~~Hello readers, I'm back with a new chapter.
I do not own anything from Yu-gi-oh Zexal.
Only my original characters belong to me.~~
It was now late in the afternoon.
I was still sitting in a wooden chair on my back porch.
Dark Mist remained in the enchanted space inside my pendant.
"I'm glad you found a safe place Dark Mist," I said lovingly.
"Thank you Sioku," he telepathically replied.
Knowing that Dark Mist was out of harm's way brought a warm feeling of relief to my heart.
I stood up from the chair and stretched my legs.
"Come here Pegasus!" I hollered.
Pegasus came running toward me at full speed.
He panted happily while jumping on me.
"Hey buddy," I cheered with a grin.
I playfully ruffled the dog's fur to relieve some of his excitement.
He nipped at my hands in response.
I then walked over to the door with Pegasus following behind me.
"You're a good boy Pegasus. Let's go," I praised while sliding the glass door open.
Pegasus immediately took off inside the house.
"Wait up buddy!" I called before I laughed.
The hyper energy caused by Dark Mist was clearly getting to me in a good way.
I rushed after him as soon as I closed the door behind me.
"Be careful in the kitchen Sioku!" hollered Kara.
"Sorry Kara," I replied.
"Pegasus isn't in here anymore," said Lynn.
"Thank you," I replied before walking away.
Pegasus led me into the living room where he hopped on one of the couches.
The Tv was playing as background noise.
I plopped down beside him as he curled up against my side.
"Good dog," I praised while petting him.
The dog let out a soft sigh.
My sisters were busy in the kitchen, so this was my perfect opportunity to check on Dark Mist.
I gently grabbed the jewel around my neck and held it in both hands.
"Dark Mist, are you all right in there?" I asked smoothly.
"I'm just fine Sioku," he answered calmly.
Hearing his soothing voice again brought a joyful smile to my face.
I continued petting Pegasus while watching the Tv.
The Tv show slowly pulled me into my thoughts.
"I need you to set the table Sioku," said Kara.
Her voice instantly brought me back to reality.
"I'm on it," I replied while standing up.
Pegasus remained asleep and curled up on the couch.
"You stay here," I commanded before I rubbed the dog's head.
I quietly made my way into the kitchen and stood beside one of the counters.
Kara and Lynn had almost finished making dinner.
The scent of chicken and veggie soup filled the air.
"Something smells delicious in here," I said with a smile.
I felt my stomach growl and laughed nervously.
Lynn giggled as she watched my cheeks turn pink.
"Hi Sioku," greeted Lynn.
"Good evening Lynn," I replied politely.
Looking down at my pendent, I imagined Dark Mist resting peacefully in the enchanted space.
"I wish I could be in there with him," I thought with a dreamy sigh.
Kara gave me a stern look and said. "Quit daydreaming and pay attention Sioku! What's gotten into you?"
"I just enjoy being outside with the dog," I answered casually.
"Isn't it obvious Kara? Sioku's in love with Yuma," Lynn teased.
I paused and gave my younger sister an awkward look.
"What? No I'm not!" I shouted back.
Lynn just shook her head and laughed.
I sighed as I walked over to a wooden cabinet above the dishwasher and opened it.
Kara watched as I gently grabbed a stack of three glass bowls before I closed the cabinet.
I carefully carried the bowls to the stove and set them on a counter beside it.
"Thank you Sioku," said Kara.
I grinned at her as I walked away. "No problem Sis, I'll go set the table now."
I grabbed Silverware from a drawer before carrying it over to the dining room table.
I then laid it out neatly on a few napkins at each spot.
My mind wandered back to Dark Mist, but I instantly pushed those thoughts away.
Kara would scold me if she caught me daydreaming about him again.
Afterward, I filled three glass cups with ice water.
I then placed the cups on the table.
"Come get your food Sioku," said Kara.
"I'm coming," I replied while walking back into the kitchen.
Kara handed me a bowl of hot soup as soon as I entered the kitchen.
"Thank you Kara," I said politely.
"You're welcome," she replied.
I slowly carried my bowl to the table and then sat down.
Dark Mist remained silent inside my pendent.
Looking up at the ceiling, I lost myself in deep thought.
I started to wonder if Yuma won his duel against Shark.
Lynn and Kara joined me in the dining room a few minutes later.
Kara sat across from Lynn who sat down beside me.
Lynn noticed my complete silence and spoke up. "Hey Sioku, how did your friend's duel go with that mean kid?"
My mind flashed back to Dark Mist's frightening encounter with Astral.
"Their duel was intense! I left in the middle of it," I answered while staring down at my bowl.
Kara gave me a curious look and continued. "Why?"
My eyes grew wide as I trembled slightly.
I was afraid of accidentally blurting out the incident between Astral and Dark Mist.
"It was getting late," I answered.
"Oh yeah right," Lynn teased with a smirk.
I glared at her in annoyance.
Lynn sighed before she took a bite of her soup.
"I'm proud of you for being responsible Sioku," Kara said while giving me a look of praise.
"I promise to keep making you proud," I replied with a smile.
The three of us remained silent as we ate our soup.
Pegasus broke the silence by growling.
He jumped off the couch and ran toward the window while barking loudly.
"That's my guard dog," I thought while smiling to myself.
"Pegasus! Get away from the window!" yelled Kara.
I couldn't help but laugh at Kara's hollering.
Pegasus ran under my chair and laid down.
"Stay," I commanded firmly.
The dog let out a soft sigh.
I rose from the chair once my bowl was empty.
Pegasus crawled out from under the chair.
I then carried all of my dishes to the kitchen sink.
Afterward, Pegasus and I walked toward the back door.
"I'm taking Pegasus outside," I said.
"Don't spend a lot of time out there Sioku. You have chores to do," replied Kara.
I gave her a thumbs up before I opened the glass door.
Pegasus immediately took off outside.
I stepped out and closed the door behind me.
The fresh air was just what I needed to clear my head.
I then started walking laps around the yard.
Looking up at the clear sky, I lost myself in deep thought.
To my surprise, Dark Mist reappeared in front of me.
"Hi Dark Mist, I almost forgot about you being inside my pendent! I missed you," I greeted with an excited grin.
"I missed you too Sioku," he softly replied.
I led him to a nearby tree and then sat down with my back against it.
"Dark Mist, how have you been since we last talked? What is it like inside the enchanted space?" I started.
Dark Mist let out a soft chuckle.
"I've been just fine Sioku. The enchanted space is a great resting place for me," he answered.
He cautiously floated over to my left side.
We sat in silence for a brief moment.
I looked up and noticed that the sun was beginning to set in the sky.
"I love watching the sunset, especially with a good friend like you Dark Mist. It's prettier that way," I said cheerfully.
"I've never seen a sunset before," he replied.
"I've never watched it with anyone before. This will be the first time for both of us," I added with excitement.
We watched until the sky became darker.
The night sky soon lit up with millions of bright stars.
They almost looked like fireworks.
I gasped in awe while staring up at the sparkling orbs of light.
"This is beautiful Dark Mist," I whispered to him.
Dark Mist nodded his head in agreement.
"Sioku, that sunset and the stars were a wonderful sight to see. Thank you for showing them to me," he replied with a smile.
I could sense the happiness and gratitude in his voice.
It felt good to help Dark Mist get his mind off of that crazy incident at the courtyard.
"You're very welcome," I added with love.
Dark Mist decided to change the subject and asked. "Sioku, may I ask why your temper flared up earlier?"
I thought about waiting a while to explain my autism to Dark Mist, but I had no choice since he figured out the ongoing change in my emotions.
"Yes, you're very smart Dark Mist," I answered proudly.
His face lit up at my complement.
He leaned closer as I adjusted my position.
I instantly felt the rush of hyper energy between us.
However, I needed to focus on telling him my story.
"I have a mental disability called autism. This disability causes me to emotionally react to situations quicker than an average person. It also makes learning more difficult for me. I also have limited interests and constantly obsess over them. I struggled to make friends because everybody believed that I'm weird," I explained.
Dark Mist raised an eyebrow in confusion and replied. "Why would people call you weird?"
"My energy gets away from me too fast," I answered.
Dark Mist took a moment to maintain his train of thought.
"You're not weird to me Sioku," he assured.
I took a deep breath and smiled at him.
"Thanks Dark Mist, how did I get so lucky to find such an amazing celestial friend like you?" I said gratefully.
He let out a soft chuckle in response.
"Hold on Dark Mist, I haven't told you the best part yet," I cheered with an excited grin.
He smiled brightly at me in response.
"My lonely days officially came to an end when I met Yuma. Then his friends Tori and Bronk introduced themselves to me. Lastly, I met you after English class yesterday," I explained.
"Your journey to find friends has brought you and me together Sioku," he softly replied.
"You're right Dark Mist," I whispered lovingly.
I looked straight ahead to see Pegasus running toward me.
"Hey Pegasus, come here!" I called out.
The dog panted happily while jumping on me.
"Come here boy," I said joyfully.
I lifted the dog onto my lap and held him tight.
"You should go back inside my pendent for a little while. I'm going back inside for the night. You can come out once my chores are finished," I said to Dark Mist.
"All right Sioku," he replied hesitantly.
I watched as Dark Mist timidly reached out to touch the jewel.
"It's okay Dark Mist," I assured.
The mysterious glowing force began to pull him inside.
He let out a nervous yelp.
My heart stung as I sensed his fear.
"I know Dark Mist, you'll get used to this in no time. You'll be okay, I promise. I'm right here," I softly reassured.
My voice soothed him enough to let himself enter the space in my pendent.
With Dark Mist safe inside my pendent, I stood up and carried Pegasus into the house.
"Hello sisters," I greeted as I closed the glass door behind me.
"Don't forget to do your chores," replied Kara.
"I already finished my part," added Lynn.
"I'm about to start right now," I said.
I then lowered Pegasus to the floor.
The dog spun around a few times before he ran into the living room.
"Silly dog," I commented before I laughed.
I took my time to unload and load the dishwasher.
The romantic moment I had outside with Dark Mist played in my mind.
I smiled and let out a dreamy sigh as I pictured the stars lighting up the night sky.
Once the dish washer was full, I hand washed the remaining dishes.
As soon as my chores were done, Pegasus and I walked up the stairs toward my bedroom.
Pegasus started barking as he ran inside my room.
"Quiet down," I commanded while closing the door behind me.
The dog hopped onto my bed and curled up under the covers.
"You can come out now Dark Mist," I said.
I gasped in excitement as he appeared next to me.
"Hello Sioku, I'm happy to see your pretty face again. I always miss you whenever I spend time inside your pendent," he replied.
My face pinked up at his complement.
Hearing his voice again caused my heart to race as I grinned.
"Same here Dark Mist, I miss hearing your beautiful voice all the time. I just don't want my sisters to pry into our business," I added with a look of concern.
"I understand Sioku," he softly replied.
He then floated over to the side of my bed.
I walked over to my dresser and picked out a set of Pj's to wear after my shower.
"Dark Mist, I'll be right back. Pegasus is in here with you," I said.
"I'll be here Sioku," he replied.
I then walked into the bathroom and closed the door.
After my shower, I gracefully entered the room dressed in my purple fuzzy pajamas.
My wet hair flowed down passed my shoulders.
"You look beautiful Sioku," Dark Mist complemented as he smiled at me.
"Thank you," I replied with a slight blush.
I walked over to my vanity to look in the mirror.
"Dark Mist is right," I thought as I admired my reflection.
Dark Mist shifted his eyes away from Pegasus' sleeping form to observe my activity.
"Humans use a mirror to look at their appearance in case they need to make changes," I informed.
"Interesting," he replied with curiosity.
I grabbed a brush out of a drawer and then began brushing my curly hair.
Dark Mist looked at my brush and asked curiously. "What is that object used for?"
"People with long hair use a brush to untangle any knots they might have," I answered.
Dark Mist continued watching me brush my hair.
I set my brush back down on the vanity before I walked over to my bed.
I then took a seat on the front end.
Pegasus woke up and nuzzled me while wagging his bushy tail.
"Hey buddy," I said as I held him close.
The dog licked my face in response.
"Excuse me Sioku," said Dark Mist.
I turned to him and replied with a delighted grin. "What is it Dark Mist?"
"I noticed that your dog's ears twitch slightly whenever you talk to him," he answered.
"It just means that he heard my voice," I replied.
Dark Mist just nodded in response.
The air suddenly grew thick around him.
He seemed to be bothered by something.
I looked into my celestial friend's droopy eyes and said with concern. "Dark Mist, you look tired. Are you all right?"
There was no response from him.
Dark Mist began to look around the room as he breathed heavily.
I continued staring at him and asked. "Hey, what's going on Dark Mist? Are you okay?"
My celestial friend still didn't respond.
I waited patiently until he started to calm down.
Dark Mist finally let out a shaky breath. "No Sioku, I still haven't recovered from the incident with Astral. Don Thousand's mind control spell almost permanently took hold of me. I would have lost you forever."
Hearing the fear in his voice tugged at my heart.
I hated seeing him in that scary situation.
However, I needed to keep my composure for him.
"You know I wouldn't let that happen Dark Mist. I'll never forgive myself if it ever does," I softly replied.
He stared sadly at me with a look of uncertainty in his eyes.
"Sioku, do you really mean that?" the being asked timidly.
"Of course I do," I answered honestly.
I watched as a small smile appeared on his face.
"Thank you very much Sioku," he said gratefully.
His facial expression returned to the peaceful smile I always love to see.
"No problem Dark Mist," I replied while getting into bed.
I snuggled under the covers next to Pegasus.
DarkMist calmly floated over to my side and asked. "Sioku, may I please stay with you tonight?"
"Yes, I would prefer you to stay by my side. I'll be able to help you easier," I answered.
"I understand," he replied.
Dark Mist and I started to relax in my dark silent room.
"Good night Dark Mist," I said.
Same to you Sioku," he replied.
I let out a yawn before I closed my eyes.
Yuma's duel with Shark played in my head as I lay still on my back.
"Shark's voice actually sounded pretty cute," I whispered dreamily.
The complete silence in my room allowed me to drift into the darkness.
This time, I fell into a peaceful dream about hanging out with Dark Mist.
Three hours later, I was suddenly jolted awake by a painful zap in my left side.
My heart began to race as I panted.
I looked around the room with wide eyes.
"Where in the dueling world did that come from?" I whispered.
"This can't be good," I thought.
I then checked the space beside me to find it empty.
"Dark Mist, where are you?" I asked frantically.
"Sioku! Sioku!" the being called out.
"Oh no... he's freaking out again," I said sadly.
I turned around to find Dark Mist hovering near Pegasus on the other side.
He sat still with his head down while shivering violently.
His face was contorted with fear as he breathed heavily.
My heart sank to the floor.
I had never seen anybody as frightened as Dark Mist was.
This looked like a full blown panic attack.
Throwing the covers off of me, I gently nudged Pegasus aside.
The dog panted and started to growl.
"Don't growl at me," I said with slight irritation.
Pegasus let out a sigh before he curled up near the end of my bed.
I carefully moved to the other side of my bed.
"Come here Dark Mist," I whispered.
My presence had no effect on him at all.
"Stay away!" he hollered as I approached him.
I remained calm in order to stay focused on helping my frightened celestial friend.
"Calm down Dark Mist," I softly replied.
Unfortunately, my voice wasn't getting through to him.
His mind was clouded by terror.
I didn't have a way to bring him back.
My sadness and fear for his sanity was on the verge of taking over.
I immediately forced it down to prevent the situation from getting worse.
After taking a deep breath, I cleared the bad thoughts from my mind.
"Please look at me Dark Mist. Do you remember me? This is Sioku," I said softly.
I waited patiently for Dark Mist to respond.
Ten minutes had passed as I silently remained by his side.
"Come back to me Dark Mist," I whispered.
I suddenly sensed a calmer aura around him.
"You can do it," I said encouragingly.
Dark Mist slowly started returning to normal.
I heard his breathing slow down as well.
"Sioku," he said timidly.
"Yes, it's just me. I'm right here," I assured.
He cautiously hovered against my side.
I looked at him with a soft expression and said gently. "Hey, are you all right? I'm really worried about you."
He lifted his head and looked up at me.
A frown of remorse appeared on his face.
"Sioku, it really is you. I'm sorry for zapping you earlier. That's another one of my powers. The spell took hold of me again," he explained.
"Don't worry about it Dark Mist. I'm just glad you're okay," I replied with a sigh of relief.
Dark Mist looked down at Pegasus and asked curiously. "Why did he change spots?"
"I told him to move," I answered before I giggled.
A small smile appeared on his face as he chuckled.
"This dog has an attitude," I added.
Still staring at Dark Mist, I slowly laid back down under the covers.
I gasped in surprise as he floated down to my level.
He then leaned against my chest while shivering slightly.
"Dark Mist, are you okay? I've never seen you come this close to me at night. You and I usually have our own space," I said.
He stared at me with a look of hesitation in his eyes and answered. "I've been much better. Sioku, I need you right now. Please allow me to stay by your side."
My heart stung as I listened to his call for help.
Seeing Dark Mist look so afraid brought tears of sadness to my eyes.
I pushed them away in order to keep Dark Mist from worrying.
"You're always allowed to stay here," I assured.
He took a deep relaxing breath and closed his eyes.
I softly sang one of my favorite songs to him.
Both the melody and lyrics calmed him down quite a bit.
He wasn't shivering anymore, and his breathing had returned to normal.
I looked down and noticed that he was lying completely still beside me.
The peace had finally returned.
I smiled dreamily at him.
"He's so cute," I thought.
I felt a gentle rush of hyper energy between us.
"I knew that watching over you would be worth it. Sleep well Dark Mist," I said softly.
Pegasus woke up and shook off.
I remained in the same position to prevent myself from startling Dark Mist.
"Come here Pegasus," I whispered.
The dog slowly walked up to the back end of my bed.
"Lay down," I commanded quietly.
He settled himself in behind me and curled up against my back.
I yawned and closed my eyes again.
My room was completely silent once more.
I fell asleep after a few minutes.
The next morning, my alarm woke me up at 7:00 AM.
Startled by the loud noise, Dark Mist jumped and let out a nervous yelp.
I could tell that he hadn't recovered from his panic attack from last night.
"It's okay Dark Mist," I said calmly.
I reached over to my bedside table and pushed a button to silence the alarm.
Dark Mist panted as he wearily looked around.
"Sioku?" he said timidly.
"I'm right here," I assured.
I softly whispered reassurances to calm him down.
He relaxed and stared at Pegasus who was still asleep under the covers.
"I need to get ready for school before Kara scolds me," I said with a sigh.
Dark Mist just nodded in response.
I carefully stepped onto the floor and stretched.
Pegasus woke up and let out a yawn.
"Good morning buddy," I greeted with a smile.
The dog shook off before he walked in circles while sniffing the covers.
"Hold on Pegasus! Don't even think about it!" I shouted firmly.
Dark Mist gave me a confused look.
"He was about to relieve himself on my bed," I responded.
A small smile appeared on his face.
Dark Mist wasn't talking to me which was odd.
"Maybe he just needs some time to himself," I thought.
As much as I missed our conversations, I understood why Dark Mist needed his personal space.
I quickly walked over to the dresser and changed into my school uniform.
Afterward, I brushed my hair in front of the mirror.
My hair kept falling in front of my face, so I just pulled it back into a ponytail.
"My hair can be hopeless sometimes," I said with frustration.
After dealing with my frizzy hair, I walked over to the bedside table and put on my pendent.
I then looked at Dark Mist who never left his spot near Pegasus.
"Dark Mist, I need you to go inside my pendent now. You'll be safely hidden from my sisters' suspicion," I said gently.
"If you insist," he replied hesitantly.
It broke my heart when I saw the fear in his eyes.
He just looked so helpless.
"You're okay Dark Mist, I'll be right here. I'll help you get used to the enchantment," I assured soothingly.
Dark Mist relaxed as he reached out to touch my pendent.
The orb of energy began to pull him inside.
Dark Mist tensed up as his breathing increased.
"Sioku!" he nervously called out.
I put on an encouraging smile to calm him down.
"Just let it happen Dark Mist," I said calmly.
I watched as he slowly vanished from my sight.
"Don't worry Dark Mist, you're perfectly safe in there. I promise," I whispered while holding the jewel.
As much as I wanted to comfort him, there wasn't enough time for me to do that.
Knowing how terrified he was tugged at my emotions.
I grabbed my bag from the closet and walked toward the door.
"Let's go Pegasus," I said while opening it.
Pegasus hopped off of my bed and started running down the hallway.
I happily raced Pegasus down the hallway and through the kitchen.
He whimpered and scratched on the door as I approached it.
"Go out," I commanded while sliding the glass door open.
He immediately took off outside while barking.
"Crazy dog," I commented while closing the glass door.
I turned around to see Lynn entering the room.
"Good morning Lynn," I greeted with a smile.
"Good morning Sioku," she replied.
Lynn and I quietly started to prepare breakfast.
"We need to make some for Kara too," I said.
"Sounds good," Lynn replied.
My mind suddenly wandered back to last night's situation with Dark Mist.
I couldn't help but wonder how he was doing inside my pendent.
Lynn noticed my silence and spoke up. "Are you okay Sioku? You're very quiet this morning."
I blushed slightly while trying to think of an answer.
Telling her about Dark Mist's Panic attack was not an option.
"Pegasus woke me up every few hours by barking at who knows what," I finally answered.
"That sounds rough Sioku. You do look a little tired," she replied.
"I'll be all right," I added with a yawn.
I breathed a sigh of relief knowing that my answer had covered up the real situation.
Kara entered the room in the middle of our preparation.
She walked over to the coffee machine and turned it on.
"Good morning Kara," I greeted politely.
"Hey Kara," added Lynn.
"Hi girls," she replied.
Lynn and I carefully carried our food into the dining room.
"Kara, we left some food on the stove. You can have it," Lynn offered.
"Thank you," she replied.
Kara prepared her plate before she joined Lynn and meat the table.
We heard Pegasus whimpering and scratching on the back door again.
"Do not let that dog in," ordered Kara.
I could tell that she was annoyed.
"I don't plan on letting him in until after breakfast anyway," I replied.
"I'll put him in the kennel before we go," added Lynn.
After breakfast, Lynn and I cleaned up the kitchen.
Kara wiped down the dining room table before she walked into the living room.
She then sat on the couch and turned on the Tv.
I let Pegasus inside before I made my way into the bathroom.
He whimpered with excitement while running after me.
"Settle down Pegasus," I ordered with slight irritation.
Lynn and I quickly brushed our teeth at the bathroom sink.
Afterward, I let Pegasus follow me into the living room.
I then lifted the little dog into my arms.
He licked my face while wagging his tail.
"Put him in the kennel Sioku," said Lynn.
"I'm on it," I replied.
I carried Pegasus over to his kennel and then lowered him to the floor.
Pegasus walked inside the metal cage before he laid down in the dog bed.
"Good boy Pegasus," I praised as I locked the door.
The dog let out a soft sigh.
Once Pegasus was secure, I quickly walked over to the window.
I lost myself in deep thought about Dark Mist.
Letting him out of my pendent right now would be too risky.
Kara looked up at the clock and said to me. "You girls need to get a move on. "The train should be there in ten minutes."
"I'm coming!" Lynn hollered from the bathroom.
Lynn and I walked over to the front door.
"Bye Kara," we said in unison.
"Have a good day at school," she replied.
Lynn turned around and said suddenly. "Hold on Sioku, I have to go grab something. I'll be back in a few seconds."
"Hurry up," I replied.
Lynn closed the door before she ran off.
This was my perfect opportunity to let Dark Mist out.
"You can come out now," I said as I picked up the jewel.
I grinned as my celestial friend appeared beside me.
"Hello Dark Mist, are you feeling any better?" I greeted.
"I guess so," he answered.
"Lynn and I are about to start walking toward the train station," I replied.
I stepped aside as Lynn burst through the door.
"Let's go Sioku," she said breathlessly.
We immediately started walking toward the street corner.
Dark Mist remained silent as he floated behind me.
Chills covered my body as the wind rushed against my skin.
"It's a bit cold today," I said while shivering.
"I agree," Lynn replied.
Lynn and I watched for cars before we crossed the street.
Dark Mist followed behind me as we walked.
I nodded at Dark Mist to let him know that we were at the train station.