~~Hello readers, I'm back with a new chapter.
I do not own anything from Yugioh Zexal.
Only my original characters belong to me.~~
It was now late in the afternoon.
I had just stepped outside for some fresh air after having a serious talk about Julie with my older sister Kara.
Dark Mist floated behind me as I walked a few laps around the yard.
The leaves on the trees fluttered as a light breeze blew by.
Many flocks of birds chirped in the treetops above.
I giggled to myself as I heard Pegasus barking in the distance.
"That dog always has something to bark at," I said to Dark Mist.
Dark Mist only chuckled at that.
After walking my fifth lap, I led Dark Mist back to the porch and sat down in a wooden chair.
Dark Mist hovered by my left side.
A light breeze brushed against my face as I relaxed.
The tranquil sounds of nature pulled me deep into my thoughts.
I finally had a quick break from those terrifying thoughts of Julie that had been plaguing my mind all day.
Dark Mist decided to start a conversation and looked at me. "Sioku, how do you think your friends will react when you tell them that Julie is in the hospital?"
"They will definitely be shocked," I answered plainly.
""I'm sure your friends will always be there to support you in any situation. They seem reliable to me," he replied softly.
"They are just like you Dark Mist," I added with a smile.
A brief period of silence passed between us.
"Hey Sioku, may I please stay out of your pendent for a while? I want to look after you during this situation," the being said with a pleading look.
"Of course, you may stay out as long as you would like to. I really appreciate your support," I answered sincerely.
In the midst of our conversation, I heard Pegasus panting heavily as he ran toward me.
"Come here buddy!" I hollered with excitement.
The dog hopped into my lap and fanned me with his bushy tail.
I wrapped my arms around the dog as he snuggled against my chest.
Pegasus let out a soft sigh.
"Let's go inside now," I whispered to him.
The dog shook off before he hopped down onto the floor.
I stood up and led Pegasus toward the door.
Dark Mist watched Pegasus as he floated behind me.
Pegasus bolted inside the house as soon as I opened the door.
He excitedly ran circles around the kitchen while panting.
"Go lay down dog," Kara commanded.
I couldn't help but laugh at that.
Pegasus immediately disappeared into the living room.
After closing the door behind me, I turned around to look at my older sister.
Kara and Lynn were preparing dinner in the kitchen.
"Hey Kara, may I do anything to help?" I offered.
"I need you to set the table," Kara answered.
"You got it sis," I replied with a smile.
I waved at Lynn before I walked away.
My smile quickly disappeared as I entered the dining room.
Images of Julie's weakened body flooded into my head like rushing water.
I just couldn't shake away those horrible thoughts of Julie being severely sick in the hospital.
Dark Mist floated behind me as I began my activity.
It worried him greatly to see me lost in my own mind.
His soothing voice gently brought me back to reality. "Sioku, are you all right?"
"No," I answered briefly.
"Do you want to talk about it?" the being replied smoothly.
"Just leave it alone for now," I thought as I shook my head.
Dark Mist remained silent as he continued to observe.
I carefully placed a glass of ice water down at each seat.
Then I neatly laid silverware down on a few napkins.
The table had been completely set when Kara walked into the room.
"The table looks good Sioku," she complemented.
I put on a proud smile in order to hide the growing uncertainty in my expression.
"Thank you Kara, I like setting the table for us," I replied.
Kara gently set two plates of food down on the table.
"Thank you Kara," I added.
"You're welcome Sioku," Kara replied as she turned around.
Lynn and I situated ourselves at one side of the table.
Kara shortly returned carrying her own plate.
She situated herself across from Lynn.
Dark Mist hovered behind my chair.
Our meal was mostly silent.
Pegasus broke the silence by growling at the window.
"Oh shut up dog," Kara demanded in annoyance.
I couldn't help but giggle at that.
Lynn decided to start a conversation and looked at Kara. "Hey Kara, what were you and Sioku talking about?"
"Julie, she is in the hospital. I gave Sioku the news while you were in your room," Kara answered sadly.
My nerves began to tense up as I listened to the conversation.
"Calm down Sioku," urged Dark Mist.
"I'll try dearest," I thought.
"That's crazy, do you know why?" Lynn continued.
"I don't know any details yet," Kara answered.
Lynn turned to me wearing a concerned expression and asked. "Sioku, are you going to see her sometime?"
"No, I already told Kara that it wasn't a good idea. I won't be able to handle seeing her that way," I explained fearfully.
"I understand," she replied sympathetically.
Dark Mist sensed my fear and leaned on me in a comforting way.
"Thank you Dark Mist," I said telepathically.
"That's what I'm here for," he replied in a soothing voice.
Our conversation was suddenly interrupted when Pegasus began whimpering and clawing at the window.
"Sioku, go let that darn dog out," Kara said with irritation.
"Your older sister's annoyance with that dog is quite amusing," said Dark Mist with a grin.
"I know, it's hilarious," I thought with a smile of my own.
Without a word, I stood up and rushed over to the side door.
"Go out Pegasus," I commanded as I opened it.
Pegasus took off outside while barking.
After closing the door, I quickly returned to my seat.
My sisters and I remained silent during the remainder of our meal.
After dinner, My sisters and I cleaned up the kitchen and dining room.
I washed the dishes while Lynn put away the leftover food and wiped down the counters.
Kara cleaned off the dining room table.
Once our chores were done, I let Pegasus inside the house before I led him into my bedroom.
I closed the door behind us and then plopped down on my bed with a heavy sigh.
Pegasus hopped onto the bed beside me and laid down.
I petted him softly as I slipped into my thoughts.
Dark Mist hovered next to my bed.
Complete silence filled my room as I sat still.
The silence was freaking me out, so I grabbed my phone and dialed Yuma's number.
My phone rang a few times before Yuma picked up the other end.
"Hi Sioku," he greeted.
"Hey Yuma," I replied plainly.
Yuma noticed the unhappy tone in my voice and spoke with simpathy. "Sioku, is there something wrong? Please tell me about it."
I let out a dejected sigh and answered. "Yes, Kara just gave me some bad news today. Julie is in the hospital due to a severe illness. She is in the ICU and in critical condition."
The other line went silent for a moment.
Yuma's voice came out deeply concerned as he replied. "Sioku, are you serious? That sounds awful."
I quickly decided to brush off the whole topic by changing the subject. "How are you doing tonight?"
"I'm okay, but Astral is annoying me right now. He's obsessed with watching a Tv show about this sparrow character," Yuma answered with slight irritation.
"Awe, that's cute," I commented in amusement.
"He's driving me crazy," Yuma countered.
I burst into laughter at Yuma's annoyance.
"I wish I could be right there with you Sioku," Yuma said with love.
I sighed sadly and replied. "Me too, I just wanted to tell you about this first since you were involved in that incident at the principal's office."
"You should get plenty of rest tonight," Yuma suggested.
"Thanks Yuma, hopefully I'll be able to see you tomorrow. We don't have school since it is the weekend," I replied.
"I'll definitely try to meet up with you tomorrow. I'm sure Astral wants to see you as well," Yuma said in a happier tone of voice.
"That would be great," I replied cheerfully.
Yuma and I then hung up the phone.
"Sioku, will you be all right?" asked Dark Mist.
"Yes," I answered briefly.
I stood up and walked over to the closet before I carefully slid one of the glass doors open.
After changing into my pajamas, I closed the closet before I headed into the bathroom.
I quickly brushed my teeth at the sink.
Afterward, I returned to my bed and settled in under the covers.
Pegasus curled up next to me and fell asleep.
Dark Mist hovered by my bedside so he could watch over me.
I retrieved the Tv remote from my bedside table and scrolled through my list of shows.
A joyful smile spread across my face when I saw Danny Phantom on the list.
After selecting the cartoon, I set my remote back down on the table.
My eyes lit up with excitement as I listened to Technus' high pitched voice.
I was finally happy to have a nice distraction from all of the chaos.
Toward the end of this episode, I drifted off into the darkness.
Fortunately, I had a peaceful dream.
The next morning, I woke up to the sunlight shining brightly through my window.
I looked over at the screen on my alarm clock, and it read 8:00 AM.
"Good morning Sioku," greeted Dark Mist.
"Hello Dark Mist," I replied with a yawn.
"Sioku, are you feeling any better?" the being continued.
"I guess so," I answered blankly.
Pegasus woke up and shook off.
"Hi Pegasus," I said as I rubbed behind his pointy ears.
The dog licked my face in response.
I sat up and gently pushed the covers off of me.
"Let's go Pegasus," I urged.
Pegasus shook off again before he hopped down onto the floor.
"Good dog," I praised as I followed after him.
Pegasus walked over to the door and sat down.
"Hold on Pegasus," I said slightly annoyed.
The dog let out a sigh in response.
I quickly changed into regular clothes before I sat down at my vanity.
Dark Mist broke the silence in my room by starting a conversation with me. "Sioku, that cartoon you played last night was quite entertaining. I really enjoyed watching it."
"I'm glad you liked it. Danny Phantom is one of my favorite cartoons. Cartoons help me relax at the end of a long day," I replied with a bright smile.
I grabbed a brush from the drawer and began brushing the tangles out of my hair.
After pulling my hair into a high ponytail, I put on my necklace.
"Let's go Pegasus," I said as I made my way toward the door.
Pegasus shook off and excitedly ran around in circles.
He zoomed out into the hallway as soon as I opened the door.
I quietly led him through the kitchen.
Dark Mist floated behind me to observe the dog.
Pegasus panted happily as he bolted toward the back door.
"Go out," I said as I slid the glass door open.
Pegasus immediately took off outside while growling.
I couldn't help but laugh as I closed the door behind me.
To my surprise, I heard the sound of quiet footsteps coming into the kitchen.
I turned around to see Kara walking toward the counter.
"Good morning Kara," I greeted.
"Same to you Sioku," she replied.
Kara then began to prepare her coffee.
The coffee machine produced a loud noise as it was brewing.
"Sioku, why are you up so early?" Kara started.
"Pegasus wanted to go out," I answered casually.
I put on a brave smile and continued. "Hey Kara, I've been thinking about everything you told me last night. Maybe we should go see Julie at the hospital. Julie and I may argue a lot, but I still care about her."
Kara gave me a concerned look and replied. "Sioku, are you sure? Do you think you can handle seeing her in that condition?"
"Yes, but I want to invite my best friend Yuma. Is that okay with you?" I said confidently.
"I don't mind," Kara answered.
I breathed a sigh of relief in response.
"Go wake up your sister," Kara added.
"I'm on it," I replied as I headed down the hallway.
I carefully opened Lynn's door and entered her room.
Lynn heard the noise and woke up.
"Hi Sioku, what's going on?" she said in a tired voice.
"We're going to see Julie at the hospital today. My friend Yuma is coming with us. Kara wants us to get ready," I explained.
"I'll meet you in the kitchen soon," Lynn replied.
I exited her room and closed the door behind me.
"Sioku, did Lynn get up?" Kara called from the living room.
"Yes," I called back.
I then hurried back into the kitchen to start preparing breakfast.
Dark Mist looked at me wearing a concerned expression and asked politely. "Pardon me Sioku, but are you sure about going to see Julie? I don't want you to frighten yourself."
"Please don't worry about me Dark Mist. I'll be just fine with you and Yuma by my side. Besides, I shouldn't be there for a long time. I'll never conquer my fears if I never confront them," I thought.
"I greatly admire your courage," Dark Mist replied.
"I get it from you," I thought with a smile.
Without further hesitation, I began preparing our meal.
Dark Mist hovered behind me to observe my activities.
A few minutes later, Lynn entered the kitchen.
"Good morning Lynn," I greeted.
"Same to you Sioku," she replied.
Pegasus was scratching at the door, but I ignored him.
I decided to let Lynn finish preparing the food and quickly set the table.
Lynn shortly entered the dining room carrying two plates of eggs and toast.
"Thank you for your help Lynn," I said graciously.
"You're welcome Sioku," Lynn replied with a smile.
After preparing her plate, she joined Lyn and me in the dining room.
She situated herself across from Lynn and me.
My sisters and I stayed silent during our meal.
We were only focused on getting ready to leave.
After breakfast, Lynn and I cleaned up the kitchen.
Lynn wiped down the counters while I washed the dishes.
Once our chores were done, I let Pegasus inside the house.
Pegasus panted happily while jumping on me.
"Settle down Pegasus," I said firmly.
The dog shook off in response.
Lynn disappeared into the bathroom to finish getting ready.
I led him back to my bedroom before I closed the door behind us.
After pulling out my phone, I dialed Yuma's number.
The phone rang a few times before Yuma picked up the other end.
"Good morning Sioku," he greeted.
"Hello Yuma, I have something to tell you. My siblings and I are going to see Julie at the hospital today. Kara gave me permission to let you join us. Would you like to come along?" I replied.
"Of course, I would love to be there for you. Astral and I will meet you at your house in a few minutes. We'll see you soon," said Yuma before he hung up.
I turned to Dark Mist who was hovering beside Pegasus.
"I need you to go inside my pendent for a while. Astral and Yuma are coming over," I said gently.
"Very well Sioku," Dark Mist replied.
Dark Mist reached out to touch the jewel, and he was immediately pulled inside.
After packing my bag, I hurried out of my room with Pegasus following behind me.
I then carried Pegasus over to his kennel and placed him inside it.
"You be good," I said as I locked the door.
Afterward, I placed a bowl of food and water inside his kennel.
"Sioku, where is your sister?" asked Kara as she looked around the room.
"Lynn is in the bathroom right now. Yuma will be here shortly," I answered.
I stood patiently by the front door and waited for Yuma and Astral to arrive.
A knock on the door suddenly pulled me out of my thoughts.
Pegasus began to bark crazily in his kennel.
"Shut up dog," Kara commanded.
I opened the front door to let Yuma inside.
Astral floated behind him.
"Hi Yuma," I greeted as I embraced him.
Yuma returned the hug and replied. "Hey Sioku, how are you doing?"
"Nervous but fine," I answered with a sigh.
Astral hovered next to me and spoke softly. "Do not fear Sioku, Yuma and I will be right by your side throughout your visit."
"Thank you Astral," I thought.
Lynn met Yuma and me at the door a few minutes later.
"Good morning Yuma, how are you today?" she greeted with a smile.
"I'm all right," he answered.
"Are you guys ready to go?" asked Kara as she approached us.
I gave a nod as I opened the door.
Kara then led us out to her car.
The weather outside was a bit colder than usual.
Many clouds covered the sky.
I began to feel anxious as my nerves tensed up.
Yuma gently grabbed my hand in reassurance.
"Thank you for that," I whispered.
"You're very welcome Sioku," he replied.
Yuma and I climbed into the back seat with Astral hovering between us.
Kara and Lynn climbed into the two front seats.
As soon as we were all situated, Kara started the engine and drove away.
I remained silent and looked out the window.
"Sioku, are you okay?" asked Yuma as he placed a hand on my shoulder.
"Yes," I answered briefly.
I curiously stared up at Astral and thought. "Hey Astral, how do you feel about this?"
"I'm feeling just as anxious as you are Sioku," he answered in a low voice.
A half hour later, Kara parked her car into the hospital's parking lot.
Yuma and I exited the car first.
Astral floated in between us.
Kara and Lynn joined us on the sidewalk.
Once we were all together, Kara led us toward the large building.
The automatic doors opened up for us.
We walked through the lobby before stopping at the reception desk.
"Hello ma'am, what can I do for you today?" greeted the receptionist.
"My sisters and Sioku's friend are here to visit Julie," answered Kara.
"I'll give each of you a wristband before you can proceed," the receptionist replied.
After receiving our wristbands, the receptionist turned to Kara and said. "Julie's room number is 354. You will need to go to the fourth floor."
"Thank you," replied Kara.
I waved at the receptionist before we proceeded down a long corridor.
We then entered the elevator.
Kara pressed the button, and the elevator ascended.
As soon as the elevator door opened, Kara led us down another corridor.
We heard beeping sounds coming from every room that we passed by.
A nauseating scent in the air caused me to feel uneasy.
I felt my stomach start to tie up in knots.
My heart began to race with anticipation.
Yuma noticed my anxiety and spoke softly to me. "Sioku, are you all right?"
"No, but this fear should pass. I can't let it bother me," I answered while trying to sound confident.
Yuma put his arm around me and replied. "I know Sioku, you are such a kind-hearted and brave person. I really admire that about you. What you're about to do right now is very couragious."
"Thanks Yuma," I whispered back.
As soon as we stopped, Kara gently opened the door to Julie's room.
I let out a shaky sigh as we entered.
Yuma pulled me closer to him for comfort.
I gave him a quick hug in return.
Our ears were immediately met with various beeping sounds.
We also heard the continuous rise and fall of a ventilator.
I wanted to go investigate, so I cautiously approached Julie's bed with Yuma by my side.
There were various types of machines set up around the bed.
Many tubes protruded from Julie's body.
Her skin looked pale as can be.
Julie looked as if she could die at any moment.
Seeing Julie in that horrible condition terrified me.
I started to shiver at the awful sight.
Chills crawled up my spine at an alarming rate.
I began to sweat as my breathing increased.
Julie's condition really shocked me because she wasn't like that a few days ago.
She only had a small wound on her side.
My mind flashed back to the nightmare I had two nights ago.
Fortunately, that officer was not here in this room to harass me.
I turned to Kara with a worried expression and asked quietly. "What do you think happened to her?"
"I don't know, let's wait until the doctor comes in. He might have some news for us," Kara answered.
Astral remained still as he studied the scene in front of him.
He had never seen someone in a hospital before.
All of the beeping noises were starting to get to me, so I gently pulled Yuma toward a row of chairs along the back wall.
"Let's go sit down," I suggested.
Yuma noticed my anxiety and placed a calming hand on my shoulder.
"Good idea," he replied.
Yuma and I sat down on one of the seats with Astral hovering in front of us.
He pulled me close to him in a comforting way.
I wrapped my arms around him in return.
"How are you feeling?" he asked quietly.
"Shocked and afraid," I whispered in his ear.
"Why is that?" Yuma continued.
"Julie was just fine a few days ago. Now she is on her death bed," I answered sadly.
Astral stared at me wearing a concerned expression and chimed in. "Sioku, how did Julie end up in such a horrific state?"
"I don't know Astral, but I might have an idea who did something horrible to her. Hopefully I'm wrong," I thought.
"Don't worry Sioku, the doctors will find a way to save her. Try to stay positive," Yuma replied soothingly.
Our conversation was rudely interrupted when the door burst open, startling everybody at once.
My sisters gasped in surprise at the sudden disturbance.
"What the heck was that?" I blurted.
"Calm down Sioku," Yuma urged.
I curiously looked toward the door to figure out what was going on.
Much to my annoyance, I didn't see anything that would help me.
"Stay where you are Sioku," Kara ordered.
"Why? What's out there?" I replied fearfully.
Kara didn't answer my question which only made me feel more anxious.
To everyone's horror, the officer entered Julie's room with a furious glare on his face.
"What is he doing here?" asked Yuma.
"That's a good question," I answered quietly.
The officer pointed at me and spoke in a wicked tone of voice. "I thought I'd find you here trouble maker. Did you come here to see what you have done to this poor woman?"
Yuma quickly released his hold on me.
Memories of that nightmare flooded into my mind like rushing water.
Julie's shallow breath sounds echoed loudly in my head.
The shaking in my body intensified.
I fearfully hid my face as I began to breathe heavily.
Yuma grabbed my hand and held it firmly.
"Sioku, try to calm down. Astral and I are right here for you," he said smoothly.
The sound of his voice calmed me down enough to breathe easier.
"I didn't do anything to her," I argued.
"You're not even supposed to be in here," Kara chimed in.
"I am allowed to be anywhere I want to," the officer boasted.
"What do you want with all of us?" I demanded with a glare of my own.
The officer chuckled villainously and answered. I want to have a friendly duel with you trouble maker."
"Stop calling me that! You're the only trouble maker in this room," I shot back.
The officer stomped up to me with rage present in his features.
"You dare talk to me like that?" he yelled furiously.
"Don't touch my sister!" yelled Kara as she stepped in between us.
"Thank you Kara," I whispered.
I bravely stood up and faced the officer.
"Okay, I accept your challenge. If I win, you will reveal the whole truth behind Julie's illness," I said.
"It's a deal," the officer agreed.
"You two certainly can't duel in here," Kara pointed out.
"I know Kara, I have a plan. Yuma will come with me while you and Lynn stay here," I said in a serious tone.
"Okay Sioku, but please be very careful. Don't let that man hurt you. I'll give you an update on Julie as soon as you two return," Kara replied.
Without a word, Yuma and I followed the officer out of Julie's room.
He led us out to a dueling arena nearby.
Even though I was about to duel my greatest enemy, I felt thankful to be outside the hospital.
Being away from those beeping machines allowed me to think clearly again.
"Good luck Sioku," said Yuma.
"Thank you, I won't let you down. This insane man won't win," I replied.
"Oh we'll see about that," the officer added with a wicked grin.
The officer and I pulled out our duel discs and powered them up.
"Let's duel!" we shouted in unison.
The AR world soon came to life.
"Augmented reality vision link established," said the AR voice.
The officer and I started out with 4,000 life points each.
We drew five cards from our decks.
"You may go first," the officer offered.
"I will gladly do so," I replied.
I drew a card from my deck and said. "I play my Bull Dog in attack mode."
A medium sized Bull Dog took its place on my side of the field.
I then set a card into a slot on my duel disc and added. "I also play a card face down."
The officer smirked at me as he drew a card from his deck.
"I summon Darklord Nurse Reficule in attack mode," he said.
The evil looking nurse took its place on the officer's field.
He then played a card from his hand and added. "I send my Burning Algae to the graveyard. Doing this will increase your life points by 1,000."
My life points rose to 5,000.
I stared at the officer dumbfounded, wondering why he would want to give me more life points.
The officer grinned wickedly at me and bragged. "Now my Darklord Nurse Reficule can bypass your dog and attack you directly."
"Sioku, look out!" called Yuma frantically.
I stumbled backward in pain as his monster landed a direct attack on me.
"Stay strong Sioku," continued Astral.
"Please don't worry about me. I've been in worse pain than this," I assured as I stood up.
"I will also set a card face down. That ends my turn," said the officer as he placed a card in a slot on his duel disc.
I smiled and drew another card from my deck.
"I summon another Bull Dog from my hand," I said.
Another dog joined the first one on my field.
Each monster had 1,500 attack points.
"Next, I play Polymerization to fuse these dogs into one," I added.
The dogs' attack points combined as they merged.
I confidently pointed to my fused monster and commanded. "Attack Darklord Nurse Reficule and get rid of it!"
My giant dog began to charge at his monster.
"My nurse won't go away that easily trouble maker. This is the perfect time for me to play my spell card," the officer interjected as he revealed his face down card.
My dog's attack immediately came to a stop.
I stared wide eyed at both monsters in shock.
"This little spell card I played is called Messenger of Peace. Your monster cannot attack me since it has more than 1,500 attack points. You also have to pay 100 life points after I finish my turn," he explained.
I growled internally knowing that I couldn't get rid of Darklord Nurse Reficule right away.
"My nurse will now take 1,000 more life points away from you," the officer added with a smile.
I closed my eyes as I braced myself for another attack.
As soon as it was over, I looked at my gear.
My life points were now down to 3,000.
"Sioku! Hang in there!" shouted Yuma fearfully.
"You can still turn this duel around!" continued Astral.
I carefully pulled myself up and smiled warmly at my friends.
"You two are right, this duel is not over yet. I promise to emerge victorious for you, my sisters, and Julie too," I said proudly.
"We believe in you Sioku," Yuma replied.
The officer gave me a funny look and laughed out loud.
"Has this duel made you lose your mind trouble maker? There is only one person watching us," he taunted.
"Shut up, I know darn well what's going on! Stay out of my personal life," I snapped back.
"You won't be talking back to me after you lose," the officer countered.
I shook my head and glared at him.
My life points went down again by 100 due to Messenger of Peace being active.
~Back in Julie's Hospital Room~
Kara and Lynn were sitting down in the row of chairs.
The two girls remained silent as they listened to the constant beeping coming from the machines that Julie was hooked up to.
A few minutes later, they heard a knock on the door.
"Come in," answered Kara.
A doctor entered the room wearing a kind smile on his face.
"Good afternoon ladies," he greeted.
"Hello sir, how are you?" replied Kara.
"I'm okay, I just came by to check on my patient. I started taking care of her two days ago. This woman came to the emergency room not feeling well. Unfortunately, her condition deteriorated faster than her body could keep up. She was immediately admitted to the ICU because her stats were declining rapidly," the doctor explained.
"Have you figured out what caused Julie's illness?" Kara continued.
I have already sent many samples of her blood and fluids down to the lab. Those results just came back today. There are poisonous liquids in her system," the doctor answered.
Kara and Lynn simultaneously gasped in horror at that.
The doctor looked at them relieved and continued. "Julie made a wise dicision to come to the emergency room when she did. Delaying her arrival would have resulted in her death. My team and I are trying to do everything we can to save this woman."
"Thank you doctor," Kara said softly.
"You're very welcome," the doctor replied as he turned away.
Lynn and Kara watched as the doctor filled the IV bags with more medications.
Once his work was finished, the doctor quietly exited Julie's room.
"Kara, Sioku was right about everything. Julie really was poisoned by somebody," Lynn said quietly.
"I know, but we don't have proof that the officer did this to her yet. We'll have to wait until Sioku comes back," Kara whispered.
~Back at the Dueling Arena~
The officer drew another card from his deck and said. "I summon Kuribon to the field in defense mode."
The tiny creature took its place on his side of the field.
The officer then played a card from his hand and continued. "Next, I'll play the spell card known as Soul Taker. This card allows me to destroy one face up monster on your field. In return, you gain 1,000 life points."
My life points rose up to 3,900.
I let out a disappointed sigh as I watched my giant dog vanish from the field.
"Now my Darklord Nurse Reficule will take life points from you once again," he added.
I closed my eyes and braced myself for another direct attack from his monster.
My life points dropped back down to 2,900.
"You can do it Sioku, don't give up! Julie and your sisters are counting on you," called Yuma.
"You must figure out a way to destroy Darklord Nurse Reficule," continued Astral.
Hearing my best friends' voices lit a fresh spark of courage inside me.
I stood up wearing a determined expression and said. "I activate my Bull Dog's special ability. It allows me to summon one monster to the field in defense mode."
Then I played a card from my hand and added. "I summon my Fluffy Pomeranian to the field."
The little dog barked as it ran onto the field.
"Awe, how cute," said Yuma as he grinned.
The officer placed a card in a slot on his duel disc and replied. "I play another card face down and end my turn."
"This maniac seems unstoppable right now. He still has 4,000 life points. How can I finally bring him down?" I thought with frustration.
The officer growled in irritation as he glared at me.
"Are you going to make your move trouble maker? You might as well just forfeit the duel!" he hollered.
Before I could reply to the officer's comment, Dark Mist spoke to me telepathically. "Sioku, you must find a way to summon me. I'll finish him off."
I perked up at the sound of his soothing voice.
"That's a great idea," I thought with a smile.
I then glared back at the officer and yelled back. "Shut your mouth! You don't know what's about to come your way! I'm about to turn this duel around in my favor!"
"Keep dreaming trouble maker," the officer grumbled.
I drew another card from my deck and said. "First, I summon my Yellow Lab in attack mode."
A medium sized dog with floppy ears took its place on my side of the field.
"Then I activate my Yellow Lab's special ability. It allows me to summon all monsters back from my graveyard," I continued.
Both Bull Dogs also returned to my field.
"My turn is nowhere near over. I activate my Pomeranian's special ability. It allows me to change all three of my monsters' levels to any number I choose. I'm changing them all to level two," I added proudly.
"Hold on, what are you doing with those monsters?" the officer inquired.
"Oh you'll see," I answered with a grin.
All three of my dogs then disappeared through the overlay portal.
"With these three level two monsters, I build the overlay network. Now that I have, I can summon Number 96: Dark Mist!" I called out.
A massive amount of black ooze began to rise on my side of the field.
That tall humanoid monster emerged from the ooze.
"Awesome move Sioku! Keep up the good work," praised Yuma.
I gave a thumbs up in response.
A feeling of relief washed over me as I watched Dark Mist prepare for battle.
"Hello Dark Mist, I'm so glad to see you again," I said cheerfully.
"Same here Sioku, let's finish this poser off. His reign of terror ends now," Dark Mist replied.
The number's comment made me laugh out loud.
"What are you laughing at trouble maker? This is not a game!" the officer yelled.
A flashback threatened to enter my mind, but I pushed it away by staring at Dark Mist.
The number's appearance always had a calming effect on me.
I smirked at the officer and replied. "I hope you know that your screaming doesn't bother me anymore. You're getting upset because this duel is about to be in my favor now."
Then I pointed at Dark Mist and commanded. "Take out that little Kuribon of his!"
As Number 96 was about to attack, the officer revealed his face down card.
"Stop right there, I activate Swords of Revealing Light. This spell card prevents you from attacking me for three whole turns," he said.
Dark Mist was instantly stopped in his tracks.
Both of the officer's monsters were surrounded by a wall of light.
I decided to counter his trap and revealed one of my own face down cards.
"I play the spell card known as Mystical Space Typhoon. It automatically destroys all spell and trap cards on the field," I replied.
The officer stood frozen in shock as a huge storm swept all of his cards away.
"Nice work Sioku," praised Dark Mist.
I grinned at Dark Mist in response.
"Bringing down your defenses was easier than I thought it would be. The next part of my plan will get you on my next turn," I said with a proud smile.
"Your luck won't last forever," he retorted.
Lastly, I placed a card into another slot on my duel disc. "I'll set a card face down and end my turn."
The officer drew another card from his deck and said. "I summon Condemned Witch to the field in attack mode. This card also lets me add a spell card from my deck to my hand."
The creepy witch took its place on the officer's field.
He then pointed to his new monster and commanded. "Condemned Witch, take out Dark Mist!"
"I won't let you go down like that Dark Mist. I'll save you," I said as I revealed my face down card.
I then turned to the officer and added. "I activate the trap, Negate Attack! This card prevents my monster from taking damage."
His monster's attack immediately came to a halt.
"Thank you Sioku," Dark Mist said sincerely.
"You're welcome Dark Mist, I would never hesitate to help you. You came here to save me after all," I thought with love.
The officer smirked at me before replying. "You may have saved your monster from destruction, but my nurse can still deal direct damage to you."
Darklord Nurse Reficule charged forward and attacked me again, lowering my life points down to 1,900.
Yuma stared at me wearing a horrified expression.
"One more attack from my monsters will take you out for good. You don't stand a chance against me trouble maker," the officer bragged.
I furiously pulled myself up and shot back. "No, you're going down first. I may be on the ropes now, but you can't hold me down forever. My friend and I will defeat you together. Friendship is more powerful than all of your cards combined!"
"You can say that again," replied Yuma.
"I end my turn," the officer grumbled.
I turned to Dark Mist with a secretive smile and thought. "Let's destroy his defending monster first."
"That's a good start," replied Dark Mist.
"Attack that Kuribon once more!" I commanded.
Dark Mist obliterated the tiny creature with just one attack.
"Nice try trouble maker, I don't take any battle damage from that attack. You're not winning this duel," the officer remarked.
I smirked at him and replied. "Quit your bragging already, it's getting really annoying. Besides, my turn isn't over yet. I activate Dark Mist's special ability. Dark Mist can absorb one of your monster's attack points. I choose Darklord Nurse Reficule!"
Dark Mist wrapped his tendrils around the nurse and drained all of its attack points.
"What? No!" shouted the officer with fury.
"You shouldn't have messed with my friends and me. Now Dark Mist will teach you a lesson," I said coldly.
I pointed at the powered up Dark Mist and commanded. "Get rid of that nurse once and for all!"
Dark Mist destroyed the officer's monster, taking 1,500 of his life points with it.
The officer's gear dropped down to 2,500 life points.
"Great job Sioku! You still have a chance to win this!" cheered Yuma.
"I know, and it's all because of you. Thank you for the encouragement," I replied.
I placed a card face down in a slot on my duel disc and then turned to the officer.
"I'll set a card face down and end my turn," I added.
He drew another card from his deck and said. "First, I'll activate the spell card known as Banishment of The Darklords. This card allows me to add one Darklord monster to my hand. Next, I'll go ahead and play a second Darklord Nurse Reficule to my field in attack mode."
Dark Mist and I stared at each other with stunned expressions.
The officer laughed villainously and added. "What's the matter trouble maker? Did you really think that Darklord Nurse Reficule was gone for good?"
Instead of answering him, I continued looking at Dark Mist.
The officer then played a card from his hand and continued. "Next, I'll activate the spell card known as Upstart Goblin. It allows me to draw one card from my deck. In return, you gain 1,000 life points."
My life points rose up to 2,900.
"Finally, my Darklord Nurse Reficule can attack you directly," he added.
The nurse charged forward and landed a direct attack on me.
I fell to the ground as my life points dropped back down to 1,900.
"If you want your suffering to end trouble maker, give up and admit defeat. My monsters will keep torturing you if you don't surrender now," the officer said wickedly.
I only glared up at him.
"Sioku, hang in there! I'm still here for you!" called Dark Mist.
"Please don't worry Dark Mist, I still have life points left. This crazed man can't count me out just yet," I said breathlessly.
"Sioku, please get up! I know you can pull through!" shouted yuma.
I carefully pulled myself back up on my feet and replied. "That's right Yuma, I'm not going down without a fight. I came out here to win this duel for everybody who I care about. Even though Julie and I aren't close friends, I will still emerge victorious in order to save her."
Dark Mist floated over to my side and spoke softly to me. "Sioku, you are the kindest person I have ever met. If Julie was able to watch this duel right now, I'm sure she would agree with me. I will stay right here by your side and help you defeat that pitiful excuse for a man. Your courage will also secure our victory."
Tears welled up in my eyes as I looked at my celestial friend.
"Thank you Dark Mist, I appreciate all of your support. I believe that you and I can pull it off. The number of life points I have won't change anything," I replied with a smile.
Dark Mist Then floated back to the field.
"I'll end my turn right there. Go ahead and make your last move trouble maker," the officer said with a glare.
"Oh we'll see which one of us has the last move. I activate Dark Mist's special ability once again," I replied.
Dark Mist drrained the second nurse's attack points down to zero, bringing his own attack points up to 2,900.
The officer let out a growl of frustration and hollered. "Are you serious? This can't be happening again! I should have taken out Dark Mist during my last turn!"
"That's what you get for not thinking clearly about your next move. Anger has clouded your judgement," I said with a smirk.
I then pointed to my newly powered up monster and commanded. "Okay Dark Mist, destroy that weak demon!"
Dark Mist wiped out the officer's monster, taking 1,500 more life points with it.
The officer was now down to 1,000 life points.
"Nice job Sioku, you've got him on the ropes now! One more powerful attack should take this poser out for sure!" cheered Yuma.
"You got that right Yuma," I called back.
I then drew a card from my deck and said. "I summon my Golden Retriever to the field."
The fluffy medium sized dog took its place on my side of the field next to Dark Mist.
"Instead of using this monster to attack you, I'll use its special ability. Dark Mist will gain all of my dog's attack points before it gets destroyed," I continued.
Dark Mist absorbed all of my dog's attack points before it vanished.
My celestial friend's attack points rose up to 3,900.
The officer's jaw dropped at the sight of Dark Mist's new power.
"Wait Sioku, please don't do it. Let's talk about this," he pleaded.
"What happened to you calling me trouble maker?" I joked.
I grinned at Dark Mist and then back at the surprised officer.
"Finally, my best friend can take you out of this game. Get ready to meet your doom," I said proudly.
As soon as I gave the signal, Dark Mist unleashed a powerful attack on the officer, wiping out the rest of his life points in the process.
The officer fell to the ground.
As soon as the AR world disappeared, I helped the officer back onto his feet.
He smiled graciously in response.
"Thanks for your help Dark Mist, I couldn't have won this duel without you. You have made me very proud today. You're the best friend I ever had," I thought.
"You're most welcome Sioku, I am truly honored to be your friend. I will always be right by your side," he replied.
Yuma raced over to us before he threw his arms around me.
"You did it Sioku! I knew you and Dark Mist could pull it off," he said joyfully.
"Dark Mist and I make a great team," I replied as I returned the hug.
Without a word, the officer led Yuma and me back into the hospital.