Jonouchi talks about how great it is that Yami won while Anzu says she knew that would be the outcome all along. You better have, given how Yami winning is 99/100 times a foregone conclusion. Yami thanks them, then turns to see Mai standing alone by the wall, back to them. He silently thanks her too, because she reminded him of something a duelist should always have. A deck of cards?
Yami's attention is turned toward a clapping noise from above and behind him, where Pegasus is applauding him cheekily, wishing him congratulations. The bridge of his nose wrinkling in anger, Yami is now thinking how he's one step closer to Pegasus, who should sit and wait patiently for him to kick his ass.
Mr. Croquet announces that it's time for the second semi-final round, bidding the contestants step up. Jonouchi hunches his shoulders and sweatdrops as Yami tells him it's his turn. He straightens himself up pretty fast, though, determination back at the forefront when he holds up his deck, ready to go. And look who's waiting for him at the table.
As Jonouchi approaches, Keith yawns dramatically, and Jonouchi gets all kind of angry. He calls Keith a jerk and tells him to get his filthy boots off the table. Keith doesn't respond to this, choosing instead to hear that an amateur like Jonouchi wants to duel with the great Bandit Keith and mocking him for it. Well, we can't all be professional tournamenteers, and I'm not sure if we all WANT to be.
Jonouchi glares at Keith's boots, saying that seeing the bottoms of them just reminds him of all of Keith's dirty tricks, speculating that he's probably in the habit of stepping in dog shit. Keith laughs, inviting Jonouchi to lick the soles of his boots in exchange for admitting defeat without a fight. Jonouchi shouts that he's a jerk again, though it's pretty clear this insult is super ineffective.
From the sidelines, Yami yells at Keith that he won't let anyone sully the sacred battlefield that is the duelist table. Keith responds that the table is indeed a battlefield, but he questions whether Jonouchi even belongs there. Dude, the issue was whether or not you should have your feet on the table, not whether Jonouchi is supposed to sit at it. FOCUS, man.
Jonouchi unfortunately decides to follow the derail of the conversation, daring Keith to say that again. Keith holds up the Glory card he stole from Jonouchi, reminding him that if he doesn't have this qualifying card, he's disqualified. Jonouchi scoffs and reaches into his pocket, beginning to say that OF COURSE he has the card.
Keith laughs, confirming with Croquet that if Jonouchi doesn't have the card then he can't duel. Croquet says this is correct, for people without the certification don't have the right to duel. Not sure how the cards are full-on "certifications" but okay. Like nearly every other word in this manga, I probably have a different definition. Jonouchi glares over his shoulder to shout at both of them to wait, because he DOES have the card. He's sweating a bit, though, wondering how this could have happened.
Giggling, Keith holds up his card triumphantly while telling Jonouchi he's lost his spot. He ruminates on how Jonouchi CAN'T have the card that he took from him, and that this means he can get straight to the finals without dueling at all. There he is, suspiciously avoiding dueling yet again...
Anzu asks Jonouchi if he couldn't have dropped the card somewhere, and Jonouchi figures that he probably left the card in his room. He starts toward the doors, telling Yami to wait for him while he goes to retrieve the card. But he's not the one who has to wait for you, Jonouchi? Misplaced request is misplaced. Croquet warns Jonouchi that he only has five more minutes, which stops Jonouchi in his tracks so he can look back in alarm.
Croquet elaborates that if Jonouchi doesn't show him the card within the next five minutes, he loses his place in the finals, holding up a hand with all five fingers extended. Jonouchi loses his stupefaction and books it right on out of there. Anzu complains that it's impossible for Jonouchi to make it all the way to his room and back in five minutes, but Croquet don't seem to give a fuck. Yami looks horrified in the direction of Jonouchi's parting, while Keith leans back in his chair, laughing and pulling a mocking "run, Forest, run" bit on Jonouchi.
Jonouchi bursts through a pair of doors, cursing in his head. He grits his teeth, thinking desperately that he's already come this far, and he can't just give up.
Back in the dueling room, Keith shouts a question at Croquet about whether five minutes have passed yet, but Croquet says it's only been three while he checks his watch. Keith scoffs, silently damning Jonouchi because this is the longest five minutes of his life. What are you worried about, Keith? You've ensured that Jonouchi won't find the card regardless of whether or not he could run back in time.
Anzu glares at Yami, saying that there's almost no time left, and it's weird because it looks like she's blaming HIM for this. Also hilarious. Sweating, Yami grits his teeth and mentally says Jonouchi's name. Keith says that Jonouchi's already lost his spot and isn't coming back, a statement Anzu demands some elaboration on. It's Keith's opinion that Jonouchi is stupid and weak at Duel Monsters, though he's probably aware that he can't stand up to Keith's experience and skill. Says the guy whose instruction got someone fucking DESTROYED in a game against Jonouchi. He has yet to exit the prison of denial he's built around himself though, claiming that Jonouchi was likely already looking for a way out of dueling him and has now found his excuse to escape Keith as well as the island.
Yami's eye flashes at Keith, and he tells him that in no uncertain terms is Jonouchi the type to run and hide. He's yells that Jonouchi WILL come back and then win against Keith. Keith smirks, chuckling.
With one minute left as announced by Croquet, Jonouchi leans on one hand against a hall outside, panting and sweating. He hasn't managed to find the card anywhere and drops to his knees, thinking back on how he came to the island with a miraculous streak of luck that allowed him to win so many times. Jonouchi can't believe that his dream should end so abruptly here.
Jonouchi pounds his fists on the floor while mentally asking Shizuka to forgive him. A ways down the hall, a familiar bodice-clad person comes upon him. Mai shouts at Jonouchi that he has to get back up, hands on her hips, but he continues to hang his head and hunch over the floor pathetically. Mai tells him to wait until AFTER he's lost to feel bad, and he only just now seems to realize that it's MAI talking to him. Jonouchi twists his head to look over his shoulder, shouting at her not to look at his face.
Mai says that if Jonouchi didn't want to be caught crying, he should have picked a better place to do it. She offers him a neatly folded handkerchief, which he takes gingerly and immediately realizes that it feels like something is wrapped inside. He stands as Mai walks up next to him like she's just passing, admitting that Anzu told her about Jonouchi's problem. She encourages him not to give up hope so easily, because the teardrop he cried for Shizuka can give out an awful lot of light. Jonouchi looks around at Mai as she continues to walk away, looking a bit curious. His attention is soon back on the handkerchief, which he begins to unwrap.
She's says she doesn't need it anymore, and cuts off Jonouchi's stuttering after her with a command to run quickly, because there's no time to talk. Still, he pauses, long enough for Mai to twist around and say he HAS to win. With that, he yells it's no problem, and bolts for the door. As he pulls it open, he wonders why Mai did this for him.
Does this mean I can leave this basement now?
Yami and Anzu call out Jonouchi's name as he glares into the room with determination. He stomps into the room, thrusting the card into Croquet's face as he makes his way to the table, asking if he has anything to say about it. Croquet stutters that it's been exactly five minutes. Keith's eyes bulge beneath his sunglasses, asking himself how this could be possible.
Jonouchi demands that Keith get his feet off the table again, calling him a jerk for the third time in this chapter. Keith grudgingly swings his boots to the floor, scoffing and resigning himself to the fact that he's going to have to get his hands dirty. But he warns Jonouchi that Hell waits for him at his seat. Jonouchi retorts that he's going to BEAT Keith in Hell, then.
So, what did I think of this chapter overall? For someone who didn't DO friendship before this tournament, Mai is sure kicking ASS at it. Her adjustment period from being a loner and getting her friend on was like a fifth of a second. You'll never see KAIBA making that kind of transition, though to be fair, Mai also has a sense of empathy and less at stake than he or any of her friends do. The fact that Mai has already had her shot and isn't using her card anymore practically made her decision for her.
I'm still impressed, though, because her sharing of her card was reminiscent of Yami doing the same thing, though in a slightly different way. She wants to see Jonouchi succeed just as much as Yami does, not just because he has something important to win for, but also because he beat HER to do it. In Mai's mind, Jonouchi HAS to go on and complete his purpose, or else THEIR duel would have meant nothing and so would her defeat. Tournament technicalities be damned, if Jonouchi could beat Mai, he deserves to be there and have a fair shot at the prize that she DIDN'T win.
And that's what makes her such a great friend - the value she puts on herself and her skills are extended so flawlessly onto the others who treated her kindly. Instead of devaluing herself and her efforts the moment she loses, falling into a pit of depression, she elevates the efforts of those who have defeated her and treat them with respect for working harder and being more skilled, doing what she can to help them thereafter.
What Mai represents is the maturity to face one's failures and limitations with grace, while ALSO highlighting the strengths and victories of others. It's a fine line to walk, but she makes it look easy, and that's why she's so awesome.
Seems like the translation you were reading didn't include a detail: what Joey noticed about the handkerchief when he got it immediately wasn't that something was in it. He noticed that it was wet, implying she had just composed herself not too long ago.
ReplyDeleteGreat detail, thanks! That really recontextualizes the scene and Jonouchi's priorities regarding Mai's condition!
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