Winning Without Gods (A Yu-Gi-Oh Fanfiction)DONE!

Ch 2: Night Duelist

Differences in Manga: Mai wasn't covered in sand when she lost the battle with Marik, she was being devoured alive in 24 hours by flesh eating bugs in her mind. (This was the last time Mai interacted with the main cast.) Jounouchi is a hard physical fighter, less of comic relief.

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Two Years After Graduation

////Mai opened her eyes and looked around. She was in a room. A hospital room. On her left were two Yuugi's. On her right were two Anzu's. Straight ahead was a window. Her bed was lifted higher and outside she could see devastation like a war. Yet everyone around her looked happy, like everything was wonderful.

Then the window was blocked by Jounouchi holding a blanket with a little face poking out. "Mana's here, Mai. See?" The newborn had brunette hair.///

"Whoah." Mai blinked, waking up. Strangest dream ever. She got dressed and headed out of the hotel room as she heard the voice she just heard in her dream.

"Is that you, Mai Kujaku?"

Mai turned around. What in the world? Same hair, same height, but more grown up. "Jounouchi."

"Don't just 'Jounouchi' me, it's been some time." Jounouchi practically sprinted to her. "You're here for the card battle, right?"

Uh? Mai didn't know how to respond at first. Eventually, she thought she would run into him again, but it actually happened. No more guessing what to do. "Yeah I guess. You're in good standing though, what are you doing down in these bottom dwelling competitions?"

He didn't say anything at first. Then? "Card players are becoming assholes at the highest level. There's no Yuugi, there's no Kaiba, the table talk is beyond the usual sass, and there's just no honor. People are more concerned about getting their names out there and being famous."

"What's wrong with that?"

"Fame sucks." Jounouchi gave her his old Jounouchi smile. "That's why I file my winnings away underneath a different name. Kind of like a pen name, you know, like an artist." He chuckled. "Yeah I know, it sounds goofy but it's more fun around here. I might go to one of the high class invite-only's again if Yuugi goes."

Huh? "Yuugi isn't playing anymore?"

"Just for fun, no competitions," Jounouchi said. "He'll play with me one on one in the shop or out on the street, but nothing official." He shrugged. "Which is okay. Yuugi should only feel compelled to play what and how he wants to play. He's a player of all things, you know? I think Atem was the one that was most into it back then. Uh, that was the spirit's name that used to be with Yuugi. He isn't anymore."

"Yeah." Hm. Okay. "You guys are still complete morons," she scolded him. "Yuugi was number one! If he doesn't keep playing no one is going to remember his name. Can regular Yuugi not play?"

"What? Hell no, Yuugi can play well. He just doesn't care about that. Yuugi wants to design games, and man, he's already taking off." Jounouchi nodded. "As for me, I don't give a shit, Mai. Really. You know what I go for?" Jounouchi went toward the end of the hallway where there was a nice window. "That! Playing cards let's me go everywhere in the world. I'm not bound to anywhere. Japan is in my heart, but I don't live with nobody or nothing anymore. It's free."

"You do have a point." Mai had done the same thing at first. "It does feel free at first, but . . ."

"I know. You don't have to say anything." Jounouchi looked from the window. "Truth is, I knew you'd be here. I wanted to see you again. I like making new friends, but if I'm out wandering around from competition to competition? Why don't we kind of agree to meet up around certain ones?"