Chapter 11 Return to the Spirit World Part 1

A/N: Hello and welcome back to The Life Channel! Just recently I finished school and I am out of work, so expect more chapters soon. I don't promise consistency because I need to edit them and figure out the styles that I am using for flashbacks and conversation between thoughts and whatnot. So hoping everyone is staying safe in these times and I'll be seeing you all soon. Much love and I hope you enjoy.

Note: "Italics with quotes" in this chapter is to emphasize a very powerful character's voice. Italics by themselves are Kevin's thoughts.

"Mommy, daddy; where are you? Where did you go, mommy? I miss you, daddy… Please come home. Please…"

No one's POV

"Yusei is about to pull off a major come-from-behind victory!" The Announcer exclaims.

Nitro Warrior hits Hunter Pace's ace monster. "Can we be friends?" The explosion occurs and his life points hit 0. His duel runner skids and comes to a halt.

"It's over! There's just no love for the one-time champion these days; his dream goes up in smoke again!" The Announcer exclaims.

"Wow. So he used to be the champion?" Kevin asks.

"Yup. Before Jack Atlas, he reigned as the king of New Domino City," Tanner tells him Up in the tower, Jack Atlas does not look surprised. He merely nods.

"Hunter was too weak to bring out Yusei's sign," Goodwin points out.

"His next opponent should try breaking him instead of bending him," Lazar comments and laughs.

Jack stands. "This tournament isn't just about winning the chance to duel me, is it? What's really going on here? What do you need Yusei to do anyway?"

"All in due time, Jack. All in due time," Goodwin tells him. "Lazar." He nods at him and he smiles, leaving the room.


"Professor! Hello, it's me, Lazar," he calls. The room is entirely dark; the only light streaming from a vertically-shuttered window set high in the wall. "I know you are in here. We need your help with the next duel." Lazar waits a bit for a response. "You ever think about redecorating? Maybe some… track lighting?"

The Professor, the duelist in Chinese robes, steps out of the darkness and stops just on the other side of the illumination from the window. "The darkness helps, with my preparation. And as a faithful servant of lliaster, I know the darkness can only be illuminated by the dragon star. How may I be of service?"

"I'm so glad that you asked." He smiles. "Director Goodwin needs your hypnotic powers to tap into the mind of a little girl. He thanks you for throwing your first duel to end up in the losers' bracket. You're going to be part of something big, and we need you to perform against her and what may seem like her boyfriend."

He smiles. "A couple; who are they?"


Hunter's picture on the tournament bracket fades out. The crowd is cheering as Yusei is riding back off the track.

"Yusei beat Hunter," Yanagi celebrates.

"Yeah! Looks like he's movin' on to the semifinals!" Tanner agrees.

"Oh, man! I wish I could be down there and duel him!" Dexter speaks up.

"He's good," Kevin says. That's a bit scary.

"We have a special announcement!" The Announcer suddenly calls. "Yes! The rumors you heard are true! Listen up, first-round-losers, don't head for the exits just yet. Rex Goodwin, our master of ceremonies has set up a Losers' bracket for the 1st round. That means if you lost, grab your decks because you might get a second chance to duel again."

The Announcer is on the sphere, and four of the holographic screens, showing on either side, show the four losers; Greiger, Ransborg, Hunter, and The Professor.

"Now folks, there's been a change of rules for our next duel," The Announcer continues. "For the next duel, it'll be a 1vs 2 battle!" By the stands, Luna looks a bit worried.

"What's wrong, Luna?" Kevin asks her.

"My name is up there…"

The lights go out startling everyone around.

"Huh?"

"Now! Take your seats! We're about to give one of these duelists another opportunity. First, up- everyone's favorite green-haired girl! She's fast! She's feisty! And she has to be home before bedtime! Give it up for the next generation of dueling superstars, ladies, and gentlemen; Miss Luna!"

A follow spot hits her like a beam of light from above.

"What?" She looks at Kevin a bit scared.

"Hey, it's okay. You can do this." He takes her hand and smiles.

She softly nods and there's "awe's" from the crowd.

"Looks like her boyfriend's giving her comfort, but don't you worry folks because just as I said, Mister Kevin will be joining her in this one-versus-two match against The Professor!" The Announcer adds. Another beam of light from above hits Kevin and he raises his eyebrows surprised.

Yusei has reached the backstage waiting room and he sees Luna and Kevin onscreen, stuck in the beam of light. "Kevin and Luna are already dueling?"

"I'm guessing they finally got the right kid for the match, huh?" Greiger says also looking at the onscreen. "I can't believe I got outplayed by the boy. I can't wait to see what his sister's got." Yusei silently watches Greiger walk to a seat.

Up in the stands, Luna still hasn't moved. "I shouldn't duel. I can't."

"Can't? But Luna, it was your name on that invitation. You belong here," Kevin reminds her.

"You can do this, Luna," Dexter agrees.

"I can't. You guys don't understand. Something strange happens to me when I duel under pressure," she says.

"Well, if it does again, I'll be there with you. Luna, we can do this!" Kevin reassures her with excitement. "I'm going to duel by your side and as long as we're together, it's going to be okay, I promise you."

She softly nods. "Okay, yeah." Picking up her pink duel disk from below the seat, she stands.

"Kevin, here. Use mine." Dexter hands him his duel disk.

"Thanks, bro." He smiles and Kevin also stands. The crowd begins to chant. "Luna and Kevin! Luna and Kevin!"

Luna looks worriedly at her feet and they walk past Tanner and Yanagi to the aisle.

"Good luck, you two," Yanagi says and then turns to Dexter. "Do you know why she doesn't want to duel?" He shakes her head.

"This is indeed strange. Goodwin wanted Luna in either way. Even if her brother took her place," Tanner points out.

"And even Kevin…" He points out, remembering what the deal that was made between him and Goodwin.

He nods, agreeing. "Whatever he needs, he's going to get it with this duel."


Up in the tower, Jack turns to Goodwin, he is sitting beside him on the couch. "So tell me why you think she's a signer, Goodwin."

"She is not."

Jack looks at him confused. "What?"

"Trust me, she is a lot more important than anyone knows, even her own brother. Just like that boy, Kevin. Once they duel The Professor, then we'll know without a doubt." Goodwin snaps his fingers and a holo-screen appears. At the moment, Zigzix just happened to be shaking his booty right at the camera as he sings. "'Goin' fast, makes me feel a-live, my heart beats'-" He turns his head. "Huh? Oh, Director! Reporting for duty, sir!" He holds up a strange-looking black and blue machine similar to the D-Tector.

"Just look at this! Like you requested, Mr. Goodwin. If the needle exceeds this blue section, then there's no doubt the boy and the girl are connected by some unknown power we don't even know about yet. More controllable power means a better world and then-"

Goodwin clicks it off. "He really needs to get out more." He pulls up a holographic file. "Now, there's another reason that we've been studying this little girl. Eight years ago, she was admitted to a special hospital, saying that she could hear duel spirit voices." He sends the screen over to Jack's side of the couch, and several more files and pictures pop up along it.

"So she has quite the imagination."

"It's a little more complicated than that."

Jack quickly skims slides 1 and 2. One shows a picture of Luna as a young girl smiling from a comfy hospital bed. Another shows Luna sitting up in bed and Leo standing beside her; from the look on her face, he just gave her the teddy bear she's holding.

"Jack, she was a dueling prodigy and beating our greatest professionals at the age of three!" Goodwin tells. He closes-in on a picture, young in a pink jacket and cream skirt lies Luna unconscious on the ground, as young Leo in a blue jacket and black shorts, a blonde woman with an orange sweater and a white skirt, and a man in a black suit gather around her. "Then one day, she collapsed during a duel and fell into a coma. No one knows why not even the best doctors. In fact, there was only one person who believed she'd wake up again, and that was her twin brother, Leo." He brings up a holo-image of Leo sleeping in bed. He then slides to slide 3; again alongside the image of Luna smiling up at the camera from her hospital bed.

"That is a great movie of the week Goodwin, who cares?" Jack comments.

"You should care, Mister Atlas. What got our attention was what she said when she woke up," Lazar adds. "She said that she wasn't asleep. She said she spent that entire month in the Duel Monster Spirit World."

"And I'm a Blue-eyes White Dragon. Come on now!" Jack rejects, unbelieving.

"Funny, but we have reason to believe she told the truth," Lazar continues. "For instance, she knew of the ancient dragon star legend. In fact, she knew somethings that even we did not. Vital clues to unlocking the mystery of the People of the Stars. And more, like the incredible power of the ancient Crimson Dragon."

"Hm…"

"Hm… But a few days after waking, her memory began to fade," Goodwin says, "Like it was a dream. Now she remembers nothing of the spirit world, leaving us one choice- make her duel and go back to that world."

"What about the boy, Kevin? Why did you also include him in this specific duel?" Jack questions.

Goodwin smiles. "He is connected to Luna. They're both connected to the power of the Crimson Dragon, but unfortunately, he doesn't remember his past. If we can help him remember," he reaches out a hand, as though to clench them in his fist, "Then we can unleash the Crimson Dragon so that we can save our troubled world."


A triple smoke cannon dramatically draws all eyes to the dueling stage.

"Now entering the arena- the duelist couple who could; Kevin and Luna!" The Announcer exclaims. Luna blushes and smiles putting on her duel disk.

"Luna, nothing to worry about, just think of this as a fun duel," Kevin reassures her also putting on his duel disk. He selects a deck from his belt and puts it on the deck slot on his duel disk.

At that, she gives him a soft nod.

"And now, their opponent- the dean of the deck! The brain of the game! The Professor!" The Announcer exclaims as a card on the sphere spins around to reveal an image of The Professor. "He's got a Ph.D. in psychology, hypnology, and duelology! So Kevin and Luna better lookout."

The smoke of cloud announces their opponent's entrance to the arena. It clears and there he stands with his benign smile slightly disturbing. All three duelists are in follow spots from above. The Professor walks forward calmly, his spot following him, and bows at the waist. "Please to meet you two, Dear Luna, Kevin." He nods at him.

"Um…Hi." She greets back.

"Hello," Kevin says.

"I've heard many things about you, Luna. I'm sure this duel will be quite illuminating for all of us three. Don't you think?"

Doubt it… Luna thinks. She then hears a coo. Huh? A small furry creature with a red bow above her eyes appears floating beside her.

"Who's that?" Kevin asks seeing the small creature.

"Kuribon, she's my friend." She then raises her eyebrows. "Wait, you can see her too?"

He nods. "Yeah. Hey Kuribon."

She coo's in excitement.

"Now, let's get dueling!" The Announcer declares. The stadium lights up and all three duelists activate their duel disks. "Remember, only the winner advances; the loser is out for good! Since this is a two on one match, every player has 4000 life points and no one can attack on their first turn."

"Let's duel!"

Kevin's POV

"I'll go first, if you don't mind, Professor. I draw!" I look at my hand and then at The Professor. Something seems strange about this guy. I just don't know why. "I summon Junk Hedgehog in defense mode and end my turn." Just to play it safe for now. A small three-inch creature with nails and bolts on its body appears with 800 attack and 1,000 defense points.

"Very well, your turn Luna." The Professor nods at her.

"Sure, fine. I draw! And I summon Sunny Pixie in defense mode!" A cute tiny humanoid fairy, small enough to sit on Luna's shoulder, appears with 300 attack and 400 defense points. "Your turn, Professor."

He nods, wholeheartedly. "And I'm looking forward to it. Thank you. I summon a unique monster known as Symmetry Rorschach."

"Ah!" Luna exclaims.

"Luna, what's wrong?" I ask her concerned.

"This card won't let me focus…" Symmetry Rorschach is a shimmering curtain of liquidy substance hanging in midair in an inkbolt shape with 1200 attack and defense points.

"Luna, Kevin. Think of my Rorschach as if it were a puddle of rain or a drop of ink in a lake. Look at it, and tell me what you see. Tell me if it reminds you of anything. Look into your fears, your dreams even memories lost long ago. What do you see when you gaze into the abyss? A friend perhaps? Your family; or maybe a far-off place dimming like the candle of time."

As I look at the creature, I see a girl with really light blue hair. Kevin…

"What?" I look around. Who was that?

"I see… I… I don't know…" Luna softly says.

"Look closely. What do you see, Luna?" The Professor persists, activating another card known as "Multiple Attack".

"Hum… I see, a fairy?" Suddenly, she screams. "Ahhhh!"

"What do you see!"

"Luna!" I call out to her as Symmetry Rorschach roars and the field is awash in purple light. Luna cringes and defends herself as though a strong wind is blowing. Her Pixie is destroyed. When it lets up, she looks back at The Professor and his monster warily.

"Ah. Like the caterpillar who secludes itself in darkness before becoming a butterfly, you must face your fears," he tells her. "You must face your memories and live through them again. Do not be scared."

"But I'm afraid!" She explains.

"You must be brave enough to relive what happened many years ago. I know you have great power, dear Luna. I know you hear the duel spirits. The others may not believe you, but I do. I'll help you return to that place, the duel monsters Spirit World. Yes, it was all real and not some fragment of your imagination, Luna."

"I'm… I'm starting to remember, Professor."

What's he doing? I think confused. The Spirit World...

"I know you are, but for our next step, you need to trust me, Luna. Can you do that? I need- I need you to want to return to the duel Spirit World, I need you to promise, Luna."

"I… Promise." Luna seems completely in a trance. "Take me back."

"Luna?" I call to her. She doesn't seem to hear me.

"Very good, now follow my instructions. When Symmetry Rorschach dispatched of your fairy, its special ability continued. Would you kindly turn over the top card of your deck and reveal it."

Luna draws and reveals, "Kuribon."

"Thank you for identifying your monster. She will be most helpful for the next stage in our experiment. Now, I need you to think back to that scary time when you were in your coma. Try to remember."

"Oh…" Luna stays quiet for a bit. "I tried before but I can't… There's nothing I remember from it." Suddenly, she gasps. "Ah… I'm remembering."

The Professor attacks again and destroys my Junk Hedgehog.

"Now, you Kevin. Reveal your top card." I nod and draw.

"Princess Hope." That's the girl I saw within The Professor's monster.

"Very well, I place three cards facedown. It's your turn, Kevin."

That spell card, Multiple Attack, let him attack our monsters even though he couldn't. I need to destroy it… I turn to Luna. He's done something to her. "Alright Professor, whatever you have planned won't work against me. I draw!" When I look at the card, "Princess Hope", there is a call of distress. "Kevin! Kevin! Please come back." I look around confused and shake my head. "I summon out Junk Synchron in attack mode." A chubby creature with red glasses appears with 1300 attack and 500 defense points. "Since he was normal summoned, I can special summon my Junk Hedgehog from my graveyard." It appears back on my side of the field. "Now, from the depths of darkness, I tune my level three Junk Synchron and my level two Junk Hedgehog in order to synchro summon-" Junk Synchron pulls on his green lever on his stomach. He turns into three green circular rings that surround Junk Hedgehog; which changes into a glowing yellow outline of itself. It turns into two stars and a beam of light envelops the stars; passing through the rings. "Junk Warrior, let's do this!"

A purple creature with golden markings on its legs and golden circular rings on its right arm, with a spiked fist, and golden wongs on its shoulders appear.

*Introducing Junk Warrior. Junk Warrior is a level-five, Dark-Warrior, Synchro-type monster with 2300 attack and 1300 defense points.

"Go… Junk Warrior, attack his monster down with Fist of Fury!" Thrusters ignite from its back and he heads for The Professor's monster, but he calmly shakes his head.

"I'm sorry Kevin, but I won't let you because I activate my facedown trap, Spellbinding Circle, which stops your monster's attack."

I sigh and set two facedown cards. "I end."

"Kevin… Please come back, please." My vision begins to blur. Wait… That voice. I know that voice! It belongs to The Princess.

"Very well, it's your turn. Don't be scared, Luna," The Professor tells her.

"Luna draws. "I summon out Kuribon."

*Introducing Kuribon. Kuribon is a level-one, light-attribute, Fairy-type monster with 300 attack and 200 defense points.

"That's perfect. I play my facedown card; it is known as Light to the depths." The Professor's trap card activates. "Like the northern star, this illuminates the path inside of you. Now send the top five cards from the deck to the graveyard, then reveal the sixth card, adding it to your hand. And you must play that card, as certain as the path of light itself, or suffer 2000 points of damage."

I notice Luna's eyes blank. She's gone… Her soul is gone and if she is, I need to find her.

"Kevin, we have trouble." That's Blade Knight's voice. I close my eyes and feel myself being taken away.

"Ah, as I hoped. The field spell Ancient Forest. You will use it. This forest is quite a special place. All monsters are switched to attack mode and none of us can summon or switch a monster to defense mode. Even if you attack, your monster would be destroyed once the battle is over. Ha, ha, ha, ha." I hear The Professor laughing crazily. "Some say this forest resembles… Someplace else. Fighting Forbidden? Secrets revealed? Why it's just like the Spirit World! Take us there now! We have work to do!"

A/N: Thanks for reading. Rate and review of any kind would be highly appreciated and until next time. Peace!