight. Pop was drunk.
Joey sighed deeply. He'd never slept rough before, but there's always a first time. When Pop was in this state before, Joey would usually drop in on Yugi for the night, but Yugi, Téa, Tristan, Ryou and Serenity were out camping. Joey couldn't go because he was g-r-o-u-n-d-e-d. He'd set the microwave on fire when he was roasting some nuts.
Pop had said 'Yours are next, boy!'
Joey had winced at the thought.
Joey was bushed. Best to keep walking, though. Better than trying to get some shut-eye whilst on your guard for muggers.
Just as Joey turned the corner from the main street, there was a smash, then a massive roaring bang.
Flames sprang from a lower window of a posy building at the other end of the road!
Joey turned immediately and began to run to find the nearest payphone, when something struck him.
Number one two seven, Lamberth Avenue. That was the house that had just burst into flames.
That was also the address Mai had written when filling in the form for the new model duel-disk. Joey had committed it to memory.
This changed everything.
Mai was in that house!
Joey felt like someone had thrown a blanket over his brain. Who turned out the lights? His mind was blind, which left only the searing in his heart to guide the way.
Ok, soldiers! This body's under new management. Any complaints? Good. Now run!
Yes, sir! Barked Joey's legs.
Faster, men! Run like you've never run before! Ordered Sergeant Heart.
Joey's lungs were on fire, but he whizzed along the avenue, the wind whipping strands of hair from his eyes.
Hold on, Mai! I'd never let anything hurt you, and Joey Wheeler would never break a promise to a friend!
By the time he reached the house, the whole of the lower floor was ablaze. He could see through the windows.
There were no screams, no cries for help. That worried Joey, but then, Mai wasn't the type of girl to scream.
Joey put his hand to the doorknob, then withdrew it, swearing.
The knob was so hot, some of the skin of his hand had stuck there. There was a patch of raw, sticky burn from the base of his thumb to the second joint of his index finger.
Joey closed his eyes, reached out a hand, grasped the brass handle and turned it, roaring in pain.
The door swung open and crumpled against the wall. The other side of it had been ablaze.
Ashes flew into Joey's eyes and he coughed with the smoke.
'Mai!' he choked. 'MAI!'
'Get out!' A strong female voice replied. 'I can handle this!'
The sound came from the kitchen. The door was closed and blazing.
The windows were shattering in the heat, and Joey barely dodged the flying glass. A large piece caught him across the arm and stuck there, but Joey ignored it.
He ran for the kitchen door and smashed it open, the fire catching his T- shirt. Joey slapped it out with his good hand and hurried inside.
'Mai!' he roared. 'Mai!'
'Down here!' Mai was sheltering under the blazing kitchen table, curled up on the tiles.
'You're Ok!' Joey almost cried with relief.
'I am now.' Replied Mai, then realised what that sounded like and added, 'But I doubt I'll stay that way for long!'
'Don't worry, I'll getcha out!' Joey shouted above the roar of the flames.
No sooner had he said that than there was a crack from above and a beam fell blazing from the ceiling just above the table.
Mai rolled away, but the bean caught her across the leg and she screamed.
Joey yelled and hurried over, heaving the beam away with all his might, burning his hands and arms.
Mai was breathing heavily and her face was pale. She was seriously injured.
'I gotcha, don't worry.' Joey lifted her into his arms and hurried from the room, into the hallway and out through the front door onto the patch of grass outside, just before the sidewalk.
He set her down there, and knelt by her side.
Mai was unconscious, probably from pain, but she was breathing fine.
Joey stroked the hair off her sticky forehead with his burnt hands. She had a severe, bubbling burn on the side of her leg and a dark, purpling mark was forming on the other where the beam had struck.
Joey could feel tears pricking the back of his eyes.
Who? Who would do this to such a wonderful person?
'Joey?'
Joey took a sharp breath. Mai was waking up.
'Joey, is that - ' the girl choked.
'Yeah, it's me.' Joey couldn't think of anything else to say.
'What – happened?' asked Mai trying to sit up. Suddenly, her face contorted with pain and she cried out.
Joey wrapped his arms around her and held her to him, rocking her like a baby. Mai draped her arms round his neck and sobbed freely into his T- shirt.
That must hurt pretty darn bad to start Mai Valentine crying.
'It's Ok. It's Ok.' Joey murmured. 'I'm here.'
Mai pushed him away.
'Yeah, you're here!' she growled weakly. 'Why didn't you just call someone? I could have lost – I mean, I could have handled it!'
'It's just - ' began Joey, his eyes shining with tears.
'Look - ' began Mai, interrupting.
'I didn't want you to get hurt!' they both babbled at the same time, then stared at one another, blushing deeply.
'Joey, I didn't - '
'Like I always say, Joey Wheeler never breaks a promise to a friend.' Joey emphasised this last word just to reassure Mai, and himself, just what she was to him.
'I'm sorry, Joey.' Said Mai quietly.
Joey turned his face away sadly.
'I didn't know what to do.' He sighed. 'And now you're - '
'Oh Joey, your face - ' Mai reached out and gently stroked a spot along Joey's jawbone.
Joey felt a searing pain.
'I'm burnt, huh?' Joey smiled down at Mai. 'Hey, I don't mind a couple o' burns. Hell, what's skin compared to someone else's life?'
# CW: Ok, so Joey's being sickly noble in this chapter! Don't worry, it gets more interesting when the arson investigation starts. #