Disclaimer: I don't own YGO. BLAHDEBLAHDEBLAH. Wow... that was so random...
D/N: Why, hello there everyone! Yes... well... I'm back. The authoress infamous for taking five years to update one damn story has decided to unblock her writer's block by starting up a new story. Aren't I clever and smart-like? Oh, and by the way... I've decided to take down The Fantastic Freaks! and redesign it. It's... well... as of right now, going no where. Yeah, so... Well, I was watching Groundhog's Day at 2:14am... and I was thinking to myself while watching it, "Dude... I could so see someone from Yu-Gi-Oh! doing that. I'm gonna write me an award-winning story!" Well, actually, I didn't think that. It was more along the lines of, "That's a really good plot. Lemme just plagiarise that idea, switch around the names, slap on a new title, and put it in the Yu-Gi-Oh! category. Oh yeah, baby! I'm fiendishly clever and ness!" So here we are. Don't worry, I've yet to actually finish the movie, and I doubt I will for a long time. Plus, I missed the beginning. But I got the gist of the idea. The story will follow the same, basic guidelines, but trust me - I am taking this plot in a whole different direction! WHOO-EE! ... Anyways, Fantastic Four is an amazing movie. Go watch it. Johnny is hot. I've going to rent Perfect Score cause he was in it. Go fire-boy. w00t.
Pairings: Joey/Mai, whoever else I think of in the sidelines.
P.O.V: Third Person
Summary: It's Valentine's Day, and Joey's got his eyes set on Mai. Unfortunately, she's completely out of his league, and Joey will never be able to convince that diva prom queen to consent to a last minute date. Besides, she's probably already got twenty other guys lined up. But Joey doesn't quit easily, and although he's only got one day, he's stuck trying over and over. And until he can figure out a way to get out of this strange time loop, he'll be trying till the end of eternity.
Legend:
OooOOOooO - section break/new scene
- - - - - The start of the next/same day, depending on your P.O.V
OooOOOooO"This is a stupid, stupid day." Joey grumbled, his voice muffled by the fact that his face was flat on his desk. "Why even make this day? We do nothing but worship stupid, flying, naked babies who go around shooting people with arrows. Last I checked, if someone else came and started doing that, he'd be charged for murder and put on death row."
"Joey, you're talking crazy talk again." Duke said, sitting in the chair of his desk with his feet propped up on the desk to his left - Tristan's. "You've run out of sane things to say again, haven't you?"
Tristan shoved Duke's feet off of his desk haughtily, glared at him when he threw his legs up again, and turned around in his chair to face Joey. "You've got to get past this. Every year it's the same thing. 'Oh, I have no date, I have no one to be with on Valentine's day, this day is so stupid, why is it here, blah-blah-blah-blah-blah...' If you had a date, I think you'd love today."
"Well, we'll never know now will we, Tristan?" Joey replied, his face still smooshed up against the wood. "And you know why? Because I don't have a date, in case you haven't noticed."
Tristan sighed dreamily, leaning on Joey's desk. "For once, I can't agree with you, because I'm finally out of Datelessville."
Joey muttered something incoherent to the other two, but they got the general meaning.
"Wow, you've managed to pick up one girl for one night." Duke rolled his eyes. He looked across the classroom and winked at a bunch of girls ogling him from where they were sitting. They then began giggling and chattering happily to themselves. "You see, if you had any sort of style whatsoever, you'd realise that that's nothing to be proud of. I can have any girl I want in this school, city or anywhere else, whether they have a date or not, so don't start flattering yourself."
Tristan smirked. "You're just jealous because you lost out on Serenity, dice-boy."
Duke grew red in the face, as he sat up sharply in his seat. "Why, you-"
"Tristan, Duke, shut up and get back to me already." Joey butt in. "I've got no date, woe is me. Cheer me up. Do something."
"Gee, Joey," Duke grinned at the blonde, "After being dateless for so long one would think that you'd have found a way to cope with it by now."
"I'll tell Serenity that I caught you picking your nose the other day." Joey replied.
"But on the other hand, I'd be more than willing to lend you one of my many fangirls to spend tonight with." Duke added hastily, shooting an angry glance at Tristan who was failing miserably at trying to stifle a smile.
"Thanks, but I'll pass." Joey sighed, prying his face off of his desk to look at his friends. "This isn't fair. I'm the only one in this entire school who doesn't have a date! Yugi has Tea, Ryou has that new kid... hell, even Kaiba's dating Isis!"
"Yeah, it sucks when there's an odd number of guys and girls in a school, doesn't it?" Tristan said, patting Joey on the head. "But on the plus side, that means you won't have to worry about paying for any Valentine's dinner."
"Wow... there really is a silver lining on every cloud." Joey said, sarcastically. He crashed his head into the desk once more. "Cupid hates me. I swear to God, he hates me. He heard me call him a stupid cherub, and now he's wreaking havoc on my love life."
"I think you managed that perfectly well on your own, Joey." Duke grinned.
"I swear I'll call her."
"Oh, look," Duke cried, quickly changing the subject, "Here comes Yugi and Tea!"
Sure enough, the happy couple bounced in, hand in hand. Tea carried a small bag in her free hand, as she sat down in her seat behind Duke and to the left of Joey. "Hey, guys!" she chirped.
"Hey everyone!" Yugi smiled, sitting behind Tea. "Happy Valentine's Day!"
"Happy Valentine's Day!" Tristan and Duke replied, cheerily.
"Yeah, really happy." Joey said, from his current position. "Happy, happy V-Day. Oh, isn't the world great today? Everywhere you go, love is oozing off of everyone the way boogers roll out of a nose in that way that makes you want to throw up."
Tea frowned at him. "Joey, I know you don't have a date and that always makes you a little grumpy, but don't start dumping on everyone else." She reached into her bag and pulled out a small card. "Here, this'll make you feel better!"
Joey turned his head to the side, resting his cheek on his desk, as he took the card from her hand. On it was a picture of a cartoon bee holding a heart shaped box of chocolates under the words, 'Bee Mine'. Joey raised an eyebrow at it.
"You like it?" Tea asked.
Rolling his eyes, Joey plopped the card onto the edge of his desk precariously, as it slipped off and fell onto the floor. "Yeah, Tea. Real sweet. Thanks for thinking of me when you went to buy your ten cent cards for all the stupid people who can't get a real date so they have to have their friends give them crummy pieces of paper for moral support. You're always so considerate."
Tea furrowed her eyebrows, as she picked up the card. "Well, if you didn't like it, you didn't have to be so sarcastic. Just give it back!" She got up and stomped off to a corner of the room to talk with other people, as Yugi jumped into her seat to sit next to Joey.
"But that would be rude." Joey mumbled to her receding form, turning his head so his face was back on the desk again. "Today just sucks like a pair of big, donkey b-"
"Joey!" Yugi cried.
"-Banana cream pies." Joey caught himself quickly. "Yes, like a pair of big, donkey, banana cream pies."
"Right." Duke rolled his eyes, as he got up from his seat. "Well, if you'll excuse me for a moment, I have to make some girls swoon before Mrs. Takria gets in."
"Joey, you really have to lighten up." Tristan told his best friend. "I mean, it's really your own fault that you're dateless, anyway. If you just acted like a man and asked Mai to be your date, you wouldn't be in this mess, now would you?"
Joey raised his head so his chin rested on his desk. "Gee, Tristan, thanks for the support. I appreciate it."
"Anytime, man." Tristan grinned, patting Joey on the head. "Just make sure you steer clear of Kaiba. I mean, I know the fact that he's actually dating someone kind of entitles him to a mockfest, but today just isn't the day for you to do it. What with you being dateless and all."
"I get it, Tristan." Joey grunted. He sighed again, sitting up properly in his chair for a moment before slumping back down and hitting his forehead on his desk. "Ow. You see what happens when I try to sit up? I fall right back down again and then I get hurt. That's a definite sign from above. Cupid's showing some mercy and warning me that I should just stay here with my face on my desk and not bother trying to fix myself up. It's an omen, guys."
"Or maybe it's just a sign of your inferiority." Kaiba cut in smoothly, as he walked down the aisle to his desk.
"Hey, Kaiba?" Joey said, sitting up slightly and turning his head to face the CEO.
Kaiba stopped briefly, raising an eyebrow. "What?"
"Shut up, you jerk." Joey snapped, as he plopped his face back down once more.
"Heh. Typical response from one with an intellect such as yours." Kaiba replied, sitting down at his desk so conveniently a few spaces behind Joey's.
"You know what, Kaiba?" Joey shot over his shoulder. "One day, I'm gonna think up a real good comeback."
"I look forward to it." Kaiba smirked. "Let's see what your little mind can string together. I hope it's at least somewhat coherent."
"Ah, shaddup." Joey grunted in return, giving up. "Donkey cream pies. Today sucks like donkey cream pies."
"Wasn't it 'a pair of big, donkey, banana cream pies?'" Tristan asked.
"Hey, Tristan?" Joey said.
"Yeah?"
"One more word out of you, and I'm telling Serenity about your 'exotic' stash of magazines behind your nightstand." Joey muttered. "Sorry Yugi. Go eat some Prozac. You'll feel better."
"I think I'll need more than Prozac." Yugi said, raising a hand to his head. "Ohh... I've been spending too much time with Yami and Bakura. Bad pictures, bad thoughts..."
"I never knew you had it in you, Yugi." Tristan nodded. "Congrats."
"Yeah..." Yugi rolled his eyes.
"She's here." Joey breathed out, his chin resting on the desk once more.
Tristan and Yugi turned to face the door. There, entering the classroom, was Joey's angel, her bright, violet eyes sparkling. Her delicate mouth turned up in a smile as she greeted some of her friends upon entering. She turned her head, her hair bouncing slightly and then falling perfectly back into place. She smiled a heart-melting smile at him, making her way over to him.
"Hi, Joey." Mai nearly sang in the voice of a thousand, heavenly entities.
"H-hi, Mai." Joey less-than-heavenly replied. He cleared his throat, as he sat up. "What's up?"
Mai pouted slightly, as she sat on the edge of his desk, drawing circles on it with her finger so professionally manicured. "I've got a bit of a dilemma."
"Uh... what?" Joey asked, blinking stupidly at her. It seemed as if everyone else in the room had disappeared, their voices fading into the background before being lost to the whispers of the winds...
"Well, you see, I don't have a date for today." Mai told him. "The guy I wanted to ask me never got around to it..."
"Wow... r-really?" Joey stammered. "Uh... who wouldn't ask you to be their date?"
Mai smiled again, her eyes dancing gleefully. "Actually, you, Joey. Why didn't you ask me? I'm dying to go out with you. I've only been hinting for like... ever."
Joey couldn't even respond this time, especially as Mai began to lean in closer to him.
"I really, really want you to ask me out, Joey." Mai said, seductively, as she pushed her bottom lip out a bit in a pouty-pleading face. "Please?"
"... Uh... uh... uh..." Joey smoothly replied, in a cool and collective state, as Mai leaned in the final stretch, closing the distance between them as sparks began to...
"Who, Julia Taylors? So what?" Tristan's voice crashed into Joey's thoughts, as Mai dissolved into a sparkling dust and crumbled away, only to appear again at the front of the room, greeting some of her friends as she entered.
Joey shook his head and thought for a moment, as Tristan's words finally caught up with him. "What? No, you idiot! Mai. She's here."
"Oh. Yeah. So?" Tristan said.
"So? Whaddya mean so?" Joey snapped. "The love of my life just walked in and you say 'so'!"
Yugi shook his head. "Joey, Mai's entrance isn't a big deal if you're not going to do anything about it."
Joey looked at him. "Do anything about it? Do what?"
Yugi shrugged. "I don't know. Talk to her or something. Ask her to be your date."
Joey's eyes widened. "What? I can't do that! That's... that's... impossible!"
Yugi shrugged again, looking away.
"You ask her."
"Huh?" Yugi said, returning to his friend.
"Well, don't ask her to be my date." Joey clarified. "Just... you know... ask her if she has one."
"Why do I have to do it, Joey?" Yugi asked. "I don't care if she does. You should do it."
"No, no, no!" Joey shook his head vigorously. "If I ask her then she'll know I want to go out with her!"
"Correct me if I'm wrong," Tristan said, "But isn't that kind of the point?"
"Magazines, man." Joey threatened, as Tristan gulped. Joey face Yugi again. "Please, Yugi? You have a date already, so if you ask her, she'll know that you're asking for someone else!"
"But... she'll know that the only one who'd want to ask her would be... you." Yugi said slowly.
"Yeah... so you'll do it?" Joey asked.
Yugi shook his head. "Joey, I can't believe you. Wouldn't it make more sense for you to just go and ask her? Won't she think you're a coward if you don't ask her but send someone else?"
"Uh... probably. But then again, I've saved her life a couple of times before, so maybe not." Joey shrugged. "Look, Yugi, please just do it. For me. I saved your life too!"
"Joey..." Yugi started.
"Look, I'll do it." Tristan said, standing up. "If you promise not to tell Serenity about my mags no matter what."
"I promise nothing." Joey replied.
"Good enough." Tristan said, as he began to walk towards Mai.
"Wait, wait, wait!" Joey hissed, jumping out of his seat and pulling Tristan back. "Don't tell her that I want to know. I didn't ask you to ask her."
"Right. It was Yugi." Tristan rolled his eyes, as he turned around and began walking again.
"Wait, wait, wait!" Joey grabbed Tristan's arm again. "And don't come straight back to me, okay? Walk around for a bit, okay?"
"Joey, relax." Tristan said, peeling his hands off of him. "I know what to do. Chill." He began to walk towards Mai again.
Joey looked at him walk over slowly, as he suddenly jumped back into his seat and turned to Yugi. "Give me a book!"
"Huh-wha?" Yugi blinked at him.
"A book! Give me a book!" Joey repeated, urgently.
"Uh... okay, what kind of book?" Yugi asked.
"Any kind, just give me one!" Joey snapped, as Yugi handed him a math textbook. Joey instantly opened it up and ducked his head behind it. "Is she looking? Is she looking?"
Yugi glanced over at Tristan, who had approached her desk and her group of friends. "... No."
"What's happening?" Joey demanded.
Yugi rolled his eyes, sighing at the same time, as he watched them. "Uh... Tristan's talking to her... and Mai's talking back."
"Yeah? And?" Joey urged.
"Uh... Tristan said something... and Mai's laughing." Yugi said, as he suddenly waved.
"Why'd you wave?" Joey asked.
"She waved at me." Yugi shrugged. "I waved back."
"What?" Joey's eyes widened.
"She wants to talk to you or something. Put the book down." Yugi told him.
"Put the - you're kidding, right?" Joey raised an eyebrow.
"Well, she's pointing at you and mouthing 'Get Joey,' so... no, I'm not." Yugi shrugged.
Joey slowly lowered the book until he could see Mai. She smiled as he did, and waved enthusiastically. He whipped the book back into place. "Ohmigawd, she saw me! She saw me!"
"No, really?" Yugi yawned, who had clearly been hanging around Yami too long. As if their looks were identical enough, the personalities were beginning to blend together. "The book doesn't make you invisible, Joey. It makes you look stupid."
"One more word out of you and I'll tell Tea about those little 'growing' pills you take every now and then." Joey snapped.
Yugi blushed furiously. "Okay, okay, sorry. Geez, you've got dirt on everyone, don't you?"
"I do try." Joey replied. "What's Tristan doing now?"
"Hmm... well, it looks like he's walking around in circles around Mai and her friends." Yugi reported, finishing with a nod of confirmation.
"What?" Joey cried, pushing the book down, only to see Tristan walking around the group several times, chatting as Mai and her friends laughed merrily. "Oh... my... god... What is he doing?"
"Well, it looks like he's walking around in circles around Mai and her friends." Yugi repeated.
"Smart-ass. What happened to pure and innocent Yugi?" Joey demanded.
"He died sometime around my whole 'wearing a collar' thing back in Battle City." Yugi beamed. "Meet 'Yagi.' I'm Yugi and Yami combined. I gasp at impurities yet I create my own. I'm the perfect person!"
"Humble too." Joey muttered, as Tristan finally came back. "What the hell was that, Tristan?"
"You said not to come back to you right away." Tristan shrugged. "I was just doing what you told me."
"Smart-asses, all of you!" Joey growled, plopping his face down on his desk once more, as the three were silent for a moment. Finally Joey raised his head again. "So what'd she say?"
"She says that if you want to know so much, get off your butt and ask her yourself." Tristan grinned. "Too bad. You already promised not to blackmail me with the magazine thing."
"I promised nothing, stupid." Joey snapped, as he thought for a moment. "Okay, so... does this mean that she doesn't have a date and wants me to ask her out or that she does have a date and she wants to humiliate me in front of her friends?"
"Only one way to find out, lazy-butt." Tristan grinned. "Get up there and claim your woman!"
Joey looked at him for a moment before nodding. "Yeah. Yeah, I'll do it!" He grinned and got up out of his seat, his feet moving automatically as he suddenly realised what he was about to do. 'Oh. Crap,' He thought to himself.
It took only a few seconds, but it seemed like an eternity until Joey reached Mai. She smiled at him sweetly, her violet eyes flashing with glee and excitement. Or was it expectation? Which was good? Which was bad? Did it matter?
"Hi, Joey." Mai said, in the voice that made his heart ring.
"Uh... Hi, Mai." Joey replied out of habit. Hearing him say the words made him realise that he was, in fact, in front of Mai's desk, talking to Mai for the purpose of asking Mai if she had a date for Valentine's Day. "Uh... I was wondering..."
"Yes?" Mai urged gently, her friends watching with intense interest.
"Do you... uh..."
"Yes?"
"Well, if you don't have a date or plans or anything like that..." Joey said, proud that he had made it that far. "I was wondering if you'd-"
"Good morning, class!" Mrs. Takria's voice called out as the door flung open. There was a maddening dash as everyone scurried to their seats. Everyone except Joey, that was. "Mr. Wheeler, sit down at your desk please."
"But-" Joey began.
"Now, young man." Mrs. Takria said firmly.
Joey narrowed his eyes at her, as he trudged back to his seat, muttering, "Hard-ass, forty-year-old virgin..." His spirits lifted, however, when he heard Mai giggle.
"Now then," Mrs. Takria stated, sitting down at her desk. "Today we'll be learning about the wonderful world of logic and puzzles! In other words, I'm going to give you each a riddle, and you're going to have to solve it in 15 seconds. Understood? Good. I'll go around the class, starting with Janet..."
Joey steadily tuned Mrs. Takria out, preferring to focus completely on the blonde angel who sat at the front of the class. Just three desk before him and one to the right separated them. She looked beautiful. And the way she had urged him to continue... no doubt about it. Mai didn't have a date, and she wanted Joey to ask him. He had missed his chance, but he'd definitely ask her after class. Nothing was going to stop him. And it wasn't long before he had completely consumed himself in visions of weddings.
"Mr. Wheeler, are you going to answer the riddle or am I going to have to repeat it for the third time while you continue to gawk at Miss. Valentine?" Mrs. Takria snapped.
Joey's face flushed a bright red, as his mind frantically wrapped itself up with the thought, 'She did not just say that.' He looked at Mrs. Takria, sneaking a glance out of the corner of his eye at Mai. She was looking at him, smiling with understanding. Still, the rest of the class was laughing. That wasn't very comforting.
"Well?" Mrs. Takria raised an eyebrow, tapping her foot.
"Uh... can... you repeat the question please?" Joey mumbled. Ooh, how he would have loved to tell her off right then and there.
Giving an impatient sigh, Mrs. Takria said, "Pay attention this time. This is a logic question, something you're notorious for being unfamiliar with. Now then, if all woozles are wamzels, all wamzels are weasles, and no weasles are wooples, then does that mean a) all weasles are wooples, b) all wamzels are wooples, c) all woozles are weasles, or d) no weasles are woozles?"
Joey blinked at his teacher. "Uh... what?"
Mrs. Takria groaned and rolled her eyes. She moved onto the person sitting to the right of Joey. "Michelle, same question."
"The answer's c." Michelle replied promptly.
"Correct." Mrs. Takria nodded with approval.
Joey groaned and plopped his head onto his desk again - his new, favourite position. This was going to be a long day.
OooOOOooO
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D/N: Wheeee! I don't know if that helps with my writer's block, but that sure was fun to write! Anyways, review, and maybe I'll update this soon... and possibly Of Dogs and Men. Ehehe... sorry about the delay... as usual...