I've been really annoyed with myself lately. I really want to write a Yami/Yugi story that is completely unrelated to the plot of the show. However, I have NO ideas for it! Grrr…
And, on the side of that, I want to write another story about Joey and another one about Seto. Maybe I should re-write No Such Things As Happy Endings: YGO Style for Seto… -gets frustrated and throws a hissy fit-
breathes deeply- Okay… so here is the beginning of what I should have started long ago…
They Want Me To Keep Fighting
Chapter One: The Nature Of The Job
Author's Note: This is a side fic to New Professors, New Adventures. It's all about our favorite blonde, Joey Wheeler. (Suddenly I think of the movie – "You'll have to go against a top contender, and I think I know one." -Joey "Seto Kaiba?" -Tristan "ME, Joey Wheeler!" –Joey. Lol, I love that movie. Sorry.) Anywhoosle… yeah.
This is before the gang knows about Hogwarts, and after Ancient Pasts, Present Futures.
Also, the gang is now 21-ish. VERY END of the second year of college, before they decide what field to go into.
Disclaimer: Don't own YGO. Or anything else copyrighted in the fic. However, I do own the book that they are reading in class. THAT ENTIRE PLOT BELONGS TO ME AND ME ONLY! GOT THAT! –cough-
JOEY'S POV:
Another day at school. Oh joy.
I don't know why I have to go to school. It doesn't make any sense – they say it's for our "own good," that we need an education, et cetera. Sure, that makes sense, but why do we have to learn all of this extra stuff that we'll never see in life again?
(veena: I hear ya, sista'!)
For instance – I for one know that I'm never going to need to know what an "allegory" or a "metaphor" is in life. (1) So why the hell do I need to learn about that kind of shit?
Sigh. I'd better get to school.
"MR. WHEELY!"
I sit up abruptly. At least the idiot could get my name right.
I hear Kaiba snigger. Why that heartless little –
"MR. WHEELY!"
I jerk my head towards the person calling me. Stupid teacher…
"Yes?" I say, slipping on my Brooklyn accent. Sometimes it annoys me – the fact that I have to hide myself behind this mask of stupidity. But I guess it doesn't matter anymore.
"Mr. Wheely, would you care to read the paragraph that we just read to ourselves aloud?" Heh. He thinks that I wasn't paying attention. Wait until I prove him wrong!
I look down at my open copy of the book that we're reading and smirk. I know the book like the back of my own hand.
I read it aloud.
""I've never really hated Aazar as a person," she said. "She's generally very nice. I hate her because of the role she plays in the Light Elves and because of her power. I suspect that she hates me for the same reasons – the fact that I play a huge role in the Shadow Elves and because she is afraid that her title will be snatched away by me.""
I look expectantly up at the teacher. He looks slightly surprised and nods. "Now explain it."
I glance back down at my book. It was my own copy, signed by the author, who I've met. Actually, the entire gang has met her, but they don't realize that she was the one who wrote it.
I had highlight that paragraph before with notes next to it. Slowly, I try to think of a typical Joey Wheeler response. Act slow, Wheeler, act slow…
"Well," I said slowly. "Aazar and Kiriov are considered undisputed enemies…" Uh-oh Wheeler, you're slipping… I quickly put on my accent. "… One's da head of da Shadow Elves, da other da head of da Light Elves. Everyone would dink dat da dese two would hate each other in dis war. However, before da war, dey could have been good friends."
I look up. Hopefully the answer was "good" enough, and that no one caught my little slip. The teacher smirks and turns, writing an obvious minus in his grade book. (2) My head falls on my desk. If I could only cut loose…
I was really looking forward to going home, except now we have to stay longer. Stupid principal… he is NOT my pal. (3)
"Aww, c'mon Joey, our future rides on this!" Trust Yugi to try and make it sound that serious.
"Yeah man, we don't want you to turn up like – " Tristan stops abruptly. I know what he was going to say.
" – like my dad, yeah," I finish. I sigh. "Okay guys, whatever."
We're supposed to decide what field we're going to go into. Psh. At the moment, I'd just like to go home and rest… I've got to get up early tomorrow and deliver the papers. As usual. Every morning it's the same routine – get up early, deliver the papers, walk a couple people's dogs, take a shower, go to school, come home, do homework, go walk another couple people's dogs, wash about ten people's cars, go home, get beaten up by Malcolm (4), and then, when he falls asleep or goes out for more drinks, clean up after him. Joy.
After being lectured about the importance of this choice, the principal called us, by last name, to go to a specific teacher. Being that my last name starts with a W, I was one of the last students.
When the principal called my name, I walked straight to the room I was supposed to. The teacher was sitting down lazily in her chair. She had an infamous reputation for being a bitch to students – but, of course, only the student knew about it. She tricked the boys of our school into thinking that she liked him, and then she'd go out with him. This game went on for a while with each unsuspecting victim, and each time she went a little further. Then, one day, she gets the kid expelled – more than dumping him. The boys who fell into her snare convince themselves that the rumors were just that – rumors. (5)
Anyway, I sat down across from her and coughed. She looked up and smiled a fake smile. "Well, Joey," she said in a falsely sweet and assuring voice, "It's time to choose what you'd like to do with your life." Her eyes saw me as another potential victim. I didn't fall for it; I'd seen too many boys fall into this trap.
I nodded, coolly looking back at her. "Yeah, I realize dat," I said. "May I see da brochures?"
She handed me brochures of different jobs. I glanced through them. We need YOU to serve your nation! Join the Army! (6), What do you think of a career in space?, Join the people who taught you! Be a teacher!, Art your thing? Go to art school!, Love music? Become a musician! et cetera.
However, it was the last one that caught my eye.
On it was a picture of a child on a bed. The picture gave a birds' eye view of him. His eyes were open, and blank. He was obviously dead.
On the brochure, it said, There is a way you can help prevent deaths like this.
I opened it. The teacher, noting my curiosity for it, told me to take it with me; there were more copies. My time was up.
As I was walking out, I read the brochure. By the time I was out of the building, I knew what field I'd go into.
(1) We learn about allegories and metaphors et cetera in school and it's HORRIBLE. Grr. I thought that Joey might share my frustration. As I know many of my classmates do. CURSE THE GREEN DOBLIN.
(veena: and her little dog too! -cackles-)
(2) I dunno about other countries, but here in America, my teachers put down a check or a minus for class participation/behavior et cetera in their grade book. This helps determine the part of our grades that it based on that stuff.
(3) Hehehe. That's how we remembered the different spellings and meanings of "principle" and "principal." You know, "my principal is my pal…"
(4) I don't know the real names of Joey's parents, so I'm using Malcolm and Annie. This is off of Madyamisam. She uses those names, and I give her credit.
(5) This is based off of Ms. Chono in the manga.
(6) This sounds really American. I don't think army brochures are like that in Japan, but, hey, I couldn't resist.