To all my readers-This is the first time that I'm going to do Yugioh without making any character name changes. I want you all to know that my OC Paige Muto is related to Yugi and her looks are based on him. So, think of Paige as a feminine Yugi and Atem. Before anyone asks, yes, I will be doing all 5 seasons of Yugioh and that includes Capsule monsters as well. I was once asked if Paige would be dueling and yes, she will. You won't be able to see her duel until season 2 when Kaiba starts his Battle City Tournament.
I've already had my background chapter ready for Seasons 2-5. To the one who has thought that Paige should have Arkana's Dark Magician, I want you to know that you are very lucky that I have that card in my actual deck. I want everyone to know that when I write season 5 (I really do mean when I write it), how I see Atem when he enters the world of his memories, there will be a couple of major surprises. I can't tell you what those surprises will be because they are still in development and I'm bouncing around some ideas with a couple of my friends so that I can make it the best part of season 5.
If anyone, and I mean anyone tries to rush me while writing this fanfic or any of my other fanfics, all written chapters will be delayed for a week. No exceptions. Leave a positive review and Happy Reading!
I DONT OWN YUGIOH AT ALL! I ONLY OWN THE OC AND HER DUELING DECK!
Shoutouts:
Guest-I accept your apology and I get it. I really and truly do. I'm always open to suggestions but you have to understand it from my point of view. Before I updated the story, I haven't even figured it all out what I was going to do for seasons 2-5 and I still don't. I do know that for seasons 2-5, Paige will participate in tournaments and that she will enter the Pharoah's memories. I just wish that you slow down and focus on one Yugioh season at a time. For now, let's focus season 1 of Yugioh before we move onto the other seasons.
"Morning, and I barely slept a wink. I sure hope that I'm doing the right thing in deciding to duel again." thought Yugi as he looked out the window. "But with Grandpa's soul at stake, I have to." He then turned to see the bags under his sister's eyes.
"Grandpa told us to trust the ancient presence within the millenium puzzle, but how can I?" Yugi asked himself as he places the puzzle around his neck. "It was willing to do anything to beat Kaiba. Anything! Huh?"
"He-Hey!" said Joey as Paige jumped awake.
"Hey, Yugi and Paige." said Tea.
"What's up, Tea? How ya guys doin?" asked Yugi.
"Aren't you ready yet?" Tea asked. "You're gonna be late."
"And if you're late, they'll disqualify ya right out of the tournament." said Joey.
"Let's go. Hopefully, I can get some coffee or something." said Paige.
"Well, sis, I did tell you to go back to bed." said Yugi as she waves him off when suddenly the millenium puzzle starts to glow.
"YU-GI-OH!"
"Let's do it." said Yami.
"We'll have to cheer you on from the balcony, Yugi." said Tristan, just before they parted ways. "Only duelists are allowed on the arena floor. Good luck to you and Joey."
"Well, guys, this is it." said Tea, steading Paige to keep her from falling to the floor. "I'm so proud. Kick some butt!"
"Mmm." said Yami and Joey, nodding at them.
"I need a hug first." said Paige, hugging Joey first before hugging Yami and whispering in his ear. "You can do this."
"Huh." said Mai, looking up as Yami and Joey walked in while Bandit Keith chuckled. "Well, look who's finally awake."
"Mai." said Yami.
"Sleep well?" she asked. "I was starting to wonder if you would even show up."
"Hmm." he replied.
"Hey there, dweeb." Bandit Keith said to Joey. "So, you about ready to get your butt kicked across the arena and back?"
"Dream on." said Joey. "At least I didn't have to go and steal the star chips to make it to the final round of this here tournament, and I won't have to cheat to beat you, Keith."
"You're such a sad case." thought Bandit Keith as he laughs internally. "You don't even realize I swiped your card, the one you need to qualify for the finals. You've already lost, and you're too dumb to know it."
"Attention! Attention!" said Croquet over the intercom. "The duel championship playoffs are about to begin! All finalists will now enter the arena now!"
The doors slide open in front of the four finalists, showing them the arena. "Here they come." said Bakura.
"And now, your host, Mr. Maximillion Pegasus." said Croquet, introducing Pegasus as he enters the arena.
"He's here." thought Yugi.
"Yugi, Joey, Mai and Bandit Keith." said Pegasus, walking into the arena. "I welcome all of you to the playoff arena. Here is where the last great duel monsters duels shall be waged to determine the championship of the duelist kingdom. Only one of you shall emerge victorious. Only one of you shall win the three-million-dollar prize."
"It's gotta be me." thought Joey. "That prize will pay for my sister's operation."
"And, of course, the victor in the playoffs shall also earn the right to challenge me in the final match." said Pegasus.
"Challenge you?" asked Tristan, causing Pegasus to look up into the wings. "Well, isn't that special. And what does the playoff winner get for defeating you in the final duel?"
"He brings up a good point you know." said Paige, feeling bored already. "What do they get for defeating you?"
"The victor will be granted one request, whatever his, or her heart most desires." said Pegasus. "And if it is within my vast power to do so, their wish will be granted. The victor will also be declared the undisputed duelist kingdom champion, ranked number one in the world."
"The champion of the world?" asked Tristan.
"I like it. Good options." said Paige.
"And boys, that'll be me." said Mai as the three boys scoffed.
"Surely any duelist who has come this far must realize that the title, and not the prize money, is the real prize. Is that not so?" asked Pegasus.
"You're a regular comedian." said Bandit Keith.
"Listen, you. The money's all I need for my sister's operation." said Joey.
"Yes. Yes. I'm sure some of you have more riding on this tournament than others, hmm, Yugi?" Pegasus asked, looking at him as he chuckles.
"Pegasus. You've got my grandpa's soul, and Mokuba, and even Seto Kaiba captive." thought Yugi. "But I'll find a way to defeat you no matter what, and save them all!"
"All right, let's get this show on the road." said Pegasus. "Only one of you will emerge victorious from these playoffs, but I wish you all good fortune. Now shuffle your decks, and may the best duelist win!"
"The first duel will now begin. Mai Valentine versus Yugi Muto." said Croquet. "Duelists please proceed to the arena."
"No matter what happens, I've got to keep the spirit from my millenium puzzle under control. I can't risk him hurting Mai." thought Yugi.
"Before we begin, you each must show me the card required for your participation." Croquet said to both duelists. Mai reveals The Glory of the King's while Yami revealed the King's opposite hand. "Both qualify. The duel may proceed."
"Good luck. Go, Yugi!" said Tea and Paige as Joey pushes through them and Tristan.
"Hey." said Joey, leaning over the side.
"Joey!" scolded Tristan.
"What's with you, Joey?" asked Bakura.
"What?" he asked. "I was just gettin' a bird's eye view of the action."
"Yeah, but did you have to push us like that?" asked Paige.
"Heh heh, sorry Paige." said Joey, rubbing the back of his neck before turning his attention to the duel. "Go, Yuge! Wipe her out, man!"
"I've gotta be at my best if I'm gonna make it through these playoffs." thought Yugi. "But I also have to keep the spirit of my millenium puzzle in check."
Yami looks over at Pegasus, who smiled. "I mean, if Pegasus can steal souls with his millenium item, who knows what the spirit of the puzzle might do to win against Mai." Yugi thought.
"I used to think the only person on Earth a duelist could trust was herself. Everyone else was an opponent. Then I met Yugi and his sister, and I learned through them that the strongest opponents in the arena could still be friends outside it." Mai thought to herself as she remembers meeting Yugi, Paige and Joey that night on the boat. "If he hadn't loaned me his star chips, I might have never made it to the final round. I owe him a very great debt. I promised Yugi an honorable duel, and that's just what I'm gonna give him. But if he thinks that means I'm not gonna battle all out, he's dreaming. I'm gonna give this match everything I've got, so when Yugi goes down, it'll be a victory I can be proud of. As much as I like him, I plan to duel hard, and I plan to win. I promised him an honorable duel, not an easy one."
The arena had finally set the life points at 2,000. "Here I come, hotshot!" said Mai.
"Right!" said Yami.
"Duel!"
Yami chuckles as Mai drew her first card. "If you're playing honorably, you cant try that psychic act on me the way you did on Joey." said Yami.
"Uh-uh. No tricks this time, Yugi." replied Mai.
"You know, I believe her." thought Yugi as Yami smiled. "Mai's really come a long way."
"I'm not all smoke and mirrors, kiddo." Mai tells Yami. "Even without my tricks, I can still duel with the best of 'em. And I play….Harpy Lady in attack mode." Harpy Lady screeches her way onto the field with a sharpened claw raised, glaring at Yami.
"That move is Mai's standard opening ploy." said Tristan.
"Yugi, be careful! Watch out!" Tea called out from the wings.
"Nothin' to worry about." Joey assures Tea before looking back at Mai. "Yugi knows what's comin', Tea. He's seen Mai's Harpy Lady in action, like, a billion times already."
"Yeah….says the person who had to elbow his way into my face." said Paige, rubbing the bridge of her nose, glaring at the blonde.
"Well, your nose aint broken, so why complain about it?" Joey asked her.
"You're lucky I'm watching my brother duel first and not you." said Paige.
"And now I'll lay down a second card, which will finish my turn." said Mai, placing the card face down on the field.
"I'd better finish this fast." thought Yugi, drawing his first card. "The quicker I defeat Mai, the less chance for interference by the spirit inside my millenium puzzle."
"Gaia, the fierce Knight." said Yami as Gaia appeared on the field. "Attack Harpy Lady!"
"Heh heh. Gotcha." thought Mai with a small smile on her face. "Thanks, Yugi. I wanted you to attack. It'll set off my trap."
"No! My Knight!" shouted Yami as Gaia was bounced back and destroyed by a crystal wall. "A wall?"
"Your Gaia ran smack into my mirror wall, which cuts any of your monster's attack power in half." Mai explained as Gaia's attack power starts dropping to 1,150. "As soon as your monster attacked, the mirror wall rose up to protect my Harpy Lady. Your Fierce Knight met an equal attack from its own reflection, draining half its points. Pretty darn slick, huh, Yugi?"
Yami groans at this, watching Gaia in pain from having his power drained. "Guess its my turn again." said Mai, placing her spell card. "High fashion for Harpy Lady. Cyber Shield! The makeover's complete!" Harpy Lady screeched as Cyber Shield appeared on her body and her attack points were raised.
"Harpy Lady, attack Gaia!" said Mai. "Cyber Slash!"
Harpy Lady screeches as she slashes Gaia, sending him to the graveyard. "Well, like they say, nice Gaias finish last." said Mai.
"He's gone." said Yami as his life points dropped to 1,350. "Harpy Lady's Claw Attack reduced my Fierce Knight to Ribbons!"
"I'm amazed you fell for that trap, Yugi." Mai said, laughing at his mistake. "Don't tell me you're losing your edge in a championship game."
"Ha!" Yami scoffed.
"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're holding back." said Mai.
"I am holding back, but maybe this will help, Summoned Skull." thought Yugi, seeing that he drew card. "If I can just keep drawing powerful cards like him, this match will be over quick, and I can stop worrying about the spirit of the millennium puzzle."
"I lay one card face down, and then I'll attack with this." said Yami, revealing Summoned Skull as he roars his way onto the field. "Lets see your Harpy Lady stand up to this. Summoned Skull, electrify that Harpy! Lightning Strike!"
"Hmm. You're really off your game today, Yugi." Mai tells him. "You make the same mistake twice?"
"The Mirror wall?" Yami asked as he eyes went wide.
"That's right! Back again!" said Mai as Mirror Wall appeared again, protecting Harpy Lady as Summoned Skull's attack was bounced back, reducing his attack points to 1,250. "Now Summoned Skull's attack power is cut in half, too."
"Ugh." said Yami. "Then its….it's a permanent trap?"
"Very good." Mai said, since he figured it out. "A couple turns too late, but now you're catching on. Better hurry and get that little brain of yours into gear, Yugi."
"Most of the trap cards I've encountered before disappeared from the field once they've been sprung, so your permanent trap took me by surprise." said Yami. "It's the exception to that rule."
"Mm-hmm. It's very exceptional, just like me. As long as it's on the field, it'll unleash the same delightful effect again and again, every time you launch an attack. Get it?" said Mai. "No matter how many times you try to come at me, your monsters can never reach my Harpy Lady. Let's face it, you're gonna have to bring your game up a few notches just to keep me interested, Yugi!"
Yami growled at this as he glares at Mai. "Mai's right. Yugi's game seems off." said Bakura.
"His strategy is whack, man!" said Joey. "He can't just attack! Why isn't he thinkin' through his moves, like he's always tellin' me?"
"Maybe because he wants you to think before making the wrong move." said Paige, crossing her arms.
"Say what?!" asked Joey.
"Oh, Yugi! What are you thinking?" asked Tea.
"Yugi! Please let me help you!" Yami thought to Yugi.
"No! I can't take that risk!" Yugi argued back to the spirit as Harpy Lady and Summoned Skull screeched and growled at each other.
"Hmm. What is with you?" Mai asked Yami. "I expected a real battle from you, and all I get is this lame frontal assault. The only reason why I duel, Yugi, aside from the island trips, the clothes, the cars, the prize money, is the thrill of trouncing a worthy opponent."
"Are you saying I'm not worthy?" asked Yami.
"Not today, kiddo. Your body may be in this arena, but your head and your heart have split for parts unknown." said Mai. "It's really a letdown."
"You're questioning my fighting spirit as well?" questioned Yami.
"Bingo! It seems like you're still shell-shocked about the trouncing you got from Kaiba in your last duel." explained Mai, causing Yami to gasp. "Well, get over it! I'm your opponent now, and I want to beat someone battling at his best, not some duelist who acts like he's afraid of his own shadow. You've got to shape up, Yugi, and get your act in gear, or I'm gonna knock you out of this tournament! Otherwise, your sister will stop believing in you."
Both Yugi and Yami looked up at the wings to see Paige biting her lower lip. "You don't understand. It's not about Kaiba." Yami called out to Mai, then sees Pegasus chuckling.
"Ah, Yugi, I can sense your fear." thought Pegasus. "For some reason, you're afraid to fully tap the incredible powers of your millennium puzzle. A fear I plan to cure you of when I make your puzzle mine!"
"Well, whatever's going on, it's boring." Mai said to Yami.
"I can't let you win, Mai!" said Yami.
"Let me win? Listen, hon. The way you've been playing today, I don't think there's a single thing you can do to stop me!" said Mai. "I promised you an honorable duel, Yugi, and I thought you'd give me the same. You ready to duel for real now? Are you gonna to put your heart in it? Or are you going to punk out?"
"I wish she'd zip it." said Tristan. "Mai's even more obnoxious when she's winning."
"Yugi! Don't let her psych you out, man!" Joey called out. "You just gotta ignore her!"
"You can do this, Yugi!" said Paige.
"But didn't Mai promise an honorable duel?" asked Tea. "I don't think she's trying to psych Yugi out. I think she's trying to help him out, like she did last time."
[Flashback]
"So you lost one match. Yugi, that doesn't mean that you can just give up." Mai said to Yugi. "Whatever is going on in your head, just deal with it and move on!"
[Flashback ends]
"In her own weird way, Mai's just trying to help Yugi." thought Tea. "She's been dreaming of this rematch, but she wants to face him at his best, not like this."
"Well?" asked Mai.
"Believe me, Mai. I'm giving it all I can." said Yami.
"I want to believe him. Winning won't mean as much if he's not at the top of his game, but he just seems so distracted." Mai thought to himself.
"I promise you, Mai! I'm not about to lose this duel!" said Yami, then smiled. "Now, make your next move!"
"Hmm, maybe he's right. Maybe I am making too much of this." thought Mai. "I really do hope that's the case, Yugi, or defeating you will be no fun at all."
She then drew her next card. "Yugi thinks I'll send Harpy Lady to attack Summoned Skull. That's why he's played the other card face down." Mai thought as she looked out across the field at Yugi's face down card. "It has to be a trap. No attack this time. Instead, I'm going to sweep your trap away…with Harpy's Feather Duster!" Yami gasps as Harpy gains her wings, screeching as she blows away Spell Binding Circle.
"The hidden card I played was the Spell Binding Circle." said Yami. "If you had declare an attack, your Harpy would've been snared in the trap. Very clever of you, Mai."
"I do appreciate the compliment." she replied. "Keep your eyes on me, Yugi. I might teach you a thing or two."
"Mai still has that Mirror Wall in play. I can't attack without my monster's power being cut in half." thought Yugi. "I need to alter my strategy."
"I'll switch Skull to defense mode." said Yami, as Summoned Skull goes to his knees, wrapping his arms and wings around him. "And to finish my move, I'll also play Feral Imp in defense."
"Not much else you can do, is there, Yugi?" asked Mai. "Since I've left you no way to attack. My turn now. I play Rose Whip, to raise my monster's attack power."
Soon as Rose Whip appeared in Harpy Lady's hand, her attack power rose 300 points. "She keeps powering Harpy Lady and hiding behind that Mirror wall as a shield." thought Yugi.
"Let me help you, Yugi." Yami said to him. "We can defeat her together."
"Now your Imp's gonna feel my Harpy's sting!" said Mai. "Whiplash Attack!"
At the crack of Rose Whip, Harpy Lady strikes Feral Imp, sending him screeching to the graveyard, causing Yami to growl. "That's nothing, Yugi." thought Mai. "Stick around. The fun's just beginning."
"Looks like Mai's really got Yugi rattled." said Tristan.
"Watch it, Yuge! Mai's gonna try to multiply her Harpy Lady next!" said Joey. "Don't let her!"
"Yugi! Don't give up!" said Tea.
"You got this, Yugi!" said Paige.
"I've got to turn this around." said Yami.
"But how?" asked Yugi. "Mai's playing brilliantly, while my attention is divided."
"You promised you'd try harder, Yugi, but I see now that's not gonna happen. Hmm, what have we here?" said Mai, picking her next card and smirked. "Well, with this card, my Harpy combo won't be quite complete. But it'll give me more than enough power to vaporize that grungy old Skull. Allow me to introduce the ever-faithful servant of Harpy Lady!"
Appearing on the field was a red scale dragon with a chain around its neck (ATT:2,000/ DEF:0). "What is that?" asked Yami.
"Harpy's oh-so-cuddly pet dragon." explained Mai. "Sweet as a kitten, isn't he? Well, sweet as a fire-breathing kitty can be. And he gets 300 more attack points just by sitting by his master."
Yami stares at Harpy's Pet Dragon as it's attack power increased to 2,300. "Now, blast that skull to ashes! Fearsome Fire Blast!" shouted Mai. A ball of fire formed and fired from Pet Dragon's mouth as it burned Summoned Skull.
"No!" yelled Yami as fire surrounded Summoned Skull.
"Harpy's Pet Dragon, Attack!" shouted Mai as Summoned Skull was burned off the field.
"My Summoned Skull!" Yami exclaimed.
"What is going on with my brother?" Paige quietly asked herself as she watches the duel.
"Ha! I told you, you've gotta concentrate if you're gonna stand a chance against me!" Mai said, reminding him. "Why are you playing so poorly, Yugi? I've got you on the ropes, and you're barely putting up a fight! I want to duel you at your best, but there's only so far I'm willing to go! Not to mention how bad it looks for your sister."
Yami looks up at Paige to see that she was biting her lip. "You know, I remember Joey once asked me an important question about why I duel." said Mai. "The answer I gave him was frivolous, but honest. Can you answer the question, Yugi?"
"I'm dueling for my grandfather, Mai." Yami replied.
"Hey, he's got a heck of a lot better answer than you did, Mai!" said Joey. "Listen, me and Yugi aren't just dueling for ourselves, you know!"
"Well, that's what you say." said Mai. "But tell me, could it be your motives aren't entirely unselfish?"
"That's because Yugi and I were raised to be kind and helpful, unlike Kaiba and his attitude. But what he said is kind of true though." said Paige as Yami looks up again and she gives him a sly wink. "My brother is dueling not just for our grandfather; he's also dueling for me too. So that I can learn how to be a better duelist."
"What are you sayin', Mai? That we should be more like you?" asked Joey.
"He's got a point." said Tea.
"Well, I guess we could do that!" said Joey, then begins to imitate Mai. "I'm gorgeous! I'm such a great duelist! I love me! How's that?"
"I like it! That's exactly how I see her." said Paige, as Joey had a grin on his face.
"You are such a twit!" said Mai. "Joey, cant you see I'm trying to be serious?"
"I can see you're trying to seriously mess with Yugi's head!" said Joey. "And you're making him and me and everybody crazy and dizzy and….aah!"
"Joey!" shouted Paige as Tristan and Tea grab ahold of him as he starts falling over the railing.
"Will you control yourself?" Tea shouted at Joey.
"You could've died from that fall!" Paige added.
"Hmm. You're wrong, Joey. I'm not trying to confuse Yugi, and your off-kilter enough without any help from me." thought Mai. "Something's happened to Yugi, and he'll need more that his friendship with all of you and his sister to snap him out of it. There's only so much I can do. I may admire Yugi, but I'm still determined to win this duel."
"Mai's right about one thing…." thought Yugi. "I cant afford to be distracted now. Winning this duel is all that matters. Yes! The Dark Magician! This card would definitely be more powerful enough to defeat Harpy's Pet Dragon, if I could attack. But I can't, not while Mai's Mirror Wall trap card is still in play. I need another tactic. Wait, I know! I'll match her trap for trap!"
"I'll lay one card face down, and then throw Dark Magician in Defense Mode." said Yami as Dark Magician made his appearance. "That ends my turn."
"Come on, Mai. Attack." thought Yugi. "I've matched your Mirror Wall with a card called Mirror Force! All your monsters will be destroyed!"
"Now its my turn." said Mai as she smirked at her next card. "Hmm. This card will nearly complete my Harpy Combo. Whatever trap you set for me, Yugi, just became completely useless. I play this accessory card: Shadow of Eyes!"
"Huh? The Shadow of Eyes?" asked Yami.
"Watch the arena. I really don't think you're gonna like this at all." Mai explained as Dark Magician stood up.
"What is this?" Yami asked as Dark Magician went into attack mode. "My Dark Magician is switching to attack mode!"
"That's right. That's the magic of Shadow of Eyes." Mai tells Yami. "It exudes an irresistible force that can lure even the mightiest of monsters into battle."
"Mai's trying to force Yugi into attacking." said Joey.
"That means that throwing monsters in defense mode is useless, too." said Tristan.
"Oh no." said Paige.
"So, what are you waiting for, Dark Magician?" asked Mai. "Attack Harpy Lady!"
Using his Dark Magic, Dark Magician attacks Harpy Lady, lowering its attack power to 1,250. "And I know that you played a trap card, so Harpy's Feather Duster, give him a dusting off!" added Mai.
Harpy Lady screeched as she blew away Mirror Force. "No! She's eliminated my Mirror Force Card." thought Yugi.
"Now, to blow some extra smoke in your way, Dragon, Fearsome Fire Blast!" said Mai and Harpy's Pet Dragon blasts Dark Magician into the graveyard as Yugi's life points dropped to 300 while Mai's life points remained intact. "You don't even have your favorite card, The Dark Magician left. What are you gonna do now?"
"Yeah, what is Yugi gonna do now?" asked Joey.
"I'm worried." said Paige.
"Yugi, you can still turn this around. I know you can!" said Tea.
"Uh, yeah. It only looks hopeless." said Joey.
"I cant lose this match!" thought Yugi.
"Yugi, let me help you!" Yami tells him. "If you continue to hold me back, everybody loses!"