Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Deadly Duel ❯ Chapter 22

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh.


-Telepathy-


(Thoughts)


Chapter 22


"I wonder where Yugi is?" Joey said as he peered through the dark window of the shop.


"Grandpa probably closed up shop early so he could help Yugi get ready," Tea said. "I thought you would have figured that out by now."


"I know I know," Joey muttered. "I just don't want to be late that's all."


"We won't be late," Tea, said. "It's not for another two hours."


"Then why do we have to get there so early?" Tristan asked.


"Don't ask me," Tea said, "Ask the school board."


"At least we don't have to wear the cap and gowns," Tristan said with a grin. "I much prefer suits."


"Uh-oh," Joey said. "I just remembered something."


"What?" Tristan and Tea asked at once.


"Yugi had a physical therapy session this afternoon, he told me he would meet us at the school," Joey answered, and little embarrassed that he had forgotten.


"Joey you idiot!" Tea yelled.


"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Joey apologized. "Come on, let's go to the collage, they might already be there."


"I need to get a car," Tristan grumbled as they trotted off down the street.


ooo


When they reached the collage, they weren't the only ones getting there.


"How are we supposed to find Yugi in this huge crowd?" Tea asked.


"Pure luck?" Tristan asked.


"Heh, sorry guys, it just totally slipped my mind," Joey said. "I wonder when he's going to be done with those?"


"Didn't the doctors keep saying that he'd be walking by the end of school?" Tea asked.


"Yeah," Tristan said, "but from the looks of how Yugi's physical therapy is going, it may take longer."


Yugi had needed a second surgery for his knee to complete what the first surgery wanted to accomplish. Since then, he'd been through many physical therapy sessions, but they didn't seem to be helping much from what his friends could see.


"Poor Yugi," Tea said. "He really wanted to be done with all of it by now."


"Let's not get too depressed," Tristan said. "Graduation can do that to you anyway."


"Huh?" Joey and Tea asked.


"I went to my cousin's high school graduation," Tristan answered. "You wouldn't believe all of the water works."


ooo


Three waited around in the crowd. Bakura showed up after a little while, but still no sign of Yugi. They began to wonder if he was even going to show up, and they began to get worried when the seniors were called to go to the football field so the graduation ceremony could be begin.


"I don't know what I should be more worried about," Tea said, "The graduation ceremony, or that fact that Yugi may not be able to make it."


"I know how to answer that," Joey said as they came onto the field, the sound of Pomp and Circumstance filling the background. He pointed to the fair end of the field where the first row of chairs was. Sitting in the chair nearest the bleachers, was Yugi.


"When did he get here?" Tristan asked.


"Ask him where this is done with," Bakura said. "None of us sit anywhere close to him, so we won't be able to talk to him until everything is done."


"Darn him," Tea grumbled. "Why do I have the feeling that he has something planned?"


"I don't know," Joey answered.


They all got to their designated seats and stood around until everyone was there. The last of Pomp and Circumstance was played and the field was silent.


The principal got on with the opening ceremony, and then a student speaker came up and spoke of her time at school. After that speaker came another, and then a speech from one of the deans.


"I don't know how any body could find something good to say about this year," Joey mumbled, causing a few of the people sitting near him to chuckle.



After several more speakers, the principal announced that it was time to give out the diplomas.


"But before we do that," the principal said, "There is a person sitting amongst the students that I believe deserves some special acknowledgement." She waited until most of the chatter had died down before continuing. "I know many of you believe that you had a very difficult year, and yes this has been quite a year.


"But one person among you has had the most difficult time out of all of you. That earthquake devastated us all, but one life in particular was affected more. And whose life wouldn't be when the first several months of school was spent stuck in a hospital bed and then in a wheelchair?"


Yugi swallowed as the people next to him turned to look at him. He had sort of been expecting something like this, but he wasn't really expecting it to actually happen. But this helped him a little. He'd had an idea since his physical therapy had began, and now he was able to pull it off, and this was the perfect was to do it.


"Yugi Motuoh," the principal said, "Would you come up here please?"


Yugi heard many people applaud, and stood up. The applause got louder when people noticed he didn't have his crutches, and several people, including his friends, stood up when he began to walk up the small stage without aid.


ooo


The rest of graduation was a blur in Yugi's mind. The next thing he remembered, Joey was clobbering him.


"Is that why you were down here before everyone?" Tea asked as Yugi wrenched away from Joey.


"Pretty much," Yugi answered. "I had that little idea planned for a long time. The principal calling me up made things work even better."


"Are we just going to stand here all night?" Joey asked. "There's still Grad Night."


"We still need to meet up with our parents Joey," Tea pointed out.


"Oh yeah," Joey said as Yugi's parents came through the crowd.


"You're little idea worked Yugi," Grandpa said. Yugi grinned at his grandfather.


"So what is it like to be able to stand on your own to feet without any support?" Tristan asked.


"Very nice," Yugi answered. "No more annoying things to have get stuck somewhere." His friends and family laughed.


"You guys had better find your parents," Grandpa said to the others. "Those buses for Grad Night are probably going to leave soon."


Yugi's friends nodded and started to disperse into the crowd.


"Hey Yug," Joey called, "Meet you in front by the buses okay?"


Yugi nodded, and his friends vanished into the crowd.


"So Yugi," Mick started, "How does it feel to be done with high school?"


Yugi thought for a moment, "That really hasn't sunk in yet. The only thing that I'm really happy about is that I'm fully recovered from everything."


"That is something to be happy about," Anna said.


Yugi nodded, just as fireworks went off in the vacant area of the field.


"Hey," Mick said, "They didn't do that when we graduated."


Yugi grinned, "We're special." Mick ruffled his hair and gently shoved him. Yugi kept his balance and stuck his tongue out at his father. Mick rolled his eyes and Anna and Grandpa laughed.


"Hey Yugi!" Joey yelled from a few yards away. "We're going to the front, you coming?"


Yugi glanced at the fireworks. "I'll be there in a few minutes." Joey nodded and walked off. Yugi looked back up at the fireworks, glad everything was finally done.


ooo


Author's Note: It's done, finally. It's a little short for my liking, but I really just wanted to get it done. The stuff in the graduation part comes from all of my experiences at graduations. I've had to perform in the orchestra at two of them, so I know what happens, at least at the ones that are held at my school. And yes, our school has fireworks at the end, heheh. You guys let me know if you want me to put the sequel up.