MLP Meets Yu-Gi-Oh Volume 1

Some time after Yugi's first Shadow Game with Maximillian Pegasus, which concluded with both Pegasus revealing that, like Yugi, he possessed a Millennium Item, the Millennium Eye, and with Pegasus stealing Solomon Muto's soul as incentive to get Yugi to duel him in the future, Yugi looks out over the city of Domino from the roof of Domino High, wondering how he got into the mess he's in. Soon, Twilight and her friends show up.

"Hey, Yugi. Are you feeling okay?" asked Fluttershy.

"I'm fine, Fluttershy. Just wondering how I got into this crazy mess." Yugi replied. "I can't believe grandpa's actually gone."

"Yeah." Applejack agreed. "One minute, he's right beside us, and the next, Pegasus shows up and uses the magic of his Millennium Eye to steal his soul."

"But why?" Twilight asks. "What could Pegasus possibly want with you, Yugi? And could it have something to do with the Millennium Puzzle around your neck?"

"I don't know." Yugi answered. "Well, one thing's for sure, I'll get grandpa back somehow. I'll beat Pegasus at his own game... whatever it may be."

Meanwhile, at Joey's place, he finds that he got a VHS tape in the mail.

"Wonder who this is from" he says aloud as he pops the VHS in. Soon, a young girl comes on the screen.

"Hey, there, big brother. How have you been? I really miss you?" said the girl, who revealed herself to be Joey's little sister just by the intro.

"Serenity?" Joey asks as he can't believe his little sister sent him a video message.

"I can't believe it's been six years since we've seen each other. I'll never forget the day mom took me to live with her." Sereneity says, causing Joey to remember when his mom took Serenity away after her and her husband's divorce.

"I'm sending you this video just so you don't forget your little sister's face." Serenity continued. "It seems like I'm running out of time. I was hoping to see you once more before-- Well, uh, you understand. Bye-bye, brother."

Joey can't believe what he heard.

"Run out of time? It can't be." he says as he begins to tear up.

"So long. Take care Joey." Serenity says as the video ends. Joey realizes that the place where the video was made was a hospital, and he may not be able to do anything to help his sister. Later that evening, Yugi returns home to find an envelope in the door.

"What's this?" he wonders as he opens it. When he does, he finds that there are 5 Duel Monsters cards inside, leading Yugi to believe they came from one person, Pegasus. Yugi looks at one of the cards and sees a picture of an island on it. The next day, at school, he shows his friends what he found.

"My guess, it's an invitation to the tournament at Duelist Kingdom." Yugi told them.

"A tournament at Duelist Kingdom? We heard about that when the regional championship duel ended, but isn't that an island?" Tea asks.

"So, that's where Pegasus is keeping your grandpa's soul?" Spike asks.

"Maybe." answers Yugi. "The only way to know for sure is to become a contestant. The boat's going to be leaving in two days."

"But you can't go. It could be dangerous." Fluttershy said.

"Or it could be a trap so Pegasus can get your Millennium item and YOUR soul!" Twilight added.

"I have to go. It's the only clue I have for rescuing grandpa." Yugi said firmly.

"I still can't believe it." said Tristan. "Pegasus used some kind of weird spell to grab your grandpa's soul away, and now he's toying with you, forcing you to duel in the tournament."

"Right." agreed Joey. "And without invitations, we can't even go there with you."

"Neither can we. And I really wish we could help you, pal." Spike chimed in.

"Actually, I think that someone handed me these envelopes earlier today." Rarity said as she pulled said envelopes out of her backpack and handed each one to each of her friends. They each opened them, and saw that they each had an invite to the Duelist Kingdom inside along with the voyage card, and just those two.

"Strange. No other cards about the glove and stars or the prize." Twilight said.

"Well, looks like Pegasus wants us to be there, likely as spectators for Yugi." Rainbow spoke.

"I'm guessing the cards Pegasus sent all resemble something in the tournament." Twilight said as she looked at the cards. "The boat represents the voyage to the island. The castle on an island is, not just the invitation, but the representation of the destination. The glove and stars are the same ones as Yugi got in his package from Pegasus, and they represent what are needed to prove your a contestant and to monitor your progress in the tournament, and the treasure represents the prize for the winner, whatever it is. But the one card I don't get is that blank one."

Soon, Tristan gets a better look at the prize card.

"Hey, Yugi..." said Tristan as he picks it up. "Check this out. According to this card, the tournament winner takes the grand prize of $3 million!"

"3 Mil?" Joey asks.

"So what, Tristan? Who cares about money at a time like this?" asks Yugi. Joey then snatches up the prize card, getting an idea as to what he could do with the money.

"Guess Joey does." Pinkie says as Joey keeps looking at the card. Later that day, Joey is up on the roof of Domino High looking out over the city when Yugi, Spike and the girls arrive.

"Joey, what are you doing up here?" asks Yugi as Joey looks up at them.

"Yeah, what's with you? You've been acting quiet ever since you heard about the prize at Duelist Kingdom." Applejack pointed out.

"Nothing. I'm just thinking about a whole lot of stuff." Joey replied. "Yugi, you do know that I care about your gramps, right? I mean, he taught me, Spike and the girls about the Heart of the Cards."

"Of course, I know. So do they." Yugi answered.

"I mean it!" Joey said with determination. "One way or another, I'll help you beat Pegasus."

"That really means a lot to me, Joey." Yugi said as he sits next to his friend. "I'm glad we're friends."

"Remember the first time we met?" Joey asked.

"How exactly did you two meet and become friends?" Pinkie asked.

"I'll never forget it." Yugi began as he started to think back. "It was all because of the Millennium Puzzle. The way grandpa explained it to me, the puzzle was originally found in some Egyptian Ruins. My grandpa gave it to me and kind of dared me to solve it. It was the most incredible think I'd ever seen. As soon as I touched it, I knew it was special. I made a wish on the puzzle. I asked it to give me a real friend, and I think the puzzle came through for me. That was when I met up with you and Tristan, Joey, although you certainly didn't act like my friends at first."

"Well, that's a surprise." said Pinkie. "You first met Joey and Tristan and they didn't act like your friends?" Joey laughs at what Yugi was referring to.

"You mean when we were playing Keep-away with the Millennium Puzzle?" Joey asks as both he and Yugi begin to think back. "It was for you, man. We just wanted to toughen you up so you could stand up to the real bullies. We were only teasing you."

"Teasing?" Yugi asks. "You took a piece of the Millennium Puzzle and threw it out the window! And I was the one that tried to help you guys out when that bully, Tetsu Trudge, picked on you." The girls and Spike couldn't believe what they heard.

"He was a mean one, all right." Joey admitted, remembering how Yugi sacrificed himself to save them from being beaten further. "You stood up for us, Yugi. I'll never forget that. Because of you, we got that Trudge expelled. And Tristan and I learned what it was like to have a true friend."

"Well, that's a touching moment." Fluttershy said with a smile.

"Well, at least you retrieved the lost puzzle piece." said Yugi. "If you hadn't done that, I could never have solved the Millennium Puzzle." Yugi proceeds to think back to the day he and Joey became firm friends.

"The truth of the matter is you're the best friend I've ever had." Joey said after the trip down memory lane.

"Yeah." Yugi agreed. "It's too bad you can't go with me, Spike and the girls to rescue grandpa."

"Don't worry. Somehow, some way, I promise, we'll do it together." Joey replied. Yugi, Spike and the girls couldn't believe what they heard.

"Together?" Yugi asked.

"You bet." Joey concurred. "We're a team, Yugi."

"But how can you go without an invitation, darling?" Rarity asked, which causes Joey to think. Two days later, at 9:30 PM, the boat to Duelist Kingdom is ready to depart from the docks, and all the duelists who got an invite, and Twilight and her friends, are about to board.

"Attention, all duelists." says one of the guards aboard the ship. "Welcome to this event sponsored by Industrial Illusions. You received with your invitation the star chips that will grant you entry into the contest. You are all elite, invited by us after close observation of your past Duel Monsters contests. You each have a fair and equal chance to win. It all comes down to how well you've chosen your cards, and how well you play. Now then, duelists, cross the ocean, and enter the Duelist Kingdom!"

Soon, the contestants prepare to board. But during the boarding process, the guards catch someone trying to sneak aboard, that someone being Joey, and Yugi and the gang notice and rush over to help.

"Leave him alone!" Yugi called out.

"Hey, gang!" Joey said with a smile of relief.

"What in tarnation are you doing here, Joey?" asked Applejack.

"Did you really think I'd let you do this by yourselves?" Joey asked back. "Now come on, help me out."

Meanwhile, Tristan and Tea enter one of the cargo crates to get themselves onboard. As for Yugi and the others, they proceed to convince the guards to let Joey onboard.

"He's with us." Yugi said. "You gotta let him on."

"Only people with a star chip or an invitation, like your friends have, can get on board. There are no exceptions." explains the guard. "Understand?"

"But Joey has a star chip. Didn't he tell you?" asks Yugi.

"I do?" Joey asks.

"He does?" Rainbow asks as well.

"See?" Yugi says as he hold out a fist, and puts one of his own two star chips into Joey's hand, to the surprise of both Joey and the others.

"No offense, Yugi, but what are you thinking?" asks Rainbow as Yugi holds up his entry and progression monitor card.

"According to this card, a star chip's proof that one is a duelist." Yugi explains.

"That may be, but all participants are given two star chips." says the guard. "You'll be at a disadvantage."

"Maybe, but I'd rather take that risk than be without my friend when we get to the Duelist Kingdom." Yugi rationalizes. "I need him."

"We all need him. So he either comes with us, or we walk out." Twilight adds.

Unsure what to do, the guards decide to inform Pegasus of the situation. Soon, all our heroes are onboard, and the ship departs for Duelist Kingdom.

"I'm glad they let you on board, Joey." Yugi tells his friend as the boat departs.

"So are we." concurs Twilight. "It's all for one and one for all."

"Only because you sacrificed one of your star chips for me." Joey responds. "But if any of the other players find out we only have one star chip each, they could really take advantage of us."

"Then be quiet about it." Yugi says. However, none of them are away that someone was listening in on what they had to say.

"Kind of exciting, isn't it, guys?" Joey asks.

"I know, right?" Pinkie replies. "All of us, traveling across the ocean to a remote island together for a card game tournament. I just can't wait!" Soon, the someone who was listening in comes in.

"Well, what do we have here?" she asks as our heroes turn around to see a woman with a lavender jacket and long blonde hair. "So, you're the Yugi kid everybody's talking about, huh?" Joey, however, is transfixed by her face and hair.

"But I'm amazed that a squirt like you could beat Kaiba. You're famous, you know." she adds.

"Thanks very much, I think." Yugi says, sheepishly.

"Hey, miss. I'm a really good friend of the famous Yugi, the master duelist." Joey says with a smile, hoping to get the girl's attention on him.

"We all are, ma'am." Spike spoke up.

"Look." the woman says in a stern manner. "You're either a champ or a chump. Cut this guy loose but keep the girls and their young friend. As, unlike them, he's fashion-challenged and deserves to get crushed in the games." She proceeds to walk away.

"Please, crush me?" Joey asks, wondering if she was joking.

"I'll crush you all, eventually." She says as she walks away. "The name's Mai." However, from the shadowed corners of the ship, Tristan and Tea listen in and watch

"How arrogant!" Tea says. "There's nobody better at playing Duel Monsters than Yugi."

"Quiet. They'll hear you." said Tristan, hoping to get Tea to shush.

"I don't care. He's still the best." Tea said stubbornly. Inside the ship, another fuss is heard and seen, this time Joey is being loud about not getting a better sleeping quarters, ultimately causing the guards to warn him off. Soon, none other than Rex Raptor and Weevil Underwood show up.

"Hey, aren't you that kid Yugi?" asked Weevil when he spots Yugi, who turns and sees who it is.

"Yeah. And you're..." Yugi begins, but Joey intros them for him.

"You're wasting your time with those guys." says Rex to the guards, then turning his attention to Yugi and Joey. "The private rooms only go to the finalists from the last championship, like us."

"Congratulations on winning the regionals, Weevil." Yugi says.

"It was nothing." Weevil replies.

"Yeah. I went easy on him that time." put in Rex.

"Yeah? Well, this time, Yugi and I are gonna take the tournament. Right, Yugi?" Joey says with confidence.

"To tell you the truth, winning the last championship didn't feel like that much of an achievement." Weevil admits. "I guess I can't really call myself the champion until I defeat the duelist who beat Kaiba. But I'm sure I'll end up battling you in the big tournament, Yugi. Frankly, I look forward to it."

"I look forward to it, too." Yugi replies.

"I'm looking forward to some dino-demolition." put in Rex.

"Let me tell you a little secret, my friends." Weevil says, softly. "It's something none of the other players know about the games yet."

"Me and my friends may be guests of Pegasus, which is how we're coming to the island with Yugi and Joey, but isn't knowing about the rules of the game before they're officially given considered cheating?" Applejack asks.

"I agree." Pinkie adds in. "Because it's like knowing about a surprise meant for you, before it's time for you to be surprised."

"The other duelists will find out soon enough, and since you ladies and your young friend are guests for Mr. Pegasus, it shouldn't hurt to tell you, but there are new rules on the island that require more strategic thinking." Weevil says just loud enough for them to hear.

"Rules are for wimps." Rex butts in. "In dueling you either smash your opponent or get smashed yourself. It's one or the other."

"From my experience in dueling, strength is good, but you also need to combine them with other types of cards." Rainbow responds.

"Who asked you?" Rex asks smugly. "Stay out of my way or I'll stomp you like everyone else." Rex proceeds to walk away.

"We'll see who stomps who when we get to the island." Joey says with anger.

"Ignore him. Let's scope out the competition." Weevil suggests.

"Smart idea." Twilight admits.

"Thank you." Weevil says as he points to some duelists nearby. "Check out those chumps. They're already trading over there." And he was right, the duelists already started strengthening their decks. "Players here are swapping cards and strengthening their decks, getting ready for the big tournament. It's also a good chance to get a feel for your opponent's cards."

Yugi realizes that scoping out the competition before it starts is how Weevil gets so much insight into his opponent's strategies. Next thing they know, Joey starts trading some of his cards with other duelists.

"Guess Joey's trading." Fluttershy says. "But honestly, I don't think any of us would want to trade our cards away like they were postcards to complete a collection."

"If you've come all this way and you're still trying to improve your deck, you've got to be pretty desperate." Weevil says. "I'll catch you all on the flip side." he concludes as he walks away. Meanwhile, Rex hears Mai complaining to one of the guards.

"This is truly, truly outrageous. You expect a lady like me to stay in this dump without even a shower?" Mai asks, clearly offended.

"Rules are rules, ma'am. There's nothing I can do." says the guard.

"Call your superior. Get him on the phone right now." Mai demands, when Rex steps in.

"Keep acting up and they'll throw you off the boat." says Rex.

"Who do you think you are?" Mai asks.

"A championship finalist with a luxury room." Rex answers.

"Really? Could I see the inside of it?" Mai asks.

"You bet. Come check it out." Rex agrees. Meanwhile, outside the boat, Tea is trying to keep herself warm from the cold sea air.

"Hey, Tea, stay down or we're busted." Tristan says.

"It's freezing out here. I can't sit still." Tea responds.

"In another few hours, the sun will rise." Tristan says jokingly.

"That's not funny, Tristan." Tea says, clearly not amused. Suddenly, a door opens.

"Get down!" Tristan says quietly. But instead of a guard, Tea spots someone familiar.

"Look. Isn't that Bakura?" she asks.

"Bakura?" Tristan asked. "You mean Bakura from school?"

"What do you think he's doing here? Tea asked back.

"I guess he's in the tournament." Tristan answered. Back inside the ship, Rex and Mai are in Rex's luxury room.

"So, what do you think of my cool digs?" Rex asked.

"It's beautiful." Mai answered. "You must be quite a strong card player."

"I am." Rex responded

"Really? I love Duel Monsters. How about we play a game?" Mai asks.

"Who do you think you're talking to?" Rex asks. "There's no way you could beat me. I am a regional championship finalist."

"Please? Let me try." Mai asks, innocently.

"You'd never win." Rex answers.

"Tell you what. If you win, I'll kiss you." Mai wagered, giving Rex some incentive to play. Meanwhile, Yugi, Joey and the others are on the lunch deck, checking out some cards that Joey traded for.

"Yugi, Spike, girls, I got some good card trading in." he says with happiness.

"Hey, let us see." Rainbow replied on behalf of her friends.

"Salamandra, Kunai with Chain, Baby Dragon, Thousand Dragon, and Shield and Sword? Great!" Yugi said as he read off the card names.

"Let's see, Salamandra can give a fire attribute monster 700 attack points when equipped. Sounds perfect for that one monster I know of in your deck." Spike said as he read up on the cards. "With the Kunai with Chain, you can either target an attacking monster and change it to defense mode or equip it to a monster you control to give it 500 extra attack points. Baby Dragon is a level three wind attribute dragon with 1200 attack and 700 defense points. Thousand Dragon, a level seven wind attribute fusion monster with 2400 attack and 2000 defense points. And Shield and Sword can switch the attack and defense points of all monsters on the field. Guess you finally have a use for that Polymerization card I saw in your deck"

"With those new magic cards and that trap card combined with your current monsters and those two new ones, you'll have a real strong deck." Yugi said.

"All right!" Joey said in excitement. "So now, I'm ready to win every duel I play."

"I think you're gonna find it's a bit harder than that, Joey." Yugi responded. He then opens the box the pieces of the Millennium Puzzle once rested in and takes out a card to give to Joey. "Here, add this to your deck. It can be helpful in a tight spot."

"The Time Wizard?" Spike queried. "That's JUST what Joey needs to form the Thousand Dragon, along with Baby Dragon."

"Thanks. I'll take it." said Joey as he takes the card. "I can't get over how you're always helping me out."

"That's what friends do." Fluttershy said, then, Weevil came in behind them.

"Ahh, we meet again." Weevil said aloud. Back inside Rex's room, Rex and Mai are about to begin their game.

"Okay, then, cut the cards." Mai says as she lets Rex do the honors.

"So this is your deck, huh?" Rex said as he cut the deck, thinking that the duel will be a cinch for him, but he soon thought of an important question. "What do you get if you win?"

"If I win, you agree to clear out of the room for the rest of the trip, okay?" said Mai, letting her true intentions become clear.

"Clear out? In that case, I'm not gonna lose. You've got a deal." Rex said boldly. Soon, Mai predicts the first card on top of the deck is called Shadow of Eyes. Rex looks, and is amazed at how accurate she was.

"How'd you do that?" Rex asks.

"The second card is Harpie Lady, then Elegant Egotist, followed by Cyber Shield." Mai says, and all her predictions are right.

"Oh no. She's right again." Rex says to himself, realizing that this might be tougher than he thought.

"This is my own card technique and my own deck." Mai explains. "I always know what cards I have and can pick any one I like at any time. So, go ahead and deal 'em, Rex." Rex openly admits that he's in trouble after hearing what Mai had said. Outside, the group and Weevil take in the breeze.

"Ahh, the evening winds sure feel nice." says Weevil. "So, did you trade for any good cards, Yugi?"

"No. I'm gonna duel with the cards I brought along with me." Yugi replies.

"I figured as much." says Weevil. "You used the Exodia cards in your duel with Kaiba, right?" he then asks. "Those are the strongest cards of them all."

"And really rare." Spike adds. "That's why I don't think it would be fair to use them in the tournament, Yugi."

"I don't plan to." said Yugi.

"Speaking of them, could I possibly see those legendary cards?" Weevil asks.

"I don't see why not. Just be careful with them, okay?" Yugi says as he pulls out and lets Weevil hold the rarest cards in his deck.

"So, these are the cards to summon Exodia." Weevil said slyly. "For a long time, I've been trying to come up with some kind of strategy to finally beat these cards, but I couldn't come up with anything... until just this moment." Weevil then turns and does the unthinkable.

"Say goodbye to Exodia!" Weevil says with glee as he tosses the Exodia cards overboard to the shock of Yugi an his friends. "Now there's no one who can challenge me." Weevil gloats as he walks off, proud of what he did.

"Why, you--" Rainbow says in ferocious anger, but Applejack reminds her that they have more pressing business.

"Those were the Exodia cards that my grandpa gave me!" Yugi shouted as the cards float away.

"I'll get them!" Joey says as he dives off the side of the boat, even though his friends advise him not to.

"Joey, where are you, darling?!" Rarity calls out as Joey surfaces.

"I promise you. I'll get them, Yugi." Joey calls.

"What in tarnation are you thinking?! Those may be rare cards, but they ain't worth drowning over!" Applejack calls out.

"Don't worry, guys!" Joey answers as he spots and grabs one of the five.. "Ah, look. There. I got one of them."

"Joey! Swim back to the ship!" Yugi shouts, but Joey doesn't listen as he swims to another Exodia card.

"No way! At least this time there's something I can do to help someone I care about." Joey responds as he starts feeling the force of the current. "Current sure is strong, though. It's hard to fight. But if I punk out now, who's gonna help Serenity?" he said to himself, thinking back to the video he got from her two days ago as he reaches the second card. "Just three more now." he says as the current pulls him under, prompting Yugi to dive in after him.

"Yugi!" Twilight and her friends call out as Yugi reaches Joey.

"Joey, hold on!" Yugi calls as he approaches.

"Yugi, just three more." Joey says as he starts to sink. Yugi goes down after him and pulls him back up. Soon, familiar voices are heard. The voices of Tea, Tristan, Spike and the girls.

"Yugi!" Tea calls out.

"Are you ok?" Tristan calls out as well. Soon, they lower a rope ladder so Yugi and Joey can get back aboard.

"Grab ahold! Hurry!" Twilight calls.

"Tea! Tristan!" Yugi called. "I don't know how you got there, but I'm glad you're here!" Meanwhile, Rex is kicked out of his room, the loser of his game with Mai.

"Bon voyage, loser! And thanks for the room, Rex." Mai says as she shuts the door after putting him, his deck, and his bag out. Back outside, Yugi and Joey are back aboard the ship.

"That was close. I'm sure glad you two guys showed up-- Really glad." said Yugi.

"It's like Twilight said, we're a team. We all stick together." Tea said with a smile.

"We'll always watch your back." Rainbow adds.

"Thanks a lot, you guys." Yugi says with a smile of appreciation.

"I'm sorry, Yugi. I failed. I only found two of your Exodia cards." said Joey in a sad tone.

"It's OK, Joey." Yugi reassures. "It's like Spike and me agreed on earlier, I wasn't planning on using Exodia in the tournament anyway."

"It's not OK." Joey responded. "It's always this way with me. I'm never able to help anybody, not even Serenity, my own sister."

"Serenity?" Yugi asked.

"Really? You have a sister, Joey?" Pinkie asked.

"She's my little sister." Joey said. "Our parents divorced six years ago when we were kids. She lives far away with my mother. My sister's had really bad eyes since she was born. Eventually, she'll go blind." The group couldn't believe what Joey just said about his sister's poor eyesight.

"I'm sorry." Yugi said, as did the others.

"Thanks, guys." Joey responds. "Three days ago, she sent me a message saying that she's running out of time. The doctors told her that the time has come. Soon, her eyes will be impossible to repair, even with surgery. But there are specialists who could perform an operation now before it's too late. They could save her eyesight, but there's no way I can pay for the operation."

"So that's why..." Spike said.

"Exactly, Spike." Joey confirmed. "I have to win the Duelist Kingdom prize money for her. Winning in the Duelist Kingdom and getting the prize money is the only way I can help Serenity."

"Then we'll support you like we'll support Yugi." Twilight said with confidence. The next morning, the whole team is standing on the stem of the ship watching the horizon.

"We'll both do our best, Joey-- you for your sister, and me for my grandpa." Yugi said with hope in his heart.

"And maybe we'll find out why stone tablets of duel monsters are landing all over our homeland, too." Twilight thought to herself.

"That's right. We'll do this together." Tea agreed.

"Look! The island!" Tristan said as they approached their destination.

"That's the Duelist Kingdom!" said Rainbow.

"That's it. We're almost there." Yugi concurred as the ship approached the island, paving the way for the quest to follow.