A/N: New chapter! Now, to answer your question, Saki-rose chan, Kathleen and Johan are sort of together. They aren't exactly dating yet, but everyone's sure it's gonna happen, so they call them a couple anyway. Enjoy! We don't own Yugioh GX.
The next day, Johan couldn't seem to stay awake in first period—heck, he fell asleep at his desk before class even started. Worried, his friends asked him why the first chance they got—lunchtime.
"So, remind me again why first period history was so boring today?" Amon asked. "We even watched a war movie, and you slept right through it."
"I spent half the night arguing with Kathleen about something," he answered.
Akiko brightened. "So I'm not the only one who doesn't always get along with the dumb Ginger Kat?"
"Aki!" Haruko chided.
"That's okay!" Kathleen said, standing behind them. "I don't mind all that much! Hey! Who wants to wrestle!?"
Now, Kathleen was normally pretty hyper, but she seemed worse today for some reason. It was mildly unnerving, even for Akiko, who stared at Kathleen for a moment.
"Is this how you get when you fight with your boyfriend...?" she finally asked.
"My what!? Oh!" Kathleen laughed loudly. "Nah! I just had a large cup of coffee, or make that four cups, before school so I would be awake!" Bouncing around, she changed the subject. "Say! Aki! Anyone ever told you you look good eating lunch!?"
Akiko leaned away slightly, nervous now. She stared at her for another moment, thinking about that odd question. "I don't even want to know what that means, do I?"
"Anyway! Now I'm guaranteed to stay awake til bedtime, right, baby!?" She turned to Johan at those last two words.
He stared at her, sweating. "Uh, right...?"
"Come on, darlin'! Let's get it on!" she exclaimed, grabbing him and pulling him out of his seat.
"Get what on?" he asked, nervous.
"Uh, anyway, Judai," Asuka said, trying to change the subject, "you're awful quiet today. Is something wrong?"
"Ask either the crazy, flaming—which just screams 'I'm from Hell'—girl or Johan," came his out of character answer.
"Why? What happened?"
Kathleen had Johan pinned to the floor, a crazed look in her eyes. "You know, ever since I first saw ya, I've wanted ya, baby!" she said before laughing flirtatiously.
"Uh, well," Johan stammered. He laughed nervously before calling, "Hey, guys!? Little help!?"
Akiko, always glad to oblige—and disapproving of public displays of affection even if it wasn't someone about to make love—whacked Kathleen upside the head.
"Idiot!" she said. "You're in school, in public! Show some self-control, caffeinated or not! Also, YOU SHOULDN'T BE ALLOWED ANY COFFEE!"
Ignoring this, Judai told Asuka, "She tricked me into taking a matchmaking test and is forcing me to go on a date with an elementary-schooler I apparently match with."
"What!?" she demanded.
"So, Aki, are you saying you want some?" Kathleen asked on the sidelines. "'Cause I've got plenty! Here!" She pulled a cup of coffee out of nowhere, holding it out to Akiko.
Akiko swatted the cup out of her hand, yelling, "YOU'RE BARRED OFF! If there's one thing I hate, it's a drugged red-head! NO MORE CAFFEINE FOR YOU!"
Judai lay his head on his arms, watching as Akiko demanded that Kathleen hand over all the coffee she had on her. "Yeah..."
"How!?" Asuka asked him. "What is she threatening you with!?"
"Wow, Aki!" Kathleen said. "Didn't know you loved coffee that much! Okay! I'll just get some—"
Akiko slammed her to the floor as she turned to leave.
Speaking to herself, she made each word a sentence. "I. Need. A. Sedative. For. This. Thing." She looked down at Kathleen and said, "You are crazy! You're going to shut up, and you're going to listen to what I have to say about this 'condition' of yours, 'kay, Ginger Kat?"
As this scene went down, Sho ran out of the cafeteria, presumably to hide from Akiko's rage again.
"Oh, many things," Judai answered Asuka as he eyed the scene on the floor. "Maybe I should get Akiko on my side..."
"What!? How could she!?" Asuka demanded, outraged at the idea of Kathleen blackmailing Judai. "Judai, whatever it was, you don't have to worry! I'll take care of her for you!" She looked at the girl in question, sweating, as she added, "That is, after she's sober again."
As if to prove just how out of it she was at the moment, Kathleen exclaimed, "Coffee, coffee, coffee! Me love coffee! Drink it all day!" She laughed.
Honestly, Akiko had never been this terrified in her entire life, and she'd been through some pretty terrifying events. Heck, Kathleen was scaring her enough that she'd lost her head, which wasn't a common dilemma for her.
"Oh, you're never getting any more coffee. Not if I can help it!" she said, thinking that she'd be moving in with/stalking Kathleen for her own good—and the good of the world.
"Thanks, but that date's still gonna happen," Judai told Asuka lamely.
"Coffee! Coffee me friend! We just met, and boy, did we hit it off!" The crazy girl laughed.
If I had to guess, I'd say that means this was her first time with caffeinated coffee...and it's not something she should ever repeat! Akiko thought.
"Why?" Asuka asked Judai, still ignoring the weirdness. "Am I missing something? Or do you still not trust me? Come on, Judai. You should know by now that I keep all my promises. So you don't have to go if you don't want to. Kathleen won't do anything to you so long as I'm around, okay?"
"It's not that I don't trust you," he tried to explain. "It's just...kinda complicated. And that's probably already more than I can say, so don't ask for details, okay?"
Akiko, meanwhile, had made up her mind—she was going to babysit Kathleen. "Kathleen, I'm pretty sure it's too early to be addicted to caffeine, but I'll humor you and ween you off of it."
"What? Why?" Asuka asked Judai.
"Coffee, coffee, coffee!" Kathleen chanted. "Ya want some, too!?"
Sho came running back over. "I went and got the nurse!"
The school nurse, a woman with short brown hair and gray eyes, put a hand over her mouth. "Goodness! I've never seen someone so hyped up on coffee! How much has she had!?"
"Four cups," Akiko grunted. "I'm not sure how big these cups were, but I'm almost positive she likes her coffee black."
Judai started, "I..."
"It comes in other colors!?" Kathleen asked, clearly astounded by this news. "Cool! How do you get them!? Magic!?"
"Oh, dear," the nurse said. "She's completely out of it. Take her back to the infirmary, and I'll see about giving her something to calm her down."
"You what?" Asuka prodded.
"Careful what you say, boy," Yubel warned, as Judai had known she would. "You know what will happen."
Judai grimaced as Akiko hoisted Kathleen over her shoulder and carried her out of the cafeteria. The others, besides Asuka, helped Akiko with the bucking bronco that was Kathleen.
"Can't say," Judai answered.
"What? Why not? Does this have to do with Kathleen?"
He thought about it for a second, trying to decide if it would be lying to say that it did. "Sort of."
"Okay, Judai. What's going on?" she asked. "You've been acting weird since you got back from Yubel's woods. What happened out there?"
"Oh, for crying out loud!" Yubel exclaimed, annoyed. "Judai! I know you can 'act' better than this! Make them believe you and stop worrying them already!"
"It's nothing," he tells her calmly. "I'm just not feeling so great, that's all."
Asuka looked at him questioningly, but he just smiled reassuringly at her.
"It's nothing, really," he insisted. "I'll be fine."
"If you say so," she conceded. "Just, do me a favor, and don't go on that date, okay?"
He hesitated, not wanting to lie to his friend. "Why?" he finally asked.
"Because, if you really trust me, then there's no need to go on a forced date, right?"
He didn't answer—he couldn't lie to his friend. Ugh, lying was way easier when these people didn't know me. And Asuka gets mad way too easy! If I say I'm not going and she finds out that I did, then she'll be furious!
"So you still can't!?" Asuka asked in disbelief. "I don't believe this! And here I thought you saw me as a friend! Well, fine, then! Go on your little date! See if I care!"
She got up and headed to another table, where Momoe and Junko were sitting. Yubel narrowed her eyes, watching her walk off.
"Hmm. I'd better keep an eye on her. I don't like where she's going with that."
"Asuka! What did I do?" Judai called after her, confused.
She ignored him, sitting down with her other two friends and talking to them instead. They both looked relieved to have another person sitting with them—easy to understand why, considering the rumor spreading around the school.
Yubel laughed shortly. "On second though, maybe not. Guess you just lost a friend, kid. And you said humans weren't evil." She chuckled a bit.
Mumbling, Judai said, "Aw, just shut up, you lousy... It's your fault."
"Me? How's it my fault? And watch that tone of yours."
"You're the reason I can't trust her! I can't tell her the truth because of you!"
"So? That's not why she's so mad at you, kid. Don't you get it yet? Oh, wait. No, you don't." She giggled.
Judai didn't care why Asuka was mad—he was sure she would understand if he told her that his life was on the line...which he couldn't do because of that dumb fiend and her bomb.
"Yeah, well, I wouldn't be going on this date in the first place if not for you and that dumb, evil, flame-haired DEMON!" he snapped, not caring how many people stared.
"I said to quit it!" Yubel snapped, tired of his attitude. "You're out of line, Judai. Now settle down. It's not my fault that you're still afraid of girls."
"What does that have to do with Asuka?"
"You'll find out if you go out with Rei."
Judai groaned. "I don't have a choice, so why do you make it sound like I do?"
"Hey," Manjoume asked. "Who the hell are you talking to?"
Judai jumped, startled. He had thought that everyone else had gone to the infirmary with Kathleen, but, apparently, Manjoume had stayed behind.
"Well?" he demanded.
"Oh, nice work. Now we get to do this all over again," Yubel muttered to him, sarcasm dripping from her voice. "You better think of something good, boy."
"A duel spirit," Judai answered, taking his deck out and flipping through it, trying to make it more convincing.
"Really? Then why don't I see one? Heck, I don't even hear one. So, if that's true, then where are they?"
He didn't show it on the outside, but Judai was freaking out inside. Manjoume could see duel spirits? What were the odds?
"Oh, great. A spirit-seer. Judai... Do something..."
"Uh..."
He was calm on the outside, if a little slow, but he was freaking out internally. Yubel sounded like she was ready to blast him if he didn't stop Manjoume. Like what!? he panicked.
"Well!?" Manjoume demanded.
"I don't know! But you'd better come up with something PDQ, or else!"
"I..." He laughed awkwardly, hoping that his behavior would cause Manjoume to just deem him an idiot and leave it at that. "I don't know!"
It might have worked, if not for the yellow duel spirit that appeared over Manjoume's shoulder at that moment. It had snail-like eyes, large lips, and it wore nothing but a pair of yellow polka-dot bikini-briefs.
"Aniki," the spirit said to Manjoume. "I'm worried. I'm feeling something trying to hide with him."
"What was that!?" Manjoume demanded, his eyes widening, glancing at the spirit. Turning to Judai, he said, "Alright! What are you hiding!?"
"They don't call those things annoying for nothing," Yubel observed, irritated. "That must be an Ojama. They're major blabbermouths. Do something already!"
"I'm not hiding anything! Honest!" Judai said, his acting skills finally back up to snuff—he was doing a great job seeming genuinely perplexed by Manjoume's accusation.
Well, his acting had improved—too late. "Yeah, right!" the yellow Ojama said, getting in Judai's face. "You think I'm stupid or something? I can sense a nasty presence around you, and it's giving me the creeps! Aniki!" It turned back to Manjoume. "It's a duel spirit, alright! But not a normal one! Search him! I'm sure he's got it somewhere!"
Judai was hoping, what with Ojama Yellow having no attack points, that Manjoume would decide that it was just being paranoid or choose to ignore it or something. No such luck.
"Shut up!" Manjoume snapped at the Ojama. "I'll take care of this! Now, Judai, show me your cards! All of them!"
"Judai..." Yubel threatened.
With no options left, Judai bolted.
"Hey! Get back here!" Manjoume called, running after him.
Meanwhile, in the infirmary, the others were just relieved that Kathleen was sleeping, thanks to the nurse. Akiko, battered and bruised, shifted an ice pack from her arm to her leg.
"This girl...is never...getting caffeinated coffee again!" she snapped.
"I'm just glad she's okay," Johan said.
"It's just too much caffeine, Johan. She's fine," Jim assured him.
"If you say so. But, hey, you know who's not fine? Judai. He's got a serious problem again, guys."
Akiko sighed, irritated. "Oh, now what?"
Jim nodded. "I know."
"What's wrong with him!?" Sho demanded. "What's going on now! Come on, guys! Tell me!"
"Hey. Quiet down," Amon chided. "The nurse said not to disturb her sleep. If we wake her up, who knows what could happen."
"He's right, guys," Johan said. "So, why don't we go find Asuka and Manjoume and meet up on the roof where we can be alone."
"I'll go get them," Akiko said, putting the ice pack down as she rose.
Before she could leave, Judai ran past the door, Manjoume chasing behind.
"What's the matter with you!?" Manjoume yelled after him. "Why are you running!? Get back here already, and tell me what's wrong!"
"I think Manjoume's already found out something's wrong with Judai," Jim observed before running out after them. "Manjoume!"
Manjoume stopped, turning to Jim. "What's his problem!?" he asked, hitching a thumb over his shoulder in the direction Judai had gone.
"That's what we were all about to discuss," Jim told him. "Why don't you just come with us up to the roof, and Johan can fill us all in?"
"Whatever," Manjoume said, following Jim.
Jim, Manjoume, and the others headed up to the roof. Akiko went to find Asuka.
In the cafeteria, Asuka was still chatting with her friends Momoe and Junko. "So, anyway—"
"Asuka, we need to talk," Akiko interrupted.
Asuka looked at her, then back to her friends. "Can you excuse me for a minute?" she asked, rising.
She followed Akiko out into the hallway, where they could talk a little more privately. Asuka didn't even bother speaking until Akiko stopped, turning to her.
"So, what's up?" Asuka asked. "How's Kathleen doing? Is she okay now?"
"Oh, yeah, she's fine, let's never talk about this incident again," she answered hurriedly. "What we need to talk about is something Johan knows—and Jim, too, apparently—that they actually want to be honest about."
"What? What's going on?"
"A certain brunette's got himself in a lot of trouble again, and apparently can't tell us, if his reaction when Kat asked about it—and Jim's reaction to his fear—is any indication."
"I figured as much," Asuka admitted. "He told me awhile ago that Kathleen was threatening him to go on some date with a grade-schooler, but he seemed to be hiding something. So, does that mean that Jim and Johan know what that is?"
"Well, Johan, definitely," Akiko answered. "Jim suspects something, at least, and might have a vague idea. The whole gang—minus the Crazy Kat and afflicted brunette—is meeting on the roof to talk about it."
"Okay. Lead the way, then."
So Akiko and Asuka headed to the school roof to join the others and maybe get a straight answer about what was wrong with their friend.
"Okay, everyone," Johan said as the girls joined them. "As you know, we're here to discuss Judai's newest problem. What you don't know is what that problem is. So, Jim and I are gonna fill you in on what we know."
"Does this explain why he ran away from me earlier?" Manjoume asked.
"Yes," Jim answered. "It also explains his meltdown earlier."
"Then get on with it! I can't wait anymore!" Sho whined. "What's wrong with Aniki now!?"
"Yeah. And why did you cover for him, Jim?" Amon added his own question to the mix.
"Because something was threatening him, that's why."
Sho's eyes widened. "What!?"
"Three guesses," Johan said.
"Yubel," Akiko said.
"Bingo!" Johan said. "See, when we went to see her last time, I got separated from Judai, and, when he finally found me, we were attacked by her fiend army. They knocked me out and took him back to her castle, where they put another bomb on him and made him carry around a Yubel card or get blown up."
"So that's why he ran from me when I asked for his cards!" Manjoume said.
Jim nodded. "Right. It's also why he was so scared when we were questioning him his first day here. She'll use that bomb on him if he tells us about this."
"Okay, your lie is forgiven," Akiko told him.
"But why's she doing this?" Asuka asked. "I thought she wanted him all to herself. So why doesn't she use that bomb to keep him with her?"
"Beats me," Johan said, shrugging. "I don't even think he knows the answer to that one."
The door flew open then. Judai stood there, clearly upset.
He wanted to be alone. After all, Yubel had just cost him a friend and threatened him nonstop. He was sure that bomb would have definitely blown if Manjoume had caught him.
Unfortunately, the roof wasn't empty, and it was filled with exactly the people he didn't want to see. He blinked, staring for a moment.
"Crap..."
People. Of course, there are people up here. My friends, to make things even better. His eyes wandered to Manjoume nervously—he'd just gotten away from that guy, and he didn't want to be threatened by Yubel again today.
The group turned to him.
"Aniki."
Judai backed up.
"Hey. What's wrong?" Asuka asked. "We're just talking about how Kathleen's doing. Don't you want to know?"
He blinked again. "Kathleen? Oh, yeah, okay." Slowly, cautiously, he walked over to them, asking, "So, how is she doing?"
"She's fine," O'Brien told him. "The nurse put her to sleep."
"That's good," Judai said.
"So, are you done being an idiot now?" Manjoume asked, a lame look on his face. "'Cause nothing you did just a bit ago made any sense at all."
Judai sweat. "Uh, yeah, I think I'm good."
"That's nice, Aniki," Sho said. He laughed a bit awkwardly. "'Cause, for awhile there, you were reminding me of me as a 6-year-old."
"Really? Sorry about that," Judai said, rubbing the back of his head. He looked at Asuka.
"You know, we were talking about you, too," she told him.
"Really...? What about?"
"Oh, nothing. So, are you really still scared of me because of those dumb rumors? 'Cause, I already told you, they weren't true."
"No! I'm not scared of you!" he said, stunned that she would even suspect that. "Why would you think that?"
"Then why can't you trust me?"
"I do trust you."
"Then tell me why you're still going on a date you don't want to go on even though I said that I'd protect you from Kathleen."
Judai paused, looking upset. "I can't..."
Asuka looked disappointed—and mad. "I see..."
Judai looked away. "I want to tell you, but I can't. How about you trust me?"
"Why should I trust you if you can't trust me?"
"I do trust you!" he said again. "I just...it could cost me...way more than I can afford...to tell you this..."
"It's okay, Aniki," Sho said. "We don't really need to know! So, how was Yubel doing?"
"Judai," she said in his head. "I think they might know something..."
Judai didn't speak, preparing himself to the painful and inevitable death that he was sure was coming.
"'Cause I hear she's starting a fiend army to take over the world! Is that true!?" Sho asked.
"What!? No, I'm not! Judai! Tell them!"
"Uh..."
"So, it's true then!?"
"Judai? What are you doing?" Yubel asked, her tone gentle. "Don't tell me you believe that. Come on. You know why those duel spirits are really there. Why don't you tell them the truth?"
Oh, now you're being friendly, he observed, annoyed. Maybe they are right. I mean, how do I know that's not what you're really doing with me, using me against humanity or something?
"I can't believe you're saying that. I thought we were friends."
So did I, at one point. Right now, I'm not so sure.
"Hey. I'm not even asking all that much out of you right now. I just want you to keep me with you and stay out of that disappearing thing. Why is that making you say that?"
"Uh, Aniki?" Sho asked. "You okay?"
"Yeah. I'm fine," he told him. "No. Yubel's not starting an army to take over the world. Although, on that note, everyone stay away from her woods, especially with Johan. There are a lot of fiends there, and we all know she still hates humans."
"Understood," Amon said.
"Got it! I'm never visiting Kathleen's place!" Sho said.
"Now, come on, pal," Johan started. "I—"
"Nearly got yourself killed being useless out there!" Judai snapped, angry.
"Hey! I'm sorry, okay? You don't have to keep bringing it up all the time, you know?"
Judai sighed. "I'm sorry," he said.
"That was aimed at me, wasn't it?" Yubel asked, referring to the clearly misdirected anger.
Maybe. Either you or Asuka. Maybe both. I don't know!
"Did you just say Asuka? Interesting," she said, her tone showing that she liked the sound of that.
Shut it.
"Hey, Don't worry about it," Johan told him. "Aki says stuff like that all the time."
Silently, Johan added, Though she says it about me getting lost in my own neighborhood, running into gangs on the other side of town... That sort of stuff.
"Yeah, okay. Well, see ya," Judai said, turning to leave.
"And where are you going?" Asuka asked him.
"Don't know," he answered, his bad mood still apparent. "Don't care. I just know it's not here."
"Judai," she said.
He stopped.
"I don't know why you're acting like this, but I'll go with it for now. I just hope you eventually open up to me and tell me what it is. Okay?"
He took a moment to answer, grateful that she was going to let it drop for now. "Thanks, Asuka," he told her finally. "I'm glad to hear it."
"Oh!" Sho said. "I almost forgot! Guys! They're holding a big dueling event to allow one lucky kid free entry into the new Duel Academy!"
