Dueling Critters - A Smiling Critters X Yu-Gi-Oh AU

by TrevBev45

S-M-I-L-E everyday! ...Well except when a fellow critter sacrificed herself in a duel to make sure her friends doesn't suffer the same fate as her... After the supposed death of CraftyCorn, these critters are no longer smiling. They've changed and now a lot of questions need to be answered, one of them being, What's gonna come with this friend group?

58. Chapter 57

Chapter 57: Guided By The Light

Seraphina meanwhile was looking down the tower to where the last pink pillar of light was at by charging up at the sky to make it red.

"First Harriet, then Albert, then Winnie and now Theodore and Baldwin." She said, "All gone by those damn critters that decided to get into our business under The Hour Of Joy. It's halfway there, for crying our loud!"

Morris then came up next to Seraphina.

"Is something bothering you, Seraphina?" He asked her,

"Yes." Seraphina replied, "It's that damn group of critters that took down 5 of us. Only 1 didn't get struck by their pillar of light's lightning, can you believe it?"

"Was it Theodore?"

"It was Theodore."

"Hmmm… I wonder why?"

"Perhaps Theodore has already moved on from his past and the critter he was dueling against failed to do anything to make him "come to his senses" or whatever."

"I see… Well, do you want the two of us to make waste out of those five?"

"Yes, indeed we shall, but…"

"But?"

"Something is not right here… And I have a feeling that Theodore and Baldwin, or CatNap and DogDay, might be carrying on with what their little friends have done to some of us."

"I'll be on the phone with LabRat. Hang put now."

Morris then walked away as Seraphina sighed with frustration. The two remaining Dark Critters know that something is going down from CatNap and DogDay after being freed from their control.

CatNap and DogDay meanwhile were still with CraftyCorn outside of the hutt and were eating fruit. They were looking at the last remaining pink pillar light far away from them. CatNap and DogDay were done telling CraftyCorn about what happened to them, which left CraftyCorn concerned.

"So you two used to be Dark Critters?" She said to them,

"Yes." DogDay replied, "But then we were freed from whoever the true mastermind behind this whole Hour Of Joy thing was."

"They definitely had a team that controlled us." CatNap said,

"And then… You two dueled Kickin and Hoppy and they freed you from Magic Cylinder?" CraftyCorn wondered,

"It's like a circle. I used Magic Cylinder on Kickin during the tournament, he used it on me and DogDay when we were mind controlled to do this shit under this stupid hour."

CraftyCorn sighed sadly.

"Well I'm sorry to hear." She said,

"Don't give me forgiveness." CatNap said,

"Huh? Why not?"

"Oh, he's still very emotional over his anger getting the best of him." DogDay said, "Ever since you sacrificed us a year ago, he started to become… an angsty cat."

"Oh…"

"Yeah…" CatNap said, saddened, "And to make matters worse, as a Dari Critter, I went to erase my past by destroying the interiors of Home Sweet Home… The same orphanage that tried to help me as a child, but failed… I'm a trainwreck and I'll always be one."

DogDay pats CatNap on the back.

"There there…" He said as he turned to CraftyCorn, "Now you know why it's been a rough year without you."

"I'm so sorry to hear…" CraftyCorn said as she got up, "Here, I can help you two."

"How?" CatNap said, "How are you gonna help us like this?"

"Simple. Follow me."

CraftyCorn leads the way. CatNap and DogDay got up.

"Ok, is it just me, or has she changed a bit?" DogDay wondered, "Like, she's talking totally differently and she's not shy anymore."

"Beats me." CatNap said, "Come on, let's just see what's going on."

CatNap and DogDay then followed CraftyCorn to a stone platform with stairs and one pointy stone with a sign that reads, "Those who are lost under darkness will be guided by the light beyond this pillar," on it.

"What is this?" DogDay wondered,

"This could be our answer." CatNap replied, "I guess…"

"Indeed it is." CraftyCorn said as she turned around and put her arms out, "This is The Pillar Of Light! Before it will guide you both under its powers, you must complete a simple trial."

"And that is?" DogDay wondered,

"Burn away a sin that's been causing you to carry it on your shoulders since The Hour Of Joy has made the sky turn red!"

"Crafty has turned weird…" CatNap whispered at DogDay,

"Shhh! Be nice!" DogDay said as he turned to CraftyCorn, "Anyways, what is that sin?"

"Step up near the pillar to find out." CraftyCorn replied,

As CatNap and DogDay then walked up the steps to go near the pillar, they felt something burning on them. CatNap on one of his arms and DogDay on his back. They were the marks of the killer whale and condor.

"GAHH!" DogDay shouted in pain, "IT'S ON MY BACK!"

"So you two were used as slaves…" CraftyCorn said to herself, "Sleeping slaves to the darkness…"

"How will this help?!" CatNap shouted while being in pain,

"Here, let me set a fire up real quick!"

CraftyCorn then gathered a pile of sticks and rubbed both of them together to spark a fire in the pile.

"This next part is simple." She said, "Do you two have any decks of Duel Monsters cards?"

"Are you gonna burn our decks?!" CatNap said, shocked,

"Just take them out and see if there's any differences."

CatNap and DogDay then took out their Duel Disks and were creeped out by what they were. They then took out their Decks and noticed that they were way different. CatNap being the Dream Mirror deck instead of his Lunalight, Chaos or even the Branded Despia deck he acquired while DogDay was the Earthbound deck instead of his usual Inca deck.

"Wh-What happened to my Inca deck?!" DogDay said,

"And the Branded Despia deck I got from that clown of a lemur…" CatNap said, "Where did it go?!"

The marks on CatNap and DogDay burned bright as they noticed that one of the cards burning a bright pink like their marks were Earthbound Immortals Chacu Chahulla and Wiraqocha Rasca.

"Wh-What are these cards?!" DogDay said, scared, "And are they the reasons for these marks?!"

"Seems so!" CraftyCorn replied, "Now, burn those 2 cards in the fire I have made!"

"You want us to burn these cards?!" CatNap said,

"They've been controlling you just like the Dark Critters! So yes, burn them to ashes!"

CatNap and DogDay looked at each other and nodded. Without hesitation or any reason to complain or argue, CatNap and DogDay burned their Earthbound Immortals in CraftyCorn's fire. The 3 critters watched as the cards were burned to ashes. Then, the marks on CatNap's arm and DogDay's back vanished without a trace.

"It worked!" CatNap said, shocked, "Holy shit, it actually worked?!"

"Finally!" DogDay said as he sighed in relief while laying on the ground, "We're free!"

"Not yet." CraftyCorn said,

"Huh?" CatNap wondered, "What now?"

"Come up to the pillar with me, you two. We have one more thing to do in order for you two to be guided by the light."

"R-Right!" DogDay said as he kicked up, "Come on, CatNap, let's see what's next!"

"Ok…" CatNap said with a sigh, "This better not be a waste of my time or for nothing. Or both."

Morris meanwhile was receiving a massive migraine. Same for Seraphina as she entered the room he was in.

"D-Did you call LabRat?" She asked Morris,

"I did." Morriz replied, "But… This migraine cut me off."

"I got this migraine too!"

"...This could mean one thing… If LabRat said was true, then these conditions… Theodore and Baldwin… No, CatNap and DogDay, they're trying to… rebel against our control!"

"Impossible! No one has ever rebelled against us, Dark Critters before! Even when The Hour Of Joy is halfway complete!"

CraftyCorn, CatNap and DogDay meanwhile were sitting on the big stone platform next to The Pillar Of Light.

"Now. This next process will require us to meditate and eventually fall into a deep sleep." CraftyCorn said,

"Red smoke?" CatNap wondered,

"No, that's a drug. And something doctors used to help people sleep better."

"And the people at Home Sweet Home used that on you to sleep better, CatNap." DogDay said,

"...Touche."

"Anyways!" CraftyCorn said as she lifted her charm up, while wearing it, "I'll be using this charm to contact GuardianDove from above. The same goes for the identical yet different colored flower charms on my mane and tail. Close your eyes, you two, and let the light guide you under your mindfulness."

CatNap and DogDay both nodded as they closed their eyes and started to take deep breaths that are also silent. CraftyCorn closed her eyes and did the same thing as the charms around her started to glow a white light. All 3 of them were able to be silent and sit still while the glowing charms were in effect. Then, The Pillar Of Light behind them started to glow too as they were all consumed by its light while shining up above in the red sky. This caught the attention of Seraphina and Morris as they saw it out on the balcony.

"What's going on now?" Morris wondered, "Why is there a pillar of white light?"

"I don't know." Seraphina replied, "Want me to check it out?"

"Please do."

"If I don't come back, then you'll know exactly what has happened to me."

Seraphina then left as Morris was left there, confused.

"What does she mean by that?" He wondered, "Seraphina, don't tell me that… she's still alive… No, I refuse to believe it."

CatNap, DogDay and CraftyCorn meanwhile were in a blank void as they then opened their eyes.

"Woah. I feel like I'm tripping." CatNap said, shocked, "That actually worked."

"Yeah…" DogDay said, "And it feels so real."

"It sure is real!" CraftyCorn said, "Now we wait until GuardianDove arrives!"

"I'm right here, Crafty." GuardianDove said, "You don't have to wait."

The critters then turned to GuardianDove who was on their left and in his own space.

"So you really do exist…" DogDay said,

"I have." GuardianDove said, "And you two are CatNap and DogDay, yes? I have helped your friend Bobby BearHug and your teacher, Wolf Wolfgang."

"Well, it's nice to meet you, I guess…" CatNap said,

GuardianDove then looked at CatNap and DogDay and noticed what they were wearing.

"I see that you two used to be Dark Critters." He said, "But then you managed to be freed from their control."

"Who freed us in the first place?" CatNap wondered,

GuardianDove smiled.

"You're looking at him right here." He replied,

"Oh, thanks!" DogDay said, "I wouldn't want to imagine what this whole event would be like if I was still a Dark Critter!"

"...I guess I should be thankful." CatNap said,

"Oh?" GuardianDove wondered,

"He's still grumpy." DogDay replied,

"And the fact that I tried to erase my past and I used my anger to get the best of me." CatNap said, ashamed,

"...Well…" GuardianDove said, thinking, "It seems that you two have had a journey."

GuardianDove looked at DogDay.

"And it all started with a crack in the friend group." He said, "And a kidnapping."

GuardianDove then turned to CatNap.

"Then there was an attempt to rescue, but unsuccessful due to anger in the way." GuardianDove said, "And then being mind controlled until broken free by not only myself, but also from your friends that beg for forgiveness."

"Kickin and Hoppy…" DogDay said,

GuardianDove then turned to CraftyCorn.

"And then, you two found hope." He said, "A friend that you missed for a year. A heartwarming yet hopeful reunion."

GuardianDove then turned away.

"You three have found hope in one another after a sacrifice, a crack, a kidnapping and being controlled. All that, under a year of pain and without any love whatsoever." He said as he turned back to the three critters, "Which is why I'm here to help you find that love again."

"H-How?" CatNap wondered, "How are you gonna help us fix this? Hell, how are you gonna fix someone like me?"

"It's simple. I need you three to stay right where you all are."

GuardianDove then created a seal with what seems to be glowing yellow light flowing under his feathered hands.

"What's happening?" DogDay said, scared,

"Don't worry, I won't hurt you three." GuardianDove said, "I'm giving you three guidance under the light, to save this world from The Hour Of Joy!"

GuardianDove then shined a light below the seal to cover up CatNap, DogDay and CraftyCorn. They started to transform from their usual selves to be guided by the light. When the light shined away, CatNap, DogDay and CraftyCorn were different. CraftyCorn's charm was now big again without the other colored charms on her mane and tail. Her clothes remain the same, but her Duel Disk and Deck have returned after a year without it.

"My Charm! And my Deck!" She shouted with glee, "They're back!"

CatNap and DogDay were totally different as they were no longer in their Dark Critter outfits or have any face paint on them as they were in their outfits representing their personalities. CatNap's moon charm has now turned into a long purple tie while wearing a punk-like outfit. DogDay's sun charm in a collar has returned and was wearing a blue-buttoned shirt with a bright blue jacket covering it. He also had gray pants on. Their Duel Disks have returned as well.

"Woah… Look at us!" DogDay said with glee, "We're back to normal!"

"Yes, but…" CatNap said as he looked at his Deck inside his Duel Disk and gasped, "My Branded Despia deck! It's an upgrade!"

DogDay went into his Deck and noticed that it was upgraded as well, with some new cards added as well.

"Mine's an upgrade too!" He said as he was confused, "But… What the heck is a Bystial?"

"No time to explain." GuardianDove said, "You three must go now. Someone is coming for you."

"Wait what?!" CatNap said, "Who?!"

"You'll find out for yourself. For now, I wish you all luck."

CatNap sighed heavily.

"Alright, thanks." He said as he turned to DogDay and CraftyCorn, "Let's do this. We're a team."

"Yes we are!" DogDay said,

"Yes!" CraftyCorn said, "Let's end this hour once and for all!"

"Yeah!" DogDay shouted,

GuardianDove then used the seal below them to send them back to the real world. The battle against The Hour Of Joy rages on while the last remaining Dark Critters are looking to take on CatNap, DogDay and CraftyCorn while the hour is halfway through. What will happen next at this time?