Chapter 25

The beeping of several heart monitors could be heard through the infirmary walls, they was all coming from 3 men and one female. The doctor looked over the female's vitals and smiled slightly, "Claudia's going to be just fine her body took a lot of strain in that last duel but It's recovering quite nicely, and this time she didn't re-open any of her wounds."

Dr Vanessa had checked over Claudia's gunshot wounds to make sure they hadn't been disturbed with all the excitement that had gone on earlier that night, "But why isn't she waking up?" spoke the smallest of the ground that was stood around the red heads bed.

"Claudia's been under a lot of stress and emotional breakdown lately Syrus, so her body is telling her she needs rest, which is why she's asleep at the moment, She'll wake up soon I'm just thankful her hearts not in the danger zone anymore. These Shadow duels are extremely dangerous which is why I'm monitoring her heart rate."

Chazz stepped forward looking down at the female in the bed "We will have to make sure she doesn't duel any time soon, I just want to know where Professor Crowler and Banners been through this… they are meant to be the teachers but yet I haven't seen any of them duel."

Each person looked to each other and shrugged the boy was right, no one had seen the teachers since the whole shadow rider thing began.

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~Dreamland~

Everything was pure white, looking around it was so peaceful it reminded the young female when her best friend had died, she had to try and bring him back. Tears filled her brown eyes as she looked down to the ground, "Claudia?"

Her head shot up as she looked around, she could have sworn someone whispered her name, "Claudia…." The voice… it came from above her, she looked up, her eye's widened in shock "ZANE!"

Stood there, on a white stone pillar was the body of Zane Trusdale, tears fell from her eyes as she ran up to the pillar, "Zane! You're here!" the boy's face was gentle, his eyes and smile so soft towards her. "Yes but not physically… part of me is with you Claudia… through power bond." Suddenly she looked down to her hand, the card Zane had given her only a few days prior was there, when she looked up Zane's body had disappeared but his voice spoke through the duel monster card.

"I'm always with you Claudia…. Believe in yourself and we will see each other again soon…." She held the card close to her chest, falling to her knees "Zane…. Come back to me please…"

"Go back Claudia, wake up…" she shook her head, "Zane…. No … I'm not leaving you here…. Zane!" Everything began to glow brighter, so bright that she had to close her eyes.

Until a very familiar voice entered her mind "This is just a delusion Miss Donovan…. You need your treatment!"

She opened her mouth to let out a scream,

End of Dreamland~

"ZANE!" shooting up in the hospital cot, Claudia held her chest her eye's darted around the room, only to land on the blue haired boy's body laid right next to her. There was no change in his form. Bringing her knees to her chest, laying her head on them, "it was just a dream… I thought.."

She felt a hand on her shoulder, jumping out of her skin she looked up to see Mrs Fredrick standing there, concern and worry on the African woman's face. "Claudia, you're ok…. you're in the infirmary."

Claudia looked around nodding understanding what the older woman had told her, "I saw him Mrs F…. I heard his voice… Zane was right there… through the duel…. As soon as Power bond was in my hand…. He came to me." She reached down to her waist, only to panic slightly. She looked down her belt with her deck on it was missing, "My…. My deck…."

But Mrs Fredrick placed both hands on the girls shoulders, "Is perfectly safe right next to you, Dr Vanessa had to change your clothing due to them being rather dirty from your duel, it was also easier to examine any wounds that may have occurred. Now take a deep breath…that's it and relax." The African woman sat on the bed next to Claudia's feet.

Running a hand through her reddish ginger hair, Claudia winced a little, "How long was I asleep for? My hair's greasy as crap.." "3 days, apart from that part of the duel do you remember how you was feeling before the duel?"

Claudia closed her brown eyes, trying to remember but so far she was only getting puzzle pieces, until "Jinksy! I shot him with my tesla…. Oh no…" "That you did, but what I meant was do you remember what emotions you was feeling at the time?" the girl nodded gripping her chest, "Anger…. I was feeling so much anger… I wanted revenge so badly Mrs F, it was consuming me."

The African reached over to gently hold the Sacred key around the girls neck, "That is due to the Artefact Agent Donovan, it messes with a person's emotions until one emotion stands out from the rest of them, and that is Anger. It had started when you duelled Joshua upon the volcano, believing he was the enemy after kidnapping your friends, then when Jaden's soul was taken that anger began increasing until you witnessed Agent Trusdale's duel."

She let the necklace go but reached out for two more from her pocket, "and now you have three of them, I must warn you Claudia once you place these two on, that emotion may get worse till it's all you have I'd hold onto these but the rules state that the winner of the duel must keep them" Claudia nodded as she took the keys, they both felt different, as if each key had their own personality.

The one she held in her left hand, she knew who's it was and brought it closer to her heart, that's when she couldn't stop closing her eye's allowing the tears to fall freely, "Zane…." Mrs Fredrick did something no one thought she would do, she brought the teenager into a hug stroking her hair. "He will come back to you safely… I promise you that"

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Sitting down in the Slifer dorms, Steve had his fingers laced together. He had been stood outside the infirmary listening to his best friend break down. he knew how much the girl loved Zane Trusdale, he had been so happy that she had finally found someone in her life like him. So it broke his heart to hear her heart wrenching cries.

Looking at her desk, he saw what looked like a futuristic skateboard, and her notebook that held previous projects, he flipped through it and smiled when he saw the sketch of the goozaid she built back when the warehouse was zapping her.

Then there was the nights she held nightmares from her past, he was always awake at 2.30am knowing that's when she would scream through the B&B, and he would always be there for her, to hold her as she cried fearing that someone was either going to hit her or give her Electroshock therapy, so when Abigail came he found it a blessing.

The more she received treatment from Abigail the less the nightmares came, so he then found himself at her bedroom door at 2.30 watching the girl sleeping peacefully.

The door opened up, but he didn't pay any attention he kept looking down at the floor, "Olivia…please…give me guidance to help my friend…"

But he received something else, a familiar pair of arms wrapping around his broad shoulders, someone's forehead resting on top of his head, hair tickling the back of his neck, "Steve…. I'm so sorry." His eye's widened slowly standing up, he turned around to see Claudia stood there, she was just wearing a pair of simple blue jeans and a black slim fit t-shirt, he knew the clothing didn't belong to her but what broke him was the sadness in her eyes.

"Claud" Was all he said before stepping forward bringing the girl into his arms, giving her the most loving hug she'd had in days. He could feel her trembling in his arms but he didn't mind "I'm here Claudia….we'll bring them back I promise…." She shook her head and looked up to him. "I'm so so sorry Jinksy…I was so stupid…. You tried to help me the other day and i…. I stabbed you in the back."

Shaking his head, he placed both hands on her cheeks, "No…you didn't you did what you had to do Claudia… remember it's the fight that matters it's always the fight, and you did so well, you won against that witch."

"But I…" he shook his head, "I know, you're being whammed Claudia…it's that necklace you're wearing, but as soon as the other 5 shadow riders are defeated then it will all be over….." she reached up placing her soft hand onto his gripping them tightly. "Why is it that when I'm feeling so crappy that you can always cheer me up?"

He just smiled, "Well I suppose I'm just that good" She couldn't help but laugh, a small smile was on her face, standing back she wiped her eyes slightly, and he noticed something, "you look really beautiful without make up on, I'm sure Zane would like to see that someday, Especially with that smile so keep fighting wonder girl, you never give up remember."

She nodded and gave him one more hug, "damn right Jinksy, promise to fight with me?" "Always…"

There was a knock at the door and the two agents turned to see Pete, Myka, Alexis , Chazz and Syrus, "Glad to have you back sweetie, since you've been sleeping for a few day's we have some good and some bad news…."

The young caretaker looked to Myka "Professor Crowler lost his duel… which is why you have another mark….but Alexis and Chazz took down 3 riders, so that only leaves two shadow riders left, but Professor banner is missing." Claudia's eye's narrowed, "What? Professor banners missing?"

They all nodded apart from Steve, this news was new to him also, "Yeah he went missing just shortly after your last duel Claudia, we know he's not lost a duel due to we would feel it" Answered Chazz the teenager looked down at her arm, and surely enough a 3rd tally mark was there. "Something isn't right, Professor Banner was all for protecting the keys why would he up and disappear now when we could need him? So there is only two shadow riders left? Well then looks like we will have to split up, Myka and Pete I want you two to investigate Banners disappeance… Steve you are to be with me while we fight these Shadow riders, these last two could be stronger than the rest."

Each agent nodded until Chazz spoke up, "Wait a minute, Baldie doesn't know how to duel how's he going to help?" that made the girl smile linking arms with Steve, "He's my emotional support, so when I get out of line he has to whip me back into shape."

"Meow Claud! didn't know you was into kinky shit…" Claudia laughed, "Nah that's what Pete and Myka do when they think no one is at the B&B right everyone hands in!" she placed her left hand in and everyone followed, "BREAK!" They all shouted, Pete and Myka left the dorm with a new mission in hand, find the missing professor.

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In the distance at an old abandoned lab, a cloaked man was stood watching the Slifer dorms, he noticed two older people run out and head into the range rover before speeding off. The cloaked man looked to Titan "You are to duel the blonde girl, Alexis Rhodes"

Titan cracked his knuckles slightly, "My pleasure, I'd love to get revenge on that little bitch, after her friend humiliated me, It was a pleasure to take that professors soul as payment for what he never gave me."

The cloaked man nodded "Just make sure you come back with that soul, We want Agent Donovan to go into a blind rage again, and that blonde is like a sister to her. It's perfect bait" Titan pulled his hat down slightly, "Yes sir" walking off into the blackened night, the tall man smiled, his red cyborg eye glowed in the darkness, "This will be easy."

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Oooooooo Will Alexis win her duel?

Who is the cloaked man?

Is there only 2 shadow riders left? Or is there someone else?

Curedream90 Over and out!