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Fanfic Chapter 45: Dungeon Dice Monsters Pt 1: Joey's Folly
Episode Basis: Dungeon Dice Monsters Pt 1

Previously on Yu-Gi-Oh! Yugi, Joey, and Mai set out on a resurrected flying machine to rescue Kaiba and Mokuba from the Castle of Dark Illusions. But as Witty Phantom brought Mokuba in with his brother, the boy blitzed the Duel Monster and freed Kaiba. After a serious beat down Kaiba-style, the brothers met up with the others. But the Kaiba Corp. Executives weren't ready to let them go just yet. They transported everyone to a digital domain and sick the Mythic Dragon on them. The battle was fierce and costly, as Joey, Mai, and Mokuba were deleted by the Mythic Dragon. Yugi and Kaiba combined their strongest monsters: the Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon and the Black Luster Soldier to form the Dragon Master Knight which drew power from the other dragons and obliterated the Mythic Dragon. Yugi and Kaiba returned to Sin-Lau in remorse because of their fallen friends. But in the ultimate RPG plot twist, Princess Edina turned out to be a Mystical Elf who chanted a spell to revive everyone who was destroyed in battle. Yugi and Joey returned to the real world just in time to help Tea, Tristan, and Harold fend off Kimo and his band of MIB rejects. Yugi has proven to be the master of Duel Monsters, but can he master other games as well?


"Thirty years," Solomon Moto grumbled as he swept the side walk in front of his Game Store. "I've worked hard for thirty years and then this happens. Is there no justice in the world?"

"Hey Grandpa," Yugi called coming out the door. "I'm off to school, see you…" Yugi noticed that his Grandpa seemed glum. "Grandpa, is something wrong? Did they cancel your favorite soap opera again?"

"This is about more than just some dag-blasted soap opera!" Solomon snapped.

"Uh… okay," Yugi said slowly and took two steps back.

"Morning, Yugi," a pair of voices called. Tea and Harold ran up to him.

"Morning, guys," Yugi greeted.

"Good morning, Mister Moto," Tea addressed

"Good for you maybe."

"What's bugging him?" Harold asked.

"Did they cancel his soap opera again?" Tea whispered to Yugi.

"No, I don't think it's that," Yugi whispered back. "What I do know is that he's been acting this way all week."

"But why?"

"Okay, I'll tell you," Solomon said sneaking up behind them and startling them. "I've endured many things in my life. I've been trapped in giant pyramids, had my soul stolen, stung by scorpions, chased by Tibetan wolves, I even had to put on a dress!"

"Huh?" Harold grunted.

"Trying to get a date," Yugi explained. "Long story."

"I've been through a whole lot," Solomon continued as if he didn't hear them. "But nothing I've been through can compare to this." He pointed to a large building in the distance. "A new game shop!"

"Whoa," Yugi and Harold said.

"They think they can run me out of business selling their trendy new trash, but they have no respect for the gaming traditions."

"Wow, a new game store, this I have to check out," Yugi said.

"You know, with my job at the arcade ending soon, I'm going to need to find a new place to work," Harold commented. "Maybe they're hiring."

"DON'T YOU TWO DARE!" Solomon shouted.

"You guys aren't taking one step in there," Tea snapped. "Come on, we're going to school."


"Yugi, if your Grandfather finds out we've been here, he's going to roast all of us!" Tea protested.

"Nothing wrong with checking out the competition," Yugi commented. "Besides, it's not like I'm going to buy anything. I'm just going to support Harold trying to apply for a job."

"And if your Grandpa believes that, then perhaps a good chunk of him is still back in the Shadow Realm," Tea griped under her breath.

"Excuse me, sir, would you like a flyer?" A pretty young saleswoman handed Yugi a piece of paper.

"What's this?" Yugi asked referring to the flyer. Harold noticed Tea giving Yugi and the saleswoman dirty looks.

"Dungeon Dice Monsters," the saleswoman explained. "The Black Crown is the only store in town that sells it."

"Wow, it sounds cool," Yugi commented and turned to the saleswoman. "So how do you play it?"

"We don't have time," Tea said angrily as she dragged Yugi away by the collar. "We're going to be late to school."

As the saleswoman continued to pass out flyers, Harold gaze kept flickering from her to Tea and Yugi. He scratched his cheek in a pondering fashion. "I wonder… could she…?"

"Harold!"

"Coming," Harold called.


Their departure did not go unnoticed. Someone was watching from the window. "There he goes," he said to his boss. "It's hard to believe a kid like him could beat Pegasus."

"Anyone can win by cheating," the boss said straightening his Domino High uniform.

"I don't see why you can't just send two guys down to get him and…"

"I will not stoop to his level!"

"Okay, okay, sorry."

"The trap is set. Soon, I will expose Yugi for the fraud he really is."

"And then the money will start rolling in. Dungeon Dice Monsters will become a world sensation and we'll be rich… well I'll be rich, you'll be richer."

That money-grubbing fool has no idea, the boss thought. I don't care about riches or hype, I'm only after one thing: the complete downfall and total humiliation of Yugi Moto!


"I'd never thought I'd see the day," Joey said when Yugi, Tea, and Harold told him and Tristan about the Black Crown. "A brand-spanking new game shop."

"Yeah, it really has my Grandpa worried," Yugi commented.

"And with good reason," Harold threw in. "The games they sell there are the latest and greatest."

"They were really hyping some new game," Tea commented. "Dice dungeon or something like that."

"No way," Joey said excitedly. "They have Dungeon Dice Monsters?"

"How do you know about that?" Tristan asked.

"Duh, it's a little thing called the newspaper. Why don't you try reading it sometimes?"

"Wait, you read the newspaper?"

"I read them when I'm out delivering them!"

"Why are you doing that?"

"Listen, Tea, I don't have one of those big fancy allowances like you, I need a little extra money, especially considering that I need to save every penny of that prize money Yugi won for me at Duelist Kingdom for my sister's operation."

"How is your sister anyway?" Tristan segued.

"Great! The doctor just arrived and after he studies her charts and medical history, he'll be able to perform the operation!"

"So the money's enough?" Harold asked.

"Yeah, it's more than enough!"

Suddenly they heard squealing coming from the next room. "Are we dissecting pigs in biology class again?" Harold asked. Yugi and the gang went to check it out.

They saw a lot of girls gathered around a guy sitting at a desk. The guy had dark hair pulled back in a pony tail and topped off with a head band. The girls watched with awe as the guy smoothly gathered up six small dice in a cup, shook it, and slammed it on the top of his desk. "Keep your eyes on me, ladies," he said suavely. He lifted the cup to reveal all the dice stacked neatly on top of one another.

Tristan called to two boys who were talking to one another. "Any of you kids know who that dice man is?"

"Yeah, he's Duke Devlin; he's the owner of the Black Crown game store."

"The one that just opened?" Harold checked.

"Yup, that's the one."

"Man, that guy has it all," Tristan commented.

"If there's one thing I can't stomach, it's a guy who would do anything to get a girl's attention," Joey said angrily.

"Present company excluded, of course," Harold said leaning on Tristan's shoulder.

"And just what's that suppose to mean?" Tristan asked.

"Oh come on, Tristan, we know all about you and the puzzle."

"Hey, the teacher never found out it was me."

"You were just lucky that Yugi was there to bail you out."

"I would've gotten out of that."

"Oh please."

Joey was ignoring Tristan and Harold's argument. "I don't need to show off to anyone," he declared. "You guys saw me at Duelist Kingdom; you know I got the skills, a true champion doesn't show off for nobody."

"I don't think even Yugi believed that," Tea said.

"Excuse me." It was Duke Devlin. He walked up to them and as thus, the girls' all turned towards them. Apparently, they've heard everything they said since they entered the room. "I couldn't help but overhearing that you dabbled in Duel Monsters."

"Dabbled nothing, I was the runner-up at Duelist Kingdom! I beat the Intercontinental Champion and the runner-up at the National Championships." As Joey read off his Duelist Kingdom credentials, Duke just stood there clearly not interested. As Joey offered to sign a card, Duke leaned down to Yugi. "So are you really Yugi Moto, the champion of Duelist Kingdom?"

"Uh… yeah."

"I've heard a lot about you and the way you play games. It's almost abnormal."

"Well, I can be a different person when I duel sometimes."

"Uh… I was the runner up, Joey Wheeler, remember?" Joey reminded.

"Well, then, if you're such a good game player, you won't mind playing one of my games."

"What do you mean?" Joey asked.

Duke held out a die and cup. "Let me show you what kind of skills I have." He placed the die in the cup and the cup face-down on a desk. "I can move the die into my right hand without moving the cup."

"What, that's impossible!" Joey protested. "There's no way you can do that, not unless you have some sort of telekinesis!"

"You sure about that? How do you know that the die isn't already gone? Just check if you're not sure."

"Wise guy," Joey muttered as he reached for the cup.

"Joey, wait, it's a trap!" Yugi called out as a warning.

Joey lifted the cup. "Huh, it's still there!"

Duke just picked up the die in his right hand. "See, I didn't even move the cup."

"Man, that's gotta be the oldest con scam in the book," Harold said.

"You're nothing but a stinking con artist!" Joey jabbed. "If you were a real man, you'd play a real game. I challenge you to a game of Duel Monsters!"

"As you wish," Duke said. "But since this is your area of expertise, I do have one tiny condition."

"A condition?" Yugi asked.

"My spider sense in tingling," Harold cracked. "I'm sensing danger."

"You see, I don't really have a deck of my own." The girls were grief-stricken.

"Not my problem, you're the one with the new game shop."

"My condition is this: we each open up new Duel Monster packs and create whole new decks. That should be fair even by your high standards."

"What's fair about that?" Yugi asked. "If you don't use your own cards; then the game's just pure luck."

"Even experts like Yugi would have trouble with games without knowing what the pieces are," Harold commented.

Precisely what I'm counting on, Duke thought.

"Have a little faith, guys," Joey said. "Luck just happens to be my specialty." Yugi and the others burst into protest but Joey ignored all of them. "I accept."

"Fine, but why not make this more interesting."

Joey got on his guard. "Interesting, how?"

"By upping the ante, if I win, you have to be my obedient servant for an entire month!"

"You got it," Joey agreed.

"Joey, wait," Harold said. "Something about this doesn't seem right."

"Wait nothing, I know what I'm doing."

"Very well then," Duke said. "We'll hold the match today after school at my Game Shop." Duke then turned to the others. "Of course you're all invited; I wouldn't want you to miss your friends' finest hour."

Why do I think that this isn't going to go well, Yugi thought.


After school, the gang changed into street clothes. Yugi's gray vest was open and his gold Millennium Puzzle contrasted with his black long-sleeve shirt. Joey's blue jacket was two sizes too small for his white T-shirt. Tristan also had on black and gray though his was a black dress coat over a gray shirt. Tea had on a white jacket over a purple turtleneck and pink skirt. Harold had on a red track jacket and blue jeans.

"Let me just state for the record that I think this is a bad idea," Harold said.

"I second it," Tea agreed.

Joey dismissed them with a wave of his hand. "You guys worry too much, I'm going to show that Devlin creep a thing or three."

The inside of the Black Crown was magnificent. All kinds of video games and high-tech toys were shelved. "With this pad, there's really no need for your Game Shop, Yugi," Harold commented.

Tea elbowed him. "Harold, if you can't say anything assuring, don't say anything at all."

They were met by a preppy man in pink polo shirt and khakis. "Ah, you must be Master Devlin's guests, he's been expecting you. Please, walk this way." He showed them to an elevator. Duke was inside, having changed into a red sleeveless jacket under a black sleeveless shirt. "Ah, good, you made it." He showed them a box of Duel Monster packs. "We'll each create our own decks from these."

"Come to papa," Joey said. Okay, which of these packs are the best? Gotta feel the energy. He opened one of the packs. Paydirt!

"Did you get some good cards, Joey?" Yugi asked noticing his friend's ecstatic grin.

"Don't worry about it, this duel's in the bag."

We shall see, Duke thought.

The elevator stopped and they came out onto a dueling arena like the one at Kaiba Land.

"Isn't this one of Kaiba's duel arenas?" Harold asked.

"I'm just renting it. It's nothing special, but it's got everything we need."

Apparently, everything included three cheerleaders, one who actually looked cute, one that looked ditzy, and one that looked just plain ugly.

Everything also included television cameras.

"TV cameras?"

"I have a theory that the bigger the audience, the better the performance, that's why I'm going to broadcast this match to the entire world. I know my fans would just enjoy watching me beat the second-biggest Duelist in the world. I just hope that you're second-best and not second-rate."

"You're going to need a second life when I'm done with you!"

The cheerleaders started to cry.

"Don't worry," Duke assured them. "I never disappointed my fans." The cheerleaders started to chant Duke's name again.

"Those three make me sick," Tea said. Tristan and Harold nodded.

Something about this doesn't feel right, Yugi thought. He could feel Yami's presence inside the Millennium Puzzle. The spirit agreed.

"Let's get this match started," Joey said and ran to one of the platforms. Duke did the same, but much more calmly. "All right, tough guy, let the duel begin."

"Let's duel!" They both announced.

(D: 2000)
(J: 2000)

Duke started, "for my opening move, I summon Oni Tank T-34 (1) in attack mode!" A tank with a demon's face appeared. "That ends my turn. So, let's see some of that world-class skill."

"Hold on to your head band," Joey said as he drew a card. It was Sword Hunter (2), a high-powered effect monster. "I summon Sword Hunter in attack mode! Slice and dice that tank!" The tank exploded as the Sword Hunter sliced it.

(D: 950)
(J: 2000)

"But that's not all, now your tank becomes part of his armor raising his attack points by a whopping 200!"

(SH: 2450-2650)

The cheerleaders started to cry again.

"Maybe I was wrong," Harold said.

"Yeah, Joey might stand a chance," Tristan agreed.

"I have you right where I want you," Duke said.

Joey laughed, "You crack me up."

Duke drew a trap card. This could come in handy later. "I play Dark Bat (3) in defense mode and I lay another card face-down as well.

"If that's the best you got, say bye-bye to your reputation. I summon Mad Sword Beast (4) in attack mode! Attack!" The dinosaur with a big turtle shell and blades smashed through the Dark Bat.

"No harm done, as long as the bat is in defense mode."

"That's where you're wrong, pony tail; Mad Sword Beast reduces your life points even if the monster was in defense mode!"

(D: 550)
(J: 2000)

"Perhaps I underestimated you, but my Dark Bat won't be going to the graveyard alone, thanks to this…" Duke activated his trap card. "Michizure allows me to destroy one of your monsters when one of my monsters is also destroyed!" Sword Hunter is destroyed.

Harold noticed Yugi's concerned look. "You're thinking what I'm thinking?"

"That Duke knows more than he's letting on? Yeah, definitely."

"Now that your Sword Hunter's gone to an early grave," Duke said. "I think it's a good time to go on the attack. I summon Spikebot (5) in attack mode! Spike Attack!" Mad Sword Beast dissolved into nothing.

Tristan and Tea shouted words of encouragement (that really didn't sound encouraging since it was only a reminder of Joey's current predicament).

"Come on, lady luck," Joey urged as he drew a card. "Oh yeah! I summon Goblin Attack Force (6)! Attack Spikebot!" Six goblins ganged up on Spikebot.

(D: 50)
(J: 2000)

Joey then noticed that his goblins fell asleep. "Shoot, I forgot that after they attack they go into defensive mode. Oh well, no biggie, next turn, he's done for!"

"Yeah, Joey's going to win!" Tea cheered.

"He's in the zone," Tristan added.

Yugi, on the other hand, wasn't so sure. How can Duke Devlin be so calm? Either he has ice for blood or he still has one last move to make.

"Time to summon one of the mightiest cards in my deck! I call on Gradius (7)!" A high-tech fighter jet appeared.

"That ain't going to help you!"

"I also play a magic card called Limiter Removal which doubles its attack power!"

(G: 1200-2400)

Joey still wasn't worried. "Good thing all my monsters are in defense mode!"

"I also use another magic card: Fairy Meteor Crush!"

"What the…"

"Don't tell me the second-greatest Duelist in the world doesn't know about Fairy Meteor Crush. Well, let me explain: it's kind of like a magic version of your Mad Sword Beast card."

"Ah, Mad Sword Beast, I get it… oh no!"

"Oh yes, with Fairy Meteor Crush, I can blow away your life points even with your monster in defense mode! Gradius, annihilate!" Gradius fired its lasers and destroyed all of the goblins.

(D: 50)
(J: 0)

"It's a pity this match was so short, I was hoping for more of a challenge but I guess it wasn't meant to be."

"Its okay, Joey," Yugi reassured him.

Duke snapped his fingers and one of the cheerleaders handed Joey a dog suit. "You're a man of your word, Joey-boy, I look forward to having you my obedient servant for a month. The first thing you need to do is put on that dog outfit."

What happened to me? At Duelist Kingdom, I never made a mistake like this, but now…

"Devlin, just because you won the duel doesn't mean you can put Joey down like this!" Yugi protested.

"Yugi, a promise is a promise, and if there's one thing your Grandpa taught me, it's to always honor a promise, even if it's to a slime ball like Devlin."

Duke flicked a die right in Joey's face. "Shut your trap, you mongrel! You will not speak until your master commands you to!"

"Come on, Joey, let's get out of here," Tristan said.

"No, I gave my word." Duke fired two more dice at Joey. "Ouch!"

"You're a dog, now, Joey, you don't say ouch, you say woof woof. Now put it on." Joey grudgingly put the suit on. "The suit fits you perfectly, Joey." Joey got down on all fours and started barking.

"This isn't fair!" Harold protested. "Humiliation wasn't part of the deal!"

"On the contrary, he must do whatever I say, and I say bark like a dog."

Tea turned away.

Harold faced down Devlin. "Look, you poor man's Kaiba!" Devlin scowled because apparently he didn't like being compared to Kaiba. "I don't care what deal you two made, I won't stand by and let you treat my friend like some animal!"

"Joey isn't your friend any more, he's my dog! The only allegiance he has is to me."

"Wrong, he'll always be our friend, and nothing you say or do can change that!"

"I beg to differ!" Devlin launched another die in Joey's direction but Harold intercepted it by literally taking it on the forehead.

"Harold!" Joey gasped.

"Don't worry about it," Harold said.

"So you want more, do you? Fine, I'll humiliate the both of you!" He launched a barrage of dice at them. Harold took them all in the head.

I'd rather risk pain and humiliation than stand by and watch a friend suffer, Harold thought as he continued to be pelted hard with dice. "Is that the best you got, Devlin? I've seen girls who throw better than you!"

"Why you…" Duke launched one of his "special die", special in that it had a small spike on one end.

I have to put a stop to this! Yugi thought. "Yami!" He summoned his Millennium Puzzle and transformed into Yami-Yugi. He caught the spiked die just before it hit Harold's eye. Throwing it away, he said, "Duke Devlin, I won't allow you to humiliate my friends any more! I challenge you to a duel! And WHEN I win, you will release Joey from his promise!"

"Excellent," Duke said. "But we will play a game of my choosing. We will battle to the end in a game called Dungeon Dice Monsters! And WHEN you lose, you will turn over the title of King of Games to me and swear on your Grandfather's life never to play Duel Monsters again!"

"Yugi, no!" Tea cried.

"Don't do it!" Harold added.

"Please, Yugi, don't do it!" Joey threw in.

"Silence, mutt!" Duke cried tossing another die. This time, it missed Harold and continued towards Joey.

Yami-Yugi caught it and crushed it beneath his foot. My friends are worth everything to me, more so than being the King of Games! No matter what happens, I'll stick by them no matter what!

Finally, Yugi, you fell into my trap and now you shall pay for your cheating ways with your pride!

To Be Continued


Duel Monster Database

(1)
Name: Oni Tank T-34
Level: 4
Type: Machine
Attribute: Dark
ATK: 1400
DEF: 1700

(2)
Name: Sword Hunter
Level: 7
Type: Warrior/Effect
Attribute: Earth
ATK: 2450
DEF: 1700

(3)
Name: Dark Bat
Level: 3
Type: Winged Beast
Attribute: Wind
ATK: 1000
DEF: 1000

(4)
Name: Mad Sword Beast
Level: 4
Type: Dinosaur/Effect
Attribute: Earth
ATK: 1400
DEF: 1200

(5)
Name: Gradius
Level: 4
Type: Machine
Attribute: Light
ATK: 1200
DEF: 800