Chapter 3 - In The Fast Lane

The Scene begins with a close up of Mai smiling mischievously, sitting behind the wheel of her red Italian Corvette as motion blurred scenery whizzes by at treacherous speeds. The scene cuts to a quiet little elderly couple walking by a seemingly equal dark but peaceful alleyway. Suddenly, two orbs of light begin to glow, followed by a slight purr that soon becomes an almost demonic roar. The nearly bald old man quickly ushers his wife off to the side for safety, holding her close as they tense up in fright of what was transpiring. With a trail of leaves and paper waste dancing behind it, the crimson muscle car shoots out of the alley airborne in a skyward arc. Almost like a mirror, the highly polished back, driver’s side wheel hubcap perfectly reflected the horrified expressions of the aged couple in slow-motion.
 
After several seconds of hang-time, the vehicle finally landed with a shriek of rubber on pavement, turning into a daring 90° drift. Now with all wheels to the ground, Mai zoomed across the main street straightaway, cutting off a canary yellow Mini Copper in the process. Much to the dismay of her terrified passengers, the golden-haired daredevil could only laugh as the mini’s driver slammed on his horn and breaks. He then rolled down his window, angrily and collectively cursing at everyone in the car with a succession of sailor-like verbal obscenities. Fortunately for the innocent group of friends, they were too busy holding onto their seats for dear life to catch any of it.
 
Mai turned into another narrow alleyway, before unexpectedly letting go of the wheel, and throwing both of hands up into an impromptu cheer. “Isn’t this fun!?” she called back to the gang as they gawked up ahead in dread. “Fun isn’t the word to use, this is suicide; now please put your hands back onto the wheel!” Téa screamed, clenching her eyes shut, grabbing onto Yugi and squeezing him tightly. Téa’s reaction only made Mai laughed even harder. Now taking hold of the wheel once more, the amethyst-eyed vixen lectured the group on ‘loosening up a bit.’ “Life’s too short to be so serious all the time, you have to learn to take things by the horns and go with the flow.” She said with a coy smile. ‘If she keeps this up, all of our lives will be short!’ Yugi thought to himself, a vivid blush on his face as Téa continued to cling to him for security.
 
Elsewhere, while Mai continued pressing the limits of both luck and the gang’s bladders and stomachs, a car driven by Duke Devlin was making its way through the main roads. Duke was running late for a scheduled appearance at a Dungeon Dice Monsters tournament; one in which was set to begin in less than 15 minutes. As Duke tried to make up for lost time, Yami Joey’s knuckles were turning white from clutching his knees. Much like his friends, Mai’s driving was affecting him and causing his heart to skip a beat with each close call between them and every vehicle, pedestrian or stray animal that was in Mai’s way. Gritting his teeth, his eyes were locked on the road ahead. This was an instinctive action, one which strangely enough was giving him ease of mind regarding whether or not they were even still alive. Nevertheless, he would much rather be at home listening to Mr. Muto drunkenly sing Karaoke than to bear another minute of Mai’s, for a lack of a better word, driving.
 
The buxom motorist pulled onto the main boulevard, and Yami Joey could see that they were quickly coming up onto a four-way intersection next to a fitness center. The sign for the member’s only establishment consisted of a 90 centimeter LED display banner on a pole, with several faux crystal column pedestals beneath it. On one of column was the massive and muscular Exodia, The Forbidden One. It was a 3/8th scale semi opaque resin made replica of Exodia, kneeling on one knee while flexing his biceps and singlehandedly holding onto a barbell with the other. A banner read in bright yellow letters, “Join us Today; like Exodia, you too could achieve ripped glory!”

This was yet another obvious and shameless Duel Monsters tie-in; one of which was an ever growing and monotonous sight within Domino City. As the center pedestal rotated the iconic figure to show off him in all his ‘ripped glory,’ the Public Domino City Safety Commission (PDCSC) switched the traffic control system to the night-time rush hour mode. The new setting would shorten the length of green lights and extend the length of red lights at intersections. It was a safety protocol meant to quell reports of reckless driving and to assure public and traffic safety at sunset when people were more likely to be in a rush to get home before dark. Not so incidentally, many of the complaints received by the PDCSC were generated on dates a certain Italian sports car enthusiast came into town, Mai Valentine.

Thankfully for the residence of Domino City, whether fellow motorist or pedestrian-alike, the delay protocol worked and Mai was forced to come to a complete stop at the next light. As her car sat still with its engine purring, Duke’s halogen headlights beamed forward in a blinding arch several car lengths ahead, heading towards the same intersection. Overhead he could see an electronic road condition sign display information to drivers, informing them of the traffic control’s switch over. Knowing that the green light ahead would not last long, the Dungeon Dice Monster’s creator impatiently sped up as the light changed to yellow. Pressing harder on the gas and showing off his own car’s muscle, Duke barreled through the still yellow light and made a sharp and abrupt left turn.

Everyone in Mai’s car set their gazes on Duke’s face, tracking him as he soared pass them. Just then, his Halogen lights struck the fitness center’s display. With immense speed, the concentrated shaft of pale-blue light refracted within the crystal columns, ejecting outwards in a blinding gold shimmer that lite up the area like a police helicopter’s search light. Once again, Yami Joey’s ocular nerves were assaulted with debilitating brightness, and once again Joey was back in control of his own body. “Yee-ouch, that’s bright!” cried out the poor forsaken victim of yet another searing bout of comedic happenstance.

Nearly instantly the gang recognized their friend’s true voice, knowing it was the real Joey. Since his last taste of freedom, several hours have passed, and with them the sun has nearly descended below the western horizon. “Man how did it get so dark all of the sudden; that flash, did it make me go blind or something?” Joey whined in his bewildered state as Mai smirked but withheld from chuckling.

With Joey now free and trying to regain his bearings, Yugi, being the intelligent puzzle solver that he is, gasped with an epiphany. The scene surrounding Yugi shifted as an all-consuming blackness pulled Yugi and the viewer into it. A fleeting glimpse of Téa, Tristan, as well as the back seat Yugi sat on vanished into the warp. Wide-eyed and still in a sitting position, Yugi stayed in place as if surrounded by an empty sea of darkness. ‘I’ve got it’ The King of Games thoughts echoed, just as a taupe flashback to earlier starts to replay behind him. The recollection showed the moment back at the Kame Game Shop, when a golden beam of sunlight blinded the possessed Joey freeing him from the Pharaoh’s control. It then quickly changed to recap Téa’s fierce barrage of slaps to Joeys face, just as another beam caused the Pharaoh’s mind retake control of Joey’s body. The flashback faded into wafts of smoke before everything changed back to normal.

“You guys, I know what’s going on!” Yugi said in a whisper to Téa and Tristan “I’m glad at least one of us does, I’ve been confused from the beginning!” Tristan said, causing a vein to pop in both Téa’s temple and raised fist. Tristan raised his hands up defensively to shield himself as Yugi clarified his hypothesis. “Every time Joey or the Pharaoh is blinded by intense gold light, their minds switch places. Right now that’s Joey!” Tristan looked into the passenger side seat across form him. He analyzed Joey who was rubbing his eyes from discomfort. “You’re right, but how?” He confirmed before turning to Yugi for more answers. “Just now, when Duke passed by, his headlights shined into those crystal pedestals over there.” The clever young man pointed forward, drawing their attention to the display ahead. With the culprit to the Pharaoh and Joey’s latest mind switch identified, Yugi continued on with his explanation. “The light then must have refracted, creating that huge flash we saw just a moment ago!”

Although the mechanics and processes involved escaped Tristan, he understood the outcome. “So all we have to do is, keep him from getting flashed by gold light, and then Joey will stay Joey?” Tristan said rubbing his chin and holding his elbow as if he were Sherlock Holmes pondering the mysteries of life. “It is not that simple; we still have to get the Pharaoh out of Joey’s body and back into the millennium puzzle, or else the Pharaoh or Joey might start to disappear.” Téa explained. “So wait, if that’s Joey, does he even know what’s going on?” The three turned their attention back towards Joey who just stopped rubbing his eyes and looked around, slacked-jawed like an idiot with a cloud of confusion. “Huh, as usual, he doesn’t have a clue” Téa commented as beads of sweat formed on all three of their temples. Much like before, to Joey only a moment had passed since his last taste of freedom from Yami's mysterious possession.
 
“We have to change Joey back before Mai find out!” Yugi exclaimed in fear that Mai would complicate things. “Do we even have anything that we can use?” Tristan asked his friends in an unsure tone. “I think I might.” Téa stated, and then placed her purse onto her lap. The young brunette opened it and began rummaging through its contents. Despite being no larger than a paperback English-to-Spanish dictionary, Téa’s purse seemed to have an assortment of haphazardly stored items within it. As Téa continued her search, Mai slammed her hands down on the wheel and expressed annoyance at how long the red light was. “Come on and change already, we’re not getting any younger!” Mai called out to the overhead inanimate object. Recognizing the voice next to him, Joey’s turned his head towards its direction and Mai. His vision was still plagued by specks of black blotches with auras, but he was slowly gaining visual confirmation that it was indeed Mai sitting next to him.

“Wait, what?” Joey said in confusion, his eyes squinted with small tears in their corner. “Found it!” Téa announced with relief, causing Joey to now direct his attention towards her with even more confusion and curiosity. Without a moment’s hesitation, Yugi grabbed a small keychain flashlight from Téa’s open hand. With uncertainty Yugi aimed the object, praying for the best. “Let’s hope this works.” He said to himself, and then raised his voice to shout “Hey Joey!”  This again diverted Joey’s attention, only now capable of seeing his friends clearly in the back seat. “Wait, Yug? Hey wait a minute, what’s goin’ on here!?” The fair-haired youth roared in confusion and frustration. “I’ll explain later!” Yugi whispered to him before yelling “Gotcha!” and with that, the spiky head duelist turned the flashlight on. Despite its humble size, the keychain charm unleashed an impressively intense gold light that had a smiley face projection within it. As the gang had desired, Joey and the Pharaoh’s minds were once again exchanged, and the spirit now the one on the receiving end of optical pain. “Gah, it is as if a thousand suns are burning into my eyes!” Yami Joey screamed.

Both Yugi and Téa had to force themselves to laugh in a faux mischievous manner. Tristan’s laughter was much more genuine; he often found pleasure in lowbrow humor that resulted in the pain of others. “Hey now, leave poor Joey alone! I know he’s an easy target, but give him a little break will you?” Mai teased in a somewhat serious tone.

Unfortunately for the tortured and humiliated spirit of the puzzle, his plight was about to get worse. Up above the traffic light finally changed back to green, signaling Mai that she may once again burn rubber through the unsuspecting streets of Domino city. With a light press of her foot, the red corvette began to accelerate at terrifying speeds. In his sightless state, Yami Joey could feel the g-forces creep up onto him, and this time he was unable to focus on the road ahead for comfort as he did before. He took a deep breath with his eyes clenched shut, and held onto the strap of his seat belt as a security blanket.

Behind him, Yugi mustered up all his strength to lean forward and relay the news to his temporarily blind friend. “Pharaoh, we know how to switch your and Joey’s minds back, its light!” Yugi said in an enlightened, but still in a low tone so that Mai could not hear. “Light?” Yami asked uncertain he heard correctly. He turned back towards Yugi, opening a still agonizingly pained eye to look at his friend for confirmation. The ancient spirit was perplexed by how something so simple, could actually engage and disengage his supernatural control over Joey’s being. “Yes Pharaoh, its light, bright gold light to be exact!”
 
After 5 more minutes of Mai’s ‘driving’, the group finally came upon the restaurant Téa worked at part time. As soon as the Italian Corvette pulled into a parking space, everyone tumbled out and onto the sidewalk pavement. Tristan hugged the ground, kissing it as if he were never so happy to see a dirty public walkway before in his life. While Téa and Yugi helped each other up, Mai was quick to pull Yami Joey back into his seat and shut the door behind him. “What are you doing, Mai?” Yami Joey asked uncertainly, causing the others to look back at the two in the car. Mai playfully wrapped one arm around Yami Joey and leaned over him, causing a blush to form on his cheeks. “I’m going to borrow Joey for an itsy little bit. Don’t wait up for us!” She waved and laughed, peeling back out into traffic and cutting off several more cars in doing so. “What was that about?” Tristan asked, as a quarter stuck to his lips from before. “I don’t know, but this isn’t good!” Téa bellowed while simultaneously ripping the quarter from her dimwitted friend’s lip. Yugi was the most worried, unsure of the consequences should Mai keep Joey and the Pharaoh too long, or if the two should switch control again.
 
Knowing for certain his friends were worried for both his and Joey’s safety; the Pharaoh too had his concerns over being separated from Yugi. Mai noticed him looking back worried, looking almost like a lost puppy. “Relax, we’re only going to be gone a little while, they can manage just fine without us. Besides, you and I have something to discuss.” She said with a smile, conveying a hint that would easily have escaped Joey, but not the ancient spirit currently possessing him. It was no secret that Joey and Mai had feelings for one another. In the aftermath of Dartz’s defeat, the two had almost confessed; however, the timing was right, not that they really needed words for how they felt. However, if Mai was to have closure on that part of her life, she would have to take the steps needed by confessing her love for Joey Wheeler.
 
As the two drove on, the sights and sounds of the city quickly faced away, and then transitioned into the calm and serine of Mother Nature. Yami Joey was pleasantly surprised by the aroma of sweet country air, basking in it as it traveled on the cool night breeze that flowed into the topless Corvette. Looking straight up above, he could see the sky shimmering with stars, a view which was often obstructed by the big city lights. Before long they pulled into a little clearing with a rather large, but quaint cabin nestled at the foothills below what appeared to be a hot spring resort. With the Italian sports car coming to a complete stop, Yami Joey almost felt restless with the sudden loss of velocity. He feared he was actually growing to like the white-knuckle speeds and erratic driving of his gorgeous captor.
 
Mai smiled sweetly at Yami Joey, opening her driver’s side door and climbing out. “Hope you don’t mind this little stop, hon. I will just be a few minutes while I powder my nose.” She said with a pleasant giggle following her statement. With her back now turned to him, she swayed her hips making her way towards the women’s restroom. Even the pharaoh couldn’t help but be a little entranced by the shapely rear heading towards the cabin where she pulled out a key and went in. Once the seductress had vanished into the cabin she was undoubtedly staying in while in town, Yami Joey could finally come to his senses and shake away the spell he had just been under. He resisted biting his, or more correctly Joey’s lip, scolding himself for his lack of control and betraying his love for Yugi for even a moment of weakness.
 
Taking a deep breath, the young man sitting by his lonesome in an expensive chariot not even his greediest of subjects in days long past could have dreamed of owning, he sought to cleanse himself of any lingering remnants of impure thoughts regarding Mai. He could almost hear in his mind Joey commentary on the subject, preaching his personal mantra of “an ass is an ass!” This troubled the sprit some, could he be turning into Joey, could it be that being in the body of the virile, hot blooded young man was affecting him in ways he wasn’t expecting or prepared for; what if instead of simply vanishing out of existence, he was assimilating with his host and they would soon be one in the same? His mind began racing with a thousand thoughts a second, but it was eventually this that ironically eased his worries. While true Joey was a good man and a cunning duelist, he still was lacking in mental strength, and would never have to worry about thinking this hard about anything.
 
Breathing a sigh of relief, it was almost predictable he would have his peace of mind shattered with the heart-wrenching screams of Mai from inside the dark cabin. Without a moment’s hesitation, Yami Joey leaped from the car sprinting to the aide of his distressed friend. He rushed through the doorway and rounded the corner only and began frantically searching around. Suddenly, a trail of gas lanterns roared to life in a choreographed fashion, gaining his attention and pointing him to the silhouette of someone standing in the center of the room. With the last pair of lanterns lit, the fire place erupted in scarlet flames, bathing the figure in rose-tinted light and causing Yami Joey’s heart to skip a beat.
 
Wearing black stockings and garter belts, frill-laced panties and a teddy with a heart-shaped cleavage stood Mai with a come hither glint in her eyes. Yami Joey took a step back as he took a hard gulp and grasped for the nearest surface that he could brace himself against. More of Mai’s slender frame and her provocative dress came into view as the red special effects burned out in the fireplace, and more natural light filtered into the room. “W-what is happening here?” He asked, unable to disguise his voice or mannerisms of speech. Mai seemed to not notice this, as she smiled and walked forward, holding up a remote control as she walked. With a push of a button, the room flashed with lasers typical of a Kaiba Corp virtual reality assisted duals. Further proof of Kaiba’s ties to the cabin was made known, when above the fireplace mantel, the Kaiba Corp logo illuminated in fiery splendor. The walls and furniture were all decorated with personal items belonging to the Kaiba brothers, including pictures and even some awards commemorating the older sibling’s accomplishments. This was a work station for the man who works even on vacation.
 
Backing himself up against an unfortunately placed couch, Yami Joey fell back into a seated position. “I went ahead and borrowed the keys to this place from one of Kaiba’s goons. I caught him staring at me during an event, and let’s just say he was very cooperative once I threatened to go to his wife about his wondering eye.” She smirked devilishly, reflecting back on that brief interaction that yielded many benefits in her favor. “I figured with yours and Seto’s history, you wouldn’t mind sticking it to the little rich boy by using his vacation home behind his back.” She said with confidence, before pressing another button on the remote. Mai always did have a bit of a penchant for dazzle and flare, coming as no surprise when her almost trademarked Harpy Sisters appeared from the shadows to do whatever was their mistress’ bidding. Each Harpy sibling was clad in a red she-devil outfit, with heart-shaped motifs similar to Mai’s. The three infamous Duel Monsters stood at attention, and then with practiced precision they produced simple looking jade urns from thin air. From the urns sprang out a golden mist, billowing out and filling the room in its glamorous glow.
 
In a foggy sea of light, the forms of the Pharaoh and Joey float side by side, peacefully. The two begin to blur and multiply into rainbow silhouettes of themselves, slowly circling a pyramid shaped singularity which quickly consumed them like a black hole. The entire scene momentarily whiteouts, and floating up from the bottom, right-hand corner was Joey. The viewing angle shifts to him in center focus, where he slowly began to stir, opening his eyes as if he was waking from a nap. The cabin room begins to take shape on the outskirts of the viewer’s vision, coming into greater focus as the white abyss vanishes behind Joey. The view then changes to the blurry form of Mai, who was sitting on the strapping young male’s lap in her sexy lingerie, so reminiscent of one of the many sexual fantasies he has had of her in the recent months since their victory against the derange king of Atlantis, Dartz.
 
“I love you Joey, I can’t bear not to say it any longer” She said as he watched her ruby painted lips form those words he so often dreamed her saying to him. With the circumstances pointing to the logical conclusion, Joey believed this to be just that, a dream. With this revelation echoing in mind, Joey responded in tandem with the scripted lines he had articulated so flawlessly in those same fantasies. “Oh Mai, I love you too. I want to spend the rest of my life with you.” He said in a deep husky voice, just as he would articulate in the sultry dreamscape of his deepest desires for how this would play out in the real world. Mai smiled and pressed her lips to his, draping her arms around his neck with joy that they were finally reaching for this moment. Joey was lost in the sensation of her soft body pressed to his own. She seductively forced her ample bosom against his broad chest as he cupped her shapely rear, grouping her as she gave him a moan followed by a series of thrusts and dry humps to entice him into further the stages of arousal.
 
The two lovers engaged in increasingly heavy petting. Before long Joey was shirtless and Mai was a string’s pull away from giving the young blond duelist the show of his life. After what seemed like hours of intense kissing, Mai had finally pulled away to give them both a breather. As she did this, she crossed her arms in front of her chest, her breasts threatening to burst from their confinement, much to Joey’s hopes and prayers. The young confident man before her smiled at her with an approving growl, causing her to quiver in excitement. All seemed to be going as planned; that was until a sudden sound of broken glass and something black hitting the floor caught them off guard. The foreign object was ticking, and then it erupted into a deafening, bright percussive flash that illuminated the room. This caused both parties to shriek in shock and anguish due to the sudden disturbance which rattled their visual and auditory senses. The front door flies open, with several heavily armed men infiltrating the room in a practiced sequence. From up above a flat screen television descended and lit up with the Kaiba Corp Logo irradiating in a blue glow before the signal cut to a very displeased looking Seto Kaiba. It took a minute, but both the victims of the SWAT-like raid were able to train their blurry vision on the overhead screen.
 
“Well, it would seem a stray mutt and his bitch in heat has wondered in from the cold.” He spoke with a smirk and tone that gave hint to how much of a sadomasochist he was. His expression quickly harden however, as he continued to addressed the interrupted lovers. “You two have a lot of nerve pulling such a stunt!” He barked as his goons pulled the two to their feet. “What, what the hell is going on!?” Mai demanded as she cried out in mixed confusion and frustration, pulling herself out of the grips of the two guards who had her by the arms.
 
“Come now, did you honestly think I wouldn’t have this place guarded with twenty-four-hour surveillance?” He said as he closed his eyes, smiling and folding his hands with amusement. He then opened his eyes again, this time with a focused glared directed right at the two intruders. “The moment you crossed over this estate’s property line in that bucket of bolts you likely got at police auction, you set off a series of alarms that alerted and sent these fine gentlemen into action. I would be careful if I was you, they’ve been authorized to use whatever force they deem necessary.” Seto broke into a fit of hoity laughter which caused Mai to clench her fists in anger.
 
“Why you spoiled little, shriveled dicked punk!” she snarled as she tried to lunge at his virtual display; however, she was quickly prevented from further aggression when two guards blocked her with their arms and showcased their shock batons that emitted a visible series of arcing electric sparks. No longer amused with their presence, Kaiba turned around and waved them both off. “Get this trash out of my sight and off my property!” and with that both duelists were ejected from the cabin before being escorted to Mai’s car. The two were forced into their seats with their personal effect carelessly tossed into the back by the ruthless goons. “Alright, alright, we’re going geez!” Mai bitterly and reluctantly called out as she started the engine. The Italian Corvette’s tires squealed with fury as it backed up quickly, catching a few of the men off guard as they scattered and jumped out of its way. With her right arm raised, Mai shot them a parting gesture and soon all they could see was the glare of her taillights into the night.
 
As they drove down an empty stretch of road, Mai had a near murderous scowl, burning brightly with anger. “After all that planning, getting everything in order, that over privileged thumb sucker has the nerve to ruin my evening!” She slammed her fists onto the wheel, causing the car to swerve until she managed to get both it and her temper back under control. “I, I guess tonight just ain’t da night.” Her very frightened passenger chimed in. Looking over she found that he had his hands wrapped tightly around his seatbelt as it dug into his bare chest. Not wishing for him to catch a cold, she fumbled about the back seat until she found his shirt and handed it to him. He took a deep breath as he reluctantly unclenched his hands and accepted it. A smile quickly broke across Mai’s lips, trying her best not to laugh as the safety harness prevented him from getting dress properly. With a streak of mischief, she stretched her arm over towards him and began to rake her nails across his exposed stomach.

“Ah!” He chirped in surprise as she continued the ticklish assault, causing him to whither in his seat until he managed to finally block her access. Mai laughed devilishly as his face burned bright red, being noticeable even in the darkness. “Sorry hon, I just couldn’t resist!” Teased the still inadequately dressed blond, bombshell temptress, now trying to sincerely apologize for her childish antics by stroking his thigh. “Naw, its ok.” He said blushing, and then looking away from her perfectly sculpted, moonlit form. ‘I must get back to Yugi and the others, before it is too late’ he thought to himself, worried for both his and Joey’s fate should they remain spiritually intertwined any longer. While he was very much disoriented by the events which played out only minutes ago, he was able to prevent himself from breaking character after experiencing the effects of that flash bang grenade Kaiba’s men practically threw at his and Joey’s feet.
 
Looking up into the starry heavens, Yami Joey took particular notice of the shimmering moon which was nearly full. Thoughts of his dear Yugi flashed before his mind, projecting the image of his spikey-haired love’s smiling face against the ivory orb hanging so brilliantly in the night sky. The scene transitions to a final shot of Mai’s corvette. It quickly zooms on its way, driving back towards Domino City which lies just on the horizon as the entire picture fades to black.The Scene begins with a close up of Mai smiling mischievously, sitting behind the wheel of her red Italian Corvette as motion blurred scenery whizzes by at treacherous speeds. The scene cuts to a quiet little elderly couple walking by a seemingly equal dark but peaceful alleyway. Suddenly, two orbs of light begin to glow, followed by a slight purr that soon becomes an almost demonic roar. The nearly bald old man quickly ushers his wife off to the side for safety, holding her close as they tense up in fright of what was transpiring. With a trail of leaves and paper waste dancing behind it, the crimson muscle car shoots out of the alley airborne in a skyward arc. Almost like a mirror, the highly polished back, driver’s side wheel hubcap perfectly reflected the horrified expressions of the aged couple in slow-motion.
 
After several seconds of hang-time, the vehicle finally landed with a shriek of rubber on pavement, turning into a daring 90° drift. Now with all wheels to the ground, Mai zoomed across the main street straightaway, cutting off a canary yellow Mini Copper in the process. Much to the dismay of her terrified passengers, the golden-haired daredevil could only laugh as the mini’s driver slammed on his horn and breaks. He then rolled down his window, angrily and collectively cursing at everyone in the car with a succession of sailor-like verbal obscenities. Fortunately for the innocent group of friends, they were too busy holding onto their seats for dear life to catch any of it.
 
Mai turned into another narrow alleyway, before unexpectedly letting go of the wheel, and throwing both of hands up into an impromptu cheer. “Isn’t this fun!?” she called back to the gang as they gawked up ahead in dread. “Fun isn’t the word to use, this is suicide; now please put your hands back onto the wheel!” Téa screamed, clenching her eyes shut, grabbing onto Yugi and squeezing him tightly. Téa’s reaction only made Mai laughed even harder. Now taking hold of the wheel once more, the amethyst-eyed vixen lectured the group on ‘loosening up a bit.’ “Life’s too short to be so serious all the time, you have to learn to take things by the horns and go with the flow.” She said with a coy smile. ‘If she keeps this up, all of our lives will be short!’ Yugi thought to himself, a vivid blush on his face as Téa continued to cling to him for security.
 
Elsewhere, while Mai continued pressing the limits of both luck and the gang’s bladders and stomachs, a car driven by Duke Devlin was making its way through the main roads. Duke was running late for a scheduled appearance at a Dungeon Dice Monsters tournament; one in which was set to begin in less than 15 minutes. As Duke tried to make up for lost time, Yami Joey’s knuckles were turning white from clutching his knees. Much like his friends, Mai’s driving was affecting him and causing his heart to skip a beat with each close call between them and every vehicle, pedestrian or stray animal that was in Mai’s way. Gritting his teeth, his eyes were locked on the road ahead. This was an instinctive action, one which strangely enough was giving him ease of mind regarding whether or not they were even still alive. Nevertheless, he would much rather be at home listening to Mr. Muto drunkenly sing Karaoke than to bear another minute of Mai’s, for a lack of a better word, driving.
 
The buxom motorist pulled onto the main boulevard, and Yami Joey could see that they were quickly coming up onto a four-way intersection next to a fitness center. The sign for the member’s only establishment consisted of a 90 centimeter LED display banner on a pole, with several faux crystal column pedestals beneath it. On one of column was the massive and muscular Exodia, The Forbidden One. It was a 3/8th scale semi opaque resin made replica of Exodia, kneeling on one knee while flexing his biceps and singlehandedly holding onto a barbell with the other. A banner read in bright yellow letters, “Join us Today; like Exodia, you too could achieve ripped glory!”

This was yet another obvious and shameless Duel Monsters tie-in; one of which was an ever growing and monotonous sight within Domino City. As the center pedestal rotated the iconic figure to show off him in all his ‘ripped glory,’ the Public Domino City Safety Commission (PDCSC) switched the traffic control system to the night-time rush hour mode. The new setting would shorten the length of green lights and extend the length of red lights at intersections. It was a safety protocol meant to quell reports of reckless driving and to assure public and traffic safety at sunset when people were more likely to be in a rush to get home before dark. Not so incidentally, many of the complaints received by the PDCSC were generated on dates a certain Italian sports car enthusiast came into town, Mai Valentine.

Thankfully for the residence of Domino City, whether fellow motorist or pedestrian-alike, the delay protocol worked and Mai was forced to come to a complete stop at the next light. As her car sat still with its engine purring, Duke’s halogen headlights beamed forward in a blinding arch several car lengths ahead, heading towards the same intersection. Overhead he could see an electronic road condition sign display information to drivers, informing them of the traffic control’s switch over. Knowing that the green light ahead would not last long, the Dungeon Dice Monster’s creator impatiently sped up as the light changed to yellow. Pressing harder on the gas and showing off his own car’s muscle, Duke barreled through the still yellow light and made a sharp and abrupt left turn.

Everyone in Mai’s car set their gazes on Duke’s face, tracking him as he soared pass them. Just then, his Halogen lights struck the fitness center’s display. With immense speed, the concentrated shaft of pale-blue light refracted within the crystal columns, ejecting outwards in a blinding gold shimmer that lite up the area like a police helicopter’s search light. Once again, Yami Joey’s ocular nerves were assaulted with debilitating brightness, and once again Joey was back in control of his own body. “Yee-ouch, that’s bright!” cried out the poor forsaken victim of yet another searing bout of comedic happenstance.

Nearly instantly the gang recognized their friend’s true voice, knowing it was the real Joey. Since his last taste of freedom, several hours have passed, and with them the sun has nearly descended below the western horizon. “Man how did it get so dark all of the sudden; that flash, did it make me go blind or something?” Joey whined in his bewildered state as Mai smirked but withheld from chuckling.

With Joey now free and trying to regain his bearings, Yugi, being the intelligent puzzle solver that he is, gasped with an epiphany. The scene surrounding Yugi shifted as an all-consuming blackness pulled Yugi and the viewer into it. A fleeting glimpse of Téa, Tristan, as well as the back seat Yugi sat on vanished into the warp. Wide-eyed and still in a sitting position, Yugi stayed in place as if surrounded by an empty sea of darkness. ‘I’ve got it’ The King of Games thoughts echoed, just as a taupe flashback to earlier starts to replay behind him. The recollection showed the moment back at the Kame Game Shop, when a golden beam of sunlight blinded the possessed Joey freeing him from the Pharaoh’s control. It then quickly changed to recap Téa’s fierce barrage of slaps to Joeys face, just as another beam caused the Pharaoh’s mind retake control of Joey’s body. The flashback faded into wafts of smoke before everything changed back to normal.

“You guys, I know what’s going on!” Yugi said in a whisper to Téa and Tristan “I’m glad at least one of us does, I’ve been confused from the beginning!” Tristan said, causing a vein to pop in both Téa’s temple and raised fist. Tristan raised his hands up defensively to shield himself as Yugi clarified his hypothesis. “Every time Joey or the Pharaoh is blinded by intense gold light, their minds switch places. Right now that’s Joey!” Tristan looked into the passenger side seat across form him. He analyzed Joey who was rubbing his eyes from discomfort. “You’re right, but how?” He confirmed before turning to Yugi for more answers. “Just now, when Duke passed by, his headlights shined into those crystal pedestals over there.” The clever young man pointed forward, drawing their attention to the display ahead. With the culprit to the Pharaoh and Joey’s latest mind switch identified, Yugi continued on with his explanation. “The light then must have refracted, creating that huge flash we saw just a moment ago!”

Although the mechanics and processes involved escaped Tristan, he understood the outcome. “So all we have to do is, keep him from getting flashed by gold light, and then Joey will stay Joey?” Tristan said rubbing his chin and holding his elbow as if he were Sherlock Holmes pondering the mysteries of life. “It is not that simple; we still have to get the Pharaoh out of Joey’s body and back into the millennium puzzle, or else the Pharaoh or Joey might start to disappear.” Téa explained. “So wait, if that’s Joey, does he even know what’s going on?” The three turned their attention back towards Joey who just stopped rubbing his eyes and looked around, slacked-jawed like an idiot with a cloud of confusion. “Huh, as usual, he doesn’t have a clue” Téa commented as beads of sweat formed on all three of their temples. Much like before, to Joey only a moment had passed since his last taste of freedom from Yami's mysterious possession.
 
“We have to change Joey back before Mai find out!” Yugi exclaimed in fear that Mai would complicate things. “Do we even have anything that we can use?” Tristan asked his friends in an unsure tone. “I think I might.” Téa stated, and then placed her purse onto her lap. The young brunette opened it and began rummaging through its contents. Despite being no larger than a paperback English-to-Spanish dictionary, Téa’s purse seemed to have an assortment of haphazardly stored items within it. As Téa continued her search, Mai slammed her hands down on the wheel and expressed annoyance at how long the red light was. “Come on and change already, we’re not getting any younger!” Mai called out to the overhead inanimate object. Recognizing the voice next to him, Joey’s turned his head towards its direction and Mai. His vision was still plagued by specks of black blotches with auras, but he was slowly gaining visual confirmation that it was indeed Mai sitting next to him.

“Wait, what?” Joey said in confusion, his eyes squinted with small tears in their corner. “Found it!” Téa announced with relief, causing Joey to now direct his attention towards her with even more confusion and curiosity. Without a moment’s hesitation, Yugi grabbed a small keychain flashlight from Téa’s open hand. With uncertainty Yugi aimed the object, praying for the best. “Let’s hope this works.” He said to himself, and then raised his voice to shout “Hey Joey!”  This again diverted Joey’s attention, only now capable of seeing his friends clearly in the back seat. “Wait, Yug? Hey wait a minute, what’s goin’ on here!?” The fair-haired youth roared in confusion and frustration. “I’ll explain later!” Yugi whispered to him before yelling “Gotcha!” and with that, the spiky head duelist turned the flashlight on. Despite its humble size, the keychain charm unleashed an impressively intense gold light that had a smiley face projection within it. As the gang had desired, Joey and the Pharaoh’s minds were once again exchanged, and the spirit now the one on the receiving end of optical pain. “Gah, it is as if a thousand suns are burning into my eyes!” Yami Joey screamed.

Both Yugi and Téa had to force themselves to laugh in a faux mischievous manner. Tristan’s laughter was much more genuine; he often found pleasure in lowbrow humor that resulted in the pain of others. “Hey now, leave poor Joey alone! I know he’s an easy target, but give him a little break will you?” Mai teased in a somewhat serious tone.

Unfortunately for the tortured and humiliated spirit of the puzzle, his plight was about to get worse. Up above the traffic light finally changed back to green, signaling Mai that she may once again burn rubber through the unsuspecting streets of Domino city. With a light press of her foot, the red corvette began to accelerate at terrifying speeds. In his sightless state, Yami Joey could feel the g-forces creep up onto him, and this time he was unable to focus on the road ahead for comfort as he did before. He took a deep breath with his eyes clenched shut, and held onto the strap of his seat belt as a security blanket.

Behind him, Yugi mustered up all his strength to lean forward and relay the news to his temporarily blind friend. “Pharaoh, we know how to switch your and Joey’s minds back, its light!” Yugi said in an enlightened, but still in a low tone so that Mai could not hear. “Light?” Yami asked uncertain he heard correctly. He turned back towards Yugi, opening a still agonizingly pained eye to look at his friend for confirmation. The ancient spirit was perplexed by how something so simple, could actually engage and disengage his supernatural control over Joey’s being. “Yes Pharaoh, its light, bright gold light to be exact!”
 
After 5 more minutes of Mai’s ‘driving’, the group finally came upon the restaurant Téa worked at part time. As soon as the Italian Corvette pulled into a parking space, everyone tumbled out and onto the sidewalk pavement. Tristan hugged the ground, kissing it as if he were never so happy to see a dirty public walkway before in his life. While Téa and Yugi helped each other up, Mai was quick to pull Yami Joey back into his seat and shut the door behind him. “What are you doing, Mai?” Yami Joey asked uncertainly, causing the others to look back at the two in the car. Mai playfully wrapped one arm around Yami Joey and leaned over him, causing a blush to form on his cheeks. “I’m going to borrow Joey for an itsy little bit. Don’t wait up for us!” She waved and laughed, peeling back out into traffic and cutting off several more cars in doing so. “What was that about?” Tristan asked, as a quarter stuck to his lips from before. “I don’t know, but this isn’t good!” Téa bellowed while simultaneously ripping the quarter from her dimwitted friend’s lip. Yugi was the most worried, unsure of the consequences should Mai keep Joey and the Pharaoh too long, or if the two should switch control again.
 
Knowing for certain his friends were worried for both his and Joey’s safety; the Pharaoh too had his concerns over being separated from Yugi. Mai noticed him looking back worried, looking almost like a lost puppy. “Relax, we’re only going to be gone a little while, they can manage just fine without us. Besides, you and I have something to discuss.” She said with a smile, conveying a hint that would easily have escaped Joey, but not the ancient spirit currently possessing him. It was no secret that Joey and Mai had feelings for one another. In the aftermath of Dartz’s defeat, the two had almost confessed; however, the timing was right, not that they really needed words for how they felt. However, if Mai was to have closure on that part of her life, she would have to take the steps needed by confessing her love for Joey Wheeler.
 
As the two drove on, the sights and sounds of the city quickly faced away, and then transitioned into the calm and serine of Mother Nature. Yami Joey was pleasantly surprised by the aroma of sweet country air, basking in it as it traveled on the cool night breeze that flowed into the topless Corvette. Looking straight up above, he could see the sky shimmering with stars, a view which was often obstructed by the big city lights. Before long they pulled into a little clearing with a rather large, but quaint cabin nestled at the foothills below what appeared to be a hot spring resort. With the Italian sports car coming to a complete stop, Yami Joey almost felt restless with the sudden loss of velocity. He feared he was actually growing to like the white-knuckle speeds and erratic driving of his gorgeous captor.
 
Mai smiled sweetly at Yami Joey, opening her driver’s side door and climbing out. “Hope you don’t mind this little stop, hon. I will just be a few minutes while I powder my nose.” She said with a pleasant giggle following her statement. With her back now turned to him, she swayed her hips making her way towards the women’s restroom. Even the pharaoh couldn’t help but be a little entranced by the shapely rear heading towards the cabin where she pulled out a key and went in. Once the seductress had vanished into the cabin she was undoubtedly staying in while in town, Yami Joey could finally come to his senses and shake away the spell he had just been under. He resisted biting his, or more correctly Joey’s lip, scolding himself for his lack of control and betraying his love for Yugi for even a moment of weakness.
 
Taking a deep breath, the young man sitting by his lonesome in an expensive chariot not even his greediest of subjects in days long past could have dreamed of owning, he sought to cleanse himself of any lingering remnants of impure thoughts regarding Mai. He could almost hear in his mind Joey commentary on the subject, preaching his personal mantra of “an ass is an ass!” This troubled the sprit some, could he be turning into Joey, could it be that being in the body of the virile, hot blooded young man was affecting him in ways he wasn’t expecting or prepared for; what if instead of simply vanishing out of existence, he was assimilating with his host and they would soon be one in the same? His mind began racing with a thousand thoughts a second, but it was eventually this that ironically eased his worries. While true Joey was a good man and a cunning duelist, he still was lacking in mental strength, and would never have to worry about thinking this hard about anything.
 
Breathing a sigh of relief, it was almost predictable he would have his peace of mind shattered with the heart-wrenching screams of Mai from inside the dark cabin. Without a moment’s hesitation, Yami Joey leaped from the car sprinting to the aide of his distressed friend. He rushed through the doorway and rounded the corner only and began frantically searching around. Suddenly, a trail of gas lanterns roared to life in a choreographed fashion, gaining his attention and pointing him to the silhouette of someone standing in the center of the room. With the last pair of lanterns lit, the fire place erupted in scarlet flames, bathing the figure in rose-tinted light and causing Yami Joey’s heart to skip a beat.
 
Wearing black stockings and garter belts, frill-laced panties and a teddy with a heart-shaped cleavage stood Mai with a come hither glint in her eyes. Yami Joey took a step back as he took a hard gulp and grasped for the nearest surface that he could brace himself against. More of Mai’s slender frame and her provocative dress came into view as the red special effects burned out in the fireplace, and more natural light filtered into the room. “W-what is happening here?” He asked, unable to disguise his voice or mannerisms of speech. Mai seemed to not notice this, as she smiled and walked forward, holding up a remote control as she walked. With a push of a button, the room flashed with lasers typical of a Kaiba Corp virtual reality assisted duals. Further proof of Kaiba’s ties to the cabin was made known, when above the fireplace mantel, the Kaiba Corp logo illuminated in fiery splendor. The walls and furniture were all decorated with personal items belonging to the Kaiba brothers, including pictures and even some awards commemorating the older sibling’s accomplishments. This was a work station for the man who works even on vacation.
 
Backing himself up against an unfortunately placed couch, Yami Joey fell back into a seated position. “I went ahead and borrowed the keys to this place from one of Kaiba’s goons. I caught him staring at me during an event, and let’s just say he was very cooperative once I threatened to go to his wife about his wondering eye.” She smirked devilishly, reflecting back on that brief interaction that yielded many benefits in her favor. “I figured with yours and Seto’s history, you wouldn’t mind sticking it to the little rich boy by using his vacation home behind his back.” She said with confidence, before pressing another button on the remote. Mai always did have a bit of a penchant for dazzle and flare, coming as no surprise when her almost trademarked Harpy Sisters appeared from the shadows to do whatever was their mistress’ bidding. Each Harpy sibling was clad in a red she-devil outfit, with heart-shaped motifs similar to Mai’s. The three infamous Duel Monsters stood at attention, and then with practiced precision they produced simple looking jade urns from thin air. From the urns sprang out a golden mist, billowing out and filling the room in its glamorous glow.
 
In a foggy sea of light, the forms of the Pharaoh and Joey float side by side, peacefully. The two begin to blur and multiply into rainbow silhouettes of themselves, slowly circling a pyramid shaped singularity which quickly consumed them like a black hole. The entire scene momentarily whiteouts, and floating up from the bottom, right-hand corner was Joey. The viewing angle shifts to him in center focus, where he slowly began to stir, opening his eyes as if he was waking from a nap. The cabin room begins to take shape on the outskirts of the viewer’s vision, coming into greater focus as the white abyss vanishes behind Joey. The view then changes to the blurry form of Mai, who was sitting on the strapping young male’s lap in her sexy lingerie, so reminiscent of one of the many sexual fantasies he has had of her in the recent months since their victory against the derange king of Atlantis, Dartz.
 
“I love you Joey, I can’t bear not to say it any longer” She said as he watched her ruby painted lips form those words he so often dreamed her saying to him. With the circumstances pointing to the logical conclusion, Joey believed this to be just that, a dream. With this revelation echoing in mind, Joey responded in tandem with the scripted lines he had articulated so flawlessly in those same fantasies. “Oh Mai, I love you too. I want to spend the rest of my life with you.” He said in a deep husky voice, just as he would articulate in the sultry dreamscape of his deepest desires for how this would play out in the real world. Mai smiled and pressed her lips to his, draping her arms around his neck with joy that they were finally reaching for this moment. Joey was lost in the sensation of her soft body pressed to his own. She seductively forced her ample bosom against his broad chest as he cupped her shapely rear, grouping her as she gave him a moan followed by a series of thrusts and dry humps to entice him into further the stages of arousal.
 
The two lovers engaged in increasingly heavy petting. Before long Joey was shirtless and Mai was a string’s pull away from giving the young blond duelist the show of his life. After what seemed like hours of intense kissing, Mai had finally pulled away to give them both a breather. As she did this, she crossed her arms in front of her chest, her breasts threatening to burst from their confinement, much to Joey’s hopes and prayers. The young confident man before her smiled at her with an approving growl, causing her to quiver in excitement. All seemed to be going as planned; that was until a sudden sound of broken glass and something black hitting the floor caught them off guard. The foreign object was ticking, and then it erupted into a deafening, bright percussive flash that illuminated the room. This caused both parties to shriek in shock and anguish due to the sudden disturbance which rattled their visual and auditory senses. The front door flies open, with several heavily armed men infiltrating the room in a practiced sequence. From up above a flat screen television descended and lit up with the Kaiba Corp Logo irradiating in a blue glow before the signal cut to a very displeased looking Seto Kaiba. It took a minute, but both the victims of the SWAT-like raid were able to train their blurry vision on the overhead screen.
 
“Well, it would seem a stray mutt and his bitch in heat has wondered in from the cold.” He spoke with a smirk and tone that gave hint to how much of a sadomasochist he was. His expression quickly harden however, as he continued to addressed the interrupted lovers. “You two have a lot of nerve pulling such a stunt!” He barked as his goons pulled the two to their feet. “What, what the hell is going on!?” Mai demanded as she cried out in mixed confusion and frustration, pulling herself out of the grips of the two guards who had her by the arms.
 
“Come now, did you honestly think I wouldn’t have this place guarded with twenty-four-hour surveillance?” He said as he closed his eyes, smiling and folding his hands with amusement. He then opened his eyes again, this time with a focused glared directed right at the two intruders. “The moment you crossed over this estate’s property line in that bucket of bolts you likely got at police auction, you set off a series of alarms that alerted and sent these fine gentlemen into action. I would be careful if I was you, they’ve been authorized to use whatever force they deem necessary.” Seto broke into a fit of hoity laughter which caused Mai to clench her fists in anger.
 
“Why you spoiled little, shriveled dicked punk!” she snarled as she tried to lunge at his virtual display; however, she was quickly prevented from further aggression when two guards blocked her with their arms and showcased their shock batons that emitted a visible series of arcing electric sparks. No longer amused with their presence, Kaiba turned around and waved them both off. “Get this trash out of my sight and off my property!” and with that both duelists were ejected from the cabin before being escorted to Mai’s car. The two were forced into their seats with their personal effect carelessly tossed into the back by the ruthless goons. “Alright, alright, we’re going geez!” Mai bitterly and reluctantly called out as she started the engine. The Italian Corvette’s tires squealed with fury as it backed up quickly, catching a few of the men off guard as they scattered and jumped out of its way. With her right arm raised, Mai shot them a parting gesture and soon all they could see was the glare of her taillights into the night.
 
As they drove down an empty stretch of road, Mai had a near murderous scowl, burning brightly with anger. “After all that planning, getting everything in order, that over privileged thumb sucker has the nerve to ruin my evening!” She slammed her fists onto the wheel, causing the car to swerve until she managed to get both it and her temper back under control. “I, I guess tonight just ain’t da night.” Her very frightened passenger chimed in. Looking over she found that he had his hands wrapped tightly around his seatbelt as it dug into his bare chest. Not wishing for him to catch a cold, she fumbled about the back seat until she found his shirt and handed it to him. He took a deep breath as he reluctantly unclenched his hands and accepted it. A smile quickly broke across Mai’s lips, trying her best not to laugh as the safety harness prevented him from getting dress properly. With a streak of mischief, she stretched her arm over towards him and began to rake her nails across his exposed stomach.

“Ah!” He chirped in surprise as she continued the ticklish assault, causing him to whither in his seat until he managed to finally block her access. Mai laughed devilishly as his face burned bright red, being noticeable even in the darkness. “Sorry hon, I just couldn’t resist!” Teased the still inadequately dressed blond, bombshell temptress, now trying to sincerely apologize for her childish antics by stroking his thigh. “Naw, its ok.” He said blushing, and then looking away from her perfectly sculpted, moonlit form. ‘I must get back to Yugi and the others, before it is too late’ he thought to himself, worried for both his and Joey’s fate should they remain spiritually intertwined any longer. While he was very much disoriented by the events which played out only minutes ago, he was able to prevent himself from breaking character after experiencing the effects of that flash bang grenade Kaiba’s men practically threw at his and Joey’s feet.
 
Looking up into the starry heavens, Yami Joey took particular notice of the shimmering moon which was nearly full. Thoughts of his dear Yugi flashed before his mind, projecting the image of his spikey-haired love’s smiling face against the ivory orb hanging so brilliantly in the night sky. The scene transitions to a final shot of Mai’s corvette. It quickly zooms on its way, driving back towards Domino City which lies just on the horizon as the entire picture fades to black.