Serena: Yay! Soccer is back with another chapter!

Soccer: Yeah! Sorry I am taking so long with the chapters, school, soccer, having a social life, and work have taken up most of my time lately. But I finally have a little bit of time to get this chapter written.

Yami: About time too, it feels like it has been forever since you last updated.

Soccer: Oh shut up Yami, I'm sorry that I have to keep my grades up!

Serena: While Yami and Soccer argue, lets get on with the story! And soccer doesn't own anything but the plot!


Chapter 6: Joey's Duel and Memory attack

Serena had just finished up her duel with Bandit Keith and took the four star chips that he had and she looked up at the castle.

Whatever is waiting for me up there, I'm going to take it head on. She thought before she headed out to find another duel.

After Yugi finished his duel, Joey was fired up to start dueling as well. The group was walking out of the forest arena, looking around.

"Alright I'm ready to duel! I'm itching to take on the next player we see." Joey said confidently.

Tea and Yugi looked a little worried about their friend, "Ya know, I'm not so sure that Joey is ready for this."

"There are tournament level player here. Has he not realized that yet?" Tristan said.

"Here I stand, the next duel monsters champion." Joey said excitedly.

The group sweat dropped at their friends comment. "He needs a reality check."

Joey didn't hear the comments and was looking out at the ocean, lost in his memories and the reason why he was on the island.

Flashback

A bus stopped at the bus stop and two kids had gotten off.

"Where are we Joey? Where have you taken me today?" Serenity asked.

"To the beach. That;s what you said you wanted." He replied.

Serenity smiled as the two walked toward the shore.

"It's so pretty!" She exclaimed

"And cold!" Joey followed right after as he just gotten out of the water.

As the sun started to set over the horizon, Serenity looked at him asking if they could come back again. He told her of course they could, even if their parents got divorced. He sealed the deal with a pinky promise.

End Flashback

I'm your big brother Serenity, I'm supposed to me there for you. I'm gonna win this tournament and the prize money to make sure you don't loose your eyesight and take you back to see that beautiful ocean one more time. Joey thought to himself.

The group had come up to where Joey was at and the heard commotion from below the cliff. They turned at saw duel monster arenas all over the place, and many duels taking place.

"Woah, there's duel all over the place!" Tristan exclaimed.

"You're right Tristan. Lot's of dueling going on right now." Yugi remarked.

Joey was ready to start off feeling confident, "Right, I'm going in."

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Tristan asked his best friend. "If you loose you give up your only star chips."

"That's right." Tea said.

The remark hit Joey's confidence hard as he fell to the ground.

"Don't panic Joey. You know you can do this right?" Yugi asked him.

Joey looked back at Yugi with a small smile, "I hope you're right Yugi. This is my first official duel and I can't get knocked out at the start."

"While that is true, not everyone here is a pro. You should find an easier opponent first and then work your way up." Yugi advised.

"I guess I should figure out what type of field advantage my cards are most suited for. Since they're mostly monsters and fighter type, that would mean that this meadow region is my kind of turf." Joey thought.

"Exactly. See you know what you're doing."

A few seconds later, they heard a girl all too familiar to them, "You lost crybaby. Npw give me your star chips."

"A voice that annoying can only belong to…" Tea started as the looked over from where the voice came from. "Mai."

"You cheated somehow." Her opponent said, "How could you know how your cards were when they were still face down."

"I'm psychic, and you're done." As soon as she was done laughing, she looked over in the direction of the group. "Well look who's here."

"Wow, Mai's already won 2 more star chips." Joey commented.

Mai being as devious as she is thought of something. "So Yugi are your duels going well?"

"I'm making progress." Yugi replied.

"I see you've already won three star chips. I may be up for a duel myself."

Behind Yugi, Tea whispered to him, "Take her. Knock her out of the competition and off the island."

"I'm defiantly in the mood for a duel right now and I choose to battle…" Mai said and then pointed at Joey, "You Joey."

The challenge shocked the whole group, if not Joey the most. "What? You choose to duel me?"

"Only if you have the guts to take me on."

"Guess you heard about my skill."

"Don't flatter yourself. I overheard you that you only have one star chip. I know that Miss Pegasus gave you your only star chip. My motto is take out the weakest links first and that means you. Since you only have one star chip that must make you the weakest duelist on the island."

"Do you have to be so insulting?"

"This time she was right." Tea said.

/./ Mai is right when she said that Joey only has one star chip, but she doesn't know him like we do././ Yami told Yugi.

/You're right Yami, but I don't think that this would be a good first duel for Joey. He's still a beginner when it comes to competition./

/./ That's up for Joey to decide. If he thinks that he can take her let him. He needs to learn to pick his own battles././

Yugi sighed, /You're right Yami. If he wants to take Mai on all we can do is support him all the way./

Yami nodded and the vanished once again to the corners of Yugi's mind. Once Yugi was done talking with Yami Joey had made his decision to duel against Mai.

"Yugi, are you crazy? Joey can't take on Mai." Tea said.

"That isn't my decision to make Tea. Joey needs to pick and fight his own battles if we wants to become the best." Yugi then turned to his best friend, "Show Mai what you're made of."

Joey smiled and nodded. "I accept, let's duel."

Mai smirked, "Get ready to loose."

As the two were getting ready to duel, Serena was wondering around the island looking for someone else to duel. She already had five star chips, but was bored with the people she was up against. As she walked around, she looked at the room card in her hand, still wondering what it meant. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't seem to put two and two together. She sighed and put it away in her deck holder for safekeeping. She continued to walk around looking for someone new to duel and who can also give her a challenge.

Joey and Mai had just started their duel wagering only one star chip each.

At least this meadow will give me a field power bonus. Joey thought before he actually looked at the field. "Oh no! What are all those mountains doing on my field?"

"The field we'll play on is 40% mountain, 40% meadow and the last 20% is meadow. Deal with it or surrender." Mai said.

"Relax Joey! You've got this!" Yugi told him.

"Right." He said before turning to Mai. "Listen Mai, before we duel, I gotta ask you something."

Mai looked at him curiously.

"Why is it that you duel? What's your motivation?" He asked her seriously.

"Why is it I duel? Well it's for all the comforts that I crave. Designer shoes, clothes, traveling, anything to avoid real work, and cars turbo charged for living large." She answered.

Joey smirked, "So that's why you want the prize money? How selfish."

Mai became angry, "Selfish?! How dare you try to judge me you pathetic little snot!"

"Hey, you're only dueling for things, but some of us duel for the ones we love."

"You'll show her Joey." Yugi said quietly. "Show her what dueling from the heart is all about."

The duel started and Joey went first.

"So to start the game off I'll play Masaki the Legendary Swordsman. And the field bonus will raise his power over 300 points."

Joey smiled as he made his first move but then his smile wore off as Mai started to hum. Everyone looked toward her to see her have her eyes closed and waving her hand over her cards that were face down.

"What are you doing?"

"Divining my card. I have to mystically choose which one's the best."

"What are you a psychic?"

"Exactly, and the best card would be the Harpes Lady. He power is booted by the Mountain fields power bonus."

"I'll still take it on! Attack!" Joey attacked with his monster not knowing.

"Joey wait! Flying monster are resistant to land monsters. Monsters that can fly have a magical resistant to monsters who can only walk on the earth." Yugi said.

"So Joey blew it?" Tea asked.

"No, he attacked too soon before he thought about what her monster was capable of." Yugi answered.

Joey was not happy with what just happened. Then when Mai choose her card again without looking, it made him go nuts. He was frustrated by how Mai was playing.

Joey:1410

Mai: 2000

"Joey's losing it." Tea commented.

"Think about what you're doing before you make your next move Joey." Yugi advised his best friend.

When Joey made his next move, he made another mistake by not thinking. He sent his tiger axe to attack Harpies lady not realizing that it would have to the same effect as his last turn.

Joey: 1020

Mai: 2000

"It'll take more than land based monster to beat my harpy lady. Now I'll play this lovely card without even looking." Mai said. "I'll give you a hint, it's an equipment magic card that will help me defeat your monster in one turn."

"Again with all that psychic stuff?" Joey asked. Can she see my cards too? I might as well play it safe.

"Running scared huh? Well let me show you my surprise that will juice up my harpies lady."

Joey stood on the platform bewildered. He didn't understand how Mai was able to beat all of his monsters in one turn.

"In case your wondering, the next card that you're thinking of playing won't work either."

Joey gritted his teeth "Mai has ESP. That has to be the only answer. I'm gonna loose this duel and the only chance I have to save my sister."

"Joey settle down and relax. Remember what my grandpa taught you about playing duel monsters." Yugi said.

"Don't let her rattle you! She's just trying to psych you out." Tea yelled.

Mai was fed up with the trio on the sidelines. "Stay out of this! Your brainless cheerleading isn't going to help him against the superior power of my harpy ladies. Don't you guys get it yet friendship doesn't win duels never has never will. It hasn't helped him," She said while looking at Joey, "one bit. He's defeated and he knows it"

"That's not true." Tea argued.

"Oh, I beg to differ there can be only one winner one champion. When it comes time to face each other in a duel, where's your friendship then. That's why the person a duelist can trust is themselves."

Mai's little speech took Joey over the edge. All his friends saw and knew that he needed help.

/./ Yugi switch with me././ Yami requested.

/Huh? Why Yami?/ The smaller one asked.

/./Joey needs help and since he doesn't seem to be listening to anyone, maybe I can get him to calm down././

Yugi nodded and switched places with Yami.

"Joey, don't listen to her. We're here for, just like you're always here for us." Yami said.

Joey and Mai looked at him.

"Trust me on this. She's just trying to divide and conquer a strategy that has been used for centuries. Believe me I know." Yami said as the eye of horus light up on his forehead.

Joey looked at his best friend, "When you get that look, I know that I can believe in what you say."

Mai laughed at what Joey said, "You really think that you can come back? And you really think that Yugi wants you to be the grand prize winner? He's a duelist too ya know, and eventually you'll have to take him."

Joey looked down, knowing that she was right. We will have to duel, but we're a team and I have to win this for Serenity. What do I do? Maybe Yugi's right… I have to letting Mai get in my head and think of a way to win. Joey thought as he closed his eyes. Just have to concentrate. There has to be a way to be a way to beat Mai. Joey smelled something that caught his attention, what's that strange smell? I didn't notice it before when my eyes were open. I'm smelling a bunch of different perfumes coming from her cards.

"Let's go kid. It's your turn!" Mai said.

This caused Joey to open his eyes, "I see through your little card trick Mai."

The statement surprised Mai.

"You sprayed your cards with different perfumes to tell which was which when they are face down. So you don't have to look at your cards." Joey explained.

Mai was shocked that he figured it out. She couldn't believe that he saw through her aroma strategy.

"I'm not gonna lie you really had me buying the whole psychic thing and because of that I couldn't think things through. You're not a psychic at all, you're just a big fake!"

"All right Joey!" Yami said.

/At least he was able to figure it out on his own./ Yugi said.

/./Yes, even though it took some time for it to process the fact that he need to use his head/./ Yami replied.

Yugi giggled before closing the mind link.

"Just because you figured out my strategy, doesn't mean that you're gonna defeat me in a duel." Mai said.

"That's where you're wrong. Before you were trying to confuse me and pin me against my friends. Now my mind is clear and I know who I can trust. All you have left is your tricks and I don't fall for the same thing twice."

Joey made his move and played baby dragon in defense mode. This caused Mai to laugh before she played elegant egotist. This card allowed her to summon the harpy lady sisters to the field, making one harpy into three.

Joey knew that he was in trouble with just one harpy lady, but three was even more trouble. He looked at the cards in his hand trying to figure out what to do next. Mai told him that she was going to keep using magic of elegant egotist to multiply her harpy lady's until she had an army.

"She's got a whole army, what am I suppose to do now?" Joey asked.

"Don't give up Joey. Think about her strategy, she been using one card, and using many magic cards to boosts that cards power. However, there is a serious flaw in her strategy."

Joey thought for a second trying to figure out what Yami meant by that. He smiled when he realized that Mai was just using the harpies' lady and juicing it up with many magic cards. He knew that there had to a card somewhere in his deck that could help him, the card that Yugi gave him on the boat ride over to the island.

"The Time Wizard…" Joey started, "This must be the kind of tight spot that Yug must have been talking about. Now if I can only remember how it works."

Mai was becoming bored, "If I knew it was gonna take you this long to make a move, I would have brought a magazine."

Joey looked at his hand and saw that the time wizard wasn't in his hand. He looked at his deck hoping that it was the top card. Yami sensed his doubt and so did Yugi.

Trust in your deck Joey. Trust in yourself. Yami thought.

It's all or nothing. Joey thought as he drew his card.

/He got the time wizard./ Yugi said.

/./Yes, he did. The heart of the cards came through for him././

Joey looked at the card was delighted that he drew the Time Wizard. He played it immediately causing Mai to become confused.

"Hmm, what good is that thing?" She asked.

"The Time Wizard allows time speed up causing my baby dragon to age into a thousand dragon." Joey explained.

"Right Joey, but that's not the only effect that the Time Wizard will have." Yami said.

When thousand dragon emerged on the field, Mai was upset. "So you know have a bigger dragon, big deal. My harpy ladies still have a great attack power."

When Mai order her harpies' to attack she saw that they were old and wrinkly. She was confused why this had happened.

Yami chuckled on the sidelines. "I warned you. A millennium has passed on the field and your Harpy Ladies have become old and decrepit. Face it Mai, time is running out for you and your ladies."

Mai looked like she was about to cry and Joey looked shocked at what just happened.

"I believed and the cards came through for me." Joey said.

He then had his dragon attack Mai's Harpies' destroying them and bring her life points to zero.

Mai: 0

Joey: 1020

Trsitan and Tea cheered on the sidelines as he won his first duel. Mai on the other hand looked down wondering how she lost to Joey.

"Hey Mai." Joey called out.

Mai looked up, "huh?"

"I tried to tell you that there is more to duel monsters than kicking the other guys butt. If you're gonna be a real champion you need to learn to care about someone, other than yourself. Isn't that right Yugi?"

Yami switched places with Yugi as they nodded. I'm proud of you Joey. All of your training paid off. You went from knowing nothing about this game to a winning duelist who battles with his head and his heart.

As Joey's duel ended, Serena was walking around and stopped when she came to a cliff and saw a cross with a necklace on it. She took the necklace off the cross and opened it to find that it was a picture of girl about six years old her looked like her and a man and women. The man she recognized as Pegasus, but the woman she didn't recognize. As she stared at the picture, another memory attacked her.

Memory

A little six year old girl with long blonde silver hair that was pulled back, cried as she was holding her mother's hand.

"Please don't go mommy. I still need you." Serena cried.

Her mother gently placed her hand on Serena's cheek and gently wiped the tears that were falling.

"I'm so sorry my little princess, but it's time for you to be strong. You're father will always be here for you." Her mother said.

"But I don't want you to go!" Serena shouted.

"I know honey, but it's time for me to go. I will always be watching you from above as an angel, just like you're deck. I love you Serena just like I love your father." She said as she took her last breath and closed her eyes.

Serena began to cry harder and she tried to shake her mother to wake her up. She looked up at her father the silent question of why in her eyes. Her father looked at her with sad eyes as she ran to him and cried into his chest.

A few days later they buried her mother on top of the highest cliff on the island, knowing that she would spend many hours up here thinking and enjoying the scene. As they laid her down in the ground, Serena clutched onto her father's leg as she cried. Once she was buried, a cross was placed in honor of her.

~Time skip~

Four years had passed since her mother had left her, and it was the anniversary of her death. Serena was now ten years old and decided that she was going to place something on her mother's grave. Her father was coming with her and together they walked to the cliff. Her father stood back as he watched Serena slowly walk up to the cross and place the necklace that her mother gave to her as birthday present around the cross.

"I love you and I miss you very much mommy." Serena whispered before turning around to walk back to her father.

As the walked away, both could here a silent I love you from her mother.

End Memory

As the memory ended, Serena was in tears. She looked at her mother's grave and sat in front of it, crying. She put the necklace back around the cross, knowing that it belonged there with her mother.

"I love you mommy, and I will set everything straight." Serena said as she turned to leave.

Behind her a transparent being floated with blonde, curly hair and blue eyes. She was wearing a blue dress with long sleeves and had a smile on her face. It was Serena's mother, Cecilia Pegasus.

"You have grown into a beautiful woman Serena. I am proud of you. I love you my little princess." She said softly.

Serena heard the words and turned around but saw nothing there. She knew, however, that her mother was watching her as an angel, just like her cards.


Serena: That's such a sad way to end the chapter soccer.

Soccer: I know, but it had to be done.

Yami: About time that you finish the chapter, it only took two months to do it.

Soccer: Yeah, Yeah, Yeah whatever Yami, I have been busy.

Serena: Don't start again you two, be happy that it's done.

Soccer: Thank you Serena! Please review and let me know what you think! Ja Ne!