Dueling Critters, a Smiling Critters x Yu-Gi-Oh AU Story

Chapter 71

Chapter 71: They Live In Troubled Times

A flashback occurred 18 years ago.

“18 years ago…” CatNap's narration said, “I was born into this world, specifically in Eastern Crittopia. I had no real visions on my parents' faces, since I was crying my eyes out upon being born… But all I know is that I'll never see them.”

A baby CatNap was born into Eastern Crittopia in a hospital. Everything seemed normal around him.

“But then, tragedy strikes.” CatNap's narration continued,

An explosion went off outside of the hospital.

“Mass bombings occurred at Helping Hand Hospital, which is where I was born at…” CatNap's narration continued, “Outside and inside, explosions went off.”

CatNap, as a newborn baby, was seen being carried under the arms of a nurse out of the hospital after being separated from his parents.

“I don't know if my parents survived the bombings in there… But all I remembered was being carried under a nurse's arms and she whispered to me the following…” CatNap’s narration said,

“I'll get you to a happy family that will take good care of you…” The nurse said in the flashback,

“She took me to Home Sweet Home and left me there for the orphanage to take care of me throughout my life… And as for my parents… That remains an unsolved mystery for me…”

The flashback ended as CatNap was sitting on the ground next to a barber shop. Hoppy and KickinChicken were sitting next to him.

“God…” Hoppy said, shocked, “There were mass bombings in Helping Hand Hospital? Why?”

“No one knows why.” CatNap replied, softly, “It just happened. Hell, even the masterminds behind the bombings said the same thing on why they planned the bombings…”

“And that's how you end up in Home Sweet Home, huh?” KickinChicken wondered,

“Yes… It was all so stressful for me… I never fit in with the others in the orphanage… They think I was weird only because I “watched over people sleep” at night… and I was hanging out with you guys throughout my life… I just wish… I had a good life… If the bombings never existed… I would have lived a better life with my parents, but… then again, I wouldn’t have met you guys… But then the nightmares… I just wish all of the bad memories and nightmares I've been experiencing would just go away…”

Hoppy patted CatNap on the back.

“We're glad you told us about it…” She said,

“Yeah…” KickinChicken said as he patted CatNap on the back as well, “I can tell it was hard to tell the others about it, including DogDay…”

“But DogDay… Even if I did tell him about my life, although I have, but not the bombing part, he kept telling me to stay positive and smile everyday…” CatNap said, “Even through the darkest times. Like, it's ok to act depressed every now and then. Not everyone is perfect, yeah?”

“That's true…”

“Yeah…” Hoppy said,

CatNap sighed heavily as he looked up.

“I'm sorry, guys…” He said, “Sorry if I'm pulling you guys down with me under my depression…”

“Don't worry about it.” KickinChicken said, “You told us about your troubling past.”