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Fanfic Chapter 33: A Duel Among Friends Pt 2: Bittersweet Victory
Episode Basis: Best of Friends, Best of Duelists Pt 2
Previously on Yu-Gi-Oh! With Mai's forfeit to Yugi, and Bandit Keith's disqualification by Pegasus, that meant only Yugi and Joey were left to duel. Each of them unloaded with strategy after strategy yet at the same time they were also giving each other encouragement and advice. With Joey controlling the fearsome Black Skull Dragon and Yugi's Dragon Champion destroyed, can Yugi turn this duel around? Or is Joey correct in saying that his Black Skull Dragon is going to end the duel now? Only time will tell.
Outside, a storm raged, thunder crashed, lightning danced, and wind howled, almost tearing tree branches off.
All this was not known to those inside the castle, where a storm of a different sort was brewing. Joey had just defeated Yugi's fusion monster.
"What a lovely day it is for a duel," Pegasus said as he observed Yugi and Joey. "Especially when the duel is between two old friends, one using primarily strength while the other uses strategy. But now that they're both using strategy, the winner could be anyone. But it really doesn't matter to me who wins in this duel, because in the end, I will be the only one victorious."
"I don't think I ever seen such an exciting duel," Bakura said.
"Tell me about it," Harold agreed. "Joey has defeated one of Yugi's most powerful monsters, plus he has more life points than Yugi. But its Yugi's turn now and as we all have seen many times, Yugi can turn this duel around in one turn."
Yugi drew a card. Joey said, "Just throw it down, at this point, nothing will surprise me. I know your cards by heart."
"True, you also know that it's my favorite and my most powerful monster: Dark Magician, I summon you in attack mode!"
"Figures, you always count on the Dark Magician to bail you out. But not this time, not even he's powerful enough to attack my Black Skull Dragon."
"Are you sure?"
"In a duel, the monster with the lowest attack strength loses, that's one of the first lessons you ever taught me about Duel Monsters."
"Obviously you weren't paying attention to my duel with Kaiba, because otherwise you would know that even the weakest monsters can stand up to the strongest, especially when aided by magic."
"Magic," Joey gasped. "Does that mean what I think it means?"
"It sure does. I play Magical Hats to conceal my Dark Magician!" The Dark Magician disappeared and four top hats with question marks appeared.
"I usually like this trick," Joey grumbled.
"That should sure slow Joey down," Tristan commented.
My hats off to you, Yugi-boy, Pegasus joked.
"Maybe, but maybe not," Harold said. The others looked at him confused. "Joey's biggest strength is his luck. He can win even at the longest shots. If that luck comes through for him this time, Yugi's Dark Magician is done for."
"Come on, Joey, just pick a hat," Yugi coaxed.
"All right, I'm just going to have to take them down one at a time. Black Skull, Dragon, attack with Molten Fireball!" The Black Skull Dragon attacked the first hat on Joey's left, which turned out to be empty.
"Looks like you guessed wrong," Yugi said.
"Can Yugi keep this up?" Harold wondered.
"Oh yeah," Tristan said. "Whenever a Duelist gives Yugi time to recover, he comes back stronger than ever."
"Yes, but if Joey loses, how can he save his sister?"
"If Joey wins, how can Yugi save his Grandfather?" Harold asked back. "No matter who wins, someone will lose everything!"
"Well, Joey, any other play you would like to do?"
"Now that you mention it, there is one more move I would like to. I hope I'm doing the right thing by playing this, I mean it could be a mistake, but I play Garoozis in attack mode!" Joey's reptilian monster was dwarfed by his Black Skull Dragon.
"Why play that card?" Yugi asked.
"Oh yeah, what could I have been thinking?" Joey asked. "Your Dark Magician can easily vanquish Garoozis. Oh well, too late to do anything about it now, guess you might as well attack and teach me a lesson about making mistakes. Come on, Yugi, I'm giving you a free shot."
"Did Joey really do that as a mistake?" Harold asked.
"I don't… think so," Bakura said. "He's most likely trying to draw out the Dark Magician."
"But if the Dark magician attacks Garoozis, Joey would be down to 50 life points," Tea said.
"Yes, but it would also draw out the Dark Magician."
"I see, and once Yugi destroys Garoozis, Joey would counter with the dragon and take all of Yugi's life points."
"Well, Yugi, what are you waiting for, I made a mistake so you might as well exploit it.
That bluff may have worked on somebody else, but not somebody who's known him as long as I have. "Sorry, Joey, but I'm not going to fall for that one." Yugi laid a card face-down. "Instead, I'll put this card inside one of the hats and end my turn."
Aww, nuts, he was too smart for me.
"Time to pick another hat, Joey."
Now there's something else under one of those hats. And knowing him, it might be a trap... wait a second, Yugi knows me, and he would know that I would know that he was laying a trap. So maybe it's not a trap at all, maybe it's a monster card… what if he knows that I would think that too and it really is a trap card… except if he knows that I know that he knows what I know… aww, screw it, I'll just attack and hope for the best. "Black Skull Dragon, attack!" The dragon destroyed the hat in the middle, which was revealed to be… empty.
"Crud, I missed again," Joey complained.
That's the way life goes, Joey, Pegasus mused. Never as you planned, the world's a very arbitrary place, isn't it? It's a place where you can be locked in battle with your dearest friend for stakes neither can afford to lose. Oh I know you'd like to believe that your friendship could survive through any mishap or misfortune, but that's not the way the world works. No, the world is a place where fate can intervene unexpectedly with consequences that can turn your whole life upside down. Just when you think you've etched the perfect portrait of your future, just when you think your life couldn't get any better, just when you've let down your guard and opened your heart, when against all odds you found that special someone in all the world that fills your heart with joy, the person you know you're destined to spend the rest of your life with, that's when tragedy strikes! When fate hits you with the cold slap of reality, and shows you whose boss. Yes, the world's taught me that only the strong and the ruthless survive! In memory of all that I have lost, I fight on with all I possess! And I intend to win!
"I'll draw this one card and end my turn," Yugi announced. "You're up, Joey, you have only a 50 percent chance of hitting the Dark Magician, and just as much of a chance of hitting the surprise I laid for you. So, come at me if you dare!"
"I'm not going to miss this time, Yugi," Joey said. "I'm going to blast your Dark Magician! Black Skull Dragon, attack the hat on the far left with Molten Fireball!" Once again, the field was covered in smoke and Joey thought he had done it.
He thought wrong.
A blue hexagram circle appeared and ensnared the Black Skull Dragon.
"You activated my trap: Spellbinding Circle!"
"I don't believe it, Yugi just made Joey's Black Skull Dragon easier to defeat by draining its attack points!" Harold said.
(BSD: 3200-2500)
"I can't risk losing. Garoozis, go into defense mode!"
"Now it's you who's on the defensive, and it's a nice change of pace too."
"So now Yugi can attack and destroy Joey's dragon, right?" Tea asked.
"Yes, but what good is it?" Bakura asked back. "Their attack points are the same, both monsters would be destroyed!"
"So it's a stalemate," Tristan guessed.
"Correct, Tristan, someone's going to have to tip the odds in his favor."
Yugi's the toughest opponent I have ever faced, Joey reflected. But I'll beat him!
Joey's learned a lot in the past few days, Yugi reflected. He plays like a pro, but in a duel against Pegasus, it's going to take more than an expert Duelist. It's going to take someone who can stand up to Pegasus' Millennium Item. "Joey, you dueled well but the tide of this battle is about to turn."
Pegasus scanned Yugi's mind with his Millennium Eye. Very impressive, despite the bond that these two share; my Millennium Eye is telling me that they are indeed dueling each other with everything they got.
With my Grandpa's soul at stake, I have no choice, I have to win this! "All right, Joey, prepare yourself, I'm going to obliterate your dragon!"
Joey looked panic-stricken for a moment but he quickly composed himself. "Bring it on!"
Yugi drew a card and, much to Joey's chagrin, he smirked. "This is it, Joey, the card I drew will vanquish your Black Skull Dragon once and for all!" He turned the card around to face Joey. "The Book of Secret Arts!"
Joey gasped.
"And with its ancient magic, my Dark Magician becomes 300 points stronger!" The Dark Magician leaped out of the remaining hat.
(DM: 2500-2800)
"Go, Dark Magician, attack the Black Skull Dragon!" The Dark Magician fired a tremendous blast of dark energy that engulfed the Black Skull Dragon. "Joey, Black Skull is beaten!"
(Y: 550)
(J: 450)
Pegasus clapped, "Excellent work, Yugi-boy, you taken out his best monster."
Man, I was counting on that Black Skull Dragon to finish this duel. Now not only is he gone, but I have to deal with a supped up Dark Magician!
Joey's kept me down all match long, but now I finally have the advantage. Not only is my Dark Magician 300 points stronger than normal, but he's ready to show off a few hidden powers too.
"Poor Joey, he really got slammed there," Tristan said solemnly. "You think this duel's over for him?"
"Well, it depends on what he does next," Bakura analyzed. "Losing that Black Skull Dragon was a heavy loss, but not a critical one. If Joey can just pull himself together, he can still win this duel."
"But how can he?" Tea asked. "I mean that Red-Eyes Black Dragon was the strongest card he has and Yugi obliterated it."
"There is one combination that can help Joey turn the tides," Harold said firmly. "But it's a long shot. And that's not counting if Yugi gets to him first. Don't forget, Joey did win a duel without using Red-Eyes Black Dragon."
Joey was discouraged; he knew that he couldn't win now. But then he recalled Serenity's message. And how him failing to get the prize money would most certainly spell the end of her. What am I thinking! I can't give up! My sister's counting on me. No matter how bad things seem, I have to keep fighting, for her! Joey reached for his deck. Heart of the Cards, don't fail me now! He drew a card and it turned out to be the Baby Dragon. "All right, Yugi, time to kiss the baby!" He placed the card down. "Baby Dragon, attack mode! And I'm laying this down too… face down that is." The square behind Baby Dragon lit up.
That card that Joey placed face-down must be the Time Wizard; he always plays those two together. I have to do something to stop him before he activates its magic and evolves his dragon to an adult stage. "Sorry, Joey, but my Dark Magician will destroy your Baby Dragon! Attack with Dark Magic!"
"Sorry, Yug, but you just walked into a trap."
"What?"
"Go ahead and let him have it, Garoozis. Kunai with Chain!" Garoozis threw the chain which wrapped around the Dark Magician.
Yugi mentally kicked himself. Joey knew I would be expecting the Time Wizard, so he laid a trap card instead.
Shame on you, Yugi-boy, using your knowledge of Joey's deck to predict what card he would play, and to no avail too. At least when I prophesize cards, I'm always right.
"Well, Yug, I'd say that move brings us to the home stretch," Joey commented. "Wouldn't you?"
"I would, and now, Joey, let's finish this duel and see which one of us will get to face Pegasus!" For a brief moment, the two stared at each other.
"Hey Yug?"
"Yeah, Joey?"
"Just want you to know that it's been a real honor dueling you. Someday, when we're not fighting with the lives of our loved-ones on the line, I'd like to have a real duel with you, to see how much I've improved."
"I hope for that day to come as well."
"Just to let you know, I have no regrets, no matter the outcome."
"Thank you, Joey; you don't know how much that means to me."
"How cool," Tea commented. "Even now, in the midst of battle, they're friends first."
"That's the soul of the Duelist, Tea," Bakura said. "Even though they're adversaries now, they're still bonded through their love for the game and the respect they have towards each other."
"It's too bad not all Duelists share the spirit these two do," Harold said sadly.
"I know neither of us want to lose this match, but if I do, I'm glad it was to you. Now, let's finish this duel!"
Yugi simply nodded.
"And maybe this draw will do just that." Joey drew a card. "Unreal!" He cried. "I just drew the one card in my whole deck that really can finish this duel and decide on a winner."
"You mean you pulled…"
"That's right, the Time Wizard!"
"I knew it," Harold called.
"Kind of strange that this is all coming down to a card that you gave me on the boat ride here. You were right, ya' know, this card really did pull my keester out of the fire and now with my Baby Dragon on the field, your Dark Magician tied up, and both of us a mere handful of life points away from being defeated, I'm going to give it one last spin and hope that it saves me again. So cross your fingers and hope that the arrow lands on a skull. Get set to adjust your clocks, people, because time is about to take a big leap forward! Go, Time Wizard, spin Time Roulette!" The arrow spun slowly around and everyone held his or her breath. Even Pegasus found that he couldn't predict chance moves like Time Roulette.
The arrow slowed and eventually stopped on a time machine symbol.
"Jackpot! Go, Time Warp!" Joey's dragon aged a thousand years into a Thousand Dragon. As for the Dark Magician, he was but a shadow of his former self, with losing all but 100 attack points.
(DM: 2500-100)
The Dark Magician groaned. His midnight-blue hair was now silver and he sported a scraggly beard.
Joey couldn't believe it, he was going to beat Yugi, he was going to win the prize money for his sister's operation, and he was going to do it all! Joey wiped sweat away from his eyes and took a few deep calming breaths. "Attack, Thousand Dragon, with Thousand Flame Breath!"
"I counter with Makiu, the Magical Mist!" Joey's attack fizzled to nothing.
"Huh, my attack's getting smothered!"
Even Pegasus gawked at the action.
"How did you play Makiu when it was still my turn?" Joey demanded to know.
"With magic, a magic so powerful, that it took my Dark Magician a thousand years to learn it."
"Say what?"
"That time warp did age my Dark Magician, but it made him stronger, not weaker." The Dark Magician started to glow. "And with age comes great wisdom, a thousand years of wisdom that have transformed him into… the Dark Sage (1)!" The Dark Sage was elderly, but not the feebleness that the Dark Magician originally displayed. He carried a wooden staff that was adorned with jade crystals. "An ultimate magician, whose new powers let me play a magic card during every one of your turns and every one of mine, and the magic card I chose to counter your attack: Makiu, the Magical Mist! With its sacred waters, it doused your dragon's flame before it could reach my Sage!" Everyone was speechless by this development. "Now I invoke its powers for my own turn and draw a magic card." Yugi looked at the card and looked at Joey. With tears in his eyes, he said, "You fought a valiant duel, my friend, and this is the hardest move I ever had to make, but this ends now!"
Joey screamed.
"I play Monster Reborn to bring back the Black Skull Dragon from the graveyard!"
"So it's over," Joey muttered, a few tears escaping his eyes and falling to the table. He looked up at his opponent/friend and smiled. "Go for it, Yugi!"
Yugi nodded, "Black Skull Dragon, attack, Molten Fireball!" The attack destroyed Thousand Dragon and Garoozis.
(Y: 550)
(J: 0)
"That was really tough to watch," Tristan complained.
"Yeah, just think how hard it must be for those two," Bakura pointed out.
"Tell me about it," Harold agreed. "My heart's in my throat and I wasn't even the one dueling. I… huh?" Harold noticed that tears were dripping down Tea's face. "Tea, are you crying?"
"I… it's just… I finally understand," Tea said between sobs. "But… even through all this… even though they dueled their hearts out… they're still friends… I'm so proud of them." Harold put a comforting hand on Tea's shoulder.
It was a good duel, Pegasus thought as he got up to leave. But you should save your tears for your boyfriend, for once I finish him off in the dueling ring, you'll never see Little-Yugi ever again!
The sky had cleared up by this time. It was as if the duel between Yugi and Joey was a reflection of the war going on between man and nature. Yugi, Joey, and their friends convened in the anteroom.
"Well, Yugi, even though I lost, I'm glad it was to you. Here." Joey handed Yugi the Glory of the King's Hand card. "This was originally yours so you should have it."
"No, Joey, you should keep it," Yugi rebutted. "You need that prize money more than me."
"But…"
"I'm not in this tournament to get rich, Joey; I'm in it so I can free the souls of my Grandpa and the Kaiba Brothers. Use the money for your sister's prize money."
Joey broke down, "when I lost, I thought I lost the only hope I had for saving my sister, but now… you gave me… no, you restored that hope."
"That's our Yugi, even when the chips are down, he still manages to think of others," Harold complimented.
"Yugi, could you… do one more thing for me?"
"What's that?"
"Take down Pegasus, and stop him once and for all!"
"I intend to, Joey, I intend to."
The End
Monster Glossary
(1)
Name: Dark Sage
Level: 9
Type: Spellcaster/Effect
Attribute: Dark
ATK: 2800
DEF: 3200
