Another day passed and still no sign of a Shadow Rider, rather than feeling at ease about it, the entire group was edge. They worried this was the calm before the storm, there were still five more Shadow Riders left and six keys to protect. Each passing day it felt as if the weight was getting worse.
A week later Chazz woke up feeling better than he had in a while, minus the headache. Looking the view through his window, he opened it to allow some fresh air enter in his room, and he stretched his arms over his head and took a deep breath.
The sun was just starting to rise over the horizon, he slept longer than he had in awhile, but he was still up at the crack of dawn.
The wind moved his hair slightly and he tilted his face toward it. It felt refreshing and badly needed. While he was stuck in his musing, his PDA vibrated and chimed on the round, wooden table. Looking down, he picked it up and opened it. There was a message from Chancellor Samejima to all the remaining Key Keepers.
Students,
I need you to report to my office tomorrow by 9AM. With two spirit keys gone, I feel the need to call in the police to help find a way to protect them. They will still be in your care, but I am asking for professional opinions. Detective Don Zaloog will be meeting with us and he will give his professional advice. I expect you all to be on time. Thank you and have a good morning.
Chancellor Samejima, Head of Duel Academy
Chazz read the message and shook his head in exasperation. This was getting out of hand, they were all on edge because no Shadow Riders have made an appearance in a couple of weeks. Yusuke was no closer to remembering anything and actually had given himself migraines last week trying to force himself to remember. Nurse Ayukawa had started to give him migraine medication and when it got so bad, he was given a light dose of pain medication.
Nothing Ryo or even Samejima said would help. He felt responsible and he was willing to risk his health to remember. Looking at the time, he realized it was just after 6 in the morning. He figured he would go and buy some pack at Tome-san's shop before meeting with Samejima to give him an update on Yusuke. Standing up, he stretched and walked back into his dorm closet to grab his jacket and pulled it on. Running a careless hand through his hair, he walked out and made his way to the infirmary.
Ryo Marufuji stood behind his best friend, as Yusuke stared out the window before him. He knew he was supposed to be heading to the meeting Chancellor Samejima was having for the remaining Key Keepers, but he just couldn't bring himself to go. The last couple of weeks were hard on his best friend who was trying to forcefully remember what happened and keep on getting migrane attack. Right now, Yusuke stood ramrod straight, his arms crossed over his chest and not paying attention to anything else, or so Ryo thought.
"Ryo." His name was spoken with the same emphasis Yusuke used to give. He turned his head to look at the older Marufuji. "I know you have somewhere to be. Don't worry about me, go take care of what needs to be done. I am not going anywhere." He turned his head back to the window and kept staring out into the distance.
"Hey what's up Kaiser?" Ryo turned his head and saw his friends as well as someone he didn't recognize came walking up. "How is Fujiwara doing?" Judai finished the question.
"Well at least he is out of the hospital bed Judai. But he still can't remember what happened, and with him trying to force it, it's causing migraines and who knows what other stress is being put on his body," Ryo answered sadly looking at Yusuke. He then glanced at Judai standing next to him. "Anyway, I'm sorry I missed the meeting. Is there a problem?"
"Well, actually Ryo, Chancellor Samejima wanted us to get a professional opinion on how to protect the keys," Asuka responded.
Ryo finally turned his attention to the other person standing there. He was a man who was dressed in a fancy detective outfit. The brown cap matched his brown suit, and he had a white puffy shirt underneath. His silver hair touched his shirt collar and he wore a strange patch over his right eye. He lifted his cap in salute.
"Good afternoon young man. I'm Detective Zaloog." The sun glinted off his strange gold patch.
"Okay…" Ryo trailed off, there was something that made him suspicous about him out about the patch. It made him think of the Shadow Charm around Judai's neck.
"I am here to help you all protect those keys. It seems as though these 'Shadow Riders' are quite the problem. Now I have to ask, where are all you keeping your keys?" Detective Zaloog asked. He glanced at the six Key Keepers.
"I have mine around my neck," Judai said holding it up.
Chazz looked down to where his key was resting on his chest. "Same here."
"I also keep mine around my neck," Asuka responded. She nudged to Misawa.
"Mine is attached to my belt and rests in my pocket," Misawa responded.
"Mine is attached to the wrist". Banner said showing his key attached on his wrist
Ryo unbuttoned his jacket to show his key was around his neck as well. "I have been keeping it here."
"Oh my, see that is exactly what I was afraid of. For you see, you may think that is where it's safest, but in all honesty, it isn't. All the Shadow Riders have to do is find you and they have found the keys. So I am recommending you all put your keys someplace safe so they can't find them." He looked at all of them. Then his gaze lingered on Yusuke's back. "But I have to ask, who is this? Do we need to worry about him?"
Ryo shifted and put his body between Detective Zaloog and Yusuke. His gaze hard and unwavering as he stared down the Detective. "No, Yusuke is my best friend. He isn't someone to worry about." Yusuke sighed and turned to leave. Ryo snapped his hand out and gripped Yusuke's hand tightly. "You need to go back to the infirmary anyway. I can tell the migraine is coming back." With that, Ryo dragged Yusuke away and left the other five Key Keepers with Detective Zaloog.
"Oh my, I didn't mean to upset him." The Detective watched as both white coat Obelisks made their way back to the infirmary.
"Please don't take it personally Detective," Asuka tried to reason. He looked at her. "Fujiwara-san has been through literal hell and is having a difficult time recovering. Both he, Ryo, and my brother, Fubuki-Ni-san, have been very close. So he just feels overly protective, it isn't something to take personally." Asuka gave a smile in the hopes of smoothing that awkward situation over.
"I see, I am truly sorry. What happened to him?" Zaloog asked. He raised an eyebrow in thought. The back of the teen looked familiar and the glimpse of his face was enough to have him wondering if that boy was who he thought.
"We aren't at liberty to say," Chazz bit out.
He didn't like the interest in Yusuke. Something didn't sit right, there were still Shadow Riders left, and they had yet to come across the group Yusuke dueled against. So until the Shadow Riders were defeated, and Yusuke had his memories back, no one outside of their group was ever going to know what happened to him.
"I see, well I suppose I can just speak with the Chancellor anyway. Now on to what I am here for. We are going to find places to hide your keys. When we get you five aken care of, we will go find the sixth one and have him do the same."
The four students and Banner nodded their heads and followed the Detective to do just what he advised.
Ryo continued to drag Yusuke beside him. He had a tight grip on Yusuke's right hand, keeping him close. Yusuke looked confused at his friend, he had been hovering the past couple of days, even more than usual. His purple eyes slid to Yusuke's profile and really looked at him.
"Did something happen? You really should have stayed with the Detective. He had every right to question about me." Yusuke looked away ashamed. "With what you all have said, I was one of those Shadow Riders after the keys. So technically I-"
"You were never a threat Yusuke, at least not in that sense." Ryo stopped walking and interrupted that train of thought. He leveled Yusuke with a look, a look the old Yusuke would have smirked at. "You are NOT a power hungry person. You would never have gone willingly, and if you are going to listen to that, then hear this… I am 1000% sure you were abducted and taken there by force. You never would have gone willingly."
Ryo backed Yusuke against the wall, he was so livid at the assumption. Yusuke felt his eyes widen at the move. It brought upon a strange feeling in his chest, as if this happened before… He squeezed his eyes shut and pressed his hand to his head. The aching came back in force, he felt dizzy and weak. Two things he was starting to hate feeling.
"Let's get you back to the infirmary. Whatever comes, know that you were innocent in this whole thing. I have known you long enough to know that world domination is not your thing." Ryo cracked a rare smile, hoping to ease the tension. "I mean you were by the book duelist, that I don't think you would even know how to manage world domination." Backing up, he grabbed Yusuke by the hand again and pulled him the rest of the way to the infirmary.
"Ryo, what are you doing? I thought you were with the rest of the group and detective," Chancellor Samejima said. He walked up to them and noticed the way Ryo had a grip on Yusuke's hand.
"Yusuke was starting to get a migraine again so I was taking him to the infirmary. Besides Chancellor, I don't trust this detective. Something about him feels off. I can't put my finger on it, but it doesn't sit right." Ryo looked at Yusuke who was still standing silently beside him. "And he started asking questions about Yusuke."
Samejima looked at Yusuke and raised his hand to his chin in contemplation. He had told the detective that the only reason he was here was to help protect the Spirit Keys. There was nothing else for him to do. The fact that he was asking after a student who was not one of the Key Holders, that didn't sit so well with him either.
"Well you go catch up with the group. I will take Fujiwara-kun back to the infirmary, and you go find the rest." He gave it as an order, he knew that Ryo was not likely to do it otherwise.
Ryo looked at Samejima and then back to Yusuke. His best friend just stared straight ahead as if not sure what was going on. Ryo released him. Leveling Samejima with a look, he patted Yusuke's shoulder and turned around with a smile.
"We will catch up later. Chancellor is going to get you back to the infirmary, and Yusuke" He waited until purple eyes looked at him. "You better take the pain medication when you get there. Sleep and stop torturing yourself."
Ryo walked away with that last comment. He would find Yusuke later and take him to the lighthouse to get out for a bit. It would be good for both of them. Pulling out his PDA he messaged Asuka and found out they were at her dorm room. Messaging back, he told them to wait, he would be there in a little bit.
Ryo walked into the Obelisk Blue Girls Dorm, he found them waiting in the entry room. Everyone was standing in a circle talking and waved with smiles when they saw him and Ryo smiled at them in return when he reached them.
"Fujiwara-san make it back to the infirmary?" Asuka whispered when he stood next to her.
"Yeah, Chancellor Samejima is taking him back. Apparently I was not allowed to leave, and need to listen to this guy." Ryo looked at Asuka. "Thanks Asuka. I mean it."
She smiled and squeezed his hand in comfort. "I am always here for you Ryo. You don't need to shoulder everything on your own. Just remember that you're like my own brother there is no difference between you and Ni-san and always have your back."
Detective Zaloog and the Slifers Judai, Chazz, Sho, and Chumley and Misawa made their way over to the Obelisks. Detective Zaloog nodded in greeting. "Now then, you are the next one that needs to find a hiding spot for the key. Shall we make your way to your dorm?"
Ryo didn't respond, he didn't care if it wasn't polite. He simply nodded his head and spun on his heels to make his way to the Obelisk Blue Boys Dorm. It was a short distance from the girls dorm and they all walked in. None of the students in there said anything about seeing Slifers and a Ra walking in with the Kaiser and it had long since become common knowledge that they were friends.
Climbing the winding staircase, they made their way to the last room on the top floor. Ryo's room was one that overlooked the ocean and he loved it. Opening his door he walked in with all of the others. Once inside the room, Ryo made his way to his nightstand.
Detective Zaloog walked over with him and noticed the picture on the small square table, right below the light. It was an image of the teal haired teen, the burnette haired teen, the seaweed haired one he saw earlier and one he didn't recognize. Clearly the girl was right and they were friends for a long time. And getting a good look at the seaweed haired teen's face… it confirmed what he needed to know. He watched as the 5th Key Keeper opened his drawer and grabbed his deck box which resembles a mini chest to put the key in.
"Well, things I need to keep safe, I keep in here. It has a number of different items that hold meaning to me." Ryo straightened up and looked at the detective. "Any complaints?"
Chazz walked up and looked in the deck box Ryo didn't mind. Chazz has been a loyal friend since he came back to Duel Academy. Chazz made a sound and stood straight, closing the drawer quietly. Everyone looked at Detective Zaloog for affirmation.
The group walked out of Ryo's room and head to Misawa's room in Ra Yellow Dorm. Detective Zaloog watched as 6th Key Keeper opened his shoe cupboard and grabbed a shoe to put his key inside.
"This will be a good spot".
"This is a smart move." Detective Zaloog said. "Interesting..."
"Indeed it is".
Chazz walked up and glared at his shoe which Misawa doesn't mind.
Detective Zaloog was about to say something when he noticed someone go by the door. He turned to see a man with short brown hair, wearing a dark blue uniform walk by the door.
"Wait, who's that over there?"
Misawa glanced at the passerby and smiled, "Oh, that's just Cliff, the security guard, making his rounds. If anything, he'll make the Key more safe," he explained before yawning, "Well...I think we should turn in. I believe we'll have a good night's sleep tonight,"
Zaloog nodded, "Yes, very soundly. Now, children," he turned to the Key-Keepers and their friends, "Off to bed. You all must be exhausted,"
That night, as Judai and his roommates slept, crumbs of plaster and wood fell from the ceiling above them. A hole was made by a large drill bit, which poked through the hole that was just above the desk where the junk drawer was.
Ryo was sleeping peacefully alone at his room in Obelisk Blue a vent grate in his ceiling opened up and a thorny whip shot out of it, wrapping itself around his drawer knob and grabbing his deck box before being pulled back up into the vent.
In Asuka's room, she faced the same predicament as Ryo, when a vent gate over her ceiling opened up over the point where the Obelisk hid her key.
In Misawa's room, someone crept in and took the shoe that contained his key. As the intruder, was out of the dorm, a hand reached down and began to quickly go from up and down.
As soon as every Key was gathered, the thieves gathered around the locks of the Spirit Gates. The four Keys won before them were in their slots, which were lit up, while the other keys were in their own slots...which weren't lit at all.
"And, it is done. All the Spirit Keys are ours!"
"Then why aren't the gates opening?"
"Yeah, that's the only way we can get those Sacred Beast cards!"
"We must have to do something else..."
"Yes, and I bet those children know what. So much for doing this the nice way,"
Chazz was spending a nice sleep until a light shined into his eye. Groaning, he opened up his eye to find that Judai and Sho had come into his room, arms waving around wildly. They looked like they were saying something but he couldn't hear a word. Scowling, Chazz sat up and pulled out his ear-plugs.
"Hey, morons? See these?" he held up his ear plugs, "Start over," he hissed.
"Your Key, Chazz! It's vanished!" Sho cried, pointing to Chazz's door, which was demolished, "LOOK!"
Chazz stared at the door, then at his open cupboard, "What in the-no! It can't be!" he glared at Judai "How?!"
"Those things in your ears?" Judai pointed to the ear plugs, "They also keep you from hearing your door being kicked in!" he glanced at the open door, "That means that they are back!"
Chazz nodded.
"The Shadow Riders..."
Later...
All the Key Keeper's and Banner woke up from their sleep around midnight and gathered at Chazz's room
"So all the Keys were taken?" Banner asked.
"Yeah, they were." Zane frowned.
"Well not to worry. I got a few suspects." Zaloog walking in with Meanie, CK, Gorg, and Cliff.
Asuka frowned seeing them. "Them?"
"Oh maybe we can inform Chancellor Samejima about this." Misawa suggested.
"Actually he doesn't." Chazz mentioned. "Because the thief is in this room."
"In this room?" Judai asked in shock.
"But won't we need evidence?" Chumley asked.
"Of course we do, but we have evidence." Chazz grinned.
"You know there was a press on nail in the drawer with my cards." Ryo mentioned while everyone didn't notice Meanie looked nervous.
"And where is it Kaiser?" Chazz asked him.
"I asked Asuka but she said it isn't her's, and she tossed it away." Ryo admitted.
"And I found one in my jewellery box". Asuka added
"There goes that." Chazz grumbled.
"Their were footprints in our room." Banner brought up as everyone didn't notice Cliff looked nervous.
"Footprints, that could prove useful." Misawa nodded.
"Actually... I asked Tome-san to vacuumed it up." Banner admitted sheepishly, "I'm a bit of a clean freak."
"My Shoe cupboard has been damaged". Misawa said,
"So we're stuck with no evidence." Banner said now knowing they have no options.
Chazz suddenly called, "He did it! And him, him, and her!"
While doing that he pointed to CK, Cliff, Gorg, and Meanie respectfully.
"What do you mean?" Bastion asked.
"How about I ask the questions?" Zaloog suggested.
Chazz smirked reaching into his coat, "How about... We hear from them!"
He presented the three Ojama Cards to them.
"While Banner, Misawa, and Kaiser hid their keys, I hid these three with them their my eyes, and ears when I'm not around!" Chazz smirked pulling out his Zero Attack Point Deck, "And in my room, I have these cards here to look around me. The point is, it's simple you four are the ones who stole the keys!"
Everyone turned to them hearing that.
"Who… told you what?" Detective Zaloog asked.
The others were looking around in confusion as well. No one could see anything, but the friends knew that Chazz could see duel spirits. So if he said he knew something they believed him. They looked at Chazz looking frustrated.
"Well maybe you can't see them, but I can and I know they are behind this detective," Chazz bit out. His eyes were narrowed and fists clenched.
"I guess the act didn't work, but we still have the three Spirit Keys." Zaloog''s Permanentemirked standing up, "Allow to introduce us. We're an expert crime team known as..."
They shed their disguises showing black sleeveless jumpsuits with black scorpion tattoos on their arms in poses, "The Dark Scorpions!"
"Wait a second, I thought you couldn't just take the keys." Chumley mentioned.
"And that's the main reason why their farce." Chazz told him, "They didn't know that the keys can only be earned by winning a duel."
"Which means the keys are technically safe." Sho noted.
"No wonder they didn't work." Zaloog said as they got out of the poses, "We have to beat them in a duel first."
Ryo stepped forward to duel. Chazz stretched his hand stopping Ryo, "Don't bother yourself. This one's mine."
Ryo turned to him before chuckling. "Fair enough, you exposed them after all."
They all got ready outside.
"Uh sorry, never heard of you," everyone said simultaneously.
"Of course you haven't. We have been deep undercover in your school. Just waiting and biding our time until the right moment. That moment was now!" Zaloog said.
"So, to use the keys you have to beat me in a duel!" Chazz snapped. He placed a fist on his chest. "So bring it on Shadow Riders!"
Everyone jumped up and made their way outside. Asuka, Banner, Ryo, Misawa Judai, Sho and Chumley all stood by watching Chazz. He started out strong, summoning one of his most powerful monsters. However the Dark Scorpions had a trick up their sleeves. One that had Sho, Judai and Chumley all freezing.
"Wait, so he is a card?" Sho stuttered.
They are Shadow Riders and two of them had been in close contact with Yusuke multiple times. Meanae was one of the school nurses, granted Nurse Ayukawa was the one mainly in charge of Yusuke's care, but Meanae was involved as well. Cliff was one of the security guards Samejima assigned to keep Yusuke and the school safe and Chick was a disguised Slifer Red student. They had multiple chances to do something and no one here had been any wiser.
"Chazz!" Ryo yelled and the raven duelist turned his attention to Ryo shocked by the pure venom in his tone. "Make them suffer!"
The Shadow Riders looked shocked at Ryo His gaze turned hard and deadly, his anger was coming to the forefront. It was a anger that was well known around the academy, even his two best friends knew to hit the deck when he sounded like this. In fact a couple of the Shadow Riders took a step back.
"Oh don't worry, we won't be taking Nightshroud back." Everyone gasped. Zaloog chuckled darkly. "Oh yes, I knew I recognized him standing at the window. Then to see the picture of him on your nightstand… that confirmed it for me. So I spoke with Meanae about him and she got the records. As much as we had planned to take him back, apparently the boss isn't interested. Since his recovery it will cause too many questions if he were to go missing again."
Before Ryo could do or say anything, Chazz barked out a laugh and turned back to the Dark Scorpions.
"You must really be delusional if you think we would have let you get close enough to do something. We all have been keeping an eye on him. And now that you revealed that, I will destroy you. You better thank your lucky stars that I am the one dueling you. The Kaiser has no concept of mercy when it comes to people like you."
Ryo looked at Chazz in shock before smiling
The duel continued and Chazz, despite having been taken by surprise once, didn't make the same mistake twice. He managed to block out three monster spots on their side of the field, and summoned Ojama King. Combined with his spell card Ojamuscle, King's attack points rose to 3000. It managed to completely end the duel. All in all it was rather short, Chazz was too prepared.
While Don Zaloog lay on the ground disoriented, his shadow charm eye patch glowed and all the Dark Scorpions vanished in the light. Everyone gasped in shock, the keys were laying on the ground now. Each of the Key Keepers picked up their keys and placed them back where they knew they would be safe. Chazz also picked up the shadow charm and stared at it with narrowed eyes.
"Chazz, you ok? What's wrong?" Judai asked worriedly.
"Nothing, just tired now. I am going back to bed." Chazz put the charm in his pocket and after putting the key back around his neck, he strode back to his room.
Meanwhile. in an unknown location..
"Another failure." stated a robotic male voice. "Well its time I shall wake up Abidos,"
Notes
The Dark Scropians are finally here and I am sorry we didn't re-write the duel because we enjoyed Chazz and Zaloog's duel in canon so we decide to not to alter it. I skip the scene of all the KK hiding their keys because its the same as canon and added Ryo and Misawa because they have their keys.
Next chapter their is going to be a full duel and it will be Asuka VS Abidos so wish me luck because it's going to be hard for both of us to write.