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.

67. Chapter 66

Chapter 66: Sunshine Valley's Unsolved Mystery

Another day passed and it was then the afternoon.

CatNap was reading one of the two books Miss FishyFinns gave him in the living room of the apartment he and DogDay are sharing.

"Hmm…" He wondered, "Interesting…"

DogDay then came out of his room.

"Hey, can I talk to you real quick, CatNap?" He asked him,

"Sure." CatNap replied as he placed a bookmark in between the pages he was currently reading and closed the book to chat with DogDay, "What's up?"

"Poppy and I had a chat on the phone recently. We're going to Sunshine Valley."

"Oh, cool. Who are we bringing with us?"

"Well… I don't know. Bobby and Picky are busy with one another… Picky is tough, but again, she's busy."

"How about Bubba and Crafty? They got together and–"

"--And risk losing Crafty again? Not a chance. I know she's busy with something art related while Bubba is busy with something science related, so… Those two are out of the park."

"I guess that leaves with Hoppy and Kickin…"

"Yeah, they're down for anything, and they're already tough enough to have, despite our ups and downs throughout the years… But we all managed to work things out and make sure that nothing like what happened all that time without Crafty would ever happen again…"

"I hope so… They really drained our mentality before The Hour Of Joy made it worse…"

"Don't worry, that land of water is under the bridge now. I'll go get Kickin and Hoppy and we'll be on our way to Sunshine Valley."

"Quick question, hasn't one of us ever been to Sunshine Valley before the murder and the double kidnapping?"

"Bubba and Crafty did at the start of their loving relationship together."

"Oh, ok, I was just wondering."

"I understand. Let's get ready to help Poppy find some clues on whatever unsolved mysteries are out there, in Sunshine Valley."

"Alright."

DogDay heads to his room. As CatNap did so, he thought to himself.

"Hmmm… Sunshine Valley…" He wondered, "It used to be so… bright. What happened to that place?"

Meanwhile, Bobby was with someone as the two of them were walking to Verygreen Park to meet with Bubba, Crafty and Picky.

"Alright, I want you to remember to be on your best behavior, ok?" Bobby asked him,

Bobby was talking to another red bear critter, except he was taller than Bobby.

"I will, but you don't have to remind me." He replied, "I'm not a little kid."

"Well I'm still your big sister." Bobby replied, "And I'm an adult, so you're gonna be under my rather poor supervision. You can judge it once they return, ok?"

Bobby's brother, it seems, chuckled.

"Alright, alright, let's see where this day goes." He said,

CraftyCorn was looking around in Verygreen Park while holding hooves with Bubba. PickyPiggy was there and was eating an apple.

"I gotta say, Bubba, ya new girlfriend is so attached to the scenery here." She said to Bubba,

"She hasn't been with us in over a year." Bubba said, "So it would make so much sense for her to get some fresh air around us."

"So much inspiration that I need to caught up with…" CraftyCorn said, "Haven't painted something in a while…"

"When you were gone, what did you use your artistic creativity on?"

"Oh, uhhh… It was for a zen garden."

"A zen garden?"

"You made a zen garden in the middle of the forest near the park?" PickyPiggy wondered, "How is that even possible?"

"Believe me, it wasn't." CraftyCorn replied, "It was also impossible to even survive without the needs of harvesting fruit. And that was also impossible to get a hold of at first…"

"Well you don't have to worry about that anymore." Bubba said, "You're safe with us again…"

"Thanks, you guys…"

"Hey guys!" Bobby's voice hollered,

"Oh there's my beautiful bear!" PickyPiggy said as she spotted Bobby, but then spotted her brother, "And is that another her?"

"Oh, this could be Bobby's younger brother she talked about earlier." Bubba said,

"At first I didn't know that Bobby had a sibling…" CraftyCorn said, "But the rest of us don't have any siblings."

"True, I liked being an only child." PickyPiggy said,

"It was kinda boring for Hoppy." Bubba said as he, Crafty and Picky shared a chuckle, "Don't worry, she told me about it a while back."

Bobby and her brother met up with the rest of Bobby's friends.

"Hey everyone!" She said, "Where's the other 4 at?"

"Going to Sunshine Valley." Bubba replied,

"Isn't that place… dangerous?" Bobby's brother asked, "After the kidnappings and a major murder?"

"So you know about them?"

"Yeah, me and Bobby watched the news."

"Hope they'll be careful…" Bobby said as she then showed her friends her brother, "Anyways, this is my younger brother, Robert BearHug."

"He's younger than you?!" CraftyCorn said, "But he's so tall!"

"Well even though he is taller than me, I'm still his big sister. Besides, he's only in middle school."

"Yes, yes you are." Robert said,

"Hey, do you go to Lucky Learning?" Bubba asked,

"From Kindergarten to 5th? I did. I'm currently in Stepping Stone Middle School and I'm gonna be in the 7th grade after the summer, plus I'm only 13 and a half years old. Oh, and fun fact, my family and friends refer to me as a gentle giant."

"I can see why." Bubba said,

"By the way, why did ya bring him here with ya, Bobby?" PickyPiggy wondered,

"My parents are on vacation for the week." Bobby replied, "And I couldn't just leave him to be all alone, so… I thought bringing him along was the safest pick."

"Wouldn't a babysitter help out?" Bubba wondered,

"Well those are expensive."

"I mean, do you have anyone around here that could safely take care of him while your parents are away?"

"Of course, it's me."

Bubba sighed.

"Forget it, you do you, Bobby." He said,

We now turn our attention to Sunshine Valley. Recently it has been turned to a gloomy place after a murder and a double kidnapping of 4 critters has happened. Coming off the bus near a bus stop were CatNap, DogDay, KickinChicken and Hoppy as they looked around at where they were. The sound of a police car's sirens going odd and loud chattering can also be heard. The atmosphere gives one of them a cold swallow, being DogDay.

"Well, here we are! Sunshine Valley!" He said, nervously, "Boy, this place sure has changed…"

"Man, they really took away the Sunshine in this Valley…" Hoppy said as she also looked around, "Like damn…"

"Usually there would be a lot of the younger critters outside playing or the older critters like us chilling." KickinChicken said,

"But that murder and the double kidnappings made the streets dangerous." CatNap said as he turned to DogDay, "So, where's Poppy at?"

"She should be in an apartment owned by a friend of hers." DogDay replied, "Don't worry, she sent me a picture of the place and I have a GPS on my phone."

"You had a GPS on your phone, yet you don't have a car?"

"Please don't judge me, buddy. Let's just get this serious thing underway."

"Alright."

The group then started to walk and follow DogDay. KickinChicken turned to a group of wolf critters and waved at them, but they looked at KickinChicken with dead looks on their faces. KickinChicken, suddenly nervous, looked away while gulping hard.

"Already this place is giving me the creeps…" He said to CatNap,

"Not for me." CatNap said,

"How?"

"I don't know. I guess I'm used to seeing dangerous shit in my life."

"Oh yeah, I can see why…"

While turning to a different street, CatNap heard a voice from behind him.

"Pssst, hey." It whispered, "Got a minute?"

CatNap stopped and turned back to the street he and his friends came from. Who he saw face-to-face was a female black sheep critter with a ripped white or gray flannel and a skull charm.

"Wh-What the?" CatNap said, shocked, as if he knew who the critter was, "Baba? Baba Chops? What are you doing here?"

"I should be asking ya that instead." Baba replied, "Besides, I live here."

"No shit. What's going on? I haven't seen you since high school. Did you graduate? I know how much DogDay despises you."

"Don't worry about him. He ain't none of my business…"

"Hey, CatNap!" KickinChicken hollered, "Where are you, dude?"

"Oh! I gotta go! Meet me at Verygreen Park, tonight."

"Wha-Umm… Ok?!" CatNap said, confused,

"Stay safe now!"

Baba Chops then ran away and disappeared as KickinChicken appeared next to CatNap.

"Dude, who were you talking to?" He asked CatNap,

"Oh, I was talking to myself." CatNap replied,

"...Ok then. Come on, DogDay's waiting for you."

"Alright, I'm catching up. Sorry, this place is toying with my mind all of a sudden."

"Toying with you mind?"

"You don't wanna know."

"Ok… Come on, let's go before you agitate your bro."

"He never gets agitated around me."

"Still."

CatNap and KickinChicken then caught up with DogDay and Hoppy.

"Are you ok back there, CatNap?" DogDay asked him,

"Yes, don't worry, I'm fine." CatNap replied,

"Ok, just checking… Come on, let's continue our way."

Eventually they all arrived at the apartments. DogDay went to open the doors to the lobby to let everyone in. Inside the lobby, it felt abandoned.

"Huh, no one works around the lobby?" Hoppy wondered,

"Apparently not…" DogDay replied, "Besides, why does this feel empty?"

The sound of an elevator went off as the doors to it opened, revealing a pink butterfly critter. She looked at CatNap and his friends and gasped.

"Who are you four?!" She shouted at him, "Are you here on behalf of the landlord?!"

"What?!" DogDay said, confused, "No! We're here for Poppy Popgoes! My name is DogDay and I brought friends with me for a safe trip here!"

The pink butterfly critter sighed heavily.

"Sorry, these apartments, despite being abandoned, are still up and running by the people that live here…" She said,

"Why were they abandoned?" KickinChicken wondered,

"Because the employees here have fled to find new jobs outside of Sunshine Valley after the kidnappings and murder occurred."

"Figures…" CatNap said,

"Anyways, we're here for Poppy." DogDay said, "Can you take us to her friend's apartment?"

"Poppy?" The pink butterfly critter said, "Oh! I know her! She's currently with Trey! Yes, I'll take you to Trey's apartment via the elevator! My name is PixieFly, by the way, nice to meet you all! Come on!"

As they head through into the elevator, CatNap hears something whispering into his ear. He turned around to look at the lobby, almost paranoid.

"CatNap?" DogDay wondered, "Are you ok?"

"Y-Yeah…" CatNap replied as he turned to PixieFly, "Do you think this lobby is… haunted?"

"No, not at all." PixieFly replied, "Just abandoned."

"Oh, well, I have read a lot of ghost stories during my spare time and I usually get paranoid in situations like this."

CatNap chuckled.

"Sorry…" He said,

"No worries!" PixieFly said as the elevator door closes after everyone went inside with her,

The elevator went up as PixieFly pushed the button with the number 3 on it.

"Trey's apartment number is 310." She said, "Someone remember that for me."

"We will." DogDay said,

They arrived on the 3rd floor via the elevator.

"Here we are!" PixieFly said as she led the way, "Room 310 should be on the right side…"

"I'll get good exercise if we go to the other side." Hoppy said,

"You can say that again." KickinChicken said,

Later, they arrived at Room 310. Inside, Poppy was having a chat with a chimera critter. He had the head of a lion, the horns of a goat and the tail of a snake.

"Hmmm, let's hope PixieFly can bring your friend and his friends over…" The chimera critter said,

"I'm sure they'll be here right now, Trey." Poppy said as the two heard a knock at the front door, "Oh, that could be them! Can I get the door?"

"Go ahead."

"Thanks."

Poppy then opened the door to reveal DogDay, CatNap, KickinChicken, Hoppy and PixieFly.

"DogDay, you've arrived!" Poppy said, "And I see that PixieFly was able to escort you and your friends here no problem, yes?"

"Yeah, she made us suspicious at first…" DogDay said, "But she was able to drop that."

"Correct." PixieFly said, "Anyways, let's head in!"

Meanwhile, Robert was playing Duel Monsters with Bubba near a little table and chairs set. Robert used a card called, "Snake-Eyes Flamberge Dragon" to attack Bubba directly.

"Well, I've lost." Bubba said as he chuckled a bit, "You know how to play that deck, do you?"

"Yes." Robert replied,

"Well it ain't nothing we've ever seen before…" PickyPiggy said,

"Yeah…" CraftyCorn said, "Where did you get those powerful cards?"

"I don't know, to be honest…" Robert said, "They just… appeared… at my door. My father saw the package and just gave it to me. Of course, we had to open it together, just in case anything bad was in it…"

"And what's inside was the deck you're currently playing." Bobby said,

"That's right… Still, I don't know why it happened, but this card right here was like trying to me the good and bad moves I make with this deck…"

Robert then revealed a card.

"Diabellstar The Black Witch." He said,

"Hmm, isn't she similar to Visas Starfrost?" CraftyCorn wondered, "The card your sister has?"

"Probably so…" Bobby replied,

"And then there's Fallen Of Albaz, used by CatNap…"

"CatNap?" Robert wondered,

"Yeah, he's a friend of our's." Bobby replied,

"Hmm… I feel like there's a connection here."

"Connection?" PickyPiggy wondered, "Whatcha talking about?"

"Well… For starters…"

Back in the apartment, a moth critter in a jacket came by.

"Is this everyone, Trey?" He asked him,

"Yes, MysteryMoth, this is everyone." Trey replied,

"Aren't you one of the most skilled detectives from Sunshine Valley?" CatNap wondered,

"Yes, me and Trey are pretty skilled detectives you might see on TV." MysteryMoth replied, "But Trey is from Crittopia."

"Oh…"

Poppy cleared her throat.

"Now then, for those who are brought here, we have an unsolved mystery to solve here in Sunshine Valley." She said, "Trey, PixieFly and MysteryMoth are here to tell us what's happening."

"For those that don't know, a murder and double kidnappings on 4 critters have occurred here in Sunshine Valley." Trey said, "Basically what that means is that 4 critters got kidnapped and brought back home safely the first time, and then it happened again for the second time."

"And only for the 2nd time, they're missing." MysteryMoth said,

"Who were those 4 critters?" Hoppy wondered,

"Their names were Icky Licky, Maggie Mako, Rabie Baby and Simon Smoke." Trey replied, "A couple of young rebels living here after graduating high school."

"Never heard of them…" DogDay said,

"Me neither…" CatNap said,

"Do they go to Lucky Learning?" KickinChicken wondered,

"No." MysteryMoth replied, "Those four were from another high school called Abby Abstract High School. They graduated there a year ago."

"Me and Kickin graduated from Lucky Learning a year ago." Hoppy said, "Same for Bobby and Picky…"

"And just recently it was me, DogDay, CraftyCorn, Bubba and…." CatNap said as he turned to Poppy, "You as well, yeah?"

"Correct." Poppy replied, "Enough getting off track. MysteryMoth, you may continue."

"Thank you." MysteryMoth said, "Anyways, we must find Icky, Maggie, Rabie and Simon and make sure they are safe and sound."

"And with those names, they are guaranteed to be rebellious against us, huh?" KickinChicken wondered,

"One-hundred percent, yes. Just keep your cool and don't let them get under your skin."

KickinChicken was worried.

"...Alright." He said,

"So, is that it?" CatNap wondered,

"For today, yes." Trey replied, "The four of you will help the four of us solve this mystery, once and for all. You all may leave now. Poppy will let one of you know when to head back here for the mystery to get started."

"Thank you for having us here." DogDay said,

"You're welcome." Poppy said, "Get home safe, by the way. A lot can happen here if you're in the wrong direction."

CatNap, DogDay, KickinChicken and Hoppy then left the apartments to head back home. CatNap was looking down at the sidewalk.

"Hmmm…" He wondered to himself, "I really don't know where I'll be at this point… Will they know about Baba? Will he know about Baba? I gotta go see what she wants tonight."