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

by TrevBev45

We all know The Smiling Critters. But what if there exists a world full of them exist they play a card game? What if there exists a world where a friend group of the critters we know of went through a sacrifice one of their friends have made and 2 of them must fix it through that card game? Mysteries along the way? Yes, that too.

55. Chapter 54

Chapter 54: KickinChicken Hoppy Hopscotch Vs Dark CatNap (Theodore) Dark DogDay (Baldwin): The Golden Yet Hurtful Truth

Hoppy was riding on KickinChicken's motorcycle with KickinChicken behind her as they rode to the last pillar of light close to them.

"So you got another note from DogDay, huh?" Hoppy said, "What did it say?"

"Meet us at Playtime Company." KickinChicken replied, "From Theodore and Baldwin…"

"That's probably where the last pillar of light is at… And Playtime Company… That's the factory that made the toys that we all used to play and shared with one another as kids…"

"Yeah…"

"Wherever they lead us to, we'll stop and try to free them from whoever is mind controlling them."

"R-Right."

"To Playtime Company, I guess!"

Hoppy then drove faster on KickinChicken's motorcycle as they headed to Playtime Company, a factory that made toys that she, KickinChicken and the rest of their friends used to play as kids. When they got off, they saw the last pink pillar of light closest to them shine under the factory.

"You know something?" KickinChicken said, "Back then, this factory used to do tours for kids. Now they don't do those anymore."

"Well, considering that some kids nowadays aren't interested in toys." Hoppy said, "They're more interested in sports and card games."

"Yeah… We didn't play the Duel Monsters card game until we were in the 7th or 8th Grade. You showed all of us how the game works."

"I just find it pretty cool."

"And then we find it cool as well…"

KickinChicken sighed.

"Well, let's not waste anymore time." He said, "Time to head inside."

"Wait." Hoppy said, stopping him,

"Huh? What's going on?"

Hoppy took a deep breath and kissed KickinChicken, surprising him. Hoppy then stopped for KickinChicken to reclaim air.

"Woah, a-are you serious?" KickinChicken said, "I… I don't know, I mean… I don't want to harm you again…"

"I know how much you've changed after all of what's been going on until now when you changed again." Hoppy said, "I'm relieved that I found the old you again after a year of hell. …Do you wanna start over?"

"...Yeah, I guess we should."

KickinChicken and Hoppy then looked at the doors to the entrance.

"Come on, let's get this over with." Hoppy said, "If we win this fight, then we might do some damage to those Dark Critters and their war."

"Right." KickinChicken said,

Hoppy and KickinChicken, the reclaimed and reunited couple then went inside Playtime Company. The factory had a meeting part of the factory and the toy-making part of the factory. It was abandoned all-around when The Hour Of Joy struck.

"Where do CatNap and DogDay want us to meet?" Hoppy wondered,

"It's in a dueling field that this factory had installed." KickinChicken replied, "Sometimes they held events for the orphans at Home Sweet Home since they're big collaborators to one another while other times for bringing the kids to work on certain days.

"They still do those yet no more tours?"

"Nope."

"Damn."

"Anyways, the dueling field is somewhat in-between the toy making part of the factory and the meeting part of the factory. Follow me."

As they went to a door, KickinChicken stepped on something. Curious, he went down to pick it up and noticed something familiar with it.

"Hey, they still make these?" KickinChicken said,

"Woah, that's a Huggy Wuggy stuffed animal!" Hoppy said, "DogDay used to have one of these as a kid. He loved that guy."

"Yeah… Maybe this might make him come to his senses."

KickinChicken then hid the Huggy Wuggy plushie inside and behind the jacket he was wearing.

"Alright, let's go." He said,

KickinChicken and Hoppy then went upstairs to the far back of the factory to be in the meeting part of it. There, they were outside of the room that has the Dueling Field. It was empty and the front door was wide open.

"Huh, where are they at?" KickinChicken wondered as he and Hoppy went inside,

Hoppy then went to the window at the back and looked out.

"There's a forest outside from here." She said, "Wonder why they made a toy factory near a forest."

Then, the door behind them was slammed shut on its own.

"What the hell?!" Hoppy shouted as she and KickinChicken went over to the duel to try and open it, "It's locked tight!"

"They trapped us in here, didn't they?!" KickinChicken shouted,

Darkness started to form behind them as Hoppy and KickinChicken turned around to see CatNap and DogDay themselves.

"We've been waiting for your arrival." CatNap said, calmly,

"Ok, you two, this has gotta stop!" Hoppy said, "I know you two are still in there! We just gotta find a way to get you out of whoever is controlling you!"

"Control?" DogDay said, "You think we're controlled by someone? You're lying. We've realized what has happened to us over the past 1 year…"

"Right." CatNap said, "And with The Hour Of Joy still on the horizons, we've lost 3 of our allies."

"3?" Hoppy said,

"They're doing well, aren't they?" KickinChicken said,

"If you're both referring to your friends that refused to help me, then The Hour Of Joy will still find ways to–"

"--This Hour Of Joy of your's is just meant to make us suffer!"

"Yeah!" Hoppy shouted, "Just shut up and let's get these duels over with!"

"Duels?" DogDay said, "We were here for a Tag Duel."

"Oh, I see, ok. We can snap you both out of it at once in this duel, right Kickin?"

"Right! KickinChicken said as he and Hoppy activated their Duel Disks,

CatNap and DogDay then activated their Duel Disks as the four critters got their positions for the Tag Duel to start.

"Duel!" They all shouted to start it off.

Turn 1.

KickinChicken Hoppy Hopscotch: 8000

CatNap (Theodore) DogDay (Baldwin): 8000

The pink pillar of light then shined down outside of the factory through the window and behind CatNap and DogDay.

"Did they just move the light?" KickinChicken wondered,

"Pretty much." Hoppy replied, "But let's focus on a tag duel. Both teams' Life Points are at 8000 instead of the usual 4000, so it's gonna take a while."

"Ok."

"I'll go first." DogDay said as he started the duel off by setting two cards face-down in the Spell and Trap Zone, "I set two and ended my turn."

"Wh-What?" Hoppy said,

"Already?" KickinChicken said,

"Did he strike a nerve at one of you?" CatNap said to them, "Who's next?"

"...I guess I'll be next." KickinChicken said as he draws to start Turn 2, "Draw!"

KickinChicken then played Black Feather Whirlwind.

"I activate the Continuous Spell, Black Feather Whirlwind!" He said, "And I think you know how this worked, CatNap…"

CatNap clenched his teeth.

"I'll explain again later." KickinChicken said as he then Normal Summoned a monster, "I Normal Summon the tuner monster, Blackwing - Decay The Ill Wind in Attack Position!"

Blackwing - Decay The Ill Wind was Normal Summoned in Attack Position with 1000 ATK Points.

"And when he's Normal Summoned, I can target 1 Blackwing monster I control including Decay himself and either Increase or Reduce their Level by 1." He said, "So I'll increase his Level!"

Decay's Level was increased to 5.

"And now, when I control a Blackwing monster, I can Special Summon another Tuner Monster, being Gale The Whirlwind!" KickinChicken said,

Blackwing - Gale The Whirlwind was Special Summoned in Attack Position with 1300 ATK Points.

"And for one more Special Summon before a Synchro Summon." KickinChicken said, "And when I control another Blackwing monster, I can Special Summon Harmattan The Dust in Attack Position!"

Blackwing - Harmattan The Dust was Special Summoned in Attack Position with 800 ATK Points.

"Now I tune my Level 5 Decay The Ill Wind with my Level 2 Harmattan The Dust!" KickinChicken said,

A Synchro Summon has started with the now Level 5 tuner Decay The Ill Wind and Level 2 non-tuner Harmattan The Dust.

"I Synchro Summon, Level 7, Assault Blackwing - Chidori The Rain Sprinkling!" KickinChicken shouted,

Assault Blackwing - Chidori The Rain Sprinkling was Synchro Summoned in Attack Position with 2600 ATK Points, but gained 600 through his own effect where he gains 300 for each Blackwing monster in KickinChicken's Graveyard.

"And when Synchro Summoned, he is Treated as a Tuner monster while face-up on the field." KickinChicken said, "And now for Black Feather Whirlwind's effect! When I Special Summoned a DARK Synchro Summon from my Extra Deck, I can target a Blackwing monster in my Graveyard with lower ATK Points and Special Summon it! So coming back from the Graveyard will be Harmattan The Dust!"

Harmattan The Dust was Special Summoned back from the Graveyard and this time in Defense Position with 800 DEF Points.

"Now I tune my Level 3 Gale The Whirlwind with my Level 2 Harmattan The Dust again!" KickinChicken said,

Another Synchro Summon has started with Level 3 tuner Gale The Whirlwind and again, the Level 2 non-tuner Harmattan The Dust.

"This time, I Synchro Summon, Level 5, Assault Blackwing - Sohaya The Rain Storm!"

Assault Blackwing - Sohaya The Rain Storm was Synchro Summoned in Attack Position with 1500 ATK Points. Chidori's ATK Points are now at 3500.

"And when he's Synchro Summoned by using a Blackwing monster as material, he's also treated as a Tuner while on the field." KickinChicken said, "And before I Synchro Summon one more time, I'm gonna battle!"

The Battle Phase started.

"Here he comes!" CatNap said, "Do you know what to do?"

"I do, Theodore." DogDay replied,

"Chidori, attack DogDay directly!" KickinChicken shouted,

Chidori The Rain Sprinkling then went to attack DogDay directly. DogDay was then dealt 3500 points of damage, leaving his and CatNap's Life Points down to 4500 left. DogDay then laughed like a maniac.

"Oh, yes! Give me the same pain you dealt me a while ago!" DogDay shouted, "Unleash your anger on me! Come on, I know you wanna do that again!"

KickinChicken was worried.

"Don't listen to him, Kickin!" Hoppy said, "He's trying to guilt trip you!"

"But…" KickinChicken said,

"You fucked up, I get it! Just let it go! You guys can make up after all of this!"

KickinChicken then realized something that Hoppy had said.

"Make up…" He said as he turned to Hoppy, "Right. I'm a new KickinChicken now. I will make amends again, I just know it."

The Battle Phase continued as KickinChicken then pointed at DogDay.

"Sohaya, attack directly as well!" KickinChicken shouted as Sohaya went to attack DogDay as well,

DogDay grinned his teeth.

"I gotcha!" He shouted, "I activate my Counter Trap, Negate Attack!"

Negate Attack was activated.

"Excellent!" CatNap said, "Sohaya's attack is negated and the Battle Phase will end!"

KickinChicken sighed.

"Alright, now I'm ready." He said, "I tune my Level 5 Sohaya The Rain Storm as a Tuner with my Level 7 Chidori The Rain Sprinkling!"

Another Synchro Summon has started with the Level 5 now treater tuner Sohaya The Rain Storm and Level 7 non-tuner Chidori The Rain Sprinkling.

"Bring down the rainstorms that wash away the sins of my past and strike down my foes!" KickinChicken chanted, "Synchro Summon!"

A powerful new Synchro Monster appeared.

"Bring out the thunder, Level 12, Assault Blackwing - Onimaru The Divine Thunder!" KickinChicken shouted,

Assault Blackwing - Onimaru The Divine Thunder was Synchro Summoned in Attack Position with 3000 ATK Points.

"Now he cannot be destroyed by card effects." KickinChicken said, "So try and take him down, because I'm ending my turn after I set these two cards face-down."

KickinChicken sets 2 cards face-down for CatNap start Turn 3.

"I'm next." CatNap said as he draws, "I draw."

Turn 3.

KickinChicken Hoppy Hopscotch: 8000

CatNap (Theodore) DogDay (Baldwin): 4500

CatNap then played a Field Spell.

"I activate the Field Spell, Dream Mirror Of Joy!" He said,

The Dream Mirror Of Joy shined on CatNap and DogDay's side. DogDay then looked at CatNap.

"Theodore." He said to CatNap, "Before you do anything else, may I?"

CatNap looked at DogDay's other face-down card nodded in silence.

"Alright." DogDay said as he turned to KickinChicken and Hoppy, "I reveal my other face-down card, the Quick-Play Spell, Earthbound Fusion!"

Earthbound Fusion was activated.

"With this card, I can Fusion Summon a DARK Fusion Monster using monsters from my hand or field as materials. And I'll be using the 2 monsters in my hand as materials!"

DogDay then sends Earthbound Prisoner Line Walker and Stone Sweeper from his hand to the Graveyard as Fusion Materials.

"Come Hell or high water, sink my opponents down to their graves, for as Hell awaits them down at the bottom!" DogDay chanted, "Fusion Summon!"

Black tentacles started to form from the Fusion Summon with light purple lines.

"Emerge from the Hellish waters, Level 8, Earthbound Servant Geo Kraken!" DogDay shouted,

Earthbound Servant Geo Kraken was Fusion Summoned in Attack Position with 2800 ATK Points.

"And when Geo Kraken is Special Summoned, I can add a Field Spell from my Deck or Graveyard to my Hand." DogDay said as he adds ones from his Deck, "But I'm adding this familiar card to my hand from my Deck."

DogDay then revealed Earthbound Prison.

"Oh boy…" KickinChicken said,

"Anyways, carry on, Theodore." DogDay said to CatNap,

"Thanks for your cooperation, Baldwin." CatNap said,

CatNap then played a Quick-Play Spell of his own.

"Now it's my turn!" He said, "I activate my Quick-Play Spell, Dream Mirror Of Chaos!"

CatNap then sends Neiroy, The Dream Mirror Disciple and Neiroy, The Dream Mirror Traitor from his hand to the Graveyard.

"Since I have Dream Mirror Of Joy on my field, I can use monsters from my hand, alongside the field, which I have none, as Fusion Materials for a Fusion Summon!" He shouted, "So I send Neiroy, The Dream Mirror Disciple and his other half Neiroy, The Dream Mirror Traitor as Fusion Materials!"

Another Fusion Summon has started.

"When the shadows come together with the light, chaos will reign down and fuse into a more powerful shadow!" CatNap chanted, "Fusion Summon!"

A familiar monster appeared, but was different.

"Descend from the horrors of my nightmares, Level 10, Oneiros, The Dream Mirror Tormentor!" CatNap shouted,

Oneiros, The Dream Mirror Tormentor was Fusion Summoned in Attack Position with 3000 ATK Points.

"But I'm not done yet." CatNap said as he played a familiar Continuous Spell, "I'll play Dream Mirror Phantasms!"

Dream Mirror Phantasms was activated as Oneiros, The Dream Mirror Tormentor and Earthbound Servant Geo Kraken gained 500 ATK Points through the Continuous Spell's effect while Dream Mirror Of Joy is in a Field Zone.

"Oh that's not good." Hoppy said, "They have enough to take down your Onimaru!"

"Shit." KickinChicken said,

"Shall we battle?" DogDay asked CatNap,

"Indeed we shall." CatNap replied, "Battle!"

The Battle Phase started again.

"Geo Kraken, attack Onimaru!" DogDay shouted, "Geo Tentacle Crush!"

Geo Kraken then wrapped its tentacles around Onimaru, The Divine Thunder and destroyed it, dealing 200 points of damage to Hoppy and KickinChicken, leaving them with 7800 Life Points left.

"Now Oneiros, attack them directly! KickinChicken shouted, "Tormenting Nightmare!"

Oneiros then fired a blast of crimson red magic at Hoppy and KickinChicken, dealing 3500 more points of damage to them, leaving them with 4300 Life Points left. They were on the ground from such a devastating attack.

"Urghh…" Hoppy said as she slowly got up, "Are you ok, Kickin?"

"Uhhh… Yeah…" KickinChicken replied as he slowly got up as well, "Ugh, what are we gonna do?"

"I… I don't know."

CatNap and DogDay looked down at them with vengeful smiles on their faces.

"Just 2 more attacks, and you're all done." CatNap said as he sets 2 cards face-down, "I set 2 and move on to the End Phase, where I send Dream Mirror Of Joy to the Graveyard to activate Dream Mirror Of Terror in my Field Zone!"

Dream Mirror Of Joy was sent to the Graveyard as Dream Mirror Of Terror was activated, changing the scenery and lowering the ATK Points of CatNap and DogDay's monster back to their original ATK Points since Dream Mirror Of Joy is no longer on the field.

"It's your turn." CatNap said, "Hoppy."

"Ok, I draw!" Hoppy said as she draws to start Turn 4, "Let's do this!"

Turn 4.

KickinChicken Hoppy Hopscotch: 4300

CatNap (Theodore) DogDay (Baldwin): 4500

Hoppy then played a card she drew.

"I'll start activating the Spell Card, Raigeki!" She said as she activated, surprising the two Dark Critters, "This will destroy all monsters you two control!"

A giant lightning bolt came down and destroyed Earthbound Servant Geo Kraken and Oneiros, The Dream Mirror Tormentor.

"Damn you!" CatNap shouted,

"Our monsters are gone!" DogDay shouted, "And without your Oneiros, your Dream Mirror Of Terror is worthless!"

"Shit!"

"Well, guess we're ready for a comeback! KickinChicken shouted,

"Right!" Hoppy shouted as she revealed a monster in her hand, "Now I activate Pile Armed Dragon's effect!"

Hoppy then sends Armed Dragon Thunder LV7 to the Graveyard.

"By sending a WIND Dragon monster to the Graveyard, I can Special Summon this bad boy from my hand!" She shouted,

Pile Armed Dragon was Special Summoned in Attack Position with 2800 ATK Points.

"Now, I activate the effect of my Pile Armed Dragon!" Hoppy said as she sends Armed Dragon Thunder LV10 from her Deck to the Graveyard, "By sending an Armed Dragon monster to the Graveyard, I can target Pile Armed Dragon and it gains 300 ATK points times the Level of the monster sent to the Graveyard by its effect!"

DogDay gasped as he revealed a monster in his hand.

"NO!" He shouted, "I activate the effect of my Effect Veiler!"

Effect Veiler was sent to the Graveyard.

"During your turn, I can send this card to the Graveyard to negate a monster's effect!" DogDay shouted, "So your Pile Armed Dragon won't be increasing its ATK Points!"

Pile Armed Dragon's effect was negated. This didn't stop Hoppy as she smiled.

"Very well." She said, "Time for battle then!"

The Battle Phase started again.

"Pile Armed Dragon will still attack you directly!" Hoppy shouted, "Pile Armed Slash!"

Pile Armed Dragon then roared and attacked DogDay and CatNap directly, dealing 2800 points of damage to them, draining their Life Points to 1700.

"Yes!" KickinChicken shouted, "We might win this one!

As KickinChicken then walked back, he stepped on something. He noticed that his Huggy Wuggy plushie fell off from the back of his jacket inside.

"Oh!" KickinChicken said as he reached down for the Huggy Wuggy plushies, "I forgot you're out here!"

DogDay then noticed something.

"What are you doing?!" He said, "Now's not the time to dilly-dally!"

"What?!" KickinChicken said, "This fell off of my jacket and I was just looking at this fella when I first found it! Did you have this thing when you were a child?"

"I had nothing as a child! No love from the shell of a mother after my father died!"

"Well this thing gave you love, yes?"

KickinChicken then tossed the Huggy Wuggy plushie to DogDay. DogDay caught up with his free arm and gasped upon looking at it.

"Th-That's…" He said as he started to have tears in his eyes, "Huggy Wuggy… He was my only friend alone when things were rough…"

"Baldwin!" CatNap said, "Snap out of it! They're trying to lower your guard!"

Suddenly, pink lightning bolts destroyed a part of the wall behind DogDay and then struck him down.

"WAHHHHHH!!!" He shouted in pain,

"DOGDAY!" KickinChicken and Hoppy both shouted,

"BALDWIN!" CatNap shouted,

Dropping the Huggy Wuggy plushie, DogDay was on his knees from the aftermath of being zapped by the lightning bolts from the pillar of light.

"Baldwin!" CatNap said, "A-Are you alright?"

DogDay's eyes started to glow pink instead of white as he looked at CatNap.

"Forgive me, but these two tried to screw me!" He shouted with anger,

"I told you!" CatNap said,

"It won't happen again, Theodore… I will get them back for that!"

DogDay then kicked the Huggy Wuggy plushie back to KickinChicken. KickinChicken then picked up the plushie and put it away.

"Hurry up and end your turn!" DogDay shouted, "You will regret trying to show me your so-called golden truth!"

Hoppy gulped as she looked at her hand.

"M-My hand is shit." She replied,

"What?!" KickinChicken shouted,

"I don't have any Spells or Traps to set."

"All three of your cards are monsters?!"

"I have Armed Dragon Thunder LV5, Armed Dragon LV10 White and Lightning Vortex."

"Shit… Ok, let's just hope for the best."

"Fine."

Hoppy then sighed heavily.

"I end my turn." She said to CatNap and DogDay,

"About time!" DogDay shouted as he draws to start Turn 5,

Turn 5.

KickinChicken Hoppy Hopscotch: 4300

CatNap (Theodore) DogDay (Baldwin): 1700

DogDay then felt something glowing on his back as he groaned in pain. He looked at the card he drew and smiled.

"Is there a mark or something glowing on him?" Hoppy wondered,

"I… I don't know." KickinChicken replied,

"You wanna see my mark?" DogDay wondered as he takes off his cape and turned around to reveal his back where a mark resembling a condor was glowing on, "HERE IT IS!"

"Oh shit!" Hoppy shouted, "It's on his back?!"

"That's right! I have access to the most powerful of the 7 Earthbound Immortal monsters!"

"That's not good."

DogDay then played a different card first.

"First, I activate the Spell Card, Pot Of Greed!" He said as he activated it, "Which lets me draw 2 cards from my Deck!"

DogDay then refilled his hand by drawing 2 extra cards via Pot Of Greed's effect. He looked at his and slowly laughed like a maniac.

"Perfect!" He shouted as he revealed another monster, "When I control a Field Spell, I can Special Summon Earthbound Prisoner Stone Sweeper from my Hand!"

Earthbound Prisoner Stone Sweeper was Special Summoned in Defense Position with 1600 DEF Points.

"Next! I Normal Summon Earthbound Prisoner Ground Keeper from my Hand in Attack Position!" DogDay shouted,

Earthbound Prisoner Ground Keeper was Normal Summoned in Attack Position with 300 ATK Points.

"And when Ground Keeper is Summoned, I can Special Summon a Level 5 or lower Earthbound monster from my Graveyard or Deck!" DogDay shouted as he revealed Earthbound Prisoner Line Walker from his Graveyard, "So coming back from my Graveyard is Earthbound Prisoner Line Walker!"

Earthbound Prisoner Line Walker was Special Summoned back from the Graveyard in Defense Position with 1100 DEF Points.

"I don't need to activate his effect…" He said, "Because I already have the card I need! The Field Spell, Earthbound Prison!"

Earthbound Prison was activated as Dream Mirror Of Terror was sent to the Graveyard

"And with Earthbound Prison on the field, I can Normal Summon 1 Earthbound monster in addition to my Normal Summon or Set!" DogDay said, "So I sacrifice my Earthbound Prisoners Ground Keeper and Line Walker!"

Earthbound Prisoners Ground Keeper and Line Walker were sacrificed for a Tribute Summon as a giant floating rock with pink lines floated up in the sky in front of the pillar of light. It absorbed dark energy for it to be unleashed.

"Brace yourself, Kickin!" Hoppy said, warning her reclaimed lover, "CatNap didn't have the same route as DogDay had when he brought out his Earthbound Immortal!"

"Uh-oh…" KickinChicken said, "And DogDay said he has the most powerful of them all…"

"Now… Brace yourselves, as the doors to the underworld will open up a new path to death!" DogDay shouted, "For you two that is, and to bring The Hour Of Joy closer than ever! I summon Earthbound Immortal Wiraqocha Rasca!"

The rock exploded as a giant black condor with pink lines all around it was seen floating up in the air. It roared as it was Earthbound Immortal Wiraqocha Rasca, Normal Summoned in Attack Position with 100 ATK Points.

"It… It only has 100 ATK Points?" KickinChicken wondered,

"That's where Wiraqocha Rasca's ability comes into place." DogDay said with an evil smile, "When Normal Summoned, I can send up to 3 other cards on our field to the Graveyard for one of you to send the same amount from your hand to the Graveyard."

"Wait, what?" Hoppy said, confused,

"I'm sending Earthbound Prisoner Stone Sweeper and two of CatNap's only face-down cards to the Graveyard."

Earthbound Prisoner Stone Sweeper and 2 of CatNap's face-down cards, Dream Mirror Recap and Dream Mirror Fantasy were sent to the Graveyard.

"So Hoppy, you have to send your entire hand of 3 cards to the Graveyard as well." DogDay said,

"...Oh…" Hoppy said as she sends her Armed Dragon Thunder LV5, Armed Dragon LV10 White and Lightning Vortex to the Graveyard from her Hand,

"Now, for every card you send to the Graveyard via Wiraqocha Rasca's effect, he gains 1000 ATK Points. And since you sent 3 to the Graveyard, my Wiraqocha Rasca gains 3000 ATK Points!"

Earthbound Immortal Wiraqocha Rasca's ATK Points were raised to 3100.

"3100?!" KickinChicken shouted, "We're screwed!"

"Indeed you both are." CatNap said as he bowed to DogDay, "Do the honors."

"I will." DogDay said as he then shouted, "Battle!"

The Battle Phase started again.

"My Earthbound Immortal Wiraqocha Rasca will attack you directly!" DogDay shouted, "Not even your Pile Armed Dragon can help you now!"

Earthbound Immortal Wiraqocha Rasca then shot out a blast of pink energy from its breath and attacked KickinChicken and Hoppy Hopscotch, dealing 3100 points of damage to them, leaving them only 1200 Life Points left. They were on the floor again, weakened.

"Shit…" Hoppy said, "We can't win…"

"There's no way!" KickinChicken said,

DogDay laughed more.

"Just 1 more attack, and then you'll be going to Hell and back as one of us!" He shouted, "It's like what they say, we children have each other! And each other is all we need!"

DogDay smirked.

"Go ahead, I'll end my turn." He said, "The duel is still over, no matter what you draw, KickinChicken. Karma always comes back around to bite you."

Turn 6.

KickinChicken Hoppy Hopscotch: 1200

CatNap (Theodore) DogDay (Baldwin): 1700

KickinChicken looked down while he and Hoppy were sitting on the floor.

"I don't know if I can do this, Hoppy…" KickinChicken said, "I don't know if we can win…"

"...Kickin, listen, man." Hoppy said as she held one of KickinChicken's feathers, "It's a do or die situation we're in. We gotta win this for each other, for our friends, for those two were dueling against. Hell, even for CraftyCorn."

"Hoppy…"

"I get it, you did a bunch of bad things, but don't let it get to you. The future is always brighter than the past. We're gonna win this for a better future, you, me and the rest of our friends."

KickinChicken looked at Hoppy's hand and took a deep breath, trying not to cry.

"You're right." He said as he and Hoppy got up and put his feathered hand on the top card of the deck and closed his eyes, "It's now… or never. Here, I… GO!"

KickinChicken then draws to start Turn 6. He looked at the card he drew and it flashbacked him to when he used it on his teacher, Mr. Wolfgang and then CatNap used it on him at the finals of the tournament. He then had a flashback where as a teen, he would win sometimes with the card he had in his Spell/Trap Zone. His opponent was DogDay. The flashbacks ended as KickinChicken grew confident and set the card he drew in his Spell and Trap Zone.

"I set this card face-down." He said, seriously, "And I end my turn."

"That's it?" DogDay said, shocked, "Just a set card?"

"Well, looks like it's my turn then." CatNap said as he drew to start Turn 7, "I draw!"

CatNap looked at the card he drew. He smiled as it was the Trap Card, Dream Mirror Hypnagogia.

"Wish this card would help me earlier." He said, "Oh well."

"Don't worry, Theodore." DogDay said, "I have Wiraqocha Rasca. Wanna help me do the honors?"

"Yes, Baldwin." CatNap replied with mischief, "For The Hour Of Joy!"

"Battle!"

The Battle Phase started for the last time.

"Earthbound Immortal Wiraqocha Rasca!" CatNap shouted,

"Attack KickinChicken and Hoppy directly one more time!" DogDay shouted,

"AND END THIS TURN!" They both shouted,

Earthbound Immortal Wiraqocha Rasca then charged up another attack and breathed out its beam of pink energy at Hoppy and KickinChicken.

"NOW!" Hoppy shouted,

"I ACTIVATE MY TRAP CARD, MAGIC CYLINDER!" KickinChicken shouted,

The Trap Card, Magic Cylinder, was activated.

"WHAT?!" CatNap shouted,

"YOU FOOL!" DogDay shouted, "YOU SET US UP!"

KickinChicken clenched his teeth and acted tough.

"I did." He said, "And you wanna know why? Because I did it for you both to reveal the golden yet painful truth! And this truth, WILL SET YOU BOTH FREE!"

The Magic Cylinders appeared as one absorbed Wiraqocha Rasca's attack and the other fired it back at CatNap and DogDay. The attack was so powerful that it blasted CatNap and DogDay away and destroyed the rest of the wall they were standing near.

"AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" They both shouted as the attack then pierced Wiraqocha Rasca, destroying it while fading into the darkness like a fallen bird with a broken wing,

Their Life Points hit 0 as Hoppy and KickinChicken won the duel. KickinChicken looked out from the destroyed wall.

"What have I done?" He said,

"No, don't complain!" Hoppy shouted as she got KickinChicken up and hugged him, "You did the right thing!"

"But… what will happen to them?"

"I… I don't know…"

The pink pillar of light in front of them disappeared.

"But… we won against them." Hoppy said, "So we're safe, for now."

"I guess we better tell Bubba and the others what happened." KickinChicken said as he wrapped his arm around Hoppy, "Come on, we're heading home."

As the reclaimed couple heads home after leaving Playtime Company, CatNap and DogDay are seen in the forest area near Playtime Company. They were unconscious from the attack reflected back at them and couldn't move an inch. What will happen to them next now that they have lost the Duel as Dark Critters? Who will guide them to finish where their friends have started on saving their world from The Hour Of Joy?