Return of the Wild Gang Chapter 03
Disclaimer: I don't own YGO.
Come Monday, Yugi still hadn't told anyone about the gun. Joey opened up and began freely discussing the engagement with his friends. He would have loved for Tristan to be his best man, only Tristan stayed home from school that day. After school, Yugi, Joey and Tea decided to check up on him. All they got was an explanation from his mother. Apparently, Tristan had staggered home the last night with a lump on his head the size of Mt. Fuji. They couldn't go see him because he was laid up in his bed reading comic books and his mother asked that he not be disturbed.
"Well, so much for your best man," said Yugi. He tried to cheer up the conversation by sarcastically hinting that he would be just as well a candidate as Tristan. "but who better than a best friend to be the best man?" he winked.
"Yug', I've already decided you're the ring bearer!" Joey stated. Yugi pouted playfully. "You're just da right height for da job," he finished, ruffling Yugi's gelled hair as best as he could.
"I want to be one of Mai's bridesmaids!" said Tea. "Serenity can be her Maid of Honor."
"Yeah, we're going to have a great wedding!" said Joey, and he cheerfully wrapped his arms around his two present friends.
"Have you told your mom or Serenity yet?" asked Tea as the trio approached Joey's apartment.
"Not yet. I'm afraid my mom won't approve. I mean…she and I have had our differences, but marriage is a big thing."
"But if they don't who'll be Mai's Mad of Honor?" Yugi whined. Joey shrugged.
"Ribbon?"
"No way," said Tea. "but she would make a fitting bridesmaid with me."
"Rebecca could be the flower girl!" Yugi suggested. Tea laughed. "Would you invite Duke?"
"Look, let's just forget about da wedding plans for now, alright? It's a long way off," Joey insisted. They went up to Joey's apartment and were surprised to see police officers crowded around Joey's doorway.
"What's going on?" asked Yugi.
"Are any of you kids…Joey Wheeler?" asked a cop.
"I am. What's da deal?"
"Joey, your father has been arrested for drunk driving. He tried to call you but I guess you weren't home."
"Oh my gosh!" said Tea. "Is he OK?"
"He's doing time. We're going to take him to court, but even with an attorney the situation doesn't look too good for him."
"Well um, can I at least go into my own apartment?" asked Joey, impersonally.
"Yes. As a matter of fact you'd better pack up your belongings. You'll have to stay with a friend or somebody else until your dad's out of rehab. Could be for a while," said the cop.
"Why can't I stay here? I practically pay da rent!" argued Joey.
"Not anymore. We found this stack of newspapers here and a note from the mailman that says you've been fired from your paperboy job. From what we already know via your dad's record, neither of you are employed. So Joey, do as I say and pack up your stuff."
"Fine," grumbled Joey as he stomped into his room. There wasn't much to pack; he dragged an old suitcase out from under his bed and put a few pairs of underwear in it. Then he neatly put in his white T-shirt and green jacket. After that, his blue and white shirt, his blood-stained jeans, blue jacket, and an extra school uniform. Then he gently placed a framed picture of his mother and sister onto his clothes. His toothbrush and other hygiene utensils went in a separate bag that he stuffed in the suitcase. His deck was still inside his Duel Disk, which was too big to fit in the suitcase. Wanting not to leave it behind, he stuffed it in his backpack, careful as not to let it clunk too loudly on top of his gun. In about ten minutes he came back out in the hall.
"All packed up?" asked the cop. Joey nodded in confirmation.
"You can stay at my house, Joey," Yugi winked, and dragged his head in a direction to get Joey to follow him. The boys and Tea walked down the stairs and into the vestibule. "Joey, just so you know, if you're going to stay at my house you have to promise to get rid of--" Yugi almost mentioned the gun in front of Tea. He gulped back the last words of his sentence and fibbed his way through it. "those…bad table manners of yours!" Tea raised an eyebrow. Turning to walk home now, Yugi gave Joey a pantomime message. He folded his last three fingers so that just his thumb and index finger formed the shape of a gun. Then he shook his head, telling Joey 'No gun!' Joey got the message and shrugged.
"I'm'll stay with the boys," Joey said, meaning Hirutani's gang. Crestfallen, Yugi sighed and followed Tea back home.
"Wheeler my man! Where you been?" boomed Hirutani.
"I need a place to stay for a while. Maybe a few weeks," Joey told them.
"Well, it looks like you're in for a long stay," commented another member when he noticed Joey's suitcase.
"I got kicked out of my apartment 'cause my old man's in jail."
Then Hirutani said "This is perfect! Word is the old gang from the other school…the preppy school, way on the other side of town…they're moving in, trying to monopolize our territory. There's probably going to be a fight, but we'll whop those posers, right Joey?" Joey didn't know what to say. If he didn't fight they'd kick him out of Hirutani's house and probably become his enemies for life. If he did fight he could be sent to jail or be on probation and then he'd never marry Mai. Joey though for a moment, while Hirutani watched him impatiently.
"Never mind, guys. I know you need me, but I'm going to stay somewhere else."
"Oh, we don't need you Joey. You need us," Hirutani rose from his seat. "you see, we got a new business going down. That money we've been paying you to swap envelopes with that guy…it's drug money."
"Drug money!"
"That's right, Joey. And we've got a great story for the judge. You've been dealing drugs, and have been getting innocent kids like us hooked on them just so we'll keep paying you. And if you don't stand and fight with us that story is going to be ringing in the ears of a jury."
"You lousy, son of a--" Joey snarled. "Look Hirutani, I don't care if you was swapping drugs or diapers with dat guy.
I got plans for my life and I sure as heck ain't going to let you muck 'em up for me!" he turned to leave.
"Not so fast, Dweeb!" a tall man in kakis came down the basement stairs. Out of the shadows he walked, blocking the only exit for Joey. It was Bandit Keith! "Here's how it goes," Keith put one of his huge arms around Joey's shoulder. "you're going to fight this school, or I'm going to kick your butt and the butts of all those dweeby friends of yours. Got that?"
"You'll…never…hurt my friends!" struggled Joey under the man's grip.
"You don't have a choice, Dweeb. I already got Tristan!"
"Dat was you?" Joey screamed. "Dat does it! I'm going to clobber every last one of you guys!"
"All twelve of us?" scoffed the gang leader. "Wheeler, even I would rather fight by your side than against you. Come on, what have you got to lose?" Joey was finally released from Keith's grip.
"More dan you could ever imagine," he grunted.
"Joey?" came a high-pitched voice.
"Yugi?" Yugi lightly trotted down the basement steps, risking his very life, just to see his friend. "Get out of here, now!" ordered Joey.
"Why are you with Rintama, Joey? Come back with us! Please!"
"Yugi, as you're friend I am begging you-- GET OUT OF HERE!" Joey bolted towards the doorway, suitcase still in hand, and scooped up Yugi.
"Get that runt, Keith!" roared Hirutani. Keith pounced on Yugi, dragging him down the stairs, into the deathpit of gang members. Joey left his suitcase on the concrete at the top of the basement stairs, then dived back into the basement. Members piled onto Yugi, and Joey knew Yugi wouldn't stand a chance.
"Get off of my friend!" he screamed, pulling his gun from his backpack.
"Joey no! Don't shoot!" Yugi yelled.
"No!" Keith pleaded, for he was the biggest target among the pile of gang members. In a second, there was aloud bang and a scream of terror from the gang. They all scattered, then regrouped and dashed up the house stairs. All that was left was Yugi, clutching at his stomach in pain.
"Yugi, it's alright Man. Where's they hit you da hardest?" Yugi winced and slowly removed his hand from his stomach. Joey gasped at the wound. He had shot Yugi in the bottom of his ribcage. Blood gushed out of the hole in the little boy's body. It was one, long minute before Yugi burst into tears of agony. "Yugi…no…I didn't mean to…NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
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End of Chapter 03