Notes: thanks again to LittleKuriboh and his brilliance
Disclaimer: I don't own High School Musical or Yu-Gi-Oh
Sharpay Returns
Ch. 2: So It's Come To This
The weekend came and went and school started. The plan went off without a hitch. Sharpay and Ryan, and sometimes Zeke, completely ignored Troy and Gabriella.
The others, however, didn't like the idea that much. Instead they just kept making up excuses when Troy and Gabriella asked one of them to hang out. I
t seemed the plan was working until that Friday came around. School had just ended when the others came up to Sharpay and Ryan. It seemed they wished to voice their protest.
"I don't like this idea at all, Shar," Taylor said.
"I think it's too mean," added Kelsi.
"It has to be mean," replied Sharpay, "That's the only way they'll come around. Besides, it could be worse. It's not like we're trying to break them up again."
"I said I was sorry," Jason replied.
"Sharpay!" someone shouted.
All eyes, and a few stomachs, turned to see Gabriella walking towards them with Troy right behind her.
"I knew you were behind this," Gabi said.
"Took you long enough."
"Why are you being so mean?"
"Well, first of all, because it's fun. Second, because I'm sick of you two and your utter perfection. You broke the status quo and then some. Now you won't shut up!"
"Is this about me and Troy again?"
Shar chuckled, "I don't care about Troy like that anymore. My eyes have been opened. I've got someone better than Troy."
She looked over at Zeke. He realized she was looking at him.
"Who, me?"
"Of course you. You can sing, dance, and play sports just like Troy. But there's one thing he can't do that you can: you can bake."
All Zeke could do was grin in a love struck sort of way.
"Your friends feel almost the same as me. You're hogging all the attention to yourselves, willingly or not."
"Can we talk about this?" Gabi pleaded.
"I should think my speech would be enough, Little Miss Perfect."
"Well, fine then. We'll settle this like real women."
"Cat fight?" Ryan asked.
"No."
"Mud wrestling?" asked Zeke.
"No."
"Naked pillow fight?" asked Chad.
"No."
"Embroidery contest?" asked Jason.
He received strange stares.
"What?" he wondered.
"Sharpay, I challenge you to a card game."
Sharpay covered her face with her hands.
"I should have known that idea would come back to haunt me," she grumbled.
She looked up at Gabriella.
"Why not, like I have a choice."
"Then let's do it."
"Not so fast, Miss Naïve. I see no reason to get started right away. We should have time to prepare. So let's meet outside the school tomorrow afternoon. It doesn't matter what time because you'll be here before me. I assure you, though, I'll be here faster than you can say Humuhumunukunukuapua'a."
"We'll see about that," Gabi replied, "Huma huma Numa numa. No, humuhumu Hakuna Matata. No, huma numa hula hoop."
"Well, see you," Shar said thoroughly annoyed.
With that, she and Ryan left. Everyone else said their goodbyes and went home until only Troy and Gabi were left. She was still trying to say the word. Troy led her to the truck. The entire drive home, she was still trying.
"Hugga wugga noogie nookie. No, humuhumunukunuku pineapple. No…"
After Troy dropped her off she still kept trying, only stopping when she fell asleep. The next morning she woke up and started over. Troy picked her up and took her to the school. The entire trip was torture.
"Humuhumu nuclear. No, humuhumunukunuku power of love. No…"
They arrived and stood in front of the school for quite some time. All the while, she was still working on it.
"Humuhumu nematode. No, humuhumu hunka hunka. No, humu huma bananawani…"
Meanwhile, Sharpay and Ryan woke up around eleven. They had a big breakfast and visited the mall to buy assorted new clothes and hats.
They also stopped by the book store.
Later
It was close to three when they showed up. Everyone else arrived before they did, but not before Troy and Gabriella. She was still going on and on.
"Humuhumu nuka nugget…"
"Hey, Mary-Sue!" Sharpay screamed, "Shut up already! I'm here."
"Sorry it took so long," Ryan apologized, "I knew we should have taken the left turn at Albuquerque."
"This is Albuquerque," Sharpay snapped.
"Oh yeah, I forgot."
"Then let's duel," Gabi said.
Shar walked over to the opposite side of the yard.
"Wait a minute," Troy spoke up, "Isn't there a better way to settle this?"
"Oh, keep out of this Mr. Hairspray," Shar snapped, "You're partially responsible for this you know."
"How?"
"Where to start? For one thing, you think everyone likes you, but they don't. Ryan is more popular than you. In fact, Chad is more popular than you. Although it might be mostly to do with the t-shirts. Another thing, you think it's always about you, don't you? Don't you think about other people? Who was really manipulating who back then, Troy? Sending back a perfectly good sandwich, showing off your Italian shoes, jumping at the chance to play with pros, making too many stupid promises you couldn't keep, and forgetting about your little friends. It took you practically a month to realize you were being a jerk. Maybe if you'd said something to me at the beginning we could have avoided all this."
"You saw I was with Gabriella," Troy replied, "I mentioned it several times."
"Well, it couldn't have hurt if you had said something more forceful like 'I don't like you that way' or 'I'll never leave Gabriella so get over it' or something so as to eliminate my crush on you. Instead you play along or sneak away. You're much too stupidly nice."
"Yeah," added Ryan, "You nearly broke up our act, you git!"
"Stop insulting Troy!" shouted Gabi.
"Please, I'm just being brutally honest. It's what I do. You'll be next, girlie. Now that I've ranted, let's continue. Now we'll go through every card game I could find."
So they played Blackjack, Gin rummy, Kings in the Corner, Pinochle, Crazy Eights, Three-card Monte, Bridge, Canasta, and finally on to Poker.
"You're supposed to take the Joker out of the deck, Ryan!"
"You didn't tell me it was a new deck."
Eventually they got around to less conventional card games.
"Yu-Gi-Oh it is then. We'll see who goes first in the universal method of…rock, paper, scissors."
Sharpay: scissors Gabriella: paper
"Me first then."
"You did get the cards I asked for didn't you, Ryan?"
"But of course, my twin sister sibling," he replied with a smirk.
"Fabulous. I'll make this quick, but first I need a chair or something."
"Here's a folding pool chair, dear," Zeke replied, "And a sandwich."
"Thank you, babe," Shar answered back as she lounged across the chair."
Everyone else (except Troy and Gabi) was eating the snacks they brought as well.
"Why didn't I think of that?" Troy said to himself.
Shar: 8000
Gabi: 8000
"I summon Cyber Harpy Lady in attack mode."
Cyber Harpie Lady
LV. 4
Winged Beast
Wind
1800/1300
A woman with bird wings and talons appeared with a screech. She wore purple armor and wielded an energy whip.
"I'll set four cards. Your turn, Montez."
"I summon Gemini Elf and equip her with Awakening (Invigoration)."
Gemini Elf
LV. 4
Spellcaster
1900/900
Twin elves jumped into play, one a red head in dark blue, the other a blonde in light blue.
GE: 1900/900 - 2300/700
"Hey look, Shar," Ryan said, "They're twins too."
"Okay, Ryan."
"Now I'll attack your Harpy."
The elves ran forward only to turn around and strike Gabriella.
"Magic Cylinder stops you and redirects the attack back. Sorry, Ms. Perfect," Sharpay said with a smile.
Gabi: 5700
"I set two cards and end my turn."
"I activate Jar of Greed to draw a card, and then I summon Amazoness Pet Tiger."
Amazoness Tiger
LV. 4
Beast/Effect
Earth
1100/1500
A large collar wearing tiger with a scar on its right eye stalked onto the field.
"My tiger gains 400 attack points for every Amazoness on my field."
AT: 1100/1500 - 1500/1500
"I activate Solemn Wishes," Gabs said, "Every time I draw a card or cards I gain 500 life points."
"Yeah, whatever," Sharpay replied, "I also activate Elegant Egotist to special summon Harpy Lady Three Sisters from my deck."
Harpie Lady Sisters
LV. 6
Winged Beast
Wind
1950/2100
Three golden armored Harpy Ladies appeared, each with a different hair color and style.
"Now, Miss Overly-sensitive, I play Card of Sanctity. We both draw until we have six cards."
Gabi: 6200
"I activate Double Summon to bring out Amazoness Holy Warrior. She reminds me of me."
Amazoness Paladin
LV. 4
Warrior/Effect
Earth
1700/300
A blonde haired Amazon with a sword strode onto the field.
"She gains 100 attack points for all Amazoness monsters on my field."
AP: 1700/300 - 1900/300
"Don't forget my tiger."
AT: 1500/1500 - 1900/1500
"Now I'll activate another trap. It's special because it's a monster as well."
"How's that possible?" asked Gabriella.
"Watch, I activate Embodiment of Apophis."
The trap rose up and from it a half-human/half-snake creature emerged and slithered forward. The new monster had two heads: a humanoid head and a snake head rising above it. It was armed with a shield and sword.
"Why would you put something that ugly in your deck?"
"Don't judge by appearances, hypocrite," Sharpay chastised, "Since it count as a monster I can tribute it and the Harpy Sisters for a new one. I'll do just that by activating my trap Ultimate Offering. I pay 500 life points for another summon. So here comes my beautiful Harpie's Pet Dragon!"
Shar: 7500
Harpie's Pet Dragon
LV. 7
Dragon/Effect
Wind
2000/2500
Suddenly, there was a burst of fire. From it an enormous pink dragon, with green eyes and a chain around its long neck, appeared. It spread its wings and roared at the opposing monsters. Cyber Harpy Lady held onto the other end of the chain.
"Oh no!" cried Chad, "This is just like that Goblet of Fire movie."
"It gets worse," explained Sharpay, "For every Harpy Lady on the field, her cuddly dragon gains an extra 300 attack and defense points."
HPD: 2000/2500 - 2300/2800
"I equip my dragon with Demon's Axe (of Despair) to increase its attack by 1000."
HPD: 2300/2800 - 3300/2800
"Then I equip my tiger with Demon's Kiss (Malevolent Nuzzler) to up its attack by 700."
AT: 1900/1500 - 2600/1500
"I pay another 500 to summon Vampire Lady."
Shar: 7000
Vampire Lady
LV. 4
Zombie/Effect
Dark
1550/1550
A pale-skinned, sharp fanged woman in an elegant violet dress rose onto the field.
"Nice dress," Kelsi commented.
"Now my tiger will attack your Gemini Elf."
"I activate my trap A Hero Emerges. When you attack, you randomly pick a card in my hand. If it's a monster, I can special summon it."
Shar sighed, "The one on my far right."
"I special summon Black Magician Girl."
Dark Magician Girl
LV. 6
Spellcaster/Effect
Dark
2000/1700
A blonde in a pink and blue outfit sprung onto the field. She twirled her staff and winked her eye. The guys were staring.
"Wow," Jason said, "Now that's something."
"I have to admit I like that outfit," Sharpay said, "But that doesn't stop my tiger from mauling your elves."
The tiger pounced on the twins.
Gabi: 5900
"Now my dragon will attack your Magician Girl."
The dragon unleashed a blast of flames from its maw and destroyed the Spellcaster.
Gabi: 4600
"Now my Harpy, Amazoness, and Vampire attack you directly."
With the lash of a whip, the slash of a sword, and a swarm of bats, Gabs life points were reduced to nothing.
Gabi: 0
"Tough luck, Gabs, but you lose. Nice try, though."
"You go, Shar!" Ryan shouted.
"Thanks, Ry," she replied as she sat back down.
"That's not fair," Gabriella protested.
At this, Shar jumped up from her pool chair.
"Fair? I'll tell you what's not fair! Spending your life doing what you do best only to have it pulled out from under you. Look at you. There's no denying you're brilliant at most subjects. I'm not ashamed to admit I'm average in everything, but the theater was where I, and Ryan, found perfection at last. You newbies come in all of a sudden and take over. In a flash, drama is more popular. You don't even enjoy it as much as we do!"
Gabriella started to speak, "Look Sharpay-"
"NO! You had your say, now you'll listen to me. I accepted this ridiculous duel with a card games because I knew neither of us had much of an advantage. Now you whine that it's not fair. Well, life isn't fair...usually, but I'll still keep on working towards my goal. I'm glad I was humbled last summer. I regret everything I did. Especially what I did to the only person who'll always care about me no matter how badly I treat him."
"Shar," Ryan replied, "You've apologized enough already."
"I can't help it. Also, I'm glad I made new friends. Better ones than Miss Perfect over here. It took you long enough to grow a spine and you barely did anything aside from get all melancholy. Your possessive boyfriend, however, went all emo and started going on about how he couldn't play any sports because you leaving him made him inept at something he's supposed to be great at most of the time."
"And they call me a drama king," Ryan added.
"Hey!" Troy interjected.
"Face it, brain girl; no one likes you that much. Your simplicity, obliviousness, naiveté , and utter perfection drive people away. Forgive me if this sounds like bragging (which it is), but I'm more popular than you. I'm a complicated person. Sometimes I'm nice, sometimes I'm nasty, and sometimes I just like to sing catchy, upbeat songs you can dance to. Whereas yours always have to be so weepy. That's the real truth."
There was a long silence.
"Well," Gabi finally said, "If you put it that way…"
"I'm sure, given enough time, you'd come up with a good reply to that."
"Chocolate éclair?" offered Zeke.
Sharpay's mood immediately changed.
"You have such good timing. What would I do without you?"
"I don't know, but I'm sure there's a fanfic about it somewhere."
"What?"
"Cant we have a rematch?" Gabi pleaded.
"NO! Duel Zeke if you want."
She then leaned back into her chair and put on a pair of sunglasses. Ryan followed suite with his own chair and sunglasses. Zeke walked towards Gabriella.
About five minutes later…
"I win," Zeke said.
"Good for you," Shar replied.
"I want another go," Gabi cried.
"You're up, Kelsi," Shar called.
Kels obliged and strode off to meet Gabi.
About another five minutes later…
"I lost again?!" Gabs screamed.
"Hey, I won," Kelsi said, "Fancy that."
"Nice," Ryan replied.
"Can't we go again?!" Gabi shouted.
"Man," Shar said aloud to herself, "This girl cannot shut up."
"I've learned to tune it out," Ryan replied.
"All right, that's enough," Troy said.
"What's your problem?" asked Sharpay.
"You insulted us both and now you're just gonna walk off? You may have beat Gabriella, but I know you can't beat me. I challenge you to a duel!"
Sharpay stared at him wide-eyed.
"Please tell me you mean with guns."
"No, that's dangerous. I mean with these monster cards."
Then she turned her head sky wards.
"Nooooo!"