Hey, Everyone! I would like to dedicate this chapter to the memory of an actress whose roles, and one in particular, touched my life and those of many other fans. As Princess Leia, she was an inspiration to many, especially girls and women, and the first crush of many a boy like myself: Carrie Fisher, may she rest in peace as one with the Force. The last name of the character of Claire in the Monster High franchise was never mentioned as far as I know. So in memory of Carrie, I have given Claire the last name of 'Fisher' for my series here.

As always, I do not own Firebreather or Monster High. Enjoy!

Chapter 20: Lost in the Shadows

Kenny was putting his books in his locker, and thinking about Frankie, with a smile on his face. If anyone had told him a month ago that he would find love with a beautiful monster, he would've said they were crazy. Now he couldn't imagine life without her.

He closed his locker and turned to head toward the cafeteria to meet Chad and Claire for lunch, when he was roughly shoved against the lockers.

"Here we are again, Chris", Rick said to his twin.

"Yeah, this does seem familiar, Rick", his brother said as they both had obnoxious grins.

"Come on, guys", Kenny said, feeling bored rather than threatened, which was weird in and of itself. "Don't you have anything better to do? What do you want?"

"We heard that you were dating a monster, little Kenny", Rick said. Kenny raised an eyebrow and glared at the twins, just as Chad and Claire came into view. They saw the situation, and started working their way toward their friend. The crowd of students in the hall slowed them down.

"Yeah, I'm dating a monster", Kenny said with an edge. "What's it to you?"

"What's wrong?", Chris asked sarcastically. "Can't you get a real girl?"

"Maybe you're just crazy like Claire", Rick snickered. "And I heard that monster girl can't keep a boyfriend to save her unlife!"

Kenny's blood was starting to boil. The crowd heading to lunch was starting to thin in the hall.

"She must put out", Chris said with lewd tone and grin. "That's the only way a monster chic could get a real, normal guy. After all, pussy is pus….."

"THAT'S ENOUGH!", Kenny shouted as his eyes turned red. Before they could react, he clunked their heads together and shoved them against the lockers on the other side of the hallway and held them there, as they were too shocked to move. Chad and Claire stared in shock as they finally arrived behind Kenny.

"You guys stay the hell away from me, and don't you ever talk about my ghoulfriend like that again!", Kenny growled. "Understood?!" Then his eyes returned to their normal whiskey color as he shoved away from them and stalked toward the cafeteria.

"Dude, that was awesome", Claire said as she and Chad walked beside him.

"Yeah, I doubt those guys will ever bother you again", Chad said.

"Thanks, I never knew I had that in me", Kenny said, now surprised at himself after the adrenaline rush passed. "But let's forget about it for now. I'm hungry."

xxXXxx

Duncan was still trying to figure out what was up with Clawdeen. She was her usual self this morning before classes. But then it was like a switch had been flipped. Her sarcasm had turned dark….almost hostile in some cases. And more than once, the ghouls covered for her attitude towards teachers; saving her from detention, or worse! She had even snapped at him! He hoped her friends would get to the bottom of it, as they suggested they could. He had offered to help, but they insisted that it was probably a 'ghoul' thing. But now it was lunchtime and Clawdeen and the others were not in the creepateria. Where were they? He saw a few of their other friends already occupying a table adjacent to the groups' usual table, where sat Deuce and Clawd waiting for their ghoulfriends.

"Hey, guys?", Duncan asked as they looked up. "Have any of you seen Clawdeen and the others?"

"Nope, but they should be here any minute, Dude", Deuce said in his usual mellow tone. Duncan smiled. That's what he liked about the gorgon; his 'go-with-the-flow' chill attitude. Just then, Duncan's phone howled, alerting him to a text from Clawdeen.

'Hey, Sexy! I want to apologize for snapping at you. Meet me in the vampitheatre, behind the stage curtain. Come alone, ASAP! ;)'

xxXXxx

The cafeteria was pretty crowded while Claire, Kenny, and Chad looked for three empty seats together. They saw an empty table, and headed for it; only for Claire to trip and fall, dropping her tray of food and nearly causing Kenny and Chad to trip over her. They stopped to help her, as Tiffany and her crew passed them and took the empty table.

"Aaaaw, too bad, goth-girl", Tiffany snarked. "Maybe if you wore real shoes, you wouldn't've tripped over my foot!" The other girls all laughed. Claire's anger was boiling over. She dealt with bullies a lot in her life, although it was usually in defending others from them. But Tiffany was the first mean-girl-bully that had ever targeted her, and Claire just could not understand why the brat pissed her off almost beyond reason. But this was just too much! Claire's hazel eyes turned violet.

"You. Are. Such. A… BITCH!", Claire shouted, as her eyes flared a violet light. The lunch trays of Tiffany and all her friends flew from the table, dumping their food and drinks all over them. The entire room froze for a moment while the girls screeched and complained, then all eyes were on Claire. Tiffany stood and pointed an accusing finger at her.

"YOU did this! I KNEW there was something wrong with you! And I bet you did all the other weird things that have been happening lately! You're not normal! You're some kind of monster! A witch!"

Many of the students began to do everything from murmur to yell obscenities at Claire; telling her to get out of their school, that she didn't belong there. Meanwhile, Chad and Kenny stepped up to defend her, yelling back at her attackers. All the while, the stress built up in her until she could take no more.

"EVERYBODY JUST STOP!", she yelled over the din and stamped her foot. A wave of violet magic exploded from that point and froze everyone in the room as if a 'pause' button had been pushed on the world. "Whoa…..oh…my…did...did…I do that?"

"You did indeed, child", said a gentle feminine voice behind her. She turned to see Boodika Le Fey standing behind her. Once getting a good look at Claire, it was Ms. Le Fey's turn to be shocked. Those eyes! Her face! Could it be?! This girl looks exactly like….

"I know you from my reading", Claire said in awe. "You're Boodika Le Fey! One of the greatest witches that ever lived!"

"Thank you, Miss..?"

"Claire….I'm Claire Fisher. Please call me Claire."

"Well, Claire, I have been searching for you. I had hoped to find you before something like this happened", Boodika said in an apologetic tone. "You have magick in you, my dear. And you must learn to control it, or it could get very dangerous. I can teach you at Monster High."

"That sounds….awesome", Claire said. "But I'm not a monster, so how…?"

"You're a witch, my dear Claire. And everyone is welcome at Monster High in any case. Didn't you know that?", Boodika asked. "Come. We must go to your principal's office and call your parents. We have many things to discuss."

"Wait!", Claire went to Kenny and Chad. "These two are my friends. Can you …um… 'unfreeze' them?"

"Of course, but….you try first. Focus your intent and say 'petrificus negatus'as you wave your hand", she said with encouragement.

"Um, ok. I'll try.", Claire said with a touch of uncertainty, turning to her friends and waving her hand. "Petrificus Negatus."

A small burst of magick curled from her hand and wrapped around the boys like smoke; Chad and Kenny relaxed into movement again. "Thanks", they both said at once.

"Well done, Claire!", Boodika beamed. "And on your first try, too! Very impressive!"

'Just what I would expect from a descendant of my long-missing sister', she thought to herself. 'She is the very image of Jordanna at her age.'

"Whoa! Since when are your eyes violet, Claire?", Chad asked.

"What?!", Claire asked.

"Your eyes changed when your magick fully emerged. Judging by your aura, you have the potential to be a great witch", Boodika said. "You two boys may as well come with us to help explain. I'll unfreeze the others once we've left the room."

xxXXxx

Twyla and Gigi were looking for Howleen, in the hope that their friend could help them find out what was going on. They found her with several the other ghouls heading down a hallway with Clawdeen in the lead. Or, at least they looked like Howleen and the others. Something was ….off, and….familiar.

"Howleen", Gigi called out, getting her attention, which made the whole group stop and wait.

"What's up, ghoulfriends?", she asked with a creepy grin.

"Something is going on with the shadows and shadowrealm today", Twyla explained. The ghouls all twitched subtly.

"So?", 'Howleen' said with a bored expression.

"So?", Gigi replied, perplexed at her attitude. "So we need your help to find out what's up."

"I'd love to help, I really would", she said snidely. "But we got someone..er..something to do right now. I'll catch up with ya after, K?"

"Uuhm….yeah, sure", Twyla said, as she and Gigi watched the ghouls leave. As the ghouls turned a corner out of view, they noticed….

"They have no shadows", Gigi whispered with a touch of fear.

"Because they are shadows!", Twyla said. "But where are the real ghouls?"

"I don't know, but they must be nearby", Gigi said. "I'm not sensing any genie magick, so Whisp didn't cause this, and neither did any other genie."

"I'll keep an eye on them!", Twyla said. "You start searching the school and catacombs!"

xxXXxx

Duncan walked on to the stage of the vampitheatre, but couldn't see his ghoulfriend anywhere. His sensitive hearing picked up a few faint clicks that seemed to come from the doors.

"Clawdeen? Is that you?", he called out.

"Right here, Sexy", she cooed behind him. He turned. She seemed different, even from this morning. Darker sort of.

"Not that I'm complaining, but why did you want to meet here, Sweety?", he asked.

"So I could show you how sorry I am for earlier in….private", she replied huskily. She kissed him deeply, running her hands all over his body. He felt his passion rising, but something just felt…wrong. This wasn't like her, at least not while they were in school. They had mutually agreed to behave during the school day.

"Whoa, hold on", he said after breaking the kiss. "I thought we agreed that school was neither the time nor place for…."

"But I have a special treat for you", she cooed. "Every guy's dream. Right, ghouls?"

The others came out of the shadows, all of them with lust filled eyes.

"I don't mind sharing you with my ghouls", she grinned. "They all want a turn with you…after me, of course."

xxXXxx

"Are you sure this will work, Ghoulia?", Cleo asked.

"Uh-huh. Aahhhaiuh."

"Right, Ghoulia. If this crystal brought us here, then we should take it with us", Lagoona said as she pocketed the crystal.

"Let's just do this, ghouls!" Clawdeen said urgently, "Duncan could be in danger!"

The ghouls went to the wall of the pit, and the fearleaders formed a pyramid. Using them like a living ladder, Abby climbed up first and was able to jump just enough to catch the rim of the pit and climb out. She turned and lowered her hand.

"Next!", she smirked. One by one, the ghouls climbed out, until Abby had to lower Jinafire back down just low enough for Draculaura to take hold of her ankles and allow the fearleaders to be pulled out together. Once everyone was out, Clawdeen sniffed the air.

"This way!", she said, and lead the way out through the catacombs.

xxXXxx

"This isn't like you Clawdeen!", Duncan said, then looked to the other ghouls. "This isn't like any of you. Some of you have boyfriends, for crying out loud! And you know I'm loyal only to you, Clawdeen."

"Oh come on, Duncan", Clawdeen said huskily. "You know you want to", and she pulled him into another deep kiss. He knew something was off, but wha….? That's it! He broke the kiss and pushed her away.

"You're not Clawdeen!", he accused. "The real Clawdeen smells and tastes like our morning lattes until after lunch. And since there was no time to eat before coming here, she would still have that yummy smell and taste to her kisses. You're a fake! So I'm guessing you all are!"

"Clever boy", cooed the Dark Clawdeen with a lusty grin. "We're their Shadows, and we're still gonna have our way with you."

"I don't think so! Where are the real ghouls?", he demanded. "Where's my Clawdeen?!"

"They're safe….for now", Dark Cleo snarked.

"For how long, depends on how well you satisfy us", Dark Jinafire said.

Unnoticed, Twyla peeked out from a backstage shadow.

"No way!", Duncn growled. "I'm going to find them! Aaah! What the…..?", as he tried to move, he found his legs frozen to the floor in ice from the knees down. As he broke free, Dark Operetta hit him with her sonic song, hurting his ears and bringing him to his knees. When she stopped, he felt someone grab him from behind and then a sharp pain as Dark Draculaura's fangs pierced the softer scales of the side/front of his neck, drinking deeply. As she drank, Dark Jinafire moved in swiftly, striking pressure points to render him almost completely unable to move.

'I have to keep fighting', he thought to himself. 'But if I hurt them, will it hurt the ghouls as well?'

xxXXxx

The Ghouls had just made it back into the school when Gigi found them.

"Are you ghouls alright?", the genie asked. "There's…"

"We already know, Gigi!", Clawdeen said urgently, "Where's Duncan?"

"They have him in the Vampitheatre", Twyla said, as she stepped out of a nearby shadow. "And I know what caused this mess. The Shadow Clawdeen is wearing the Heart of Shadow! It originally belonged to one of my ancestors, but was lost centuries ago. One part creates a Shadow-double and sends the real person to where the other part is!"

"So that's what this is", Lagoona said, taking it out of her pocket.

"Good to know, but let's go already!", Clawdeen growled. "Duncan needs me!"

"Oh my ghoul!", Draculaura gagged. "What is my double doing? I'm going to be sick! I think she's drinking b-b-bloo….uuuhhh!", the petite vampire rushed to the nearest trash can to be sick.

"We gotta hurry!", Clawdeen urged. "Draculaura! Catch up when you can!"

"We'll stay with her", Twyla said.

As the ghouls rushed to the vampitheatre, they felt themselves getting stronger.

"Ghouls!", Abby piped up as they ran. "Ice powers comink back!"

The others all felt their powers returning the closer they got to their shadows. They reached the door, to find it locked.

"Stand back, ghouls", Abby grinned.

xxXXxx

"We have you now, Sexy", Dark Clawdeen cooed maliciously. Duncan could barely move due to blood-loss and the precision strikes Jinafire made to his nerve centers. He was virtually helpless. If he hadn't held back against them, he would've escaped, but might've hurt them badly, and thus the real ghouls for all he knew. They had him on a couch that was used as a prop in various plays, and Dark Clawdeen removed his hoodie and tore his t-shirt off. The Shadow Ghouls had just begun to drool, when one of the doors crashed open.

"GET YOUR CLAWS OFF MY BOYFRIEND!", the real Clawdeen shouted before she and the other ghouls charged the stage. Twyla, Gigi, and Draculaura arrived just as the ghouls squared off with their doubles and Clawdeen tackled her shadow in a vicious, feral brawl. Dark Draculaura turned into a bat to attack Clawdeen, only to be engaged in an aerial bat-battle with the real Draculaura. Twyla and Gigi carefully dodged around the battling opponents to check on Duncan.

"Are you ok?", Twyla asked him.

"That fake Draculaura bit me, drained a lot of blood", he said weakly. "And I can't move….nerve strikes from the fake Jinafire."

"I can heal you", Gigi said. "But you have to make a wish."

The commotion had started drawing a crowd of students and faculty. Spectra was capturing it all on her iCoffin.

"Gigi, I wish to be healed to full strength!", Duncan said.

"As you have wished, so it shall be!", Gigi said, placing her hands together and blinking. A flash of magick struck Duncan, and he was healed. He stretched and flexed as he stood.

"Now to help the others", he said with a grin.

"The Shadow Clawdeen is wearing the Heart of Shadow!", Twyla told him, pointing to the amulet. "You need to get it!"

"Clawdeen!" he called out. "Her necklace!"

"Right!' she growled as she grappled with her shadow. She managed to snag the amulet and throw it to him. As he caught and held it, he saw the other battles going on. The two Cleos' dueling with their mystical wrappings, the Operettas' grappling while trading sonic song blasts, the Jinafires' in an insane battle of martial arts and fire, the Abbys' trading blasts of ice, while Lagoona, Howleen, and Ghoulia grappled with their doubles.

"There's a piece missing", he said, looking at it.

"I have it", Twyla said, handing it to him. "Lagoona gave it to me. This is the piece that gets placed where-ever the user wants to send their victims."

"Ok, how do we break the spell?", he asked.

"We can't! Only the original caster can!", Twyla said. "And we have no idea who that is!"

"So what do we do?!"

"Destroy it!", she said. "I don't know if that will work, but it's our only chance!"

Duncan smashed the two stones together with all his strength, shattering them.

"NNNOOOOOoooooo…!", the moaning wail came from all the Shadow Ghouls as they dissolved back become the normal shadows of the ghouls again.

The gathered students and teachers cheered and applauded, as Clawdeen and Duncan shared a sweet embrace and victory kiss.

"Ahem!", Headmistress Bloodgood silenced the room. "Would any of you care to explain what is going on in here?"

Duncan and the ghouls all looked a bit sheepish.

"Yes, Ma'am", Twyla said. "But I think it's gonna take all of us to do it."

"Very well, all of you come to my office. And, Duncan?"

"Y-yes, Ma'am?"

"Please tell me you have a spare shirt?"

"Got it covered, Ma'am", he smiled as he pulled on his hoodie and zipped it up. "Literally."

xxXXxx

Author's notes: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! I know some of you may be wondering about a few things, tho.

How could the Shadow Ghouls overpower Duncan when the Horde couldn't? Three reasons: (1) they caught him by surprise with a (2) well-coordinated blitz attack, and (3) he was holding back big time because he didn't know if by hurting them it would hurt the real ghouls.

Why didn't the ghouls have their powers in the pit? They had been transferred to their Shadows when they were created by the Heart's power, because they were still part of them. That's also why their powers started to come back the closer they got to the Shadows. Why didn't they use them when the Shadow Ghouls were taunting them in the pit? Because they didn't know at that point.

How many of you guessed that Claire was the 13th magick student before now? And I thought it would be cool if she was related to Boodika Le Fey. And I confess being inspired by 'Harry Potter' when coming up with the 'unfreezing' spell I used. As I delve into how the characters use magick I will touch on different variations that have been used before in other sources, and will cite them as needed.

Reviews and suggestions are always welcome! No flames, please.

xxXXxx