To all my readers-I want everyone to know that for the duel of Yugi Muto and Maximillion Pegasus will take a while for me to write because I want to upload them in a certain way. They'll still be in episode order, mind you, I'm just going to be uploading them differently. So dont rush me on those chapters, otherwise I will delay uploading them by a month. Okay?

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:

As it continued to rain and pour outside of Pegasus' castle, the duel between Joey and Yugi went on. Pegasus cackled as he watches.

"What a lovely day this is for a duel, especially on an occasion such as this, when 2 old friends are battling it out to the very end." said Pegasus. "Its challenges like this that puts to the test the ties that bind us. It doesn't matter to me who wins or loses. Because in the end, I know that it is I who shall emerge victorious and you, young Yugi, who shall be vanquished."

"The game is really too close." said Tea.

"Yeah. They're both playing at the top of their form." said Tristan. "I mean, either one could win."

"You're right. I don't think I've ever seen such an exciting duel." said Bakura. "And who would've thought that, at this point, Joey would have more life points left than Yugi. Truly extraordinary."

"Not me, that's for sure. I wish that grandpa was here to see this." said Paige. "He would be proud of Joey and Yugi."

"Right." said Tea as Yami drew his next card.

"Hmm." Yami said to himself.

"Go ahead and toss it, Yuge." said Joey. "It won't surprise me. I know your cards by heart."

"True. You'll also know it's my favorite." said Yami, then lays out the Dark Magician. "And it's one of my most powerful cards. Dark Magician! Attack Mode!"

"Figures. You always count on the Dark Magician when you're in a tight spot. But not this time!" said Joey. "Even he's no match for my Skull Dragon."

"Are you sure?" questioned Yami.

"In a duel, the monster with the lowest attack strength loses." answered Joey. "That's one of the first lessons you and Paige ever taught me about Duel Monsters, Yugi. Your past has come back to haunt you!"

"Let's see who spooks whom." said Yami. "Don't forget, Paige and I also taught you how to protect your weaker monsters by enhancing them with Magic cards."

"Eh?" said Joey, shocked that he forgot about this. "Don't tell me!"

"Idiot!" said Paige as the others shook their heads.

"You know what's coming." said Yami, placing a magic card down. "Magical Hats, protect and conceal the Dark Magician!"

A magician's hat with a question mark appeared on the field, covers the Dark Magician before spreading out into four places. "Ugh. I usually like this trick." grumbled Joey.

"Good move." said Tea.

"Smart thinking, Yugi." said Paige.

"That'll sure to slow Joey down big time." said Tristan.

"Heh heh heh. My hat's off to you, Yugi-boy." thought Pegasus.

"It's your pick, Joey." said Yami. "So tell me, which hat do you think is hiding the Dark Magician?"

"Ugh." Joey groaned at this, trying to figure out where Yami hide the Dark Magician.

"I was hoping to end this duel before he drew the Magical Hats." thought Joey. "Now I gotta depend on luck, not dueling skill, to help me find his Dark Magician."

"Come on, pick a hat." taunted Yami, causing Joey to growl.

"Ok. I guess I just gotta take 'em down one at a time!" Joey cried out. "Attack! Molten Fireballs!"

Skull Dragon aims for one of the hats, destroying it. "One down!" said Joey as Yami covers his eyes from the smoke and chuckles.

"From the looks of things, you picked wrong." said Yami, as the hat Joey destroyed didn't contained the Dark Magician. "That leaves 3."

"Nuts!" said Joey, shocked that he didn't get the Dark Magician. "This'll give you another turn to fight back."

"That may have been Joey's last shot." said Tristan. "Whenever a duelist gives Yugi time to recover, he always comes back stronger than ever."

"But if Joey loses, how can he save his sister?" asked Bakura. "No matter who wins this game, somebody loses something."

"Yugi may have a backup plan for that, Bakura." said Paige.

"Huh?" She then motions them away from the wings and they gathered around her.

"If Yugi wins this duel and the one against Pegasus, I believe that not only will he saves grandpa, he would be giving Joey the prize money for his sister." whispered Paige.

"You mean…?" Tea asked.

"You know us Mutos." said Paige. "We always help our friends in a bind. Just don't tell Joey. It could be a surprise for him."

"Now that your attack on my Dark Magician has failed, is there any other play you want to make before I end your turn?" Yami asked Joey.

"Now that you mentioned it, I did have one more move in mind." said Joey. "I hope I'm doing the right thing here by playing this card. I mean, it could be a mistake. But I play Garoozis in attack mode."

Garoozis growled its way onto the field, next to Skull Dragon. "Your turn." said Joey.

"Why play that card?" asked Yami.

"Oh, you're right. What could I have been thinking?" Joey asked calmly, knowing exactly what he was doing. "The Dark Magician has an attack power of 2,500, and Garoozis only has an attack strength of 1,800."

"Yes?" asked Yami, confused on where Joey was going with this.

"I guess you have no choice but to attack Garoozis." said Joey. "I'm almost giving you the game, but I got no one to blame but myself. So go ahead, Yuge, bring it on. Attack me with your Dark Magician. That's what I get for my bonehead move."

"Hmm." said Yami.

"An attack would bring Joey down to 50 life points." said Tea.

"He's crazy." said Paige.

"But it would also draw out the Dark Magician…" said Bakura, causing both girls to turn and face him. "which would let Joey counter attack with his Black Skull, wiping out all of Yugi's life points."

"What's a matter? Bring it on!" said Joey. "I can't stop your attack."

"That bluff might have worked on somebody else, but not somebody who's known him as long as Paige and I have." thought Yugi as Yami smiled.

"Sorry, Joey, but I'm not going to fall foe that one." said Yami, placing his next card face down. "Instead, I'll put this card inside one of the Magical Hats and end my turn."

"Ah, he was too smart for me." Joey thought.

"Time to pick another hat, Joey." said Yami.

"Great! Now he's got something else hidden under those hats I gotta worry about. And knowing Yugi, it's probably a trap. But wait. Yugi knows me, and he would know that I know that he's laying a trap." thought Joey. "So maybe he didn't play a trap after all. Maybe it's a monster card instead. But what if he knows that I would think that, so it really is a trap card? Except if he knows that I know that he knows what I know…oh…aw forget it. I'm just gonna attack. Black Skull Dragon, attack!"

Black Skull Dragon roars as it prepares to attack. "Molten Fireballs!" shouted Joey as Black Skull Dragon releases its attack, aiming for a second Magical Hat.

"Arggh."

"Hmm." As the smoke clears from the field, Joey was surprised.

"Nothin'. I missed again!" said Joey.

"That's the way life goes, Joey… never as you've planned. The world is 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 think that your friendship would be enough to sustain you through any mishap or misfortune. But that's not the way the world works. No, the world is a place where fate intervenes when you least expect it, with consequences that can turn your world upside down. Just when you think you've etched the perfect portrait of your future and your life couldn't get any better…just when you let down your guard at last and open your heart…when, against all odds, you've found that one special person in all the world that fills your heart with joy, the person you know you are destined to spend the rest of your life with…that's when tragedy strikes, when fate hits you with a cold slap of reality and shows you who's boss. Yes, the world has taught me that only the strong and the ruthless survive. In memory of all I have lost, I fight on with all I possess, and I intend to win." thought Pegasus as he remembers his fiancée.

"I'm not gonna miss this time, Yugi." said Joey. "I'm gonna blast your Dark Magician. Dragon, attack….the Hat on the far left. Go now! Molten Fireball."

Black Skull Dragon roared as it releases Molten Fireball on the far-left side of Magical Hats. "Unh!" Yami cried out as it exploded on the field. Tea, Paige, Bakura and Tristan gasped as Pegasus remained calm. Joey laughed to himself when suddenly, something appears through the smoke. "Huh?" said Joey.

"You activated my trap…Spellbinding Circle." said Yami as it went straight for Black Skull Dragon, dropping its attack points to 2,500.

"That dropped my Skull's attack points." said Joey. "Now he's vulnerable to an attack. I can't risk both my monsters. Garoozis, defense mode."

"Now you're on the defensive, and it's a nice change." said Yami.

"Uhh…" groaned Joey.

"Yugi's Spellbinding Circle has wiped out Joey's attack advantage." said Tea.

"No doubt about that, but its still a close match." said Tristan.

"You said it. Yugi could still attack with the Dark Magician, but what good would that attack really do him?" Bakura asked then he, Tea and Paige looked at Tristan. "Both the Dark Magician and the Skull Dragon have equal strengths. As strong as they are, a battle between the two of them would just result in a standoff."

"Unless either one of them has a quick back plan up their sleeves to knock the other out of the tournament." said Paige as the others nodded.

"A stalemate, huh?" asked Tristan.

"Somehow, one of them is going to have to do something to tip things in their favor." said Bakura.

"Hmm…" said Tristan as the four of them continued to watch.

"Yugi's the toughest opponent I've ever faced and knowing Paige, she's a close second. But I'll beat him!" thought Joey.

"Joey's really learned a lot the past few weeks." thought Yugi. "He plays like a pro. But in the duel against Pegasus, its gonna take more than an expert duelist. Its going to take someone who can also stand up to the power of his millenium item."

"Joey, you've dueled well, but the tide of this battle is about to turn." said Yami.

"Most impressive." thought Pegasus, using the power of the millenium eye on Yami and Joey. "Despite the bond that these two share, my millenium eye tells me that they are indeed dueling each other with everything they've got."

"With my grandpa's soul at stake, I really have no choice. I have to win this." thought Yugi.

"All right, Joey! Prepare yourself!" said Yami. "I'm going to obliterate your dragon."

"You what?" asked Joey, taken aback. "I'm ready for you. Bring it on."

"Hmm…" Yami looked at the card he drew and smiled, causing Joey to be sacred.

"This is it, Joey. The card I drew will vanquish your Skull Dragon once and for all." said Yami, revealing his next card. "The Book of Secret Arts."

Outside of the castle, it continued to storm. "I play The Book of Secret Arts." said Yami, revealing his next card to be a spell card.

"Ohh…." Joey said in awe.

"I didn't know that he had that in his deck." said Paige, curious to know what the spell card does.

"And with its ancient magic, my Dark Magician becomes 300 attack points stronger." Yami explained.

Popping out of his hiding spot, Dark Magician appeared on the field as his attack points rose up to 2,800. "Go, Dark Magician! Attack the Black Skull Dragon!" bellowed Yami as Dark Magician's staff sends his dark magic at Black Skull Dragon.

Joey closed his eyes as Black Skull Dragon was destroyed on the field. "Joey, Black Skull is beaten." said Yami as Joey sighed in relief and Pegasus claps.

"Excellent work, Yugi-boy. You took out his very best monster." said Pegasus.

"Ohh…." said Tea.

"Man, I was counting on that Black Skull Dragon to win this duel." thought Joey. "Now, not only is he gone, but I got a souped-up Dark Magician to worry about."

"Joey's kept me down all match long, but now I finally have the advantage." thought Yugi as Yami smiled. "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." said Tristan. "You think this duel's over for him?"

"Well, it depends on what he does next." said Bakura.

"Hmm?"

"Bakura's right." said Paige.

"What do you mean?" asked Tea.

"Losing that Black Skull Dragon was a heavy loss, but not a critical one." Bakura explained. "If Joey could just pull himself together, he can still win this duel."

"That's if Joey has a trick up his sleeve." said Paige.

"Ehh, how could I go from top of the heap to down in the dumps in one turn?" Joey thought as he asked himself this. "Never gonna win now."

"Big Brother…." Serenity's voice said.

"Serenity." thought Joey.

[Flashback]

"Joey, I miss you so much. Don't forget about me." Serenity said on the tape.

"Heh. Pinky swear?" asked Young Serenity, holding out her pinky to Young Joey.

"Sure, we'll always look out for each other." said Young Joey, making the pinky promise to her.

[Flashback ends]

"Ah, what am I thinking? I can't give up. My sister's counting on me." thought Joey. "No matter how bad things look, I gotta keep fighting for her. Ok, let's do this. Heart of the cards, don't fail me now."

Soon as Joey drew his next card, he was shocked. "Huh? Aw, yeah!" he said to himself.

"Hmm?" questioned Yami, intrigued by Joey's expression.

"Hmm…All right, Yugi, time to kiss the baby. Go!" said Joey, playing Baby Dragon, who then stretches its body out. "Baby Dragon, attack mode. And I'm laying this down, too."

Baby Dragon squeals in laughter as it stares Yami down. "Hmm. That second card Joey threw down must be the Time Wizard. He always plays them together." thought Yugi. "I have to do something before he activates its magic and warps that Baby Dragon into its adult form."

"Sorry, Joey. But my Dark Magician will destroy your Baby Dragon!" shouted Yami as Dark Magician jumps into battle. "Dark Magic, Attack!"

"Sorry, Yugi, but you just walked into a trap." Joey said, revealing his face down trap card.

"What?" asked Yami, seeing that it was Kunai with Chain.

"Go ahead and let him have it, Garoozis." said Joey. "Kunai with Chain!"

Garoozis grabs Kunai with Chain and swings it, wrapping around Dark Magician. Yami was shocked, seeing his Dark Magician struggle against Kunai with Chain. Everyone in the wings gasped.

"Clever move." thought Yugi. "Joey knew I was expecting the Time Wizard, so he threw a trap instead."

"Shame on you, Yugi-boy. Using the knowledge you have of Joey's deck to predict what card he would play. And to no avail too." thought Pegasus, smirking. "At least when I prophesize cards, I'm always right."

"Well, Yuge, I'd say that last move brings us to the home stretch." said Joey. "Wouldn't you?"

"I would. And now, Joey, lets finish this match and find out which one of us will duel against Pegasus." said Yami.

"Hmm…"

Both boys stared at each other, planning their final moves in order to end the duel. "Hey, Yuge…" Joey started to say.

"Joey…." said Yami.

"Just know that it's been a real honor dueling you." Joey said, smiling at his best friend.

"Likewise." said Yami.

"How cool. Even now, in the midst of battle, they're friends first." said Tea.

"Amen, Tea." said Paige.

"I know neither of us wanna lose this match. But if I do, I'm glad it was to you, buddy." said Joey. "Now lets duel like you said, Yugi, and finish this duel."

"Hmm." Yami said, agreeing with Joey.

"And maybe this draw'll do just that." said Joey. "Guess there's one way to find out. Here goes."

As Joey drew his next card, Yami became curious. "Unreal." Joey said in a surprised tone as he looked at the card he drew. "I pulled the one card in my whole deck that really can finish this duel and can decide a winner."

"You mean you pulled…" Yami started to ask.

"That's right. The Time Wizard." said Joey.

"The Time Wizard?" Tea, Paige, Bakura and Tristan asked as Time Wizard appeared on the field.

"Kind of strange that this is all coming down to a card that you gave me." said Joey.

[Flashback]

"Here, Joey. Add this card to your deck." said Yugi, handing him Time Wizard. "It can be helpful in a tight spot."

"Wow. Thanks, Yuge." said Joey, taking the card. "You and Paige are always being such a pal to me."

[Flashback ends]

"Hmm." said Yami, smiling at Joey.

"You were both right, Yugi. That card you gave me saved my keister quite a few times in this tournament." said Joey. "And now, with my Baby Dragon on the field and both of us just life points away from winning or losing this duel, I'm gonna give it one last spin and hope that it saves me again. So cross your fingers and get set to adjust your clocks, because here it comes….go, Time Roulette!"

Time Wizard's staff clock starts to spin and everyone starts to get antsy as to where it will land. "Ohh…come on, Time Warp." thought Joey.

As the hands slowed down, it landed on a line before landing on a time warp. "All right. Jackpot." said Joey as Yami groaned. "Go, Time Warp."

"Time Magic!" shouted Time Wizard as Baby Dragon grows up to its adult form.

"Unh."

"Sorry, Yuge, but I'm afraid my Time Warp has made your Dark Magician a sickly old man." said Joey as Kunai with Chain crumbled from Dark Magician's body, causing its attack points to dropped all the way to 100.

"Look at the Dark Magician." said Tea.

"He's aged, like, a thousand years." said Tristan. "He's no match for Joey's dragon."

"In attack points, you're right, Tristan." said Paige, hiding her smile as they looked at her in confusion. "But here's something you need to know about Yugi's Dark Magician."

"Hmm." said Pegasus, wondering what Paige meant by that, intrigued on what Yami might do next. The Dark Magician groaned, feeling his age.

"All right. I can hardly believe it." thought Joey. "This is it. I'm really gonna do it. All I gotta do it attack, and I'll have actually beat Yugi! I hope that Paige won't be too mad at me for doing this to her brother. I'm gonna win! Attack! Noxious Nostril Gust."

Thousand Dragon fired Noxious Nostril Gust on the aged Dark Magician. "I counter with Makiu, the Magical Mist." said Yami. Blue Mist came out of Dark Magician's body, counteracting with Thousand Dragon's attack.

"Huh?" said Joey. "My attack's getting smothered."

"Ohh." gasped. Pegasus, leaning forward in his chair.

"What's going on?" asked Tea.

"How did you play Makiu while it was still my turn?" Joey asked Yami.

"With magic." Yami simply said. "A magic so powerful that it took my Dark Magician a thousand years to learn it."

"Say what?" asked Joey.

"Is that true, Paige?" asked Tristan.

"It is." she replied, looking at her friends. "With every new spell that a Magician learns, it takes time. Whether it takes them a day, a month, a year. In this case, it took Yugi's Dark Magician a thousand years to learn Makiu, the Magical Mist. That's why his attack points are low."

"That's smart thinking." said Bakura.

"As Paige stated, that Time Warp did age my Dark Magician." said Yami. "But it made him stronger, not weaker. And with age comes great wisdom."

Out on the field, light surrounded the Dark Magician, transforming him into an older version of himself. "A thousand years of wisdom that have transformed him into…the Dark Sage." said Yami.

"Ohh…"

"An ultimate magician whose new powers let me play one magic card during every one of your turns and every one of mine." explained Yami. "And the magic card I chose to counter your attack: Makiu, the Magical Mist. With its enchanted rainfall upon the field, your Dragon's smoke stream was neutralized before it reached my mage." Everyone gasped at this statement.

"Now I invoke his powers for my turn and draw this magic card." said Yami. Soon as he looked at the card, Yami faced Joey one final time with tears streaming down his face. "You fought a valiant duel, my friend, and this is the hardest move I've ever had to make. But this ends now."

"AAH!" cried Joey as Yami lays down his final card.

"I play Reborn the Monster and call the Black Skull Dragon back from the graveyard." said Yami as Black Skull Dragon roared its way back from the graveyard.

"Then its over." said Joey, tears falling from his eyes as a small smile formed. "Yugi, go for it. Its cool."

"All right." said Yami, now knowing that he had Joey's forgiveness. "Black Skull Dragon…Molten Fireball Attack!"

Everyone in the arena watched as Black Skull Dragon released its attack on Joey's remaining monsters. "I tell ya, that was really tough to watch." said Tristan.

"Yeah. Just imagine how those two must be feeling." said Bakura as Tea starts to cry.

"I'm just glad its over. And I'm so proud of them both." said Tea, wiping away her tears. "They dueled their hardest, but never once forgot their friendship."

"They both dueled with honor." added Paige.

"Hmm. Well, touching as that may be, you really ought to save your tears, little girl." thought Pegasus, standing up from his chair and starts walking. "After all, you'll be needing them once I face Yugi in the dueling arena."

Outside, storm clouds cleared away over Pegasus' castle. "Well, Yugi, we knew one of us had to lose." Joey said. "But the good news is that one of us go to win, too. Congratulations, man. Here, this is yours now."

"Huh?" said Yugi as Joey handed him the card.

"Go ahead, its all yours." said Joey. "You show Croquet this card, and he'll give you 3 million bucks in prize money."

"No, Joey. You should keep it." said Yugi, pushing back the card. "Your sister needs that money."

"We don't need that kind of money, Joey." said Paige, looking up at the blond.

"Yuge. Paige." said Joey.

"I didn't enter into this tournament to get rich, Joey." Yugi explained. "I'm just here to save my grandpa and the Kaiba brothers. Please, use this money for Serenity's operation."

"Really?" asked Joey.

"Yes, otherwise we'll use the prize money to pay her operation for you." said Paige, giving Joey the Muto eye.

"Yugi…Paige." said Tea, feeling emotional by the siblings.

"What do you say, Joey?" asked Yugi and Paige.

"Hey, its what you've been wanting, buddy." said Tristan.

"Look at him, always playing the tough guy." said Tea, then looks up at Joey's face. "Huh?" Tears of happiness were streaming down Joey's face as he looks at the card.

"Are those tears of joy or tears of sadness?" asked Paige.

"I don't know." said Yugi. "Joey….say something."

"Yugi, when I lost the duel, I lost all hope of saving my sister." Joey said, tearfully. "But now…Yugi, Paige, thank you. Now go and take down Pegasus."

"You're lucky I cant hit you, Joey." said Paige.

"I'm lucky that you're not mad at me." said Yugi.

"Now why would I be mad at you?" asked Paige, looking at her brother who turned away from her. "You didn't tell him, did you?"

"What's going on?" Joey asked.

"You don't want to know, dude." said Tristan as Yugi takes off down the hall.

"Yugi Muto, you promised me!" shouted Paige as she chases her brother.