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 wont be able to see her duel until season 2 when Kaiba starts his Battle City Tournament.
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:
Inside the castle, Pegasus was laughing. "All over the island, my unwitting pawns are in place." he said to himself as he closes his pocket watch. "The duels have begun, and by now…the slow process of elimination is well underway. Only the strongest duel monster players will survive, and those of insufficient skill will fall by the wayside."
"Okay, bring 'em on." said Joey as they were at a spot by the ocean. "I'm itching to duel, and I'm taking on the next player we see."
"You know, I'm not so sure Joey's up to this." said Tea.
"I'm not sure if he's even ready to take on the next player us see." said Paige.
"Yeah, there are tournament-level players here." Tristan said in agreement. "But don't you think he's smart enough to realize…"
"Here I stand, the next duel monsters champion!" shouted Joey.
"Oh, he needs a reality check." sighed Tea.
"And soon…I hope." sighed Paige.
"Guess he's about as smart as he looks." Tristan said.
"I'd better be the champion…" Joey said as he stares out to the ocean. "For Serenity's sake. She's always counted on me. Even when we were kids."
[Flashback]
A bus drops off young Joey and his sister Serenity. "Where are we, Joey?" asked Serenity, looking up at her brother. "Where have you taken me today, big brother?"
"To the beach." Joey replied. "That's what you said you wanted."
Serenity giggles and smiles at Joey as they walk towards the beach. "Hey, Joey?" Serenity asked.
"Yeah?"
"You're the world's best brother." she tells him, causing Joey to laugh. Once on the beach, Serenity looks out into the water, taking in the site. "Oh, Joey, it looks so pretty!" Serenity exclaimed.
"And so cold!" said Joey, as he had his shoes off and the water splashes against him, causing Serenity to laugh at his expression.
The sun was setting as Joey and Serenity was making their sandcastle. "What a great day! We gotta come back here!" said Joey.
"But how?" asked Serenity.
"Don't worry." Joey tells her. "Even if mom and dad do get divorced and we have to live apart, I'll still bring you back to this place someday."
"You promise?" Serenity asked, holding out her pinky.
"Yeah, I promise." said Joey, wrapping his pinky around hers.
[Flashback ends]
"I'm your big brother, Serenity. I'm supposed to take care of you." thought Joey. "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."
Suddenly they heard crowds cheering behind them. "Look there." said Tea, pointing to the other arenas.
"Duel monster stadiums." said Tristan. "Look at 'em. They're all over."
"You said it! Lots of dueling going on." said Yugi.
"With that many stadiums, I wonder how much it cost him to put them in." said Paige.
"Beats me." said Tea.
"Right. I'm going in." said Joey, pumped up for his first match.
"You sure you want to do this?" asked Tristan. "If you lose, you give up your only star chip."
"That's right." said Tea and Joey hits the ground hard.
"Don't panic. You can do this, Joey." said Yugi. "You do know this, don't you?"
"Yeah, you can do it." said Paige.
"I hope you're right, Yugi and Paige." said Joey. "This'll be my first official duel, and I can't afford to get kicked out at the start."
"True, but no everyone here is a pro." explained Yugi as he and Paige looked around. "I'm sure you can find someone on your level."
"Go for someone easy, Joey." Tea advised him.
"And I guess I should think about what kind of field my cards are best suited for." said Joey as he takes out his deck. "They're mostly monsters and fighter types. Uh…I guess that makes this meadow region my kind of turf."
"That's right, Joey." said Yugi. "See? You know what you're doing."
"You lost, crybaby." said Mai's voice. "Now give me your star chips."
"A voice that annoying can only belong to Mai." said Tea.
"And a hateful one at that." Paige added as they followed her voice.
"It's not fair. You cheated somehow." said the duelist as Mai was laughing. "How could you know what your cards were when they were still face down?"
"I'm psychic." Mai said to the duelist. "And you're done."
The duelist then starts to cry and runs off as Mai starts laughing again. Mai gasps as she sees Yugi, Paige and their friends. "Well, look who's here." said Mai.
"Wow. Mai's already won two more-star chips." said Joey.
"Hmm…" Mai said to herself and there was a glint in her eye. "Hey, Yugi, are your duels going well?"
"I'm making progress." replied Yugi.
"So, you have 3-star chips, do you?" she asked as Mai takes a look at Yugi's dueling glove in her hands. "I might be up for a duel myself."
"Take her!" Tea said in Yugi's ear.
"Huh?"
"Knock her out of the contest and off the island!" said Tea.
"Please knock her out of the tournament, Yugi." said Paige.
"Hmm. You know, I'm definitely in the mood for a duel right now." said Mai as she steps back. "So, get ready, because I choose to challenge you, Joey!"
"What?" asked Joey, surprised that he was going to duel Mai. "You challenge me?"
"Do you have the guts to accept?" asked Mai. "Get it? I want to play you, kid."
"Ha! Guess you heard about my skill." bragged Joey.
"Don't flatter yourself." said Mai. "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 duelist on the island."
"Hey, do you have to be so insulting?" Joey asked.
"This time she was being truthful." said Tea.
"I agree with that." added Paige.
"Mai's ruthless. Don't duel her first." said Tea.
"Don't you get it? If you lose this contest, you're out for good." said Tristan.
"Yugi, Paige, stand up for Joey." Tea said to the siblings. "Yugi, you have to fight her in his place."
"I'm all for standing up for Joey, but I rather say what I have towards her on the sidelines." said Paige. Yugi looks up at Mai and Joey. "This is his decision to make." said Yugi. "Show Mai what you're made of."
"Right. She thinks I'm a pushover, but she'll see." said Joey.
"Yugi! Paige!" said Tea.
"You can't be serious, Joey." said Tristan.
"I never been more serious." Joey tells him. "Don't you see? This is my chance to prove myself…to show everybody. Don't forget, Gramps trained me. 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 huge hitters. But honest, I think I can take her."
"Oh man." Tristan said quietly. "You'd better be right…for your sister's sake."
"Yeah, you better not screw this up, Joey." said Tea.
"I accept. Let's duel." said Joey.
"Get ready to lose." said Mai.
Once they were in the stadium, Yugi, Paige, Tristan and Tea were on the sidelines. "Go get her, Joey!" shouted Tea.
"Kick her butt!" shouted Tristan.
"You got this!" shouted Paige.
"Yeah!"
"He'll do fine." said Yugi.
"Since you only have one measly star chip, I only have to bet one of mine against you." said Mai.
"At least this region will give me a field advantage." thought Joey, then he looks out into the field. "Huh? Oh, no!"
The field in front of him was completely different. "What are all those mountains doing on my field?" he asked.
"The field we'll battle on is 40 percent forest, 40 percent mountain, and the last 20 percent is meadow." Mai explained. "So, deal with it or surrender."
"Calm down, Joey. You'll be ok." said Yugi. "Your monsters will still get a field power bonus on the meadow part of the field."
"He's right." said Paige.
"Oh, yeah." said Joey. "Listen, Mai, not for nothing, but I gotta ask you one question before we duel."
"Hmm? What?"
"Why did you decide to take part in this tournament?" he asked her. "Tell me, Mai. Why is it you duel?"
"Why do I duel?" asked Mai, giving Joey a look. "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 why you want the prize money?" asked Joey, with a smirk on his face. "How selfish."
"How dare you try and judge me!" shouted Mai. "Who do you think you are, you pathetic little snot?"
"I understand the need to travel, but I don't need the designer clothes or the perks." said Paige, crossing her arms. "I would rather work for me to travel."
"Who asked you, you little pathetic nobody?" asked Mai as she rounded in on her.
"Hey, you're only dueling for things and she was just giving her opinion." said Joey. "But for your information, some of us fight for the people we love."
"You'll show her, Joey. Show her what it's like to duel from the heart." said Yugi.
"Duel!" said Joey and Mai.
"Hmm…" said Joey as he looks down at his hand and picks a card. "So, to start the game off, Masaki, the legendary Swordsman."
Masaki appears on the field with an attack power of 1,100. "The field power bonus will bring his power up over 300 points." Joey said as the field power bonus brought it up to an attack power of 1,430. "Hey, I made my first move!"
"Hmm." scoffed Mai, then starts making a meditative sound.
"Huh?" said Joey as he and the others gave Mai a confused look. "What do you think you're doing?"
"Diving my card." She replied. "I have to mystically choose which one of them's the best."
"Huh? What are you, a psychic?" asked Joey.
"And the best card would be…" said Mai as she goes through the hand she laid out. "Hmm. The Harpy's Lady!"
Out on the field, a woman with wings on her back appeared with its attack of 1,300. "Her strength is boosted by the mountain's field power bonus." said Mai as her Harpy's Lady's attack strength rose to 1,690.
"I'll still take it on." said Joey. "Attack!"
Masaki drew out his sword and runs towards The Harpy's Lady. "Joey, wait!" shouted Yugi. "Land monsters are at a disadvantage to flying monsters!"
Yugi's warning came too late…Joey's monster had already attacked, and Harpy's Lady had dodged the attack. "Monsters that can fly have a magical resistance against monsters that can only walk on earth." Yugi said.
"So, Joey blew it already?" asked Tea.
"No, but he attacked too soon…before he thought about what her monster was capable of." He explained. Harpy's Lady screamed as she attacked Masaki, getting him off the field.
"My samurai's sushi!" exclaimed Joey.
"Oh, cards, speak to me!" said Mai as Joey's life points dropped to 1,410 while hers stayed at 2,000. "Mmm…and I'll choose again without looking."
"Huh? How's she doing that?" asked Joey as Mai placed another card on the field.
"He's losing it!" said Tea.
"He's losing it very badly." said Paige.
"Guess that mop head wasn't for this duel." said Tristan.
"Hey, Joey!" Yugi called out, getting his attention. "Think about what you're doing before you move again!"
"How can she read the cards when they're lying face down?" Joey asked himself.
"My little card trick has made this kid forget everything he ever knew about duel monsters." Mai thought to herself. "All I have to do is just keep pushing his buttons."
"What do I do?" asked Joey, then looks down at the card he has out on the field. "Maybe this one, Tiger Axe!"
A Tiger monster with blue armor, holding an axe appears on the field with an attack strength of 1,336. "My field power bonus should raise its attack power!" said Joey as Tiger Axe's power rose to 1,690, matching the attack power from Harpy's Lady. "So, it can take on the Harpy's Lady head-to-head."
"You're not thinking!" shouted Yugi. "It's still resistant to magic!"
"Right." said Mai. "Tiger Axe is another handicapped earth-based monster."
Harpy's Lady screeched as she took to the sky and slashed Tiger Axe, destroying it. Joey's life points dropped to 1,020 as he watched his monster get wiped off the field. "Hmph. It'll take stronger monsters than your land-based wimps to beat my Harpy's Lady." Mai tells Joey then picks a card out of the row she laid out. "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 that psychic stuff." said Joey as he picks his next card. "Can she see my cards, too? Since I can't see what she's playing, I gotta get defensive."
He places the card face down onto the field. "Running scared, huh?" asked Mai. "Well, let me show you my surprise…" She then shows Joey her spell card. "Cyber shield, to juice up my Harpy's Lady."
Shrieking, Cyber shield appeared on the monster's body boosting its attack power to 2,190 points and attacks Joey's face down card. "No!" shouted Joey as his monster gets destroyed on the field. "How she doin' that?"
"Ha ha ha ha. This is so much fun." said Mai. "In case you were wondering, the next card you were thinking of wont work either."
"Mai has E.S.P. It has to be it." Joey said to himself. "I'm gonna lose this duel match and the chance to save my sister."
"Ha ha ha. This game is mine." Mai said, laughing. "You can't win against me."
"She's right. She's too much for me." Joey said to himself.
"Settle down. Joey, remember what my grandpa taught you about how to play duel monsters." said Yugi.
"Don't let her rattle you." said Tea. "She's just trying to psych you out."
"You can do this, Joey." said Paige.
"Hmm. Stay out of this!" Mai shouted at them. "Your brainless cheerleading isn't going to help him against the superior power of my Harpy Ladies."
"Excuse me?" asked Paige.
"Don't you guys get it yet?" asked Mai. "Friendship doesn't win duels, never will. It hasn't helped him. He's defeated and he knows it."
"Not true." said Tea.
"No? I beg to differ. There can be only one champion." said Mai. "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?"
"Huh?"
"That's why the only person a duelist can trust is himself. I hope that your defeat today teaches you that lesson, kid." Mai said. Joey started growling.
"He's losing it." said Tristan.
"He needs help. Yugi, help him." said Tea. The millenium puzzle started to glow, causing Paige to take a step back from her brother.
"YUGIOH!"
"Don't listen to her, Joey. We're here to help you. Just like you're always there for us." said Yugi.
"Huh?" said Mai.
"Wha…" Joey started to say as both he and Mai looked over at Yugi.
"Trust me on this." Yugi tells him. "She's just trying to divide and conquer, a strategy that's been used for centuries." Suddenly the eye of the millenium puzzle appears on his forehead. "Believe me, I know."
"When you get that look in your eye, I believe everything you say." said Joey, causing Mai to laugh.
"Do you really think Yugi wants you to be the grand prize winner?" Mai asked. "He's a duelist, too, you know. To win, you'll eventually have to take him on."
"She's right. We will have to duel, but…" said Joey.
[Flashback]
"Yugi, Paige, you're the best friends I ever had." said Joey. "Don't worry. We'll recuse your grandfather. We'll do it together. We're a team."
[Flashback ends]
"We are a team, but I also have to win the contest for Serenity." thought Joey.
[Flashback]
"I'm sending you this video just so you don't forget your little sister's face." said Serenity on the tape. "It seems like I'm running out of time. Take care, Joey."
[Flashback ends]
"What do I do?" asked Joey. "Maybe Yugi's right about this thing. I have to stop listening to Mai's nonsense and start using my head. AARGH! I just gotta concentrate on how to win the game."
Joey starts blocking out everything around him, focusing on the game. "There's gotta be a way to beat Mai." thought Joey. "If I can just figure out how she knows what our cards are…she's not psychic, there must be somethin' else she's doin'."
Joey then starts smelling the air and realizes something. "What's that strange smell?" he asked himself. "I never noticed that smell when my eyes were open. I'm smellin' a bunch of different perfumes comin' from…her cards! Huh?"
"Let's go, kid. It's your turn." said Mai.
"That's it." said Joey. "I see through your card trick."
"Huh?" asked Mai.
"You sprayed all your cards with different perfumes, and by smellin' each different scent, you can tell which card is which even when they're face down." Joey explained.
"Uh."
"So, you don't have to look in order to play your cards." said Joey. "That way you can psych the other player out."
"No way!" Mai exclaimed. "How could an amateur punk like you see through my aroma strategy? It's just impossible!"
"I gotta admit, Mai." said Joey. "You really had me buyin' into the whole psychic power shtick. I was too freaked out to think things through because of that, but you're not a psychic at all! You're just a big fake."
"All right, Joey!" shouted Yugi and Paige.
"Go get her, Joey!" shouted Tea.
"You the man!" shouted Tristan.
"Yugi, you were right!" said Joey, smiling at his friend.
"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 said in anger.
"I think you're wrong." said Joey. "Before you were winnin' by confusing me and tryin' to pit me against my friends, but now my mind is clear. I know who I can trust. All you got left is your cheap tricks, and I won't fall for 'em anymore."
"Uh."
"I'm gonna blast your Harpies out of the sky with this." said Joey as he showed her his Baby Dragon card.
"Good card, Joey." said Yugi.
"Smart thinking." said Paige.
"Baby Dragon." Joey said as he places the card onto the field. Baby Dragon appears with an attack power of 1,200.
"Ha. That wimpy card is your grand play?" asked Mai. "I only wish it was worth some more so when I devastate you, it would do more damage to your life points."
She then had a look on her face. "My card will be Elegant Egotist." She said, holding the card in her hand. "It's magic will make duplicates of my Harpy's Lady."
Out on the field, Harpy's Lady splits in two, creating three of the same monster. "Oh, no!" shouted Joey.
"Harpy's Lady 1…2…3." said Mai.
"Its 3 times the trouble." said Joey.
"Now what? He was struggling when there was only one." said Tea.
"Don't give in, Joey!" Tristan called out to him. "You've still got all kinds of moves left."
"Really? What moves would those be?" asked Tea.
"Yeah, please tell us Tristan." said Paige.
"How would I know? Ask an expert. Ask Yugi." He tells them.
"It's Joey's duel. He has to figure it out." Yugi replied.
"I don't have any cards strong enough to beat 3 Harpy Ladies." Joey said as he looks at the cards in his hand.
"Ha! And I'm going to keep using the magic of Elegant Egotist to double my Harpies again and again each turn." Mai declared. "Ha ha. 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." muttered Joey. "How the heck do I fight an army? She's got a whole army. How am I supposed to beat that?"
"Don't give up, Joey." said Yugi, causing Joey to turn his attention to him.
"Huh?"
"Think hard about her strategy." He tells him. "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 dueling strategy, Joey."
"Using magic on one card? That's true." said Joey. "She's just been juicing up the Harpy Ladies every turn, but if she has mostly magic cards, maybe the Harpy Ladies are her only monsters. I bet if I can just defeat her Harpies, she won't have any monsters left to play."
"That's right, Joey. Now think." said Yugi. "What card in your deck will help you win?"
"Which of my cards?" he asked. "You tell me. Wait! I think maybe you did."
[Flashback]
"Salamandra and a Kunai with chain, Baby Dragon and Shield and Sword." said Yugi. "Great! With these new magic cards, combined with your monsters, you'll have a real strong deck."
"He's right, Joey." said Paige.
"All right!" said Joey.
"Here, add this to your deck." said Yugi as he lifts the lid of the box and grabs a card. "It can be helpful in a tight spot."
[Flashback ends]
"The Time Wizard." said Joey. "This is the kind of tight spot Yugi must've been talkin' about. Now, if I can just remember what Gramps taught me about the way to use a magic card. It's my only chance. But do I have it in my hand?"
"If I had known how long it was going to take to make a move, I would have brought a magazine." Mai said impatiently.
"Uh-oh. The Time Wizard's not in my hand." said Joey. "I'll have to draw for it. Ahh, but what if I don't get it? Ohh, what if…"
"Trust in your cards, Joey. Trust in yourself!" thought Yugi
"Ahh! Here I go. It's all or nothin'." said Joey as he draws a card with his eyes closed. Joey then opens his eyes and sees what he drew from his deck. "Huh? All alright!" he exclaimed and puts the card onto the field. "It's the Time Wizard!"
"Hmm? What good is that thing?" asked Mai once the Time Wizard appeared, ticking away.
"Don't you know?" asked Joey. "The Time Wizard can make time go faster, causing my baby dragon to grow into a Thousand Dragon."
"Right, Joey, and that's not the only affect your Time Wizard will have." said Yugi.
"Time Magic." said the Time Wizard and everything on the field started to fast forward.
"Baby Dragon transform into Thousand Dragon." said Joey and suddenly, Baby Dragon got bigger, becoming Thousand Dragon with its attack points increasing to 2,400.
"So now you have a bigger dragon. Big deal." said Mai. "My Harpy Ladies still have greater attack power. Attack it, my 3 Harpy sisters!"
All three shrieked but did not age very well. "What?! What happened to my Harpy Ladies?" asked Mai as her Harpy Ladies' attack point started to drop down to 1,300. "They've gotten so old."
"Ha ha. I warned you." said Yugi. "A millennium has passed on the playing field, and your Harpy Ladies have become old and decrepit. Face it, Mai. Time's running out for you and your Ladies."
Mai groans in fear. "I believed, and the cards came through for me." said Joey. "Awesome! Go Thousand Dragon!"
Thousand Dragon blew smoke out of his nose and roared. "Attack with Inferno Flame Breath!" shouted Joey and Thousand Dragon breathe fire at the 3 Harpy Ladies, destroying them on the field.
Mai groaned again as Joey chuckles at her defeat. "He did it! Joey won!" shouted Tea.
"Go Joey!" shouted Paige.
"I knew you could do it!" said Tristan.
"Thanks guys." said Joey, smiling at his friends and Yugi gave him a thumbs up.
"Ohh. How?" asked Mai. "How could I ever lose to such an amateur?"
"Hey, Mai." Joey called out.
"Huh?"
"I tried to tell ya, there's more to duel monsters than kickin' the other guy's butt." explained Joey. "If you're ever gonna be a real champion, you gotta learn to care about someone other than yourself. Isn't that right, Yugi?"
"Mm-hmm." He said and went back to being regular Yugi Muto. "I'm proud of you, Joey. All your hard work and training paid off. You went from a guy with nothing but eagerness and attitude to a winning duelist who battles with his head and his heart."