A Lesson in Humility
Our Team 18 friends are glued to the screen.
The team draw for the tournament is about to be broadcast live.
Excitement is at its height. Dita is eating doughnut after doughnut.
Alex: Oh dear! All these commercials are too long. I can't stand it.
Dita: Mmm, slurp, mmm.
Dorothy: Sure, Dita.
Nicolas: Can you pass me the prawn chips?
Justin: Me first!
Jennifer: Yummy, I just love these things!
Dorothy: Sshh, it's starting.
Alex: At last!
Dita: Look, it's Joëlle.
Joëlle: The team of Cassiopeia will play against the Mammoths.
Jennifer: Let's just hope we aren't playing the Tornadoes!
Joëlle: The Standards versus Mabata.
Jennifer: Phew!
Joëlle: Team 18...
Dorothy: Sshh, it's us.
Joëlle: versus Dir.
Alex: Great! Quick, go and call Mister Savax.
Jennifer: Hello? Mister Savax? Did you hear the news?
Mr Savax: Yes, I did.
Nicolas: What do you think of this first match?
Mr Savax: Well, just do your very best. I want to be proud of you.
Dita: And of your work.
Mr Savax: I'm really sorry I won't be able to see you play.
Alex: It's gonna be our first match without you.
Mr Savax: On you go! Bye for now.
Dorothy: We could have gotten a worse draw.
Nicolas: Thank God it's not so. By the way, I'm still waiting for my chips, Dita.
Dita: Err...
Jennifer: Holy crow, Dita, you didn't gobble it all, did you?
Alex: Five bags.
Dorothy: I think you're going to need special training.
Dita: Oh no, not that!
Justin: It's the thankless role of the captain.
Nicolas: There's no need to rub it in, thank you.
Justin: All right, captain, Sir.
Alex: With Dir as our opponent, it's in the bag.
Dita: Why do you say that?
Jennifer: They're at the bottom of the board.
Dorothy: So much the better, but we're not home and clear,
we could get a surprise.
Nicolas: That's right. I've already seen the team play and that little Jacqueline
for all her 12 years doesn't play at all a bad game.
Dita: 12 years old?
Jennifer: Her power was revealed very early.
Justin : What is it?
Nicolas: She controls the liquid element.
Dorothy: Water, in other words.
Alex: No need for us to worry.
Nicolas: Don't let that keep you from training.
Alex: But why bother?
Jennifer: He's asking why bother.
Alex : Look, that team can't hold a candle to us.
Dorothy: What do you know about it?
Justin: We aren't going to fight about it, are we?
Alex: He's right. We're lucky enough to get an easy first game
and you make a song and dance about it.
Nicolas: Training is essential. Even the best athletes train,
regardless of the level of their opponents.
Alex: You push training too far.
Justin: Let's go to the training room. I want to show you something.
They make their way to the gym.
Justin: Who in their team is capable of stopping that?
He takes the ball in his hand, starts running and with his Super Speed,
he gives a cannonball service.
Alex: Now it's my turn.
He leaps to the net and using his super strength gives a cannonball spike.
Feeling better now?
Nicolas: I don't think that's enough. I'm your captain and I'm responsible for you
because Mister SAVAX is not here. It's training time for everybody!
Justin: But...
Dita: It's the thankless role of the captain.
She sticks her tongue out.
Alex: Okay, okay.
They go to the gym.
Jennifer: Let's try our triangular tactic to try to synchronize our reactions.
Dorothy: Yes, to counteract any kind of bad reception we might have.
Dita: In place, everybody.
Alex: Hmph, I'm bored with this.
Justin: Me too. I'd rather be outdoors.
Alex: I'll be the one to start.
Justin: What?
Alex: Then it'll be done with and we can leave.
Justin: Brilliant idea!
Jennifer: Sorry, boys, but the girls are going first.
Alex: Well, hurry it up then!
Justin: We really don't need to use these tactics.
Alex: Dir is such a poor team.
Justin: We should use it when we play against the Tornadoes.
Dita: This is unreal!
Dorothy: You can't use that as a reason!
Nicolas: Quiet! Let's concentrate on training.
Alex: How much longer?
Justin: We don't need that to beat them. I'm leaving.
Alex: Me too.
Nicolas: Hey there!
Jennifer: Forget it. They've decided to goof out today, so...
Nicolas: So.
Dorothy: They deserve a good lesson.
Dita: Oh yes, they're just a pair of big mouths.
Nicolas: Ladies, what happened to your team spirit?
Dorothy: Sorry, captain.
Dita: Nicolas is right. Remember what Mister Savax says about sticking together.
Alex: See you later.
Justin: We'll see you back at the gym.
Nicolas: I'd feel ashamed if I were you.
Jennifer: Mister Savax would be disappointed if he knew about this.
They leave.
Nicolas: In position!
Dorothy: I'm ready.
The commentator : Here they are. The two teams are entering the gym.
Kamina : You are the best.
Miss Agri: Come on, you are going to win!
The commentator: This is the first time that the two teams have met.
Team 18 should win this match without any trouble at all.
Let me introduce the members of the two teams.
First Team 18 with Dita the Superjumper and Jennifer the Invisible girl
and Dorothy the Sonic Wonder and Alex the He-man and Nicolas the Teleport
and Justin the Speedrunner.
Now the Dir team with Jacqueline the Liquid Girl and Maria the Flyer
and Céline the Metal One and Christian the He-man and Nathan the Flyer and Julien the Laser.
The game is just beginning and the first point has been scored
thanks to a powerful laser attack by Julien.
Jacqueline: Maria, flash pass to Christian!
The commentator: And that's the second point.
Dorothy: Not bad at all.
Maria: It's your turn, Céline.
Céline: Okay.
Alex and Nicolas try to make a wall but it's too late.
The commentator: Fantastic attack by the second line. The Dir team is surprising us.
Dita: We have to get our act together.
Jennifer: Right.
Kamina: Go go go!
The commentator: Jacqueline makes a pass to Maria who spikees. That's another point.
Nicolas: Dammit!
The commentator: The score is 4 - 0.
Miss Agri: Do something ! If Mister Savax could see you now.
The commentator: Incredible. The same tactics as before but this time
it's Nathan who hits the ball. And it's a new service from Céline
intercepted by Nicolas. He passes to Justin and here comes Dita
with a beautiful attack from the second line.
Dita : YES!
The commentator: Justin to serve. He's running very fast and strikes.
It's a canonball!
Christian: No!
The commentator: Team 18 mark their first point.
Kamina: Yippee!
It's the same scenario all over again. It's cannonball service after cannonball service.
Justin: You see, captain, you were worried about nothing.
The commentator : The score is now 5 - 7. The situation has been overturned.
Céline: I'm going to stop this service, I know it!
The commentator: Sonic spike from Dorothy. And now Nicolas has teleported and spikes.
Dorothy: Great!
Jennifer: And what about me, then?
Alex: Get ready.
The commentator: Céline can control Justin's service but what is Alex doing?
There's no one there. Dash it, she fools me every time.
Perfect invisible attack from Jennifer.
Miss Agri: Hurrah!
In the second set, Team 18 leads easily.
Most of the points have been scored by Alex and Justin.
The commentator: What a pair!
Kamina : Alex and Justin are really very good!
Miss Agri: I just hope that they don't forget that team spirit is essential.
The commentator : And that's the second set point.
Nathan: What do we do now?
Jacqueline: These 2 clowns can be controlled.
Maria: Yes, they can.
Céline: Well I managed to stop his service.
Julien: The Invisible Girl is very dangerous.
Christian : Don't worry. Jacqueline is going to surprise her.
Jacqueline: And not only her!
Alex: We are the best!
Justin: Hee Hee Hee!
Nicolas: Will you stop clowning around?
Justin: Oh my, you're jealous!
The commentator: Jacqueline to serve.
Water squirts from her right hand. The wet ball slips out of Justin's hand.
Tiny drops fall to the ground. Nicolas looks at Justin.
Justin: It could happen to anyone.
Several services later, water is still dripping.
Dorothy: This girl has an amazing service.
Jacqueline sneaks a look at the opposite side of the court.
Dita: I can't see a thing. I wonder what she's looking at.
The commentator: Jacqueline's service has finally been stopped by Justin.
He passes to Dita who sends the ball to...yes, the Invisible Girl, who scores!
Team 18 scores several points.
The commentator: Oh no, Alex's spike gets a bad reception by Maria. What's going on here?
Jacqueline makes a desperate attempt to recuperate it. Her whole body is liquid.
Kamina: Wow!
The commentator: She slides very fast and leaves a fine trail of water behind her.
Yes, she sends the ball and Christian spikes. The ball is in!
Tiny drops continue to fall.
The commentator: Jacqueline uses her power very intelligently. Her squirts of water give the ball
more speed and force. All for the Dir team's benefit.
She seems to have picked out Alex as a special target.
Alex: No!
The commentator: One more point.
Drops of water fall whenever Dir attacks. And nobody notices.
The commentator: Nicolas feints and the Invisible Girl spikes.
Jacqueline: Now's the time. Maria, on your right this time!
The commentator: Maria sends the ball back. She has seen the Invisible Girl.
Jennifer: She saw me! How could she?
Jacqueline: Jump now!
The commentator: Another attack from the Invisible One has been stopped by Julien.
Dorothy: Wow!
Miss Agri: Keep going!
Jacqueline points out every position for attacking the Invisible One.
Dir is now dangerously in the lead.
Jennifer: I'm going to pass the balls, and that's all.
Nicolas: Wise decision.
The commentator: Nathan's service. Dorothy is about to stop it but she slips.
Dorothy: Heck!
The commentator: And it's another service. A weak service that Justin
will have no trouble getting back.
Justin: No, I'm slipping.
The commentator : This is incredible.
Jennifer: The court is like an ice-rink.
The commentator: The combination of Justin's speed and the wet court is a disaster.
Christian: And now every ball is aimed at Alex or Justin.
Julien: They are going to wish they hadn't laughed at us.
The commentator: Alex gives a really powerful spike but Jacqueline squirts
and sends the ball back to him.
Dita: So, now, Alex, 'who in their team is capable of stopping my spike.'
Isn't that what you said?
Alex: Err...
He hangs his head.
The commentator: A new service is caught by Jennifer who's still visible.
Alex jumps, slides and sends the ball straight into the net.
And that's another ball that Justin has missed.
Miss Agri: This was bound to happen. Alex and Justin are being picked as targets
and they are totally confused.
Kamina : Poor things.
The commentator: And Dir wins this set.
Dorothy: What are we going to do, Captain?
Nicolas: I don't know.
Dita: We're becoming unstuck here.
Jennifer: My invisibility is useless. Why did it work in the 2 first sets and not now?
Dita: Every ball drips water on the field. Any ideas, Justin, Alex?
Alex/Justin: Err...
Dorothy : My sonic wall should be useful to us.
Dita: Great! Water won't affect it. And if you teleport there's no risk of you slipping.
Nicolas: And Mister SAVAX would use our triangular tactics.
Dorothy: That's what we did during our last practice session.
Dita: If only some people had stayed on.
The commentator: The match is starting again. Let's see if Dir can win this set too.
Nathan: Alex and Justin are uncomfortable.
Céline: I can see that.
The commentator: Oh dear! Alex and Justin have crashed into
each other trying to catch Céline's ball.
Justin: What's happening to me?
Jacqueline is watching them.
Alex: A girl of 12 is making a fool of me!
The commentator: And it's a sonic spike!
Miss Agri: At last they've got their service back.
The commentator: Julien gets the service back. Nicolas teleports and spikes.
Kamina: Oh, no!
Nicolas: I don't believe this.
The commentator: The ball goes in the wrong direction. New point for Dir.
Dita: The ball is still wet so it's slippery.
Nicolas: Dorothy, I can't do this on my own. I need your help.
Dita: Hey, boys! Come and listen to our Captain. He is giving you a lesson in humility.
Nicolas: I can see that you haven't forgotten what I told you.
Dita: Yeah. Only people who are at one with themselves can talk about humility.
Jennifer: I was there. It's when you told us how determined you were
to fight the Tornado on your own.
Nicolas: Of course I didn't make it. It's only when I realized
that I needed help from my friends, from you, that I...
Dorothy: That we...
Nicolas: That we succeeded. I brought myself down a peg.
Well, your sonic power can dry this ball, can't it?
Dorothy: You're not our Captain for nothing!
The commentator: A strange thing is happening. Dorothy's vibrations seem
to be making the ball tremble.
Dita: Nicolas.
Nicolas: Terrific, the ball is dry now.
The commentator: Nicolas spikes. Team 18 has found a way round the problem.
Oh, Jacqueline has created a wall of water.
Christian: She really fooled you!
Miss Agri: I can't believe it. That little girl has paralyzed
5 out of Team 18's 6 powers!
Kamina: Come on, you are the best!
Nicolas: She's too good for us but we'll fight on to the end.
Dorothy: Yes, we will!
Dita: For sure. Jennifer?
Jennifer: Hasn't anybody noticed something special about Jacqueline?
Dita: She was giving our side of the court a quick look from time to time.
Alex: It's because of her water that we have all these problems.
Justin: Yes, that's true!
He kicks the ground and walks away. Jennifer sees his footprints shining.
Jennifer: Of course, it's so obvious now!
Dita: What do you mean?
Jennifer: I've found out how she can see me in spite of my Invisibility.
She looks at the tiny drops shining on my tennis shoes.
Dorothy: Yes, water shines.
Dita: I really like watching the sparkle on the water
and the circles in it dying away.
Nicolas: Dita, you're a genius!
Dita: Really?
Nicolas: Dorothy, you'll use your power to dry the ball and
then keep your vibrations going and when I spike,
they will have weakened Jacqueline's wall.
Jennifer: Excellent!
The commentator: I don't know what's going on but Team 18 is back in the game.
They have to get their service back. Jacqueline tries her wall.
Nicolas spikes and the wall explodes.
Nicolas: Yeeeeeeees!
Kamina: Yippee!
Jacqueline: How did you do that?
The commentator: Jennifer to serve. But what's she doing? She's taking her shoes off.
Nathan: Oh, oh, she's figured it out.
The commentator: The service is good. Oh my friends, what a turn-about!
The Invisibility power is working again.
Nicolas: Dita, it's your turn.
Dita : But I'll slip!
Jennifer: Go outside the court and jump as high as you can.
The commentator: Dita jumps and spikes with perfect aim.
Dita: Great! The ball was high enough to be dry and what a good idea
to send me outside the court. Thanks, Captain.
The commentator: It's fantastic. An avalanche of points has been marked by
Dita and Dorothy and Jennifer and Nicolas. Alex and Justin are still in a spot.
Nicolas: Girls?
Dorothy: OK, we're ready.
Nicolas: This ball is for you Justin.
Justin: What?
Dita: Run outside, quick!
The commentator: Justin has caught the ball.
Jennifer: Alex, get ready.
Alex: But...
Nicolas: We're a team!
Dorothy: Go on, strike!
The commentator: It's a perfect pass to Alex who spikes and it's match point.
Kamina: Yes, Yes, Yes!
Miss Agri: We're home. Hallelujah!
The commentator: What a game!
Dorothy: We won!
Jennifer: I'm so happy!
Justin: YOU won.
Alex: Not us.
Dita: But...
Nicolas: Let them be.
Dorothy: That little girl really gave us a lot of trouble!
Dita: Amazing, all the things she could do with that power of hers.
Miss AGRI: You were wonderful!
Kamina: It was a great match!
Nicolas: That's a good reason to go on and on and on practising.
If it works for her it will work for us too.
Miss Agri: Training, training that's the thankless role of the Captain.
Jennifer: Oh no!
They burst out laughing.
Later that evening.
Nicolas: Come in.
Justin: I just wanted to apologize, Captain.
Alex: Me too.
Justin: We should have lost.
Alex: We did lose.
Justin: I don't know about Alex but I learnt a lot today.
Nicolas: I'm glad you're aware of it.
Alex: You won't find me underestimating an opponent again.
Nicolas: When I say " Be humble, " I don't mean be a doormat but be humble with yourself.
There's no shame in asking for help.
Justin: I've understood the lesson in humility, Nicolas.
Alex: So have I. I'd like to ask you something.
Nicolas: Go ahead.
Alex: Would you train us in the triangular tactics?
Justin: Please say yes.
Nicolas: I'll tell the girls.
Alex: Thank you.
Justin: Thanks.
next episode: A Game of Sound and Light
copyright Jean-François Schwaiger
cartoon: Pascale Rodriguez
Translation: Christopher Reynolds and JF Schwaiger
Proofreading-Editing: Eileen Harris
"Any resemblance to persons living or dead is purely coincidental
and unintentional."
back to the episodes list
