Sorry! Sorry! Sorry! School is getting to me. If you understood all the assignments that needed to be finished then you would understand why it takes me so long to update. We're still in the Renegade Base. Please read on!

Don't own anything expect the concept of the story.

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX: JOUST!

After receiving the Key Crest, Genis and Shinji made their way back to the others. It was almost one o'clock in the afternoon and training resumed at one. Genis, still a little shook up about the whole Black Knight thing and feeling the after affects of being drunk, couldn't believe that the Black Knight wanted to kill him. And for what reason exactly? For being drunk and supposedly trying to seduce the Black Knight's wench, that's what.

"Are you okay?" asked Shinji.

"Yeah…" replied Genis, "But I still can't believe the Black Knight wants to kill me."

"Maybe he was kidding. Or he could have forgotten by now."

"Or maybe he's biding his time…waiting for me to do something…"

"Whatever the case, it shouldn't be a problem for a while."

"Why?"

"Because he's travelling with a band or something, trying to recruit more people to the renegades so you wouldn't see him for a while."

"I hope so…"

They met Raine, Aryll and Asuka and Rei in the center square.

"It's about time so showed up, stupid," yelled Asuka. "We were about to leave without you."

"I…I'm s…sorry, Asuka," stammered Shinji. "I…I didn't mean to--"

"Shut up! I can't stand you apologizing all the time!"

"Is she always like this?" whispered Raine to Rei.

"Only to Shinji," replied Rei.

"Stop talking about me!" yelled Asuka.

"Why would we talk about you?" yelled Raine.

"Do you think I'm stupid or something? I heard you talking about me!"

"The whole universe doesn't revolve around you, you know."

"Maybe it should. I am the image or perfection after all."

"In what twisted fantasy does that happen?" mumbled Genis.

"I heard that, brat."

"Hey!"

"Genis, don't you have something to give Rei?" asked Aryll.

"Oh yeah! Here, Rei, try this on." With that, Genis applied the Key Crest on Rei's crystal.

"Did it work?" asked Shinji.

"I am afraid that the Key Crest had no affect on me," replied Rei. "I am sorry if this is an inconvenience to you."

"That's okay," replied Genis. "I'm sure that the Key Crest will kick in sooner or later."

A voice boomed over them saying, "You six over there! Stop talking and report to the field for training at once!"

So they reported to the field for training. Day after day after day, they trained. Learning new spells and techniques (for example, Genis learned Indignation Judgement, Raine learned Binding Light and Aryll learned Tidal Wave). It was about two weeks in their training when they heard that a jousting tournament was going to take place back in the Renegade Base at noon. The group was looking at a poster advertising the tournament.

"What jousting?" asked Aryll.

"You got me," replied Raine.

"It's when you ride an animal called a horse and carry a long pole that pointed at the end," replied Shinji.

"Don't act all smart, idiot," replied Asuka, "Even though you're not."

"Raine asked a question and I gave her an answer," mumbled Shinji.

"Don't take that cheeky tone with me!" yelled Asuka, giving Shinji a slap in the head. "Stupid!"

"I'm surprised no one is calling Asuka a child abuser," replied Raine.

"Do you want some of this, Sage?"

"You're only a few feet taller than me but I can still smash you at any given moment."

"Try it right now!"

"Don't tempt me…"

"This fighting is getting out of hand," replied Rei. "The two of you should cease this argument at once."

"I'm not taking orders from a doll," replied Asuka.

"I am not a doll."

"Shut up! You do anything you're ordered to. You'll kill yourself if Yuan orders you to do so."

"Yes, I would."

Asuka got all upset and slapped Rei in the face. She didn't flinch or anything (kinda freaky, isn't it?). She just stood there like nothing happened.

"You are just a doll, like I thought! You've always looked like a doll, and I've hated you for a long, long time! I hate everyone! Everyone!" And with that, she stormed off in a huff. Rei turned and walked in the opposite direction.

"What the hell is her deal?" asked Raine.

"Let's just say…she doesn't like dolls," replied Shinji. "I don't want to get in-depth. It would require me to uncover…some of her past."

"Should we talk with them?" asked Aryll.

"I know that when Asuka's angry, you shouldn't try talking to her. It would only make it worse."

"Could we talk to Rei?" asked Genis.

"I don't know, I've never seen her angry. Why do you ask?"

"I need to speak with her."

"Trying to get to second base, are we?" teased Raine.

"I just want to see if she's okay. I'll be back in a sec."
He ran off to find Rei who was sitting under a tree, looking at the artificial sky. Genis walked over and asked, "Are you okay?"

"I am fine," replied Rei. Her cheek was still red.

"That was a pretty hard slap."

"Yes…it was."

"Why do you think Asuka hates you?"

"Because I act like a doll, which is why…."

"She hates you?"

"Yes."

"I'm surprised that they Key Crest didn't work. I was supposed to regulate the mana flow causing normality in you."

"It did not work as you expected."

"Of course it worked," said a voice behind him.

Genis turned around to find Professor Raine.

"What are you doing here?" asked Genis.

"I was helping in the repair of a transducer that controlled the visual graphics of the holodeck."

"What did you say?"

"I said, something was broken and they needed help fixing it."

"Okay, that's what I thought. Anyway, the Key Crest isn't working because Rei--"

"Still acts like a doll? Genis, did you give it any thought that she was acting like a doll?"

"Why would she act like a doll?"

"Because she's afraid of her own emotions; did you know how long it took for Presea to adjust to these new feelings? How to laugh? How to cry? How to smile? A very long time, mind you. Finally, she's getting the hang of it."

"She is right," replied Rei. "I feel like…crying…but I can't yet. The tears…they just will not come out…"

There was silence for a minute. Finally, Genis said, "When you're ready, I'm with you all the way."

"Genis," Rei blushed and said, "thank you."

The joust was taking place while they talked. Professor Raine left. Rei and Genis headed over and sat in the stands to see the Black Knight taking on another challenger. It was Shinji. Two announcers were taking notes on what was going on. Their names were Diane and Tom.

"Well, it's an exciting day here for all at the Renaissance Faire jousting meet. Wouldn't you say, Tom?"

"Diane, I'd say it was perfect day if you weren't reminding us all of our grandmas' cleavage. Now, let's go live to the field where Black Knight is preparing to challenge his next opponent."

"The Black Knight's next challenger will be Sir Shinji Ikari."

Shinji sat on his high horse. When he looked at the Black Knight, he jumped off his horse and ran away, yelling, "Oh, Martel! I forfeit!"

"That's it, folks. It looks like the Black Knight is out of challengers and is once again undefeated."

The Black Knight drove his horse in front of a fat man on a fat mule.

"Hey, what's your fat ass doing here?"

"He's my only means of conveyance," the man replied. "But I guess I do spoil him."

"Clearly you do." He turned to Genis. "And what are you doing here, Sage? I thought I told you never to show your face here again!"

"We're just watching, all right? I don't want any trouble."

"You've got trouble if you don't beat it."

"Listen, buddy…"

"I said get lost!"

"Where's he going?" asked Raine.

"Genis!" yelled Aryll.

"You see that, kids?" asked the Black Knight. "He is nothing but a fizzle!"

"Nobody calls me a fizzle and gets away with it!" exclaimed Genis, wearing knight's armour. "Except that one guy who called me a fizzle and then ran off. He got away with it. But most people who call me a fizzle don't get away with it. Well, actually, that guy who got away with it was the only one who ever called me a fizzle. After today only half the people who ever called me a fizzle will have gotten away with it."

The crowd grew silent. Genis got on his horse, held up his lance and charged at the Black Knight. He charged as well. As this was going on, Genis exclaimed, "Oh, Martel! I'm gonna die!"

While this was going on, Tom received a message and read it out loud over the intercom.

"To the owner of a yellow Rheiard, your Rheiard is being towed."

"What?" asked the Black Knight; this distracted him and gave Genis the chance to strike. The Black Knight fell off his horse. There were cheers from the crowd.

"I won!" exclaimed Genis.

Suddenly, an alarm went off. The holodeck's imaging turned off, revealing that they were all in a room which was black and had yellow lines.

"Situation critical!" Boomed a voice. "I repeat, Lord Irving engaging in a pre-emptive strike on Iselia!"

The holodeck doors opened. Lloyd was standing there. "Guys, come on, we gotta go!"

"Hold the phone, where's Rei and the others?" asked Genis.

"We'll worry about them later," replied Raine. "Right now, we got to save Iselia!"

The others rushed out of the room. Genis was left there wondering, "We're they real…or not?"

He shook this thought out of his head and ran after the others. There was no time for that now. He and his friends had to rescue Iselia.

Sorry about ripping lines out of showslike that. Anyway, enough of this, on with the next chapter! Please R&R and no flames.