Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or anything to do with the franchise. This fan fiction is merely for entertainment purposes and not my own profit.

Author's Note: Hey, hey, hey! I am back, ya'll! I know it has been a horribly long wait since my last update. I swear it is not on purpose. But I am so happy you guys have stuck around for this long with me. That is beyond awesome. So Joey lost But his duel with Drake was awesome (at least I hope you all thought so). Once the guys begin their training, their duels will go the same route as this one. And now we have Mai vs Alice. Will Mai pull a surprise win, or will Alice crush her overwhelming skill? Let's watch to find out!

Chapter 31: The Sullen Harpy & The Happy Reaper

Michael sat on a bench in the closed off garden. He looked at the time on his phone, knowing the duel between Joey and Drake was in full swing. He knew Joey would put up a good fight, but Drake was on another level. Michael had already known the winner the moment the names were drawn. Still, he would have liked to have seen the duel in person. It was going to entertaining, to say the least. Too bad he had to miss it, but this was too important not to attend to. He sensed him as the young man approached, staying in the shadows.

"There's no need to hide," Michael said, keeping his gaze in the glistening pond.

"I wish I could believe that, my lord," Ren spoke with unease. "Master Johan's spies are everywhere. He's accumulated followers for years. He's been preparing for this for millennia."

"And yet we stopped him," Michael reminded him. "For all that power he boasts so much about, in the end, he fell just like any mortal."

Ren was quiet, taking it in. The sound of rustling brush made Michael smile a bit.

"Trust is a two-way street," Michael said, turning to the man. "You are trusting me with your life, as I am trusting you with my sister's life. I hope what you have learned will be worth it."

"Heh, straight to the point," Ren chuckled in disbelief. "I heard how bluntly honest you can be. I have to admit, I wasn't expecting such a cold reception though."

Michael turned back to the pond, "You've been under Johan's control for who knows how long. A man who has made it his mission to hunt my sister down and kill anyone who gets in his way, especially her family and friends. Forgive me if I take what you say with a grain of salt."

"Fair enough," Ren said, his hands raised in defense. "But that fact you agreed to speak with me, let alone meet up, tells me you have some trust in what I have to say."

"I was taught to follow every lead I get, no matter how ridiculous or unbelievable it may seem. When it comes to the ones I care about, I don't ignore chances."

Ren had to admit, though the Nightingales (save Alice) had been painted as cold, cruel individuals, he was amazed by how opened Michael was to hear him out. Had it been someone else, Ren would have suspected them of trickery. However, that was not the care here.

"You're willing to work with the enemy just like that?"

"The way I see it," Michael stood up, facing him fully, "All this fighting is one misunderstanding after another. Most of the time, people like yourself get caught up in something bigger than they expected. I can see you are genuinely terrified of the repercussions of your actions today. That is enough for me to hear you out."

"Ah, thank you, sir," Ren bowed, trying to hide his blush.

Ren was around the same age as Alice and her friends. He was somewhat shorter than Michael, with short, black-blue hair tussled a tad. He had a nice tan, and soft brown eyes. He was dressed in a navy jeans and a brown leather jacket zipped up with dark tan work boots.

"You're so young," Michael noted. "Johan must have gotten to you at a very early age."

"Yeah," Ren said downcast. "My parents had died in a traffic accident, big pileup. It was a miracle I survived. Only thing was, it wasn't an accident and I didn't survive by sheer luck. Master Johan had planned the whole thing. He was looking for children with psychic abilities. I was one of the lucky few. There were other kids he got from that incident, among others."

Ren kept his eyes to his feet, remembering the immense betrayal he had felt upon learning the truth.

"That sounds like something he would do," Michael said, his heart going out to Ren and the others whose lives Johan had destroyed. "So, when you found the truth, you decided to leave and help Exia?"

"That's part of it," Ren shuffled his feet, trying not to blush too hard and failing. "There were also…personal reasons. There's someone I owe a debt to, and I want to repay them for their kindness."

Michael's eyebrows quirked as he realized what the young man meant, "You're in love with one of Exia, aren't you?"

Ren twitched, confirming Michael's assumption.

"I am only repaying a debt, that's all!" Ren insisted, the red on his face saying otherwise.

Michael chuckled, amused by Ren's embarrassment.

"A-Anyway! Shouldn't we be discussing the reason we're meeting for?" Ren tried to change the subject.

"You're right," Michael smirked. "I'll figure out who it is that's caught your eye later. For now, the matter at hand."

Ren gloomed over, dreading what the Nightingale would find out.

"So," Michael sat back on the bench. "What is it you know about Johan's plans?"

"Okay," Ren started, taking a seat on a flat rock. "Well, for starters, he is still intent on merging the Earth and Heavens. That hasn't changed. He needs a pretty powerful catalyst to enact the merge. That's where Lady Alice comes in."

Michael listened silently. Ren went on.

"What he wants is the great power within not only Lady Alice, but the power of the Nightingale, the power that resides and is passed on from one generation to the next. He wants to tap into the power of every Head prior. The reason he never made a move towards your father, Lord Gabriel, is because of how advanced into his power he is already. And his age. Master Johan needs a pure, 'unspoiled' source."

"That explains why he targeted Alice at her age back then," Michael surmised. "Though she has grown since then, she is still learning. She has a ways to go before she can reach dad's level. But why her specifically? Why did Johan choose Alice out of all the heirs? Is it because she is of the Crown family?"

Ren shrugged his shoulders, "That is something most inside are fuzzy on. Master Johan kept the most intimate details to himself and a few chosen, the ones he viewed worthy of his full trust. I do remember hearing something about how Johan had found her years prior to all of this, but ended up losing her."

"When she was a child."

"No, sir," Ren corrected. "Not back then. Further."

"Further?" Michael said, confused.

"Yes, um," Ren didn't know how to say this delicately. "You see, milord, Master Johan chose her primarily because of her history. Her past life."

"Past life?" somewhere inside Michael, a bell when off. "Are you saying Johan knew Alice's past self?"

"Yes, sir. Who that was, I don't know. What I do know, is that Master Johan has been pursuing Lady Alice's soul for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. And now, he is closer than ever to finally getting what he wants."

"Achoo!" Alice sneezed, taking the tissue Kaiba offered her. "Thank you."

"Someone must be talking about you," Mai joked, earning a look from Kaiba.

"Maybe," Alice said, disposing of her tissue. "OOH! Roland's about to announce who's next!"

Everyone smiled at her excitement. Really, where does she get that energy from? Mai asked herself, amused by the girl's behavior.

"Alright, and the next duel will be…" Roland announced as the images rotated. "Mai Valentine!"

Mai smiled with pride as the crowd cheered at her name, feeling more like herself.

"And her opponent will be…Alice Nightingale!"

Alice bounced up and down, "YAY! We get to duel next!"

She landed in a big hug to Mai, who laughed at her reaction. Pulling away, Alice wore a big grin.

"Let's make this a good duel and have fun."

"You got it!" Mai winked, making her way to the field.

She looked over her shoulder at Alice who was saying something to Kaiba in a low voice. He smiled, petting his girlfriend's head before sending her off to the field. Taking her spot, Mai felt a pang in her chest. It must be nice to be so closed to someone like that.

"YOU GOT THIS, MAI!" she jumped, turning to see Joey hyping up the crowd for her.

It took a moment for Mai to realize what he was doing for her. As the fans held up signs with her name, others dressed as her monsters, Mai felt something rise within her.

She stood tall, flipping her hair with gusto, "Watch and learn, Wheeler. Let me show you how a real duelist plays!"

Joey smirked, glad to see Mai acting like herself again. He had noticed her reaction when had shown up earlier. She must have still been thinking about what happened in the hospital. He hadn't meant to pressure her into an answer, but Joey was the kind of guy who didn't like to beat around the bush.

"Yeah, yeah! Let's see what you got, Valentine!" he yelled oh so smug.

Mai wore a proud grin. Alice was watching everything from where she stood, connecting the dots.

"Don't," Kaiba warned, knowing what she was thinking.

"Oh, sweetie," Alice said a silky tone, gliding her fingertips along his jaw. "You worry too much."

"And you don't worry enough," Kaiba said as she walked away.

He knew what Alice was going to do, and though he didn't want a scene, another part of him wanted to see it unfold. It was going to very funny. He also wanted so badly to kiss Alice as she spoke to him in that tone, her fingers lightly touching him. It was so damn alluring. Getting a massage from her would definitely be bad. He knew he was not going to be able to control himself. He now knew that for sure. Good thing his outer shell did not convey how he felt inside. He had an image to uphold.

"RANDOMLY SELECTING DUEL TERRAIN, STAND-BY," the automated female voice spoke. "DUEL TERRAIN SELECTED: HAVEN IN THE CLOUDS."

The entire field was instantly engulfed in white. Mai held her arm up to shield from the wild wind. Alice merely closed her eyes, enjoying the breeze. It swirled round and round until finally settling. Mai lowered her arm as she took in the sight of the new field. The entire area had been blanketed in fluffy white clouds. A sweet aroma of vanilla filled the air.

"Hmm, yummy," Alice smiled. "Now I want cotton candy!"

"How about after our duel?" Mai offered.

"You got it. Loser buys."

Mai laughed, rejuvenated by the younger girl's enthusiasm.

"Ready?" Alice took her stance.

"Ready," Mai followed.

"DUEL!" their duel disks came to life.

"Mai, why don't you lead the game?" Alice suggested.

"Gladly!" Mai drew her card.

[Mai: 4000/Alice: 4000]

"Let's start off with a classic. I summon Harpie Lady in attack mode!"

Harpie Lady LV4 [Wind/Winged Beast, ATK: 1300, DEF: 1400]

The deadly feathered lady rose onto the field, letting out her familiar shrill. Her talons twitched as she grew excited for some real battle.

"Next, I play the magic card, Cyber Shield," Mai said, placing the card on her disk. "With this, my Harpy gains 500 ATK points."

The deep-purple armor materialized onto her Harpy, who smirked with her power gain.

Harpie Lady [ATK: 1800]

"Next I place one card face down and end my turn. Your move, Alice."

"Thank you, Mai," Alice smiled. "I summon Element Magician in attack mode."

A swirl of water gushed from the ground, splashing into droplets, the young blue-haired girl floating in place.

Element Magician LV4 [Light/Spellcaster, ATK: 1500, DEF: 1200]

"DUE TO THE EFFECT OF HAVEN IN THE CLOUDS, LIGHT-ATTRIBUTE MONSTERS GAIN 500 ATK POINTS."

"Awesome! I think I'll add a bit more. I play Elf's Light to increase Tabitha's power by 500 as well."

Element Magician [ATK: 2500]

Tabitha, thought Mai. That must be her monster's name. Come to think about it, both Alice and Michael called their monsters' by what was their true names. Even Drake had done the same in his duel with Joey. And didn't Yugi call his monsters by their names when dueling Stephan? Looking up to her Harpie, Mai wondered what the winged creature's name was. Said Harpie turned her head, smiling. Wait, did that just happen?

"Tabby, take it away!" Alice yelled energetically, Tabitha forming a magical gust.

She released the attack, which rushed at Harpie Lady.

"Activate trap card! Negate attack!" Mai swung her arm as the card flipped up. "Your attack is negated and your battle phase ended."

Alice merely smiled, "Good move, but not good enough."

Mai felt her heart thump a bit louder. She did not like the way Alice said that.

"I activate the quick-play magic card, Trap Tamper," Alice announced as the card appeared on the field. This cancels the effects of your trap card. So, let's keep it going!"

Mai's card was shredded into pieces as the wind blew straight at Harpie Lady. She screeched as she was enveloped by the attack.

[Mai LP: 3300]

"Time for Tabitha's nifty little trick," Alice said sweetly, Mai not liking where this was going. "You see, should there be a wind-attribute on the field when Tabitha attacks and should that attack be successful, she gets to attack again. Right at your lifepoints."

Oh, no, Mai thought, preparing herself as another giant whirl of wind came straight at her. She braced herself. Suddenly, Mai was engulfed by the wind, swirling wildly around her. Despite Alice holding back, it still took Mai aback by how real the power was. She actually felt herself being pushed back.

[Mai LP: 800]

"And with that, I end my turn. Your move, Mai."

Mai gathered herself. So Alice had made the first successful attack…and taken out a huge chunk of her lifepoints. No big deal. The duel has only begun and it was still either one's game.

"I draw!" Mai looked at her cards, her next strategy forming in her head. "I summon Harpie Girl in attack mode!"

There was a furl of light pink feathers. A teenage girl emerged with a bubbly giggle as she spread her wings, the same pink. She had long, straight blonde hair cut neat at the ends, adorning a white headband with a heart and one feather. She wore a black skin-tight body suit, her stomach, cleavage, and sides of her thighs exposed. Her legs were covered in hot pink tights till her claws.

Harpie Girl LV2 [Wind/ Winged Beast, ATK: 400, DEF: 400]

"Whoa, why did Mai summon such a weak monster?" Tristan asked. "Especially after Alice just took nearly all of her lifepoints?"

"Maybe she's trying to confuse Alice, make her attack then set a trap on her?" Tea suggested.

"I don't think so," Bakura caught their attention. "Alice is too smart to fall for such an obvious trick. Mai knows this. She has something big planned."

"I play the magic card, Falcon Spirit. With this, by removing one wind-attribute monster from play, I can add their attack times two to one monster I control on the field. So now I remove my Harpie Lady and add her power to my Harpy Girl!"

Harpie Girl [ATK: 2700]

"Harpie Girl, attack her magician!" Mai ordered, the young monster's talons glowing.

She flew right at Tabitha, who shot one ball of energy after another. Harpie Girl evaded each with great agility until she was right at her target. Tabitha tried to conjure one more ball but was caught off guard as the young harpie reached her and slashed at her chest. Tabitha cried out in shock, dissipating in an instant. As the last of the magician's vanished, Mai could have sworn she heard a soft "I'm sorry" whispered in the air.

[Alice LP: 3800]

She looked to Alice, who merely smiled knowingly, "Don't worry, Mai. Tabby isn't really hurt. She's just sad she didn't last much longer in the duel. She hates to disappoint, but she could never disappoint me."

Mai didn't know what to say. She only nodded in responded and ended her turn with one facedown.

"My move," Alice drew her card, her face unreadable to Mai. "I play the magic card, Pot of Greed, to draw to more cards from my deck."

"Hmm, I don't think I like that look on Alice's face," Joey frowned, sensing something amiss. "She just lost a pretty strong monster, but it doesn't look like it bothered her."

"That's because Alice knows how to keep her cool under pressure," Kaiba said sternly. "A duel like this is nothing compared to what the real danger she's had to face."

Joey was about to bark back him when he felt his arm tugged back. He turned to Joey to yell, stopping when he saw the graveness in his friend's eyes. He relaxed, turning back to the duel.

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Joey admitted.

Kaiba's eyes widen in surprise by Joey's agreement on the matter. Per the norm, Joey would yell and threaten the CEO with every slur imaginable, even trying to make good on those threats sometimes. Of course, Joey would be stopped by his friends, and in all honesty, Kaiba was a better fighter than he was. Hence why they stopped Joey. So, Kaiba's reaction to Joey agreeing with him was understandable. Even Yugi couldn't help to gawk at his friend.

"What?" Joey asked him, feeling the eye on him. "I'm not all brawn, you know. I can use my brain too."

Yugi chuckled, "I know."

Kaiba remained silent.

"Alright then," Alice began, her eyes mischievous. "Let's see here. I think I'll add to the setting here. I play the magic of Metamorphosis. I send one monster to the graveyard in order to summon St. Joan."

The field was bathed in light as St. Joan took her place beside her master.

St. Joan LV7 [Light/Fairy, ATK: 2800, DEF: 2000]

"And she gains 500 attack thanks to the field affect."

St. Joan [ATK: 3300]

"Joan, attack her Harpie Girl!"

The maiden did as commanded, running fast at Harpie Girl. The feathered girl decided to meet her head-on, flying right at her opponent. Talon met metal. Harpie Girl attacked, over and over again. However, Joan was stronger and a better fighter. Joan dodged as Harpie Girl made for her abdomen, only the sword cleaved into her gut. The girl gasped out in pain. The shock was still all over her face as he shattered into pieces.

[Mai LP: 200]

"I activate my trap card, Fury of the Harpies!" Mai revealed as her card clipped up. "Once I am attacked and my field is left empty of monsters, I can summon a level 6 or higher monster from my deck. Come on out, Harpie's Pet Dragon!"

Fire burst from the ground, a mighty roar filling the air. Large wings spanned out, fanning the flames away. In contrast to his smaller and cuter form, the fully grown Pet Dragon was far more imposing, snarling at Alice and Joan. Both of which remained placid as the dragon continued to growl and whip his tail. Well, someone's a show-off, Alice thought unimpressed. It seemed Joan felt the same way. The dragon bore his razor sharp fangs at the two, ready to charge at them at his master's order.

Harpie's Pet Dragon LV7 [Wind/Dragon, ATK: 2000, DEF: 2500]

"And I'm not done yet!" Mai said with a big smile, her strategy coming along great so far. "My trap card has a second effect. Once I summon my monster, I can use one magic card from my hand. So I choose Elegant Egotist."

"But I thought you had to have one Harpie monster on the field to use that card," Alice interjected.

"When I use Fury of the Harpies, whatever monster I summon is considered a Harpie," Mai answered smugly. "Say hello to the Harpie Sisters!"

In a sudden array of feather, the three ladies flew about, presenting themselves as though on stage. Each one donning their signature golden light-armor and mischievous smiles.

Harpie Lady Sisters LV6 [Wind/Winged Beast, ATK: 1950, DEF: 2100]

"And with my girls on the field now, my Pet Dragon gets a power boost."

Harpie's Pet Dragon [ATK: 2900]

"But that's still not enough," Tea frowned. "Alice's monster is stronger than her dragon."

"Not to mention that Alice just took out almost all of Mai's lifepoints," Bakura added. "I wonder what Mai will do. Even with all those monsters on the field, it would take one attack to end the duel for her."

"Well, it's her move next. Hopefully, she can turn it around," Tristan said, the others nodding.

Alice watched on, amused. She could see Mai was fighting back pretty well, but something wasn't right. From what she had seen, Mai was a stronger, tougher opponent than what she was seeing here. What had happened? Was it because of Joey? The mention of her family before? The conflict with Fabian and Stephan? Whatever it was, it was having a deep effect on Mai.

"Alright then, I end my turn with a facedown. Your move."

"I draw," Mai said, trying her best to keep a strong front.

There was something in how Alice had finished her turn that caught her off-guard. Mai decided it was nothing and turned her focus to the duel.

She grinned as she looked at the card she had drawn, "Let's make things a little more even. I play Harpie's Hunting Ground."

The ground shook as tall trees sprouted up, the clouds dissipating to reveal a smooth open ground.

"And with that, your monsters lose their power boost. Now my dragon can attack your Joan."

St. Joan [ATK: 2800]

The dragon roared, its mouth filling with fire. It whipped its head, unleashing an immense blast that hurled at Joan. She held her sword in front of her, the flat side of the blade touching her forehead. The flames swarmed her, swallowing her whole. Mai was sure she had made a crucial hit. That was, until the glint of the metal caught her eye.

"What?" she gasped flabbergasted.

The fire opened to reveal Joan protected in a bubble of magic.

"I activated my trap card, Descent," Alice said as the card flipped up. "This allows me to summon one monster from my deck of equal power as the targeted monster I have on the field. Step forth, Wingweaver!"

The wildfire was snuffed out in a force of wind as the angel appeared in the field. She had fair skin and long, straight magenta hair. Her eyes were closed as she floated beside Joan. She was dressed in a yellow toga that hugged her body, with two long ribbons that extended from the chest wrapping around her outstretched arms. There was blue gem that hung at her waist and green gem around her neck, two bangles around her right ankle, feet bare. Her six white wings flapped as she remained at the ready for her master's orders.

Wingweaver LV7 [Light/Fairy, ATK: 2750, DEF: 2400]

"She's still no match for my Pet Dragon," Mai reminded her.

"I know," Alice smiled deviously. "Which is why the second effect of my trap card is so handy. You see once I've successfully summoned my monster, by giving up half my lifepoints, I can end your battle phase."

[Alice LP: 1900]

Mai knew there was nothing she could do. So, she begrudgingly ended her turn.

"My move then," Alice drew.

"Wow, I thought for sure that Mai was going to get St. Joan," Tristan said.

"But Alice still lost lifepoints," Mr. Wheeler pointed out.

"True, she did lose half, however," Bakura explained, "there's more to duels than merely keeping your lifepoints completely intact. Like in chess, you sacrifice a few pawns in order to deceive your opponent that they are winning. And when they least expect it, it's checkmate."

"Let's take up a notch," Alice winked, anxiety rearing its ugly head to Mai.

"Oh boy," Yugi groaned. "Here it comes."

Joey didn't say a word. He knew what Yugi meant. Kaiba merely kept his gaze on the match.

Mai steeled herself as Alice made her move, "I play the magic card, Joyous Ceremony. With this I can fuse my monsters on the field."

"But Wingweaver and St. Joan have no fusion," Mai said as the two monsters glowed, the spell already in effect. "And St. Joan is already a fusion monster! How is that possible?"

"Hmm, you were under the impression this was a 'normal duel', were you?" Alice smirked, the air blowing gently around her.

Mai froze, realizing what was really going on. This wasn't just a duel. Alice was testing her! With a snap of her fingers, curtain of magic fell upon the field. Mai looked around, baffled as to why Alice would use her abilities out in the open like this.

"Don't fret," Alice assured her. "I created a veil, as it were. It's a pocket of time stopped, I can only keep it up for a bit, takes too much magic. It also keeps everyone else from seeing or hearing what's really going around us. Except for whoever I allow to listen in. But right now, it's just us girls."

Alice made her way to the middle of the field. With a raise of her hand, a nice table for two appeared. She took her seat, motioning to the other. Mai was utterly confused by what was going on. She did know she could trust Alice, so she took her seat opposite her. Behind her, Alice's monsters stopped glowing, at ease now that the duel was a pause. Seeing this, Mai looked back to her monsters and saw them relaxed as well. The Harpie Sisters were sitting around their dragon, who seemed to purr as he laid on the ground.

"I wanted to have a little chat," Alice explained, conjuring a pot of tea and two cups.

"In the middle of the duel?" Mai asked incredulously.

"I was going to wait," Alice went on, pouring a cup and handing it to Mai, "however, I couldn't help but notice something is amiss in that clever mind of yours."

Mai blinked back, her eyes falling to her cup.

"Something is troubling you, and that is affecting your dueling."

"What are you talking about? I'm fine," Mai defended.

"No, you're not," Alice insisted, taking a long sip from her cup. "I've seen all your duels. I know your style. So, I know well enough that this right here is not you."

Mai sighed deeply. There was no hiding it from Alice.

"What gave it away?"

"Truthfully?" Alice said, setting her cup down. "By this point in a duel, you're tearing down your opponent's lifepoints like no one's business. You have them questioning their strategy. Most opponents, especially newcomers, can't handle such a confident person. Especially one with your looks and experience."

"Well, what can I say? Men can't handle a girl like me," Mai laughed lightly. "One of the things my father taught was self-reliance. No one was going to help me get what I wanted but me. I learned to be independent at a young age."

"My dad always said that Mason is a great businessman, but a lousy father and husband," Alice frowned.

"Ain't that the truth?" Mai guffawed mirthless. "He was actually surprised when he found out my mother was having an affair let alone several. Like he was some great catch no one could ever compare to. And when I left? Did your dad ever tell you it was mostly because my father had setup this whole arranged marriage with the worst person he could have picked?"

"Oh, yeah, I remember that," Alice nodded, recalling that day. "I remember my dad getting off the phone and being so mad."

She closed her eyes as the memory flashed in her mind.

"I had only seen him so angry a few times. It takes a lot for my dad to lose his temper. I think it was around that time my family started disassociated themselves from the Valentines. Mason, in particular. He felt it was wrong of Mason to try to use you to further his name and power, especially after how much he had neglected you."

"I didn't know," Mai looked down at her tea. "Why would Gabriel Nightingale care about some other man's daughter?"

Alice smiled warmly, "Because he is a father himself. My dad has always been one to care about the well-being of those in need, children in particular. It's especially hard for someone so young when they virtually have no power over their life. But I think it hit him more once he had his own children. He can't fathom why anyone would ever hurt their children, especially by choice."

The young girl was staring into the distance, her chin resting upon the back of her hand.

"We've been to bad places, Mai. We've seen the worst of humanity. Which is why my dad judges those he meets by how they treat others. That goes particularly true for their family. When he found out how Mason was arranging this marriage behind your back, he knew the man could not be trusted."

"That's…" Mai was at a loss for words.

"Pretty benevolent, isn't he?" Alice giggled. "That's the kind of guy he is. Honestly, it scares me how much I have to live up to."

"What do you mean? You're going to be a great leader to your family," Mai argued.

"You say that so easily," Alice sighed deeply. "But…I have my doubts. After everything my power has brought to those around me, would I be a good leader like my dad?"

"You still have time!" Mai tried to encourage, it was the least she could do. "You're so young! And I'm sure your dad won't step down anytime soon. Those are things you can worry about later."

"No, I can't," the sadness in her voice caught Mai off-guard. "With the way things are going, my dad could very well die. His reign is not guaranteed to be a long one. For example, take my grandpa. He ascended as Head when he was only 13! Why, you ask? Because his mother, the previous Head, had died while protecting one of our allies from a force too great for her handle on her own. And the first Head of our family? He died not long after establishing our family and meeting Drake. Life is so fleeting, Mai. You can go at any moment. So, please…"

Alice reached out, holding Mai's hand firmly.

"…don't be afraid of your feelings for him."

"I-I…" Mai stuttered. "Is…is it that obvious?"

"Too obvious in my opinion," Alice joked. "Do you think I was sure of my feelings for Seto from the very start? Because if it seemed that way, I was putting on a pretty good act. I was terrified! I have never felt this way about anyone before. I was so anxious around him, but then…he made me realize how happy I am being around him. I hope he feels the same."

"Hmph," Mai smirked. "He definitely does. Granted I don't know the guy very well, yet even I can see how much he cares about you. He actually tolerates Joey now, of all people!"

The girls laughed with big smiles. Their monsters smiled as well, mentally agreeing with them.

"So, feeling up to a real duel now?" Alice asked.

Mai took a deep breath, standing up with gusto, "Let me show what my Harpies can really do!"

"That's more like it," Alice said, winking over at the Harpie Sisters.

They nodded in response. The eldest reached over and placed her wing on Mai's shoulder. She turned around, surprised to feel her feathers. They held eye contact for a while, Mai sensing something running through her head. A word she couldn't quite make out. It swirled over and over, like a flower drifting along the current she tried to catch.

"Airo," it took Mai a moment to realize what this mean. "That's your name, Airo!"

The harpie smiled. Mai looked around her, her eyes wide at the sister with short orange hair.

"You're Ocupete! And that's Keraino!" she pointed to youngest with spiky, blue.

Both giggled at her newfound excitement. It took a few seconds for Mai to calm down, turning around to Alice as the conclusion popped in her head.

"Did you…?"

"Oh! Not so much me as it is all you," Alice replied. "Being that you are a descendent of Atlantis and have held the power of the Orichalcos, it was inevitable this would happen. Though, I have the sneaking suspicion my dear brother had something to do with it? Ladies?"

The harpies blushed, all smiles.

"That's what I thought. Michael has quite a few fans in the Duel Monsters realm."

"Ooh!" Mai nodding, yelping when she felt something cool touch her back.

The harpies pointed to the dragon, who mewed sullenly. It didn't like being left out.

"Oh, right! And your name is…" it came to her in an instant. "…Pyrrha. That's your name? Wait. You're a girl?!"

Pyrrha huffed in response.

"You didn't know?" Alice asked, walking over to pet the dragon. "It's pretty obvious she's a lady. Even elegant male dragons can't exude the grace and aroma of female dragon."

"Aroma?"

"Yes, each dragon has their distinct scent. And Pyrrha here," Alice took a big whiff while caressing the scales, "smells like fresh mountain air, grass, and…cherries."

Mai walked over, placing her hand on the dragon's snout. Closing her eyes, she inhaled deeply. She exhaled as the familiar cherry fragrance filled her lungs.

"I love cherries, they're my favorite," Mai said, mostly to herself. "But how…"

Alice merely gave her a knowingly look before standing up. She made her way back to her side of the field. The table and tea disappearing as she passed it.

"So, with formal introductions out the way," Alice swung her duel disk to life, "I'm afraid I have to end this. I'm sorry."

Mai back to her monsters, the harpies smiling and Pyrrha grunting in approval, "It's all right. It's my own fault for not keeping my head in the game. Go for it."

She swung her arm with gusto, her golden hair flying to the side. Alice snapped her fingers, the veil instantly dissipating. The sound of the roaring crowd seemed to rejuvenate Mai's spirit.

"Come on! Hit me with your best shot!"

"Very well then," Alice smiled. "I fuse my St. Joan and Wingweaver, to special summon the Heaven's Reaper, Mortyme."

The air went wild, so intense, that Mai's monsters gathered around her keep her from being blown away. The audience felt the force, overtaken by the sensation.

"Holy shit!" Joey yelled as he held his arms up. "Is Alice trying to bring the whole damn stadium?"

"I don't know!" Yugi yelled in response, keeping his arms up too. "Kaiba?"

The young man looked on, his gaze straight on the field. One thought running through his mind, someone forgot to hold back.

St. Joan and Wingweaver became light that spun together like ribbons, becoming one single ball of energy. The surface of the ball hardened into flowing, black and grey robes. The cloths distangled, forming into an elegant as the figure stepped forward. He was tall, imposing, with long grey hair and ghostly white skin. His eyes were a dazzling chartreuse, a brilliant mixture of yellow and green. He pulled back his bangs, revealing an incredibly handsome face with a long scar running across it. He fiddled his large silver scythe like a baton, which formed into a bone-like pattern close to the massive blade.

Heaven's Reaper, Mortyme LV10 [Dark/Fiend, ATK: 4500, DEF:4400]

"4500?!" Tristan gasped.

"How can Mai comeback from a move like that?" Tea prayed with worry.

"Mortyme," the reaper turned at his name, smiling as he looked onto his master. "If you would."

He nodded with a gleeful grin, swirling his scythe with ease before bringing it down with a mighty swing. The slash came straight at Mai, Pyrrha flying in the way. She tried to keep it from hurting her master, but Mortyme was stronger. Mai could still feel the impact hit, but as she glanced up, her harpies has placed themselves as a protective shield yet again. When the dust settled, Mai still held her smile as her lifepoints fell to zero and the monsters left the field.

Mai [LP: 0]

"And the winner is Alice Nightingale!" Roland announced a little too excitedly.

As the crowd rooted on, Alice walked up to Mai, holding out her hand, "I hope we can duel again. I want a real duel."

"You got it," Mai laughed, shaking her hand.

The girls made their way off the field, Mai's fans cheering her on despite her loss. Alice hopped over to Kaiba, noting how Mai stood next to Joey.

He turned to her, curious, "You doing okay?"

"Yeah," Mai said with a genuine smile. "I really am."

He knew something had happened, most likely Alice's doing. Though he should have been bothered by Alice's meddling, Joey was grateful to see how relaxed Mai appeared now. Had she made her decision?

Meanwhile, Kaiba bent down to meet his girlfriend's eyes, "So, about that holding back…"

"Oh," Alice sweat-dropped. "Sorry, sweetie, I tend to forget sometimes. It wasn't that bad."

"Hmm," was all Kaiba said.

He was getting used to her innocent recklessness. Whether that was good or bad, he hadn't decided.

"This is…troubling," Drake said as he sat at his desk, his face filled with concern.

Gabriel stood by the window, staring into the distance, lost in thought. Artemis sat still with her hands clasped on her lap, her expression grave. Drake looked over at his phone, having gotten off a call with Michael who had given him a summary of what he had found out.

"This is whole time," Artemis began, "everything that has happened…it's all because of Alice's past life. A life she has no recollection of."

"Johan picked her out of all the heirs," Drake added. "We always wondered why, and now we know, somewhat. Now the question remains: who Alice was in her past life?"

He leaned back in his chair, his mind already formulating his next moves.

"If we can find out who Alice was back then, we may find a way to finally put an end to all of this. However…"

"Is it a good idea to bring back a past from so long ago?" Gabriel finished for him. "Knowing about one's past is as dangerous as knowing about one's future. The consequences of having such knowledge are unpredictable. Will one follow the same path but miss the end goal? Or will they create their own path which can have the same results, whether good or bad?"

The two men remained in quiet pondering. Artemis decided to bring up another good point.

"Should Alice know?"

They both looked at her in surprise and worry.

"She has a right to know," Artemis argued. "She should know why Johan chose her. Yes, this will lead to more questions, but keeping it from her could lead to worse. She is so fragile. Despite her strength, I know how vulnerable her heart is. You do as well, Gabriel."

He turned away, his instinct to be logical fighting with his instinct as a father. Artemis stood up, walking over to him and taking his hand into hers.

"My love, it is the right thing to do," his wife assured him. "He almost took her from us once. We can't let him hurt her again."

Gabriel sighed, his shoulder sagging, "What would I do without you?"

Artemis giggled as she placed a sweet kiss on his lips, "Probably up to your neck in issues from the other families, slowly losing your mind."

They stayed close, holding each other as their foreheads touched, relishing the moment.

"Awwww," Drake's voice brought them from Cloud 9. "You two have always been so adorable together. I remember when you first met. I thought to myself, 'Now those two will definitely end up with one another'."

"Yeah, right," Artemis scoffed. "You thought Eton was going to have my head for managing to beat his son in single-combat."

"Oh, my dad would never have gone that far," Gabriel defended. "The worst he could have done was have your imprisoned for a night or so. And by imprisonment, I mean have you stay in my manor as a guest without being able to leave your room."

"Anyway!" Drake exclaimed. "About what we were discussing. I agree with Artemis. Alice should know and maybe finding out about her past life wouldn't be the best idea, but at the moment it is our only real lead."

Gabriel exhaled deeply, "You're right, both of you. I just wish…all I want is for the happiness of our children, our family. It isn't right that Alice had to spend a good chunk of her childhood running. And Michael…ever the good older brother. He didn't have to go with her, but he chose to go out of his self-imposed obligation. I know our own childhoods weren't picture perfect either. I just wanted for them to enjoy their innocence while they could."

"I'm afraid, my dear, that is a luxury we are not privy to," Artemis said with a sad smile. "Such is the price for our power."

Gabriel knew there was no point in countering her. She was right. There was price to pay for their status. Nothing was given without giving something back.

"Very well," Gabriel nodded. "We will discuss this with Alice once she returns home from the tournament."

Artemis gripped his hand tightly, assuring him it was the right thing to do.

Stephan kept his gaze low as he stalked down the lone alley. He had gotten a whiff of Ren's scent, faint though it was. But he was a keen hunter, rare was it that he could not find his prey. The scent grew stronger as he walked along. The crashing of waves made him perk up. It was at the city docks.

"Thought you could mess me up by jumping in, huh?" Stephan noted as he reached the edge of the dock.

It was there, Ren's distinct smell, mingled with the salt of the seawater. However, Stephan was a powerful werewolf who had honed his senses for years. It would take more than a single dip in the sea to deter him. He followed the scent, still on the edge. From how far he walked, Stephan concluded that Ren had swam for a bit to really mask his scent. So, the boy knew who Master Johan would send after him then. Stephan reached where Ren had pulled himself out, narrowing the path to one of the older warehouses nearby. The metal doors moaned loudly as he slid them open, the place lined with a layer of dust and faded papers. An abandoned place like this was a perfect hideout. A semi-rusted staircase caught his attention, his steps heavy on the old iron. Atop he reached an office with the title "SUPERVISOR" on a plate barely hanging on. The name underneath was hard to read.

The worn-out door creaked open, the evidence of someone's recent presence clear. There was a cod laid out, used but not in the state of one left behind for years. A small pan and coffee pot over a portable stove. He placed his hand to it, cold now. There were maps folded up by the wall, with the one of Domino City hanged up with tacks. A few electronics, brand-new, were sitting on the desk. There was a radio, a laptop and modem, a separate monitor with several views of city, and what looked like a signal jammer of some sort. The kid had covered his tracks pretty good. Stephan knew bringing some of this would be a good idea, particularly the computer. He also knew there was no point in waiting for Ren to return. Somehow, Stephan surmised Ren wouldn't be back. There was nothing of personal value for Ren to come back for. That's when it clicked. Stephan immediately walked out, looking in every direction, his ears sharp. He stopped when he heard the chime, chime, chime of the clock. The entire warehouse blew up instantly. The structure became of a great ball of fire. Wood and metal thudded on the ground, other debris splashing into the water.

Stephan emerged from the water, gasping for air, staring at the now burning wreckage, "That clever little bastard."

Swimming to the shore, Stephan was unharmed. That kind of explosion would have little to no effect on someone like him. Though his clothes were a bit burnt. As he sat on the concrete, wondering what to do, his phone rang. Yep, it was highly waterproof thanks to Fabian.

"Hello," Stephan answered, wringing out his coat.

"Hey, was that big bang you?" Fabian asked from atop the skyscaper he was lounging on.

"Yep, Ren set a little trap for anyone who came for him," Stephan explained as he took off his shoes pouring out the water. "He tried to throw me off by swimming by the docks to mask his scent."

"What about now? Do you still have it?" Fabian inquired, looking down at the people going about their day.

Stephan took a good sniff, only getting the smell of burnt wood, metal, and his clothes, "The bomb blew me out, so I got a good amount of ash up my nostrils. That kid is a smart one."

"Well, better get back so we can wash them out and try again tomorrow. I'm done 'collecting' for the day," Fabian said ominously.

"Fine, I was getting bored anyway," Stephan huffed, sending water everywhere as he shook his hair.

"Don't worry, my good fellow," Fabian said as he walked back, a few large figures hidden in shadow waiting on his command, "it's almost time for the main event."

Their eyes glowed red as he turned his attention to the unsuspecting city. Playtime was over.

That was fun! This duel wasn't so much a duel as it was a way for Alice to get Mai to face what was really bothering her. Mai hasn't always been the most open about her feelings, and that is due in part to her upbringing. I always thought of her as the daughter of a wealthy family who was neglected by her parents. We saw something eluding to this in the anime. But the one who really has gotten her to be more open and accepting is Joey, so since the anime of manga never gave us the resolution with those two, like other ships in the show, I will right this wrong! Also, I have been super distracted by the World Cup. My home team of Mexico has been doing great but they play Brazil next! Honestly, for those of you following the tournament, I feel like anyone can take the title at this point. It has been one upset after another!

Please review, always love to hear from ya'll!

Preview: As the tournament goes on, Fabian begins his attack by setting a horde of Mischiefs on the city. However, he underestimates the Nightingale, and Gabriel is about to teach him why no one messes with his family.