Yu-Gi-Oh! Love Selflessly – Chapter 23
Outside the castle, dark clouds rolled in and the wind picked up. Thunder rolled in the distance and small raindrops started to fall, dampening the grass and trees outside.
Yugi, Emiko, and the others sat around down in the waiting room, the duelists being granted a ten-minute intermission between the previous round and the next. Joey said, his face serious, "Yugi." Yugi responded, "Joey. I guess this is it?" Joey nodded and said, "We can't put this off any longer." Yugi nodded. He said, "I know, but I also know that our duel will be an honourable one." Joey smiled and said, "Right. You got it, Yuge." Emiko smiled, but her face dropped as she pondered, "Wait, if Yugi wins this match, he'll save his grandfather and my brothers, but Joey will lose his chance to save his little sister, Serenity. Neither one can afford to lose this battle, but there can only be one winner. I wish there was some way for them both to win." She jumped a little, a hand grabbing her shoulder. Bakura asked her quietly, "Are you alright? You look concerned." Emiko smiled and shook her head, her hand instinctively reaching for her locket, "No, yeah, um...I-I'm okay." He sighed. Téa said, "You two have made it so far. I'm so proud of you!" Tristan said, "Yeah, who'd have thought Joey would even make it this far?" Joey snarled, "Who asked you, Tristan!?"
"Joey's improved quite a lot in this tournament," Yugi said, "Don't worry. You'll be fine." Joey chuckled, "Yeah, I hope so." Emiko's eyes drifted to Yugi and she sighed. Over the loudspeaker, Croquet said, "Yugi Muto and Joey Wheeler, your match will begin in three minutes. Please proceed to the duelling arena. Spectators, return to the viewing area." Yugi and Joey looked at each other with a reassuring nod. Téa, Tristan, and Bakura walked out to return to the viewing balcony, but Emiko hesitated for a moment. She said as the boys walked out, "Duel with everything you've got, guys. Good luck." They both looked back at her and smiled. She smiled back and ran to catch up with the others.
Joey walked across the way to the red side of the duelling arena, while Yugi took blue. They stood tall, shuffling their decks well while Croquet announced, "The next match between Joey Wheeler and Yugi Muto will not only determine who wins the tournament, but also who wins a match with Mr. Maximillion Pegasus." Yugi thought, "I just have to win that match with Pegasus. I have to stop him and save my grandpa and the Kaiba brothers." Joey thought, "I have to win this for my sister. She's counting on me."
On the balcony, Bakura asked, "Who would've guessed that out of all the duelists who started in this tournament, two best friends would end up in the final match?" Tristan said, "Yeah, this is definitely harsh, but at least one of them's gonna get to take on Pegasus." Téa said worriedly, "I guess so, but don't you think it'd be much easier if they could just flip a coin or something? Then we could get our match with Pegasus done and over with." Tristan said, "I don't think it works that way, Téa." Téa protested, "But, Yugi and Joey are like brothers! Why do they have to fight like this?" Tristan said calmly, "I hear you, but they have to do this."
Yugi said, "Joey, before we go-" Joey cut him off, "I hope you're not having any second thoughts about duelling me." Yugi grunted, still hesitant. Joey encouraged him, "Come on, pal." Yugi said, "I'm sorry, Joey, but I...I don't know if I can do this." Joey said, grinning, "Suck it up, bud. You said it yourself. You said if it came down to us, we'd both just play our best. That's the only way we're gonna know which one of us is best-prepared to take on Pegasus in the final match." Yugi smiled. He knew it was inevitable. Joey was right, though. Whoever won that round was truly the best-prepared for the final match, so this was the final test. Joey slammed his fists on the table and shouted, "So? Let's duel!" Yugi smirked and said, confidence radiating from him, "Alright, Joey. It's time to duel!"
"Before this duel can begin," Croquet said, "Your gracious host would like to make a few opening remarks." Pegasus sighed, standing up, "Oh, boy." He cleared his throat and said, "Congratulations, duelists! You've proven yourselves to be the finest in the world! For that very reason, I look forward to a match that shall consist of your duelling best!" He chuckled, turning to Yugi, and said, "After all, should you give anything less, I will know." He laughed sinisterly.
Joey said, "Yugi, before we go on with this, I just wanted to say thanks, man." Yugi looked at him inquisitively. Joey continued, "Just look at me! I'm in the final match of the biggest Duel Monsters tournament that's ever been thrown! It's all because of you. You looked out for me and got me this far!" Yugi corrected him, "No, you're wrong, Joey. You earned your place here." Joey said, "Thanks, man. Just know that no matter what happens here, no matter who wins, you're my friend and you always will be." He smirked and said, "Now, don't go thinkin' that means I'll go easy on you in this match...or that I expect you to go easy on me. I'm ready for your best." Yugi nodded and said, "Right. Let's give it our all."
Bakura looked down at the battlefield, lost in thought. He thought, "I don't think Pegasus has to worry much about these two not duelling their very hardest. With everything that's at stake here, they're both sure to go all-out."
Croquet looked from Yugi to Joey as they drew their cards and said, "Let the match begin!" Yugi said, beginning the match, "I draw!" He looked over his cards and summoned a monster in attack mode.
Téa said, "You know, it was one thing when Yugi and Joey had duels back at home and there wasn't as much on the line, but here..." Emiko finished her sentence, "Everything is at stake." Tristan said, "Yeah. The money for Serenity's operation, Emiko's brothers, and Yugi's grandpa...talk about pressure." Bakura said calmly, "The stakes are high, but hopefully after everything is said and done, there'll be a way for everything to turn out okay in the end." Emiko sighed, "I hope you're right, Bakura."
Joey continued the duel by summoning a monster in attack mode, defeating Yugi's with ease. Yugi called out, "Time out, Joey." Joey looked up, confused. He said, "Ever since we arrived on this island, I have done my very best to teach you everything that I know. Now, you must put everything you've learned into play." Joey looked out at the playing field, realizing his mistake. Yugi continued, "Think strategically. You cannot afford any mistakes. In a duel of this caliber, one wrong move can cost you everything." Joey said, "I got it, every move I make's gotta be right on the money." Yugi nodded and said, "Yes. Exactly right, Joey." Joey said confidently, "Okay. Time in! Now hit me with your best shot!" Yugi said, pulling a card from his hand and placing it on the field, "I intend to. I summon Gaia the Fierce Knight!" Yugi's monster materialized on the field and he ordered it to attack, leaving Joey with 1550 life points and no monsters. Joey smirked, throwing out a monster in defense mode and laying another card face down. Yugi and the others watched skeptically as he ended his turn, taunting Yugi. Yugi narrowed his eyes and summoned a monster, destroying Joey's defense with ease and declaring an attack on his life points. Joey countered using Negate Attack, rendering the second attack useless.
"Look at Joey," Bakura said, "He almost looks glad his creature was struck!" Tristan said, "Wow. He's in denial already." Bakura shook his head and said, "No, that's not what I meant." He looked up at Tristan and explained, "I think Joey played that weak monster so that Yugi would be lured into a false sense of security and attack him. After all, Joey knows full-well that Yugi has plenty of stronger monsters that could have easily destroyed the Armoured Lizard." Emiko said softly, "Oh, I get it." Bakura said, looking back to Emiko, "Yes. I think Joey may have just been trying to draw Yugi's monster out."
Joey said, smirking, "Sorry, Yugi, but I was hoping you'd play that Summoned Skull card. I need him out on the field for my strategy to work." He placed a monster in attack mode and added Shield and Sword to swap every monster's attack and defense points, making his monster stronger than Yugi's Summoned Skull, putting a dent in his life points as well. Yugi chuckled, "Well done, Joey; but remember, you aren't the only one with powerful cards." He summoned Curse of Dragon and fused it with Gaia the Fierce Knight to create Gaia the Dragon Champion. Yugi's new monster overtook Joey's, taking his life points down.
Outside, the weather grew darker, the wind carrying large raindrops into the castle walls. The sound was loud and the atmosphere grew more intense outside the castle, just as the duel did inside.
Joey grinned as he looked at his hand, then summoned his signature card, the Red-Eyes Black Dragon. He then activated a magic card to steal Yugi's Summoned Skull, following up with Copycat, a monster that allowed him to copy the effect of Yugi's Polymerization, creating the Black Skull Dragon, giving him enough firepower to destroy Gaia the Dragon Champion. Yugi said, "That was an excellent move, Joey. Now, allow me to turn things around once more."
Emiko said, "This duel is so intense. It's extremely close." Tristan agreed, "You said it. It's really anyone's duel." Bakura said, "I don't think I have ever seen such a close match. Who would have guessed that at this point, Joey would have more life points than Yugi?" Téa said, "They're both fighting their hardest."
Yugi drew his card and smiled. Joey said, "Go ahead and play your card, Yuge. I know your cards by heart." Yugi nodded and said, "True. You'll also know that this one is my favourite." He placed his ever-faithful Dark Magician on the field, followed by the Magical Hats. Joey attacked one of the hats, then laid another monster on the field in attack mode. Yugi set a card inside one of the three remaining hats and Joey attacked again, once more hitting an empty hat. Yugi passed his next turn, giving Joey a fifty-fifty chance of hitting the Dark Magician. On his next turn, Joey takes the chance and attacks, only to run into a trap card, leaving him on the defensive, switching his other monster into defense mode. Yugi powers up his Dark Magician and destroys Joey's weakened Black Skull Dragon, taking out another small chunk of Joey's life points and leaving him with only 450.
Pegasus applauded and jeered, "Excellent work, Yugi-boy, you took out his very best monster."
Joey drew a card and beamed. He threw it onto the field and shouted, "Alright, Yugi, time to kiss the baby! Baby Dragon in attack mode!" The small, chubby, orange dragon appeared on the field and let out its tiny roar. He set another card face down and ended his turn. Yugi sent an attack, but activated a trap card, immobilizing the Dark Magician and allowing Joey, on his next turn, to play his Time Wizard. He spun the roulette, hoping that the arrow wouldn't land on a skull. The arrow spun around and around. The audience watched intently as the arrow started to slow down until it finally came to a halt on a time warp. Joey's Baby Dragon was transformed into the powerful Thousand Dragon and Dark Magician was aged 1,000 years. After contemplating for a moment, Joey announced his attack, but Yugi countered using Makiu, the Magical Mist.
"What," Joey asked, "Wait, how did you play Makiu when it was still my turn?" Yugi explained, "With magic. A magic so powerful that it took my Dark Magician 1,000 years to learn it. That time warp did age my Dark Magician, but it made him stronger. It transformed him into the Dark Sage." Yugi drew his card and said, tearing up, "You've fought valiantly, my friend, but this duel is over." He played Monster Reborn to bring back Joey's Black Skull Dragon. Joey said, tears falling onto the board, "It's over." Yugi called out, "Black Skull Dragon, attack!" The dragon reared its head, charging up its attack, and launched a fireball, bathing the field in a bright light.
Tristan sighed, "That was really intense." Emiko nodded. Bakura said, "Imagine how those two must feel." Téa, tears rolling down her face, said, "I'm so glad it's over and I'm so proud of them both. They both duelled their hardest." Emiko smiled, her eyes welling up a bit, too.
"I'm also glad it's over," Emiko thought, "It's all up to Yugi, now."
Croquet announced, "The duel has now concluded! Yugi Muto is the victor!"