Return of the Wild Gang Chapter 08
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Disclaimer: I don't own YGO or anything I might make references to.
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Monday. The last Monday of the school year. The students got 'released' on Wednesday. Only seniors had to come Wednesday evening for graduation, and, any grades below who were invited.
Yugi, Tristan and Tea had just gotten their report cards. Tristan managed a B in Math, an A- in PE, an A in Social Studies, an A in Science and a B- in Language Arts. Yugi barley passed PE with a D- and had a C in Math. He got As in everything else. Tea had all As, except in Language Arts. Whenever the class would read a book aloud in class her mind would wander to New York. Her acceptable B got her into NYU in America, so she was happy. (Point being they all graduated.)
Joey was on probation, and teetering on the edge. He would have passed everything had he not skipped so much school. He pulled a few strings with the principal and was given the chance to make up his attendance by making up homework and tests he'd missed over the summer. Tristan, Yugi and Tea were all so happy for Joey that they went and bought him an early wedding present. Then they went back to Yugi's house and hung out in his room.
"Can you believe we're finally graduating!" exclaimed Tea.
"Hardly, but it'll be fun. Tristan and I have already been assigned a dorm room together at Domino U!" said Yugi. He and Tristan high-fived and passed Tea a bag of chips.
"What's really hard to believe is Joey getting married," sighed Tea. Yugi nodded.
"Yeah. I thought he was crazy but…now I think this is really meant to be," agreed Tristan. "I wonder if he's told his mom yet," he added softly.
"Would that be bad?" asked Yugi. Scoffing again under his breath at Yugi's naiveté, Tristan explained.
"I know his sister would jump for joy, but he and his mom aren't on such good terms."
"Well, they seemed fine together last time they saw each other," commented Tea.
"They were probably just keeping cool in front of Serenity," said Tristan. "You know she can't handle conflict and fighting." (A/N: Yeah…the weakling.)
"Let's stop worrying about that and do something fun!" said Yugi. "Let's play a game!" Shrugging affirmatively,
Tristan and Tea agreed. "Let's play Pyramid…just…you know, with no money."
"Can I start?" asked Tea. Yugi nodded. "Alright…uh…place with lots of tall buildings…where I'm going…immigrant destination…"
"New York!" shouted Tristan.
"Bingo!" said Tea. "OK, you go."
"Headband-wearing…girl-staling…annoying…"
"Duke," said Yugi and Tea in unison. Tristan confirmed with a snort and then it was Yugi's turn.
"The Dark Magician…the Electric Lizard…"
"Duel Monsters!" said Tea. Yugi shook his head and went on speaking.
"…Miho's hair…"
"Oh! I know! Things that are purple!" said Tea.
"Yes!" Yugi pointed two gun-shaped hands at his friend.
"This is getting boring really fast," said Tristan.
"Fine. Let's go out for burgers," suggested Yugi. The three friends did just that.
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Joey passed his tests, though just barley. Then it was Wednesday. The seniors didn't even have to come to school that day, so they just stayed home to prepare. Yugi's mother had to tailor his gown because it was way too big for him, Tristan's mom insisted that Tristan wear cologne, and Tea just wanted her makeup to be perfect.
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Joey wanted his family to come to his graduation, and his wedding. But his father was in jail and his mother and sister lived really far away. The thought made him sad, but then he remembered that he wasn't alone; Mai had no family period. No parents or siblings. After they got married they'd be a family. A husband and wife. He wanted to call his mother but his phone was disconnected, and he didn't want to run up Mai's phone bill, since he was living with her. So he decided to go visit his dad in prison.
"Hello, I'd uh, like to visit a prisoner," he stated to the guard that afternoon at the penitentiary.
"Name?"
"Wheeler."
"He's in cell fifteen," directed the guard, Joey passed a metal detector, cleared, and ventured in. He found his father doing sit-ups on the floor of his concrete cell.
"Hey Dad," he said.
"What're you doing here?" he asked soberly.
"Just came in for a visit. Wanted to let you know I'm graduating tonight. Even if you're in jail…I really wish you
could be there," he said. His father got up.
"You're graduating?" he asked.
"Mm-hmm." his dad put a hand on his son's shoulder.
"Good Boy," he smiled. The first sober smile Joey had seen in years.
"Thanks, Pops," said Joey.
"You know…I'm sorry we're not a real family. Your mother and I…just broke one day. We knew right away that a split family was better than a fighting family with no love. And we also knew that a girl needs a mother and a boy needs a father. That's why I got you. If I could do it all over again I'd let you go with your mother…but she was too stubborn…"
"and you were too drunk," glared Joey. His father took his hand off Joey's shoulder and looked down.
"Well, congratulations," he said. Joey nodded in appreciation.
"I'll uh…write you all about it," he said. His dad nodded.
"I'd like that," he hugged Joey through the bars and then Joey left.
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Later, an hour before all the seniors and family were supposed to be at the school, Joey went to Mai's apartment.
"Hey Joey," she said, after opening the door. Joey smiled and hugged her. He walked into her apartment, still
squeezing her in his arms. He kicked the door shut behind him, and buried his face in her hair.
"Hello," he said, finally letting her go. "can I use your phone?"
"Sure," she said. Mai tossed his her cordless phone and then went into her room.
"Hey, it's Joey," was the next thing she heard. He must be calling his mom. she thought.
"Joseph, what's the occasion?" asked his mother.
"I just wanted to let you know you're little boy's a man! I'M TOTALLY GRADUATING!"
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The seniors got to their classrooms in their gowns and caps that evening. Yugi, Tea, Tristan, Bakura, Duke, and just
about everyone who was graduating…except Joey.
"Huddle…" called Tristan. Tea and Yugi gathered around in a huddle. "OK, I say we split up and look for Joey. I'll check the front door, Tea, you check--"
"Are you insane?" grumbled Tea. "we don't have time to play detective! Joey'll be here. What are you so afraid of?"
"That Hirutani jumped him," said Tristan. His response sounded more like a question than an answer. Just then
someone tapped Yugi on the shoulder.
"Yagh!" screamed Yugi.
"What's up?" asked Duke.
"Don't DO that!" ordered Yugi, panting with fear."Duke and I were just wondering why Joey isn't here," said Bakura.
"We don't know," admitted Tristan. The five friends fell silent for a moment.
"You're lucky you didn't scare the piss out of me. Now I have to go to the bathroom!" said a frustrated Yugi.
"Don't forget to write," said Duke sarcastically.
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"You sure this is worth it, Boss?" asked Bonz, who was being helped by Bandit Keith through a window in the basement of the school.
"Don't question my methods!" grunted Keith. Zygore, on the other side of the window, gently helped Bonz down once he was in. Sid sipped in, slender as he was, and Bandit Keith himself didn't even bother being quiet. He smashed the window with his foot and hopped in. "Now we find the dweeb. If you find him before I do, challenge him to a duel. And don't forget to swipe his rarest cards when you win!"
"Sure, Boss!" said Bonz, leading his friends down the hall.
Yugi had just taken care of some personal hygiene, and now he was taking some extra time to primp in the mirror.
"Hmm, I guess this gown is creating a lot of humidity…" he said to himself. "my hair is going to get all frizzy if I don't gel it down." While the young boy was pulling a jar of hair gel from his pants pocket, Bonz and company turned a hallway corner.
"Hey Zygore, you hear what I hear?" asked Sid.
"Yeah, it's dat runt, Yugi!"
"Shh! Quiet!" hissed Bonz. "We'll score a ton of rare cards with him."
Yugi began singing his own little parody of 'Put the Lime in the Coconut.' "Ya-put-some-gel-on-your-finger-tips-and-gel-your-hair up. You-put-some-gel-in-your-hair-and-then-you-throw-the - jar-away…!"
"He's singing!" scoffed Bonz.
"Ya-screw-the-lid-back-on-and-then-you- OW!" Yugi's cheerful song was brought to a halt when he banged his elbow against the sink. "Dang that hurt!" he winced. Then he heard laughing. "Hello? Someone there?" He cautiously walked out of the bathroom, and would have made it safely up the stairs and back to the classroom again…but he tripped over his gown. "Ouch…" he grunted when he hit the floor.
"Well, looky here" said Sid.
"Oh crud," sighed Yugi.
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"Yugi's been gone an awfully long time," commented Bakura.
"I don't even want to think about it," said Tea, trying to banish the image of a constipated Yugi from her mind.
"Well, I'm going to go find him, guys," Bakura smiled and walked off.
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"Look you guys, I don't have my dueling deck with me. You picked the wrong night to jack duelists up for their rare cards," protested Yugi.
"Then how about telling us where your dweeby friend of yours is?" said Bonz. Yugi gulped.
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"I hope Yugi didn't get sick or anything," said Duke, back in the classroom.
"It's not impossible. We're all a little jittery…I about half an hour we'll be walking across that stage," said Tea.
"Bakura'll find him. Then he and Yugi and Joey will be back with time to spare," sighed Tristan. He had lied…deep down they were all worried sick.
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