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Fanfic Chapter 32: A Duel Among Friends Pt 1: Duel of Friendship
Episode Basis: Best of Duels, Best of Friends Pt 1

Previously on Yu-Gi-Oh! Joey was able to make a comeback by copying Keith's battle strategy, changing his Red-Eyes Black Dragon into a Red-Eyes Black Metal Dragon. When Keith started pulling 7 Complete magic cards out of nowhere, Joey thought his number was up. However, thanks to Graverobber, Joey was able to best Keith. Pegasus revealed that Keith was doing stuff during the duel that even he frowned upon (and when a guy like Pegasus says something someone did is wrong, that's lower than a kick to the groin). Keith was taken away and Pegasus congratulated Joey. Suddenly Keith broke away and made a direct assault against Pegasus. But as usual, Pegasus was prepared and before you could say game over, he sent the FORMER Intercontinental Champion on a one-way trip off of Duelist Kingdom. Now, the only two Duelists left are Yugi and Joey. Who will win in this battle between friends?


Outside Pegasus' castle, storm clouds started to gather. The ocean became rocky and the wind blew hard.

Inside, the air was just as thick but for a different reason, as Croquet was about to announce.

"This final playoff match will not only determine who will win the tournament and the 3,000,000 dollar prize money, but who will win a match with Mr. Maxamillian Pegasus!"

I have to win that match with Pegasus, Yugi thought. It's the only way I can save my Grandfather.

I have to win that prize money for Serenity, Joey thought.

"Who would've thought that of all the competitors who started in this tournament, two best friends would end up in the final match?" Bakura asked.

"Any ideas on who will win?" Harold asked.

"Couldn't they just flip a coin to decide who battles Pegasus instead?" Tea asked.

"It's not as simple as that, Tea," Tristan pointed out. "It's just the way the rules work."

"But Yugi and Joey are like brothers, they shouldn't be fighting each other like this."

"Yugi and Joey both have the Soul of a Duelist," Bakura commented.

"What does that mean?" Harold asked.

"It means that although they're both friends, they both will do their best to win. Anything less would be an insult."

"I still don't like it," Tea pouted. "It's like someone's playing a sick joke on all of us."

Pegasus watched the two Duelists with a smile on his face.

"Joey, wait a second…"

"Listen, Yug," Joey said with a tone of warning. "I hope you're not getting any second thoughts about dueling me."

"I'm just not sure…"

"Didn't you hear Mai at all today? You can't be questioning yourself at every turn! We both promised to duel our hardest, and we will, not just to see who has the strength to stand up to Pegasus, but because it's the right thing to do. So suck it up and let's duel!"

Joey's right, I may not like doing this, but it has to be done in order to save my Grandfather!

"So let's do this!"

Yes, let's do this. The Millennium Puzzle started to glow as Yugi and the Spirit joined. "All right, Joey, it's time to duel!"

"Your gracious host will now make a few opening remarks," Croquet announced.

Harold barely held back rolling his eyes.

In an act that he has not done yet today, Pegasus stood. "Congratulations, Duelists, you're the finest in the world! For that reason, I look forward to a match that's sure to consist of your dueling best! After all, should you give me anything less; I will know about it and be very, very, insulted."

"Yugi, before we begin, I just wanted to say thanks," Joey said. Yugi looked up at him surprised. "Just look at me, I'm in the finals of the biggest Duel Monsters tournament that's ever been held, and it's all because of you, bud. You guided me here and watched out for me."

"You're wrong, Joey, you earned your place here."

"Thanks, pal, I just want you to know that no matter what happens, you're my friend and always will be. Someday, I hope to go up against you in a real duel, with none of this soul-stealing stuff on the line, just you and me dueling our best. However, if you think I'm going to go easy on you, think again, I'm going to duel my best and I expect you to also."

Yugi simply nodded.

I don't think Pegasus has anything to worry about in regards to these two dueling their best. With so much on the line, these two are sure to go all out, Bakura thought.

How amusing, the same best friends who would do anything for each other have now become arch rivals, Pegasus thought, pitted against each other in a contest that could sport only one winner. What a show this should make.

All right, Joey, you want my best, you'll get it.

Yugi, I won't insult you by giving anything less than my all. I'm going to come at you hard right from the start.

"Let the match begin!"

"Let's duel!"

(Y: 2000)
(J: 2000)

"I'll throw this in attack mode," Yugi began.

"Bring it," Joey dared.

"Go, Celtic Guardian!" Yugi's male elf appeared.

"You know, it was one thing when Yugi and Joey had duels back home for fun," Tea mused.

"But now, they each have a lot on the line," Harold said.

"I wish they could both win," Tristan said.

"Hopefully, when this is all over, there will be a way for both of them to get what they want," Bakura conversed.

Dream on, Pegasus thought as he eavesdropped on their conversation. In the end, there shall be only one winner: me. And I'll be the only one getting what I want, including what I want from you.

"All right, Yugi, you asked for it, I'm throwing Giltia the Knight (1) in attack mode! Giltia, attack with Soul Spear Assault!" The Celtic Guardian raised his sword but Giltia quickly knocked it out of his hands. He then sliced Celtic Guardian across the chest and the elf was destroyed.

(Y: 1550)
(J: 2000)

"I warned you, Yugi, I'm not going to pull any punches, especially in a duel as important as this!"

"I'll say," Harold agreed. "He's actually in the lead."

"Don't be surprised, Harold, Joey's may look like a dunce but he's crafty," Tristan commented.

"That's true, but Yugi's got more experience," Bakura explained. "He knows when to make the important plays and what to play to overtake his opponent. That kind of experience may give Yugi an edge over Joey, no matter who's in the lead with life points."

Joey left his knight completely unprotected, Yugi noted. Just one of those amateurish mistakes can cost him big time if he was dueling Pegasus. "Time out, Joey," Yugi called getting a shocked expression from Joey. "It's time for you to put everything that you've learned from me into play, remember, monster cards alone won't win a duel! You must combine your cards, and utilize new strategies if you're going to survive in a duel against the harshest of opponents! You can't afford to make any mistakes."

"Are you saying I made a mistake on my first move?"

"I'm saying that you must make every move count, you must make all your cards the most important ones. Because here, nobody lets a mistake go unpunished, like Pegasus… and me. Go, Gaia the Fierce Knight. Attack Giltia with Spiral Shaver!" Gaia stabbed Giltia and destroyed him.

(Y: 1550)
(J: 1550)

"You sure showed me there, bud," Joey said. "Good move. Now let's see what I can come up with." Joey searched through his hand and laid a monster in defense mode. "Armored Lizard (2), defense mode!"

I know Joey has better cards than that, I wonder what he's thinking?

Tristan was wondering the same thing. "What's he playing that throw-away monster for?"

"I don't know, maybe he hasn't learned as much as we thought."

Pegasus knew what Joey was doing and he thought it was very daring.

"Come on, Yug, it's your turn now," Joey said.

"And I'll play this: the Summoned Skull in attack mode!"

That's it, Joey mentally coaxed.

"Summoned Skull, attack Armored Lizard with Lightning Strike!" Armored Lizard was electrocuted. "Armored Lizard is vanquished!"

Joey's smile didn't waver.

"Look at Joey, he almost looks glad his creature was destroyed," Bakura commented.

"Must be denial," Tristan guessed.

"I don't think so," Bakura rebuked. "I think Joey placed that throw-away monster to lure Yugi into a false sense of security."

"You mean catch him off guard?" Harold asked.

"Precisely, Harold, Joey definitely knows that Yugi has monsters in his deck that can easily destroy his Armored Lizard. Joey was just trying to draw Yugi's monster out."

"So now that it's out, what does Joey plan on doing?" Harold asked.

"We'll just have to wait and see."

"Sorry, bud, I was hoping you were going to throw down that Summoned Skull card of yours, I needed him for my strategy to work, a strategy that has zero mistakes I might add. But you don't have to take my word for it, see for yourself. Get ready bud, because it's time to teach you a lesson!"

"Joey sure seems confident," Tea said.

"First, I summon Flame Swordsman in attack mode!"

"Flame Swordsman, why play him?"

"Joey must know that his Flame Swordsman won't stand a chance against Yugi's Summoned Skull."

"That's true," Harold agreed. "But I wonder…"

"I hate to do this to you, Yugi, but I'm playing the Shield and Sword magic card!"

"That's it!" Harold realized. "Joey knew the Summoned Skull's attack points were high, so he decided to switch it with the defense points!"

(FS: 1800-1600, 1600-1800)
(SS: 2500-1200, 1200-2500)

Now you're in for it, Yugi-boy.

"I bet you wish you didn't show me the ropes so well now, huh, Yugi. Flame Swordsman, attack Summoned Skull with Flaming Sword of Battle!" Flame Swordsman swung his sword and ignited the Summoned Skull.

"Wow," Harold gasped. "Not only did he lower Yugi's life points by 400, but he destroyed one of Yugi's best monsters too!"

(Y: 1150)
(J:1550)

"Nice going, Joey," Yugi congratulated.

"Thanks, bud, but that's nothing compared to what I have in store for you next."

"And I look forward to them, Joey, but remember, you're not the only one with powerful moves."

"Well, then, bring them on, pal!"

"Wow, they're really heating up down there," Tristan critiqued.

"Certainly are," Harold agreed.

"Yes and I have a feeling that things are about to get even hotter," Bakura predicted.

Tea was the only one apprehensive about it.

Pegasus, on the other hand, was enjoying it. How splendid, the passion, the drama, the ferocity, friends make such wonderful adversaries.

"Summoned Skull will now be avenged!"

"Well bring it on!"

"I will. Curse of Dragon, attack mode!"

"I think I know what's coming up next," Harold said.

Joey did too, and he wanted it to happen.

"Next, I'll use Polymerization to fuse my Curse of Dragon with Gaia, the Fierce Knight to form… Gaia, the Dragon Champion! Now, my Dragon Champion, attack Flame Swordsman now!" Gaia swung his lances and sliced Flame Swordsman right down the middle.

(Y: 1150)
(J: 750)

"This is what I was talking about earlier," Bakura said to the others. "Yugi's experience enables him to keep cool, even while he was watching his Summoned Skull getting trounced by Joey's Flame Swordsman, now Joey needs to do the same even with that Dragon Champion on the field."

"It's like… Yugi and Joey are pushing each other to their limits," Tea said.

"You might be right, Tea," Harold said. "If they're going all out on each other, then they'll be in prime condition for when one of them faces Pegasus. You see, guys, although they are fighting against one another, they are actually trying to help one another."

"But… I still don't like it," Tea said. "I mean… it's horrible to watch because no matter what the outcome is, a friend's going to win… and another friend's going to lose it all."

"I know," Bakura agreed and Tristan and Harold nodded.

Pegasus chuckled to himself. It seems like I'm the only one who enjoys seeing two friends go at it. I guess it's something of an acquired taste.

All right, deck, don't fail me now, Joey thought as he drew a card. It was the Copycat card. Looking through his hand, he also discovered Graverobber. I think I know a way to combine these two cards with the other cards in my hand in a way that might take down Yugi's Dragon Champion. Seems like now's a good time to bring it together. He looked up at Yugi and smiled.

Yugi wondered what that smile was about. Joey knows that Gaia the Dragon Champion is one of the toughest monsters I have, yet he doesn't seem to be worried. Why is that?

"Yugi, your Dragon Champion's done for," Joey announced much to the shock of everyone except Pegasus. "First I'm summoning the Red-Eyes Black Dragon in attack mode!" Yugi braced himself as Joey's new favorite dragon appeared. "And I'll add Graverobber to steal a card from your graveyard."

Yugi immediately knew what card Joey wanted, it was the only worthy card in his graveyard. "My Summoned Skull?" The Graverobber appeared holding the card.

"That's right," Joey said as Summoned Skull appeared next to his Red-Eyes Black Dragon. "And next, I think I'll throw down this little critter. Check out the Copycat card! Now I can copy any card you played on the field."

Yugi growled.

"And I know just what I want too: the mystical Polymerization card!"

"My fusion card?"

"Bingo, I may have not played it before, but I've seen you use it plenty of times."

The spectators in the balcony gasped.

"Red-Eyes Black Dragon and Summoned Skull, combine your selves into one!" The Red-Eyes Black Dragon's body fused onto the Summoned Skull.

"I know what that monster is," Harold gasped.

"Check it out, Yugi, the Black Skull Dragon!"

"That's the monster Yugi and Joey used to beat the Paradox Brothers," Harold recalled.

"Only now Joey's using it against Yugi," Bakura pointed out.

Pegasus clapped. "Superb, two fused Duel Monsters poised for battle, great!"

"All right, bud, I think you know what's coming next. Black Skull Dragon, attack Gaia the Dragon Champion with Molten Fireball!" The ball of fire blew up Curse of Dragon first, then Gaia.

(Y: 550)
(J: 750)

"I did it; I can't believe I did it! I took down one of the most powerful monsters in your deck!" Yugi just looked grim. Joey noticed it and wondered if he was celebrating too soon, then he realized, "I get it, you got your game face on, trying to keep me guessing, huh?"

"Not at all, I'm just letting you enjoy your victory. I admit that move did take me by surprise. And now, allow me to play mine."

"Ho boy, something tells me it's about to get gritty," Harold commented.

"Tell me about it," Tristan agreed.

"It really is anyone's game," Bakura added. "But look at Yugi, he's got that stare in his eyes. That stare has meant doom for many Duelists, but Joey seems almost unbeatable!"

Tea just stared down at the ring.

"I'm so looking forward to how this turns out," Pegasus said to himself.

"Get ready, Yugi, my Black Skull Dragon is about to end this match!"

"Wrong, Joey, this duel is just beginning!"

To Be Continued


Monster Glossary

(1)
Name: Giltia the Knight (version 2)
Level: 5
Type: Warrior
Attribute: Light
ATK: 1850
DEF: 1550

(2)
Name: Armored Lizard
Level: 4
Type: Reptile
Attribute: Earth
ATK: 1500
DEF: 1200