Sorry for the late update :( It turned out I actually had things planned. I might (but probably not) update again today, but I'm trying to finish the next chapter of my other fanfiction. Anyway, RER!

Ominous Fortunetelling

Zane sighed as he stepped off the ferry. He had 7 days for find a way to get Masato back. Of course, he didn't even know if there was a way to get him back, or even if the way to get him back was in the city. Luckily, he would be able to stay in that hotel place that the academy owned. He began to wander around the city, looking for anything and everything that would help bring Masato back. He first stopped at a bus stop, only to look at a map of the city. It was mostly made of just normal city blocks, but in a few places the road twisted and turned in weird fashions. There was one Zane thought stuck out, and was the weirdest of them all. Even though it was fairly small, it seemed to creep and twist around itself.

But Zane snapped out of it and began walking on. He couldn't let his mind wander off like that. He began searching again, but with each step his confidence diminished a bit. Shadow magic… where in an urban city am I going to find someone who knows about shadow magic? Like anyone will believe me. Although I have to… there has to be a way, there just has to! He searched the entire day, and found a few places that he thought might be able to help him, but none of them were.

The moon rose up, and the streetlights turned on. He began to turn back, but then realized that the entire day he had been walking away from the hotel. He would probably have to walk until dawn to get to the hotel. He looked around, and found another bus stop. He went over and, almost as on cue, a bus pulled up. He walked in, searched his pocket, and paid the money. The bus was fairly empty; Zane took a seat by himself and starred out the window. Then as the bus took off, he realized he hadn't checked the bus schedule, and had no idea where this bus would go. But he was too tired to do anything, so he just remained seated. And hoped.

"Excuse me," Zane heard someone say, snapping him out of his trance of looking out the window. He turned his head and saw a short, stumpy old lady. She wore a strange purple dress, a lavender purple belt adorned with yellow gems, golden bracelets and hoop earrings, and purple shoes. And although her face had wrinkles and seemed old, her hair was pitch black, her eyes still had a spark in them, and she had a kind and tender voice. "Do you mind if I sit here?"

"Uh… not at all," Zane said, noticing that there were still plenty of other empty seats. He shifted over a little bit, to make sure the lady wouldn't sit on his navy trench coat. In addition to that, he was wearing a matching navy shirt, and black shoes and pants. If anything, she looked either crazy or like a fortuneteller. Zane then just ignored the lady and began to look out the window again.

"So," the lady began, annoying Zane a bit. "You were starring out that window pretty hard. I had to ask you three times before you responded!"

"So?"

"So? I'm just pointing that out, that's all. What were you doing that you couldn't answer me? Looking for something?"

"You… could say that," Zane replied after a small pause.

"Well, I hope you have great luck in finding that," The lady said, putting her hand over Zane's hand to show her support. "Y'know, I can usually help people find what they are looking for."

"I doubt you could help me find this. In fact, I doubt anyone in this city could help me find what I need," Zane said sadly.

"I don't know about that," the woman said.

"Well, I have a question of my own," Zane said as he turned his head so he was now looking at her, before she could ask any more about him. "Why did you ask me all those times instead of just sitting in one of other empty seats?"

"Oh, because dear," she explained, putting her hand back in her lap. "I'm just an old lady, and I don't have many people left, so I do enjoy all the company I can get. Plus, you looked so sullen all by yourself I thought you could use some company yourself."

Before Zane could respond, the lady got up. "Oh, it's my stop! I hope I'll see you again sometime!" She said as he got up and walked towards the front of the bus. Zane turned his head back to the window, and to his surprise saw the ocean. He quickly looked ahead and then behind the bus, and sure enough saw the dock to go Duel Academy. He got up, rushed to the bus, and was able to get through the bus doors just as they were about to close. He looked around, but the woman had already disappeared.

He walked to the dock, and then went a little inland and saw the 3-story building with the Duel Academy symbol on it. He went inside, and got a room for free by showing the person working there his Duel Academy Student ID Card. He went to his designated room, and almost immediately plopped down on the bed and went to sleep. Before he did that, he quickly scanned the room. It reminded him of a Ra Yellow dorm room, except for the fact that the hotel room only had 1 room (excluding the bathroom), while the Ra Yellow Dorms had 2 rooms each dorm.

In the morning:
Zane got up and exited the room; he didn't even care about changing his clothes. All he had brought with him was 2 changes of clothes and some money. He walked out of the hotel, and got a quick breakfast. He then started to look around, even though he was sure he wouldn't find anything new. However, he quickly discovered he was in unfamiliar territory; he must have wandered in the other direction than yesterday. His legs suddenly stopped. Huh? Why did I stop? Maybe this is a sign or something… He looked right and left, and on the other side of the street saw a building that stuck out to him. It was short and purple, and on the top spelled "Fortune Telling" in fancy gold letters. I don't really believe in that stuff… but I don't really have much time; I need to try anything that might help. He crossed the street and entered.

"Hello, Zane," a voice said.

"Huh? How did you know my- Oh, it's you." Zane went through a purple curtain that was hanging, and saw the woman from the bus yesterday. The walls had sparkling purple wallpaper. There was a round table, which had matching tablecloth, and two purple chairs on each end. The woman was sitting on the far chair. "You run this place?"

"Yes, I do. Now sit down, I'm sure I can help you find what you were looking for."

'I-I'm sorry. I don't have much money. How much will it cost?"

"Oh… I'm sure you have enough. Besides, you were nice enough to me yesterday. And depending on your predicament, I might make it charge free."

"Um… Okay," Zane said as he tentatively sat down.

"Now, lets begin," The fortuneteller said, taking out a deck of cards.

'Um… what's your name?" Zane asked.

"Oh, you can call me Lucreta," Lucreta said. "Now, lets see what you are trying to do." She flipped over the top card of the deck onto the table to reveal… a duel monster card; Yami, to be exact. "Darkness?" She asked, raising an eyebrow. She flipped over the next card to reveal Soul Release. "I see… so you want to save someone from the Shadow Realm."

"You know about the Shadow Realm?" Zane asked.

"Of course dear, but now lets see your motive." The next card flipped up to reveal Shining Friendship. "For friends? That seems like a noble cause." She flipped over the next card on the deck, to reveal Mask of Darkness, and put it on the table. She flipped over another card, to reveal Marie the Fallen One. "Oh, I see. You are doing this so your friends trust you again. But not just that, but so that you trust you.

"I don't think I'll be able to help you, but I know some people who might. Now, for how your problem will be solved." She took the top three cards on the deck and placed them on the table face-down. She flipped them over to reveal Shining Angel, Pitch-Black Warwolf, and Chaos Sorcerer, in that order. "Hm… you will have to seek out these three powers of light, darkness, and chaos. Any of them may help you, and maybe none of them will be able to help you. But you must try."

"How will I find them? Are they in the city?"

"Yes, they are. Take this map," Lucreta said as she handed Zane a rolled up piece of parchment. "That is all I can do to help you now. You may leave," she said as she began to gather up the duel monster cards.

"Thank you," Zane said as he got up and exited through the purple curtain and door. He went over to a nearby park, and sat down as he began to look at the map. All the map was was a bunch of lines and two stars. Most of the lines were straight, but there were some weird formations. What is this a map of? How am I supposed to find the things I'm supposed to find! However, there was a strange formation that stuck out. But not only because it was so strange, but because it was so familiar. Where have I seen this before? I know I've seen it… but where? Then it hit him. The ran back to the docks, and then the bus stop. He held the parchment up against the map there, and it matched! The familiar formation was the weird road formation that got him in that strange trance yesterday. He used his map to get to that road formation, which seemed to be even weirder in person. He put his map in the right direction, and began to follow it to one of the stars. He eventually game to a small, brown building, stuck between two skyscrapers. It had a pointed roof, and a small steeple. A plaque on the front said 'Cathedral of Ka'atun'. That's a weird name, but if it'll help get back Masato…

Zane took a deep breath, and then started to climb the stairs to the front door…

Yeah, sorry that there wasn't a duel in this episode, but it is a good cliffie!

Zane: Well, looks like I'll have to duel the leader of the Cathedral if I want to get Masato back. Of course, he might not be able to help me, but he'd better! Watch me get Masato back next time on Chapter 23: Shining Angel!