Chapter XXXII: The Trial
Welcome back, everyone, to "The Jedi League of Duelists." Thanks again to my loyal reviewers, and I'd like to say hi to anybody new who's joined the story. There will actually be a duel in this chapter for those of you who are wondering and it actually doesn't involve light sabers; it does, however, involve Duel Monsters. If you have any questions regarding this story, or just comments, don't hesitate to drop them. I'll answer them as best I can. I hope you enjoy this short chapter. I believe it will surprise you a bit. Joey fans…I believe you will be pleased.
Disclaimer: Peach Wookiee doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh or Star Wars. She just loves what has been created and owns DVDs, CDs and some VHS tapes. And a few words some time later: Just some minor tweaks were made in this chapter.
After Joey exited the apartment he'd lived in with his father for six years, he felt calm. Sad, yes, but calm as well. "So what now?" he asked Lisa. She smiled.
"Well, Joey, now that you mention it, this evening, I want you to relax. Tomorrow, you need to be in a mental state of readiness."
"Huh?" he asked, a stunned look on his face. "What do you mean, Leese?"
"Joey, you have been through a lot in the last few months. I think you've been through enough that you may ready to test to be the first Jedi Knight after me." Everyone gasped in surprise. "I know you guys weren't expecting that," she smiled wryly, "but Joey has definitely proven that he's ready. We all have shown that we can do defensive powers and I know we haven't worked on certain techniques, but there is more to being a Jedi than simply being able to use light sabers or defensive shielding. A Jedi must trust his or her feelings and also keep them under control. Joey, tomorrow your test will likely be based on that. Be ready for anything…that is, if you want to do it."
Joey's brown eyes widened as he looked at his friends and family. "Me? You think I'm ready, Leese? Really?" He couldn't believe it that he would be the first. "I mean…whoa. I'm…honored. And I'll do my best. Can you give me a hint, though, what I'm gonna be tested on?" She shook her head as they walked to the cars.
"You'll be ready for whatever I throw at you, Joey, I promise, but for the rest of today, you will relax. Would you all like to come over to the mansion for a swim and some dinner?" Several heads nodded, but the Taylors couldn't.
"We're sorry, Lisa. We'd love to join you guys," Amanda apologized, "but Arianna's bringing Chandler and Andrew over for supper tonight."
"That's perfectly all right," Lisa smiled, knowing Tristan wouldn't pass up the chance to see his nephew, Andrew. "Enjoy!" Teá and her family also opted for a quiet dinner at home. The rest of the group, though, was content to have a swim and dinner at the mansion. But first, they had to stop by Domino High. And so, once the group arrived at the school, the adults climbed out of their limo, while the kids climbed out of theirs. Tristan and his parents got into the adults' limo and were driven back home.
"Want me to come in with you, babe?" Seto asked. "We could all come."
She shook her head. "I think I can manage it, honey. So where are the teachers' offices?"
Teá answered, "They should be in the teachers' lounge this time of the afternoon, Lisa. It's on the second floor near the soda machine. You sure you don't need us to come with you?" Lisa shook her head again.
"Perfectly sure." And with that, Lisa headed into the building. She stopped at the shoe lockers and got a pair of guest slippers on, and then headed into the main part of the school. She quickly found the teachers' lounge and asked to see the English teacher, Miss Kobashigawa and Mrs. Thomas, the math teacher. The teachers came out from the lounge into the hall.
"Hello, I'm Lisa Hammond," the teen girl introduced herself. The first teacher, a plump Japanese woman, shook the teen doctor's hand.
"I'm Miss Kobashigawa, and I've heard a lot about you!"
"And I'm Mrs. Thomas," the other teacher, a plump woman of Eastern Indian descent, greeted. "So you're Mr. Kaiba's fiancée? You've really made a difference with him. He used to be so…combative in class. Now, he's become an active participant and a much happier student."
"I'm glad to hear it. But I'm not here for Seto. I'm actually here on Joey Wheeler's behalf. I wanted to ask if you would possibly take his papers and grade them. He had them done on the night his dad almost…well, you know." They nodded.
Miss Kobashigawa took Joey's paper. "Well, ordinarily, I wouldn't take a late paper, but this is an extraordinary circumstance. Give me a few minutes, and I'll have it graded and you can take it back to him." Mrs. Thomas also took Joey's algebra paper. They invited Lisa to wait in the teachers' lounge, so she sat down, making herself comfortable in an overstuffed blue couch. The two teachers went through the papers and then handed them back to the young doctor. "Joey did really well on this paper," Miss Kobashigawa commented. "It looks like he really took time to do it. It's also much stronger than he usually does. I used to think it was because he didn't pay attention, but now…well, I realize a lot more." Mrs. Thomas said something similar, and they followed Lisa out to the entrance of the school. "Tell the kids we said hello and that we miss having them in class."
"With pleasure. Thank you, both," Lisa said as she headed to the cars. Seto was walking toward her. She flashed him a smile and he smiled back.
That good? he sent.
Yeah, honey. It's that good! She trotted up to the car, papers in hand. "Joey?"
"Yeah, Leese? Lemme guess; it was bad," Joey sighed. Lisa sighed too, but for a different reason. Joey had been coerced into believing that he was nothing and could do no good. But now he was about to get a surprise.
"Look for yourself," she said with a smile. "I think, Joey, you'll be pleased." He took the papers, looked at them, and then a dazed expression came over his face.
"What the..? Is this right?" he asked. Lisa nodded. "Then…I actually got…As?! Seriously?!" Lisa nodded again, smiling.
"Joey, you did really well on that report and on your algebra homework. I think you'll be able to make up your test and do just fine," Lisa answered.
"But…I haven't gotten As since…Are these for real?" he asked, still in shock. "I gotta be dreamin'. Miss K. doesn't adjust grades, though…I actually did it." His face split into a grin. He held the papers proudly out to his mother. "See, Ma, I did it!"
"I see it, sweetie. I'll have to do something about that," the mother grinned proudly.
Joey remained in a contented daze for the rest of the car ride. I did it. I actually got an A in class! And…whoa…could I actually be an okay student? He smiled at this thought. The group arrived at the mansion about 4:30 and everyone went and changed into swimsuits. Joey got down to the pool along with Seto, Mokuba, Duke and Yugi first. "This'll be fun," Joey said. "Seto, have you, uh… seen Leese in a swimsuit?"
"Actually," Seto said, "if you'll remember, I've seen her in less than that. But I have seen her in a swimsuit. It was the morning after we let each other know how we felt. Mokie and I were feeling better and we went out to the beach. She was nervous about me seeing her in a suit for the first time, but she really had nothing to worry about." Yugi blushed.
"I've seen Teá in swimsuits before but it's been awhile."
Duke grinned, "I've seen lots of lovely ladies in swimsuits. One of the perks of my dad working in Vegas." Joey was flushed, though. He'd never seen Mai in a swimsuit. And then Yugi's grandpa was down in his swim trunks.
"Thanks for having us here, Seto. It looks like a lovely pool," Solomon said. Seto smiled.
"I'm glad to share it, finally." Then Bakura came into the pool room.
"Hello, everyone. Oh, are the girls not down yet?" he asked politely.
"They're coming," Seto answered. And then Elizabeth came to the pool room. Elizabeth was in a one-piece black swimsuit that showed she was still a lovely woman though she was middle-aged. And then, the teen girls made their entrance. Serenity was wearing a navy blue one-piece suit. Mai, for her part, had selected a purple one-piece suit and Lisa was wearing the red halter top suit that she'd worn to the beach a few weeks before.
"Hey, guys," Lisa greeted contentedly. "Let's enjoy the water!" And the group got into the warm pool. Everyone swam and relaxed, Joey and Mokuba staying in the shallows, for the most part. Lisa, too, stayed in shallow water.
"Hey, Lisa, why aren't you out in deeper water?" Mai called, swimming over to her friend. "C'mon out, hon!" Lisa shook her head.
"I'm not a terribly good swimmer, Mai," Lisa admitted, blushing. "So I'm not very secure in deep water. My powers haven't really helped me with that yet." Joey, meanwhile, got himself out of the water.
"Hey, Leese, is it okay if I try cannonballs?" he asked eagerly. Lisa nodded and Joey went around to the deep end of the pool. The guys wisely moved out of the way. Joey moved, jumped, yelling "Cannonball!" He landed in the pool with a huge splash and he came up laughing.
"Okay, Joey, just take it easy," Lisa cautioned.
"Okay," Joey sighed. He would've loved to do more than one, but he was aching. He paddled around gently. Seto swam up next to him.
"Liking this, Joey?" he asked.
"Yeah, Seto. But I'd like it better if I could race ya."
"My fiancée wouldn't be too happy if I challenged you or if you challenged and I accepted. We'll race when you're up to it," Seto said. A little voice in him balked at this, but that voice, which had once been so prominent was now far quieter. And so he swam with Joey and the other boys, just enjoying their company.
"I wonder what Lisa has planned for your test, Joey," Tristan said. "At least we know it's not some freaky cave where you have visions and find out you were fighting yourself the whole time."
"But how do we know?" Duke asked, nervous. "Does she have the same test for all of us?"
"I wonder what my test'll be," Mokuba wondered.
"You guys will just have to find out when it's your time, won't you?" Lisa said, smiling as she paddled up to the boys. "Your tests will be as individual as you are, so I can't tell you what your tests will be. But you are right, Tristan. No freaky cave is involved for Joey. But enough about the test today, guys. Anything fun coming up, besides the wedding in a week and a half?"
Yugi smiled and answered, "Well, Grandpa's birthday's this Saturday. I'm still figuring out what to do. We usually have dinner."
"How old will he be?" Seto asked.
"He'll be 76. He says he's glad to have made it to that age. He almost died before Dad was born. That was the trip to Egypt when he found the Millennium Puzzle. He got shot, but something happened. He didn't know how he was okay, but he was when he came to outside the tomb he was in. Grandpa's had an interesting life and that's not including what happened before Duelist Kingdom."
"Hmmm…" Seto looked thoughtful. "Yugi, could Lisa, Mokie and I do something for your grandpa's birthday? Nothing too big, but something?"
"Uh, sure," Yugi said. "Thanks."
"No problem," Seto said.
After the swim, everyone had dinner and then those not staying at the mansion headed home. Lisa told them that they should go to school tomorrow and not worry about Joey. "He'll be okay and we'll tell you if he passed."
"Leese, can't you give me a hint?" Joey asked later.
"No, Joey, but I can tell you that it won't physically hurt you," she answered. After making sure he was okay, she headed to her and Seto's bedroom and got into bed.
"Is he okay?" Seto asked softly, cuddling her close.
"Yeah," she said against his chest. "And I needed to talk to you about the test tomorrow."
"How come?"
"You're involved." He sat up, pulling her up with him. And then he looked straight into her eyes.
"What? Why?!" He was very surprised at this, but she only smiled.
"Yes, you are and it's because you boys have fought so much. You'll see in the morning," she said softly. "Good night, honey."
"Good night, babe," he said, kissing her softly.
Y
The next morning, the Wheelers, Kaibas, Mai and Lisa awoke quickly. Lisa got her shower first, got dressed and then requested that Seto give her his dueling deck. Then she headed into Joey's bedroom and after checking him, asked the same thing. "My deck?" Joey asked. "Leese, what's goin' on?"
"I'll tell you what I told Seto; you'll find out after breakfast. Just relax and eat up. You'll need your strength, Joey."
"What's she up to?" Joey asked Seto later as they headed to the library where Lisa had told them to go. "I mean, she usually tells us what's goin' on, but now…"
"I know; she doesn't seem to want me to know about it," Seto responded. "She just said to be ready for whatever she was going to do." The prospect of not being in complete control was difficult for Seto, but he accepted it today. Together the boys made their way into the library and saw Lisa standing at a small table.
"Gentlemen, welcome to the Jedi trial. Joey, sit here," she said, gesturing at one seat. "Seto, you sit here. Your cards are cut and the playing field is ready. As Yugi would say, it's time to duel."
"A duel?" Joey asked, eyes widening in shock.
"A duel?" Seto repeated, also shocked.
"A duel," Lisa said gently. "You two must duel. And let's see if you can keep your heads." She moved away from them and sat down in a chair quietly.
"All right, Seto," Joey said, "let's do this."
"Yeah, and none of my usual crap this time," the blue-eyed teen boy answered. They drew their first hands and began.
Not quite an hour later, Joey smiled. "Red Eyes Metal Dragon now is in attack mode and since you've got nothin' on the field, I just took all your life points. Good game, man."
Only two months ago, Joey would've been crowing immediately after such a victory. But today, he was calm and collected. And only a few short months ago, Seto would've been furious with himself for losing and cursing Joey out. But instead, he stood up and shook Joey's hand. "Good game, Joey. You beat me fair and square. That Copy Cat was a pretty neat card."
"Thanks, pal," the blonde boy answered. And then they noticed Lisa was standing up and smiling. "So?" Joey asked.
Her smile widened. "To approximate Yoda, Jedi knights, you both are."
Seto's eyes widened. "This was my test, too?"
"Your test was to see if you could react well to not being in complete control and if it came to that, keeping your head in defeat. Joey, your test was keeping your cool. You both passed, and you have both earned the title of Jedi Knight," she explained. "And now, I think a little celebration is in order." And then Mai, Elizabeth, Serenity, Mokuba, Roland and Bryce came into the room to celebrate.
Wow, that's the shortest chapter I've written in some time. Sorry it took longer than expected, folks! I've been working on another GX fic which required a lot of research into the first anime-style cartoon I adored, Transformers. The story is called "The Touch." It's the first time I've actually written a duel, so if you want to see a duel written by a person who's never even dueled, go for it. Anyway, thanks to syrusfanatic12, dr-fan/mai-lover and Invader101 for reviewing. Read and review this one, folks!