Chapter 4

A week had almost passed by after the duel between Claudia and Kaiba she had spent most of that day locked in her bedroom, avoiding any members of the warehouse, she even ignored her best friend. It wasn't until the next afternoon Steve had enough and dragged the poor teenager out of her bedroom, down to the dub and just chilled with her until it was dinner time, and then they went back to the B&B and everyone gave the young teenage girl a hug. Pete was whispering for her to throw the duel against this school faculty member, Myka got so worried she made a secret phone call to someone that Claudia didn't know.

So now currently, she was sat in The Dub at 2.30pm the day before her big match, Seto Kaiba had emailed her earlier on that day to make sure she was going. Which she just ignored, picked up her key's for the Ducati she finally got back off Artie after he had gone out buying her a full safety suit for the bike.

So now she was just sat near the back of The Dub, with a large coffee, left foot on the seat, showing off a knee-cap from her ripped skinny jeans, green t-shirt and black waist coat, she didn't know how she was going to cope tomorrow. Her mind was wandering back to the dream she had, again she woke up in a cold sweat that morning she still didn't know what that dream meant.

Closing her eye's for a slight moment, and in that amount of time some one slightly snuck up on her, and placed a hand on her thin shoulder, "Claudia?" snapping her eye's open she looked up and saw a pair of brown eye's looking back at her. "Claire? What are you doing here? Our coffee date's not until Saturday?" the older woman smiled giving the teenager a brief hug. "I got a phone call from Myka a few day's ago saying someone had locked herself in her room and refused to come out. She wouldn't tell me any details just that I might want to come down and talk with you."

Claudia gave a small smile, placing a strand of red hair behind her ear, "umm… well some crazy shit's been going on these past few weeks and I didn't really want to bother you with it, considering that your still trying to get up to speed in the world and that," the older woman shook her head and took the girls hand, "Sweetie, it doesn't matter where I am, you know you can always call me I'm your sister, now tell me what's going on"

Claudia took a deep breath, and explained everything that's been going on in the past month, once she finished she looked down to the coffee that had been forgotten trying not to break down, she felt movement next to her, then being wrapped up in her sisters arms, "that bastard, I didn't even know we had an uncle and he comes out the blue demanding for you to take over his business? Claudia sweetie, you're a bright young smart girl and he has no right to try and control your future."

Nodding and pulling away from the safety of claire's arms, she took a deep breath, "And now I'm trying not to have a nervous break down about tomorrow Pete and Myka are in Canada, Steve had to leave early this morning for an urgent mission in Egypt and he can't tell me, Artie's trying to be the calming voice but it's not working. I'm not good at socializing Claire."

At that Claire looked down to her baby sister, "Now you listen to me, I'm going to be coming with you tomorrow and I'm going to be having words with this uncle of ours. All you have to do is go beat the crap out of this teacher."

A small laugh emerged from the young Donovan's mouth, and that was enough to make the older sister smile, she stood up, "Now I think I owe you a coffee." With that Claire stood up going over to the counter.

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Later that night at the B&B, Claudia was sat on her bed looking over her duel monster cards, they had won over Artie's deck so many times but that last duel with Kaiba kept playing over in her mind, 'if that's what Kaiba's deck was like then what's this school teachers going to be like considering they teach duelling"

Pulling her knees up towards her chest, she was just sat in a pair of boxer shorts and grey vest, it was almost midnight and she should be sleeping but, considering tomorrow she had to go over new strategy's in her deck. Her uncle was right if she had any hopes of beating him, she had to get better.

Closing her eye's for a short moment, not realising her mind drifted off into a sleep.

-Dream world-

Darkness…silence… it was everywhere in this dark unforgettable void, Claudia opened her eye's and the second she did, flames ignited all around her, she could feel the heat licking at her skin. The hair's on her arms standing up right as she looked around.

"it's that same dream…" she looked around but this time the flames had circled around her, so she couldn't move backwards, her eye's darted to every corner of the darkness, she knew it was coming and the second she blinked was all it took for the dark shadow to appear just over the flames. "who are you! Answer me!"

"There can only be one!" clenching her pale fists, the young teenager felt like this voice was playing with her mind, "One what? ANSWER ME! Why am I here? What do you want from me?"

"There can only be one to master….and harness our full power…." Her brown eye's hardened, sweat rolling down her forehead slowly, she took a step forward towards the flames, "Master what power? Tell me!"

The shadow in the distance moved, "Power of destiny!" with that the shadow shot at her, bringing cracks of lightning around the dream.

"Claudia!"

"Claudia! Wake up!" Claudia suddenly shot up, her face and chest glistened in a sheen of sweat, hair sticking to her pale forehead when she felt a pair of hands hold her face, After gaining her vision back, she looked into the eye's of Artie Nelson.

"You're ok kiddo, it was only a dream.." suddenly she grabbed his hands, her breathing began returning to normal, "Dream…yeah, Artie… what are you doing in here? I thought I locked my …..door…." She looked passed him and saw her door almost off it's hinges.

"You broke my door?" giving a lop sided smile, "Well you was screaming the house down and you locked it, I thought someone was attacking you. Are you ok? Do you need some water?" shaking her head, she sat backwards, leaning her head against the wall. "I'm fine, gosh… it felt so real… I'm sorry I woke you" she felt the bed dip slightly under the weight of her father figure. "no…no no don't worry about that, I was more worried about you." He looked and noticed her duel monster cards was scattered all over her bed.

"What was you doing in here anyway?" sitting up slightly so she could look at her cards, she suddenly panicked and checked to make sure none was damaged, she let out a sigh of relief when everyone was good and accounted for. "I was just trying to go over strategy's in my head for tomorrows duel. Artie I don't want to go to this school….i barely went to middle and high school!"

The older man gave a sad smile, he reached over and stroked her hair, it was only times like this where he could see how vulnerable she was, he knew she only put up a tough front appearance in front of them, to act strong making him forget on how young she really was. "I know sweetie, but there's nothing I can do about it, you made that bet now you have to Honour it."

Hugging her legs close to her chest, he noticed her eye's seemed distant, "Here… I have something for you…." He went into the pocket of his dressing gown, "I was going to wait till tomorrow to give you these but …. Here." He pulled out two duel monster cards, "Artie… you didn't have too…"

"I know kiddo but I want too, this way you know I'll be with you at that school even if it's through these and talking to you through the Farnsworth." Reaching out with a shaky hand, she could feel tears edging to make their way out of her eye's, "Utopia ray V and a Rank up Barian Force magic card? Artie…. Thank you…." She couldn't stop it, tears began making their way down her face. She felt him reach up and wipe one away, "how about we re-adjust your deck and tomorrow kick some arse?" she nodded reaching over and giving him a hug. "You're the best"

And with that for the next hour, They re-built Claudia's deck so it centred around Utopia, and Artie was giving Claudia tips on how to run it the fastest way to get Utopia out, he even went through a few practice duels with her.

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Morning came all too quickly for Claudia, she was up and dressed in a pair of blue boot cut jeans, with a hole in the left knee, and one just underneath her right arse cheek, which Artie commeted about trying to make her change them, black t-shirt with a red dragon going down the side and her denim waist coat. Her hair was tied back and her signature make up and jewellery was on. She wore one black studded belt like normal, but there was a second one only holding onto one belt hole, going slanted down her leg that held her deck.

Stood next to her outside the warehouse in the middle of south Dakota desert, was Artie and Claire, just like she promised she would be going with her youngest sister to watch, even though she had no idea what duel monsters was. Artie tried to run her through it the night before but all she said was, "all this for a bunch of stupid cards?"

Right on time at 10am, the chopper from Kaiba Corp turned up, and there standing right in the door was Kaiba himself, he looked over his niece, and scoffed at the clothing, then at the two additional people, "I told you only the old fart can come."

Claudia's eye's hardened but it was Claire who spoke, "My sister isn't going anywhere without me." For the first time, Claudia saw a glimmer of shock in his eye's, but then turned his back, "Fine get in, I don't have any more time to waste." With that they all boarded the chopper and was on their way to Duellist Island.

Once reaching the island, Kaiba wasted no time in directing them straight to the schools duelling arena, then turned to Claudia, "Like I said to you before, you are going to show them what a true Kaiba you are. You are not to hold back or even hesitate, we take the duelling world by force got that!"

It came out more of an order than a question but her eye's never softened up to him, no at this current moment in time she hated her uncle, All she wanted to do was be a field agent for the warehouse and then when her time came, become caretaker, invent cool gadgets and strum a few notes on her guitar.

"Oh I'll be showing them Kaiba, and then I'm coming for you…" he just grunted then turned to the two that tagged along, "You both come with me to the stands, you will be duelling Professor Crowler, I expect you to give him no mercy." With that he left the waiting area and headed towards the stands, Claire gave her sister a quick hug and Artie squeezed her shoulder, "you can do this kiddo, just remember what we talked about last night." She nodded and gave him a small wink, "Of course caveman. Now go"

And with that the two left Claudia alone in the hallway to the duelling stadium, once they had left, she walked closer to the opening, and once she saw that all the seats was filled, panic suddenly struck her heart.

She took a step backwards, trying to remember the breathing exercises that Abigale taught her when having to deal with large social crowds, but at this moment in time it wasn't working. She kept backing up until she hit something soft and tumbled to the ground, instantly she scrambled to stand up "oh my god… I'm so sorry!"

Their sitting on the ground was a teenage boy with dark blue hair that went passed his shoulders, he was wearing white trench coat with blue trimmings around it, and blue dress pants, she held her hand out and he gladly took it, "it's ok, it's my fault actually I should have said I was behind you." He stood up and patted off the dust that had collected on his coat.

She ran a hand through her red locks and suddenly leaned against the wall, he noticed she was struggling to keep her head and scrunched his eye brows, "I don't mean to be rude…but are you ok miss?"

Her head suddenly snapped to him, "yeah….oh yea…..nothing like going out their and duelling in front of a whole school, no big deal apart from a slight panic attack…" she held a hand over her heart gripping her t-shirt slightly. When she suddenly felt his hand on her shoulder, "I see, I'm sure you will be just fine miss…" "Claudia… sorry I knocked you over and didn't introduce myself, I'm … Claudia Donovan.."

"Well Miss Donovan, I'm Zane Trusdale, and as I was saying I can tell your going to be just fine, from what I saw you have some people here that believe in you, now all you have to do is believe in yourself… and just don't think about the crowd. Just focus on your duel"

Raising an eye brow at him, she pushed herself off the wall, not noticing her breathing had returned to normal, "How do you know I'm going to be fine?" at that Zane walked slightly closer to her, and leaned down to her level considering he was slightly taller than herself, "Because I can see it in your eyes…. They hold fire…" With that he stood back up and walked passed her, "Just believe Miss Donovan and push forward, climb higher and strike harder, and good luck." With that he left her to stand in the dimly lit hallway.

As he was leaving, a small wind passed her, and a familiar voice entered her delicate ears, "Only one master…."

Before she could register that it wasn't Zane's voice, another entered her ears over the loud speakers in the school, "Welcome Duel Academy student's, as you all know we are running a special acceptance entrance exam for a new student, please welcome Claudia Kaiba"

Grunting at the last name Kaiba had signed her up with she walked out into the stadium, holding the straps of her rucksack, seeing a bald headed man in the middle of the stadium, she walked up to him and whispered something.

"Oh my apologises, Welcome Claudia Donovan! Now she will be facing off with one of our own school board faculty members, Professor Crowler! Now student's as this is a rare treat all classes for this afternoon is cancelled! Now please shake hands and let's get started!

Claudia looked forward to see a man walking up to her, or what she thought was a man with blonde hair tied back in a pony tail, some frilly trench coat, and what looked like a odd piano type duel disk. "Miss Donovan, it is my honour to be the one duelling you for this exam, my name is Professor Crowler, just so you know you will be tested on your skills and this is a timed duel we will both be starting with 4000 life points and if you win, you get to join us, if you lose then it's bye bye."

Immediately after hearing his speech Claudia disliked him, she took his hand for a shake, and stepped backwards, "Oh don't you worry as much as I hate the idea of going to school, I intend to win Princess."

At that moment when Princess left her mouth, Artie slapped his forehead, he should have known the cocky teenager wouldn't respect the teachers, and especially when he could see professor crowler almost exploding, "PRINCESS! I Miss Donovan am a well-respected MALE! Teacher, AND! Intend on winning this duel." He kicked started up his duel disk, in which Claudia placed her backpack down and slid on her black duel disk,

"Let's just get this over with Grandma!" They both shouted to each other while drawing 5 cards into their hands "LET'S DUEL!"

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Sorry for leaving it right there my little chicks, but can't give too much away! Hope you all enjoyed this chapter now all you have to do is look down at the bottom and yup that's it! Review!

For now Curedream90~ and ArticDragonSlayer~ over and out!