It was all protected, of course. Safe. It was professional, and she was a working girl. Making something of her life. Everybody had to grow up sometime. Even her. Cards were for children, and she was no longer a child.

The room had even been decorated to her own requirements. It wasn't like the media cracked it up to be. Her manager wasn't sleazy, the boss did not take advantage of her, and she was as clean as he had always been. Other girls, perhaps, were on drugs. But not her. She knew she was worth more than that. She didn't even touch alcohol anymore - not since her days clubbing, when she still cared to dance. A girl had been carried out by a boy - one she had just met that night. The rumors were that her drink had been spiked. But she was out of it, probably for the next day. She was for the taking, literally. Even as a child, Mai had never been so helpless. Being on your own made you stronger.

Anzu had become a dancer. Mai was happy for her - even went to see her first big role. A swan. Beautiful, graceful, elegant. Her dreams fulfilled, she moved to America. Mai had since heard that she was good friends with Shizuka. The implication was that they were more than friends, but who knew really?

Mai was different, though - elegant in her own unique way. Even as a teenager she had developed early her own sense of style. The walk, the look she gave people - buys - from smoky eyes made them look twice in a way that even Anzu with her dancer's grace never got. A little makeup, boots to change the very contours of her body and the way they moved... Shizuka, all smiles and blushes, had never quite understood. Or perhaps she had, and was too innocent to act on it. Every girl knew how to play that game - it was innate. It was just that Mai, with something darker about her person, was talented enough to bring it to its full. It was never her breasts or her barer legs that made guys turn in the street, (although she was sure that sometimes helped). It was her attitude. Sexiness was and always would be an attitude.

Yugi asked her about her job one day. Maybe it was by accident, but she figured he had known for a while. And she told him the truth, because she wasn't ashamed of it. It was her life, she was old enough to make her own decisions. She wasn't stupid. He knew very well that she could take care of herself, and so he didn't say anything. But she saw anyway his eyes turn away, in embarrassment. For him or for her? She didn't ask, and he didn't mention it again. And besides - he had Yami. Why spare concern for a woman who plainly knew what she wanted and wouldn't listen to someone who told her otherwise? He moved on, and so did she. She wasn't angry. Lonely, sometimes, but that was life. Everybody sometimes got lonely, even when you did have someone. She counted herself lucky that she didn't need anyone like that. It was called independence.

Her new job was about power. Not of the cruel kind. It wasn't dark, or sinister, or violent. It hurt nobody. She was happy, the customer was happy, her boss was happy. She was the happiest, though. Power. She could look at a man for just one moment and make him blush, feel hot, slightly helpless. In just that one split second, she could make any man want her. That was power, of the most natural and potent kind. Get a man in her company, and she could keep them spellbound for hours, not wanting to leave even when their time was up. Sometimes they wanted to take her away with them, take her away from what they deemed a life not fit for a lady such as herself. They claimed they could look after her. Give her all the money she needed to live a comfortable life. Some time in the sun on some exotic island worlds away from where she was, a new car, somebody to care, deeply, about her and only her. She only smiled pityingly and let them go, next customer please. It was her job, and she enjoyed it. It was power that couldn't be bought, not for anything.

And she got money in her pocket. Money that she didn't particularly need, but it was nice to get it anyway. It showed she was appreciated, and it let her enjoy the finer things in life. Money didn't buy happiness - of that she already knew. But it was nice to have nonetheless, and she didn't see how anybody could argue with that.

She was happy with her existence until Yami came. She hadn't been expecting that. Mai had all but forgotten about him, since she assumed she, in turn, was forgotten. But he came anyway - same boots, same confident stare, same Yami. Perhaps it was ironic that he, out of all of them, had changed the least.

"Hello, Mai. Its good to see you?"

"Is it?" Her voice didn't hold any bitterness. It was merely curious.

"Yes, it is", he returned, smiling just a little. She believed him; he was too sure to need to lie. She supposed that was why people were automatically drawn to him.

"Do you mind?" she asked, holding out a cigarette.

"Go ahead."

She didn't smoke much, but she suddenly now craved some nicotine.

"Why have you come? Not just to chat, surely?" There was purpose in those red orbs.

"You're right. I came to ask you why you're doing this." He was straight to the point, as usual. She wondered why this became an irritation.

"My job? Hasn't Yugi told you?"

"He did. But I thought you would eventually stop. And now people are starting to worry. Jounouchi for a start."

She snorted. "Come on, Yami. He has Seto. It hit the front covers a long time ago. I'm not so far removed from the real world as you might think."

"Do you miss him?" The question took her by surprise.

"Miss Jou? No. Do you think I should? I was just a little girl, back then", she said, twirling her cigarette between slim fingers. "I don't love him, Yami. I was never in love with him."

"That as may be. But I think you still miss him. You don't have to be in love with somebody to miss them, Mai."

"Did you come here to talk about the good old days?"

"No, you know I didn't. I came here to take you back with me, if you'll come. You can't be happy here." He gestured around, like the room was tacky or somehow beneath him, and Mai could feel herself getting angry. She took a breath, calming, and managed to keep her voice at the same level.

"I am happy here, thank you for your concern. I chose this. Me. Nobody else. And I don't regret choosing it."

"Yes you do."

"No, Yami. I don't."

"Are you so sure about that? Then tell me. Why?"

"Why? You're asking now, of all times? Now, when its been so long?"

Not so long, Mai. Long to you, maybe. But the world doesn't move so quickly outside. Its still waiting for you, if you want it. So tell me why you chose this life for yourself. It was never what you dreamed."

"My dreams were those of a little girl", she said, and despite her efforts her voice betrayed her. "I'm here because I enjoy my job. I'm entitled to my own life, and I'm living it!"

Yami didn't indicate he had heard her anger. "Are you really living it, Mai?" he asked. He didn't look down at her glare. "Or are you just existing?"

She wanted to hit him for his calm. "Please leave", she said, voice now tightly controlled.

"Just tell me", he said, not moving from his spot. Are you honestly happy here, do you really feel fulfilled? Or are you just trying to validate your own existence.?"

"Get out!"

So he left, pausing at the door only to say, without turning around to look at her again, "Are you really still that girl?"

She didn't understand what he meant until later, and when she did she broke the mirror herself, not flinching at the cut on her hand.