A/N: So, on Tuesday I went back to school following my Christmas holiday, where for the last week I was in Cape Verde and next week I have a psychology mock exam on Monday and a sociology mock on Friday. I will be revising in the meantime; however, I'm also going to have enough time to upload on my Fanfiction account as I'm only taking two written A-Level exams out of my four original options. My only exam that doesn't involve an exam paper is Graphics and since I dropped Business Studies during the last week of term, I have more time to upload and share stories with all my lovely readers. I'm sorry it's not really an update, but I've said this so that you guys now know that I will be uploading more regularly (up to 4 or 5 times a week.) As I've said previously, I'm sorry for any typos or grammar mistakes. Please enjoy the new chapter and if you'd like to, then you can leave a review for me to read and add anything you think may help with the story or how it's being written. I also wanted to point out that I'm going to miss out some of the filler episodes as they don't really move the plot along that much.

Thank you, LyraKoto :)

Chapter 4- Time Wizard

Pegasus POV.

I sat alone at the head of a banquet table. "Hmhmhmhmhmhmhm. All over the island, my unwitting pawns are in place. The duels have begun—" I laughed, snapping open the pocket watch in my hand which until now had been closed. "... And by now, the slow process of elimination is well underway. Only the strongest Duel Monsters players will survive, and those of insufficient skill will fall by the wayside." I continued.

Lucy POV.

Joey punched his hand, being as optimistic as ever. "Okay, bring 'em on! I'm itchin' to duel and I'm takin' on the next player we see!" He ran over to the edge of the cliff, as his friends dubiously watch.

"Y'know, I'm not so sure Joey's up to this." I admitted.

"Yeah, there are tournament-level players here. But don't you think he's smart enough to realize..." James replied.

Joey had jogged out to a grassy rise near the edge of the cliff; where he turned and waved at us, grandstanding. "Here I stand, the next Duel Monsters champion!"

All three of us nearly groaned aloud. "He needs a reality check." Téa facepalmed.

"Guess he's about as smart as he looks." Tristan laughed.

Out at the edge of the cliff, Joey looked back out at the sea. He got goofy with his us, but he had a lot at stake here. An ocean breeze stirred his blonde hair. "I better be the champion... For Serenity's sake. She's always counted on me, even when we were kids..." He muttered.

Joey POV.

In that moment I thought back to the day I got off a bus with my sister which then continued on its way. The memory as clear, I was wearing a light green shirt with blue jeans and sneakers; and Serenity was in a cute pink dress, with neat white socks, and red shoes as we held hands.

"Where are we, Joey? Where have you taken me today, big brother?" My younger sister asked me.

"To the beach. That's what you said you wanted."

Little Serenity lit up, and giggled as we turned and began walking up the road.

"Hey, Joey?" She grabbed my attention.

"Yeah?" I had asked as we started running, we were so happy to be there together.

"You're the world's best brother!" She giggled.

"Heheheheh." I laughed.

A few minutes later we had made our way down the steps to go down on the beach, with beautiful, sparkling waves lap at shells on the sand. In the distance a picturesque white lighthouse stood, with seagulls flapping around it. "Oh, Joey! It looks so-o-o pretty!" My little sister smiled.

"And so cold!" I laughingly cringed as I sat on the sand to dip my toes in the water.

"Hm?" She looks over at me as the next wave swamped me, and I scampered away, clowning around. Serenity watched, giggling as I laid on the sand, with a shoe in each hand, happily drying off. Later on, as the sun set in a beautiful vista of pink, purple, and orange clouds, the two of us had built a sand castle.

"What a great day. We gotta come back here!" I smiled but she looked up at me, afraid. I kept building, keeping up a brave front for her sake.

"...But how?"

"Don't worry. Even if mom and dad do get divorced, and we have to live apart, I'll still... bring you back to this place someday." I explained as Serenity eagerly leant forward and offers her pinky.

"You promise?" She queried as I hooked my own pinkie around hers. "Yeah— I promise."

The cry of the seagulls overhead against the shining white clouds, snapped me back in to reality, as I stood there lost. 'I'm your big brother, Serenity; I'm supposed to take care a' ya. I'm gonna win this tournament and the prize money. I'm gonna make sure you don't lose your eyesight, and show you that beautiful ocean one more time— I promise.' In thought.

As I stood there, my five friends had caught up, and all of them had a quiet moment. Téa was the first to hear the noise, and pointed it out to the others. "Look there!"

We all looked at what she was pointing at, and saw duel arenas; three of them were visible, spaced across the landscape, and the tournament was in full swing.

"Duel Monsters stadiums! Look at 'em— they're all over!" Tristan gasped.

"You said it! Lots of duelling going on!" My other spikey haired friend smiled.

"Right— I'm goin' in!" I stood with a strong look on my face, smiling at what we were seeing.

"You sure you wanna do this? If you lose, you give up your only star chip!" James concerned.

"That's right." Lucy whispered, my confidence evaporating, as I fell over.

"Don't panic. You can do this, Joey. You do know that, don't you?" Yugi queried.

"I hope you're right, Yugi; this'll be my first official duel, and I can't afford to get knocked out at the start!"

"True; but not everyone here is a pro. I'm sure you can find someone on your level. Go for someone easy, Joey." Lucy advised.

"An', I guess I should think about which field my cards're best suited for. They're mostly monsters and fighter-types. I... guess that makes this meadow region my kinda turf!" I thought aloud

"That's right, Joey. See? You know what you're doin'—!" Yugi was then interrupted by a cackling laugh- Mai.

"You lost, crybaby, now give me your star chips!" Our attention was brought to the blonde-haired woman who was standing over by the meadow arena with a big 10 on the side, gloating over her victory. Her opponent upset from his loss.

"It's not fair, you cheated somehow! How could you know what your cards were when they were still facedown!" The boy in the yellow and black striped shirt cried.

"I'm psychic. And you're, done." She winked as the opponent ran away, crying into his sleeve. Mai laughed out loud, then gasped, spotting our group. "Well. Look who's here!"

"Wow; Mai's already won two more star chips." I gulped.

Mai's eyes glinted; it was obvious that she had a nasty plan, before turning to fake-friendly. "Hey, Yugi! Are your duels going well?" She asked.

I then oversaw Téa giving Mai the evil eye as Yugi answered with calm reserve. "I'm making progress." Mai then picked up Yugi's gloved hand and looked at the stars as Téa glared even harder.

"So, you have three star chips, do you? I might be up for a duel myself!"

"Take her!" Téa whispered to Yugi with a sort-of evil look on her face. "Knock her out of the contest and off the island!"

Mai was still acting friendly in a fake way. "Mmm! You know, I'm definitely in the mood for a duel right now! So, get ready, because I choose to challenge... you, Joey!"

"Whaa? You challenge me?" I nearly jumped out of my skin when she had admitted it.

"Do you have the guts to accept?" She queried. "Get it? I wanna play you, kid."

"Huh! Guess you heard about my skill." I shrugged.

"Don't flatter yourself. I overheard you and Yugi talking on the boat, and I know he gave you the only star chip that you have. My motto is, take out the weakest players first. And considering that you wouldn't even be here if Yugi hadn't given you one of his chips, you've got to be the weakest duellist on the island!" The blonde laughed.

"Hey... do ya have to be so insultin'?" I angrily asked.

"This time she was being truthful." The other girls laughed.

"Who!" I shouted.

"Mai's ruthless; don't duel her first!" Téa told me.

"Don't you get it? If you lose this contest, you're out for good!" James grimaced as I shook with anger and Yugi looked at me.

"Show Mai what you're made of!" My spiky haired friend encouraged.

"Right— she thinks I'm a pushover, but she'll see!"

"Yugi!" The others shouted. "You can't be serious, Joey!" Tristan continued.

"I've never been more serious! Don'tcha see, this is my chance to prove myself. To show everybody. Don't forget, Gramps trained me..." I then qualified my statement as my five friends looked even more worried as I spoke. "I mean, sure, Gramps didn't get a chance to finish my training, and, granted, I wish I'd had a chance to practice more before getting thrown into a tournament this huge with so many heavy-hitters, but honest— I think I can take 'er."

"Oh, man. You'd better be right, for your sister's sake." Tristan frowned.

"Yeah, you'd better not screw this up, Joey." The other brunettes followed up.

"I accept. Let's duel."

"Get ready to lose!" The young woman smirked as we both stood on opposite sides of the arena. Mai faced me across the field. My friends standing on the side-lines toward my end.

"Go get 'er, Joey!" Téa cheered.

"Kick her butt!" The boys continued.

"Yeah!"

"Since you only have one measly star chip, I only have to bet one of mine against you." Mai told me.

'At least this region'll give me a field advantage...' I thought, but then looked at the field. "Huh? Oh, no! What're all those mountains doin' on my field!"

"The field we'll battle on is forty-percent forest, forty-percent mountain, and the last twenty-percent is meadow. So deal with it or surrender."

"Calm down, Joey, you'll be okay! Your monsters will still get a field power bonus on the meadow part of the field!" Yugi informed.

"Oh. Yeah. Listen, Mai— not for nothin', but I gotta ask you one question before we duel." I told her.

"Hmm? What?"

"Why did you decide to take part in this tournament? Tell me, Mai— why is it you duel?" I queried.

"Why do I duel?" The woman then turned goofy as she rattled off her reasons. "For all the comforts that I crave! Designer clothes, travel perks, anything to avoid real work! Hot cars, turbo-charged for livin' large!"

"Huh! So that's why you want the prize money? How selfish!" I laughed.

"How dare you try and judge me, who d'you think you are, you pathetic little snot!" She growled.

"Hey, you're only duelin' for things. But for your information, some of us fight for the people we love." I admitted.

"You'll show 'er, Joey. Show her what it's like to duel from the heart!" James shouted.

"Duel." We both shouted in unison.

Mai Life Points- 2000

Joey Life Points- 2000

I looked at my hand. "Hmm, so to start the game off, Masaki, the Legendary Swordsman! The field power bonus will bring his power up over three hundred points! Hey, I made my first move!" Mai closed her eyes and started humming mystically, with everyone watching her. "Whaddaya think you're doin'!" I asked.

"Divining my card. I have to mystically choose which one of them's the best." She told me with her eyes closed still. I was pretty freaked out to hear this.

"Eh?! What're ya... a psychic?" I questioned.

"And the best card would be... Mm. The Harpie's Lady!" She stated, playing Harpie's Lady on the mountain portion of the field, with a loud caw. Her hands and feet were talons; blue, feathery wings sprouted from the back of each arm; and she had a tail of blue feathers as well. Other than that, she was a light-blue-skinned, pretty, fierce lady with unnaturally red hair and skin-tight top and leggings. "Her strength is boosted by the mountains' field power bonus!"

"I'll still take it on! Attaaack!" I called out to my monster who drew his katana and rushed at the Harpie

"Joey, wait! Land monsters are at a disadvantage to flying monsters!" Yugi warned me as the Swordsman slashed, and missed as the Harpie lept skyward and he slashed the air where she was standing. She was then directly above him; I watched in panic.

"Monsters that can fly have a magical resistance against monsters that can only walk on the earth!" My smallest friend advised.

"So, Joey blew it already?" Téa asked.

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

The Harpie dove, and slashed the Swordsman; he didn't stand a chance. "Huh! My samurai's sushi!"

Mai Life Points- 2000

Joey Life Points- 1410

"Ohh, cards, speak to me...! Mm-mm-mm... And I'll choose again— without looking." My opponent placed a face-down, concluding her turn.

"Huh?! How's she doin' that?!" I asked,

"He's losing it!" Téa thought- why did she have to be right?

"Guess that mop-head wasn't ready for this duel." Tristan frowned

"Hey, Joey! Think about what you're doing before you move again!" Yugi recommended.

'How can she read the cards when they're lyin' face-down?' I asked myself. 'What do I do?' "Maybe, this one! Tiger Axe!" My field power bonus should raise its attack power, so it can take on the Harpie's Lady head-to-head!

"You're not thinking! It's still resistant to magic!" Yugi called out.

"Right. Tiger Axe is another handicapped earth-based monster!" The girl opposite me smiled as her Harpie shrieked and slashed Tiger Axe; which evaporated.

Mai Life Points- 2000

Joey Life Points- 1020

"Hmph! It'll take stronger monsters than your land-based wimps to beat my Harpie's Lady! Now I'll play this lovely card without even looking. I'll give you a hint— it's an equipment magic card that will help me defeat your next card in one turn."

"Again with all that psychic stuff?" I asked again. 'Can she see my cards, too? Since I can't see what she's playin', I gotta get defensive.' I contemplated, setting a monster face-down.

"Running scared, huh? Well let me show you my surprise— "Cyber Shield", to juice up my Harpie's Lady!" Mai revealed her card—Cyber Shield was a glossy, metallic-maroon armour that raised Harpie Lady's points. She cawed, and dove with both clawed feet first onto my set defence monster. Which was destroyed, too.

"How's she doin' that?!"

"Ahahahahaha, this is so much fun! In case you were wondering, the next card you were thinking of won't work either." The blonde laughed.

"Mai has ESP, that has to be it...! I'm gonna lose this duel match, and the chance to save my sister!" I muttered.

"Ahahahaha! This game is mine! You can't win against me." She seemed sure of this fact, but why?

"She's right, she's too much for me!" I quickly muttered.

"Settle down. Joey, remember what my grandpa taught you about how to play Duel Monsters." Yugi told me.

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

Mai began to get suspicious of the cheer-leading in case I was paying attention, which I was. "Mm?! Stay out of this! Your brainless cheer-leading isn't going to help him against the superior power of my Harpie Ladies. Don't you guys get it yet? Friendship doesn't win duels, never will. It hasn't helped him. He's defeated and he knows it." She smirked.

"Not true!" Téa barked back.

"No? I beg to differ. There can be only one champion. On this island, in this game, someone can be your best friend today and your worst enemy tomorrow. Once the competition forces you to face each other in a duel... where's your friendship, then? That's why the only person a duellist can trust is himself. I hope that your defeat today teaches you that lesson, kid." I was paralysed with fear, angry and helpless.

"He's losin' it!" Tristan pouted.

"He needs help; Yugi, help him!" James coerced, but Yugi frowned; he was going to set this straight. Once again, his mysterious Millennium Puzzle begins to glow, and shake on its own.

"Don't listen to her, Joey— we're here to help you, just like you're always there for us!" He persuaded.

Both Mai and myself stopped and stared at Yugi, startled by his commanding presence. "W-wha?" I was surprised.

"Trust me on this. She's just trying to divide and conquer, a strategy that's been used for centuries." He smirked. "Believe me— I know."

"When you get that look in your eye, I believe everything... you say." I gasped.

"Hahahaha! D'you really think Yugi wants you to be the grand-prize winner?! He's a duelist too, ya know. To win you'll eventually have to take him on."

"She's right; we will hafta duel... but..." I paused, thinking back to what me and Yug had talked about on the school rooftop. We are a team. But I also have to win the contest, for Serenity... What do I do? Maybe Yugi's right about this thing. I have to stop listenin' to Mai's nonsense, and start usin' my head." The pressure was starting to show; as I fought back my tears. "Rrrgh, I just gotta concentrate on how to win the game!" I then closed my eyes... 'There's gotta be a way to beat Mai. If I can just figure out how she knows what her cards are... if she's not psychic, there must be somethin' else she's doin'.' Then, I sniffed. 'What's that strange smell? I never noticed that smell when my eyes were open. I'm smellin' a buncha different perfumes, comin' from... her cards! Huh.'

"Let's go, kid, it's your turn." Mai yawned.

'That's it!' I realised. "I see through your card trick! You sprayed all your cards with different perfumes. An' by smellin' each different scent, you can tell which card is which, even when they're face-down! So you don't have to look in order to play your cards. That way you can psych the other player out."

"No way! How could an amateur punk like you see through my aroma strategy! It's just impossible!" Mai hesitated.

"I gotta admit, Mai, ya really had me buyin' in to the whole 'psychic power' schtick. I was too freaked out to think things through because a' that. But you're not a psychic at all! You're just a big fake!" I pointed at her accusingly.

"All right, Joey!" Yugi applauded.

"Go get 'er, Joey!" Lucy praised,

"You da man!" James and Tristan clasped hands.

"Yugi, you were right!" I smiled.

"Just because you saw through my little psychic act, doesn't mean you're going to be able to defeat me in a duel!" Mai protested.

"I think you're wrong. Before you were winnin' by confusin' me and trying to pit me against my friends; but now my mind is clear. I know who I can trust. All you've got left is your cheap tricks, and I won't fall for 'em anymore!"

"Uh—" She hesitated.

"I'm gonna blast your Harpies outta the sky wit' this!" I placed Baby Dragon on the field in attack mode.

"Good card, Joey!" Yugi proclaimed.

"Baby Dragon!" I called out to the small orange dragon.

"Ha! That wimpy card is your grand play? I only wish it was worth some more so when I devastate you it'll do more damage to your life-points! My card will be, "Elegant Egotist"! Its magic will make duplicates of my Harpie's Lady!" Harpie glowed, and then split into red, green, and blue.

"Oh, no!" me and my friends gasped.

"Harpie's Lady one...two...three!" She introduced.

"It's a triple threat trouble!" My curly hared friend gasped.

"Now what? He was struggling when there was only one!"

"Don't give in, Joey! You've still got all kinds a' moves left!" Lucy shouted.

"Really? What moves would those be?" Téa laughed at our younger friend's statement.

"How would I know? Ask an expert— ask Yugi." Tristan directed.

"It's Joey's duel; he has to figure it out."

"I don't have any cards strong enough to beat three Harpie Ladies..." I muttered.

"Ha! And I'm going to keep using the magic of "Elegant Egotist" to double my Harpies again and again each turn! Ahaha! But while my Harpies multiply, I can't attack you, so it's your move. Of course, you'll soon be up against an army!"

"An army of Harpies? How the heck do I fight an army?!" I worried. "She's got a whole army! How'm I supposed to beat that?!"

"Don't give up, Joey!" My friends continued cheering and I looked over at Yugi. "Think hard about her strategy; she's been using only one monster card, and strengthening that one card with many magic cards. But there's a serious flaw in her duelling strategy, Joey!"

"Usin' magic on one card? That's true! She's just been juicin' up the Harpie Ladies every turn; but if she has mostly magic cards, maybe the Harpie Ladies are her only monsters! I bet if I can just defeat 'er Harpies, she won't have any monsters left to play!" I realised.

"That's right, Joey, now think— what card in your deck will help you win?" Yugi asked me.

"Which of my cards? You tell me." 'Wait— I think maybe you did!' "The Time Wizard... This is the kind a' tight spot Yugi musta been talkin' about. Now if I can just remember what Gramps taught me about the way to use a magic card; 's my only chance. But, do I have it in my hand?" Meanwhile, Mai, was ignored throughout this deliberation, and was getting pretty tired of it.

"If I'd known how long it was going to take you to make a move, I would've brought a magazine."

"Uh-oh. The Time Wizard's not in my hand. Ah, I'll have to draw for it." I reached for the top of his duel deck with a trembling hand; this was it. "But what if I don't get it? Rrgh, what if..."

I could hear yugi's voice echo in my mind. 'Trust in your cards, Joey, trust in yourself!' he told me.

"Uh, here I go. It's all or nothin'! Rrrgh!" I drew, and lifted the card... I felt Yugi's gaze fall upon me, staring intently, willing the card to be the right one; I still has his eyes closed, hardly daring to look. I then took a peak and cheered. "Hm? All right! It's the Time Wizard!" It appeared on the field, a round, red analog clock with eyeballs on its face and clock hands for a nose; white-gloved hands and purple-slippered feet; with yellow gears for shoulder clasps, from which hang his fuchsia cape; with another gear for the band of his hat, and two more for anklets; and carrying a little staff with a dial at the top.

"Hm? What good is that thing?" Mai asked.

"Don't you know? The Time Wizard can make time go faster, causin' my Baby Dragon to grow into a Thousand Dragon!"

"Right, Joey; and that's not the only effect your Time Wizard will have." Yugi cleared.

The air above Time Wizard began to swirl inward on itself, and shoot out beams of green and red light. "Baby Dragon, transform into— Thousand Dragon!" Thousand Dragon was Baby Dragon, a thousand years old. His bright orange hide had turned more of an ochre or brownish-yellow, he'd grown hair on his face, and his attitude was one of smug laziness, ready to pounce.

"So now you have a bigger dragon. Big deal! My Harpie Ladies still have greater attack power! Attack it, my three Harpie sisters!" Then she saw that the Harpies were worn with age; their vivid hair had faded, and their faces are covered with wrinkles. They still looked vicious, but they sat limply on the ground, too feeble and aged to fly. "What?! What happened to my Harpie Ladies?! They've gotten so old!"

"Heheh. I warned you; a millennium has passed on the playing field, and your Harpie Ladies have become old and decrepit. Face it, Mai— time's running out for you and your ladies." Yugi tied up all of the loose ends.

"Nnnggh...

"I believed...! And the cards came through for me! Awesome! Go, Thousand Dragon!" He took flight, looming over the zombie-like Harpies. "Attack with Inferno Flame Breath!" Thousand Dragon breathed fire, singeing the entire field. Mai looked slightly ill, watching as her Harpies got toasted. I was confident and resolute.

Mai life points- 0

Joey life points- 1020

"He did it, Joey won! I knew you could do it!" My friends clapped.

"Thanks, guys!"

Yugi then winked and gave Joey a thumbs-up. Mai was leant on her hands against the card console, completely floored. "Nngh, how! How could I ever lose, to such an amateur!"

"Hey— Mai. I tried to tell ya, there's more to Duel Monsters than just kickin' the other guy's butt." For once, Mai was speechless, listening intently, shocked into taking him seriously. "If you're ever gonna be a real champion, ya gotta learn to care about someone. Other than yourself. Isn't that right? Yugi?"

"Mmm-hmm!" Yugi nodded, and the puzzle glowed again.

I could tell that Yugi was proud of me, Joey. All my hard work and training paid off. I had gone from a guy with nothing but eagerness and attitude, to a winning duellist who battled with his head, and my heart.

A/N: I'll be uploading the next duel tomorrow during a free lesson or when I get home from school, I hope you enjoyed this one :)