Candle in the Darkness - Loonatics Unleashed Online message boards

Akira_Cat · Your local cat

Candle in the Darkness

zadavias_spirit · Out of This World

First reaction: GAAHH!!!! IT'S HERE!!! AKIRA'S PUT IT UP!!!

Second reaction: ...Wow. I guess B_Vs not one to forgive and forget (but then again, which villain is?). And who's that man I wonder?
Third Reaction: Has mild rabies symptoms while waiting for second chapter.

Akira_Cat · Your local cat

Chapter 1

"Okay! Loonatics! Fire!" Ace commanded as he unleashed his infra-red laser vision blast against a giant black monster with yellow, beady eyes.

The monster gave a screeching roar as it swung it's arms around to try and hit the heroes. Fortunately, everyone dodged the attack as Ace flew behind the creature. He whipped out his Guardian Strike Sword and charged at the monster at a great speed. When he got close enough, the rabbit stabbed the monster in it's back. The monster screeched for the last time as it started to dissolve into nothing. A few seconds later and the monster completely disappeared. Everyone lasted safely onto the ground.

"This is the fourth monster we fought this week." Lexi puffed.

"And they all looked almost the same." Ace concluded. "Something fishy is going on here."

Duck didn't appear to be listening to the discussion the others were having and looked around. He was about to turn back to the group when he heard a sound that didn't sound normal. It sounded like someone slicing something but he couldn't see anyone slicing anything. Suddenly, a grey robotic figure appeared from no where. It looked almost like an insect as it carried a red lance in it's hand. Duck turned to the others quickly.

"You guys! Look!"

The other Loonatics turned around to find the robot standing in front of them. They quickly jumped to their fighting stances.

"Okay Loonatics! There is definately something wrong!" Ace scowled. "I think that maybe our main culprit! Attack!"

They all ran towards it. But the robot lifted his lance up and a blinding flash of light spread from the lance. As soon as the light dimmed down, all the Loonatics were frozen in blocks of ice. No-one could move. The robot spun his lance around and the ice broke. The Loonatics felt some form of pain as they dropped to the floor.

"What is that thing?" Ace muttered under his breath as he struggled to stand up.

Duck struggled the same. But his eyes widened when he saw the robot pointing the lance at him. It was about to strike Duck. Duck cowered and lifted his arms to sheild himself from it when he heard a cry.

"Nooooooooooooo!!!"

A slicing sound was heard. Duck still had his eyes closed and his arms above his head. He slowly dropped them down and opened his eyes and saw Tech standing in front of him. Duck staggered to his feet and approached Tech.

"Tech!?" He cried. "Are you-"

"Get out of here Duck!" Tech demanded. "You're the only one who can help me back together again."

"What?" Duck said with a confused face.

"You've got to leave me now!" Tech ordered again. "This thing will kill you if you don't!"

Suddenly, Tech's body went stiff as though he was paralysed and was lifted high into the air. As everyone else came back to consciousness, they gasped as they saw the monster floating in front of a whimpering Tech. Instinctively, Rev just had enough strength to fly up to Tech to try and release him.

"Rev!" Tech grunted through his grited teeth. "Get out of here! You'll get killed!"

"No way!" Rev cried. "I'm not gonna let a monster hurt you!"

Rev tried to pull Tech's arm but the coyote wouldn't even budge. The robot then put his lance in front of it and the lance suddenly transported behind Tech and Rev. The cross inside the circle at the top looked almost like a crucifiction. Rev panicked a bit and desperately tried pulling Tech out of his stiff position. The robot stretched it's left arm in front of him, as a turquoise ring formed around it's wrist.

"Rev! Get out of here! I'm begging you!" Tech gritted his teeth tighter.

"No!" Rev shot defiantly. "I have to get you out of here!"

As the roadrunner gave a few more hard tugs, he suddenly felt someone wrap their arms around his shoulders. The roadrunner looked up to glimpse at Duck.

"I'm sorry Rev!" Duck apologised.

"Duck! No!"

But before Rev could get out of Duck's grasp, they both teleported back down onto the ground. A gold, purple and red laser shot out of the turquoise ring and struck Tech. The coyote let out a piercing scream as everyone else watched in horror.

"Noooooooooooo!!!" Rev cried as he pushed Duck away from him.

Finally the coyote started tumbling from the sky and was about to hit the ground when Rev quickly caught him. All the others ran to him as Duck stood there, frightened. Pools of tears welled up at the corner of his eyes when he heard another voice from Ace.

"Duck! Behind you!"

Duck spun around to find the robot standing in front of him. Duck let out a gasp as the robot extended it's left hand out again as the turquoise ring formed around it's wrist.

"Duck! Get out of there!" Ace shouted.

But the mallard just stood there in fear. He couldn't move his feet from the spot. In fact, he couldn't hear the rabbit telling him to move from the spot because of all that fear roaming around inside of him. All he could do was slowly lift his arms up to sheild himself from the blast that was to be fired at him. The ring was charged. Duck shut his eyes.

"Nooooooooooooooo!!!" Ace screamed.

The shot was fired.

END OF CHAPTER 1.

ruthchang93 · Martian

Holy......

ILOVETHISSTORYOMGOMGOMGOMGOMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I get this feeling that Tech already knows what's going on.

-stares at the screen for the next chapter-

Lumosnight · Loonatic

Duck had faced more dangerous situations and he couldn't even teleport?

Akira_Cat · Your local cat

Chapter 2

"Huh? Where am I?"

Duck's eyes danced as he stared up into the grey space above him. He tried to lift himself up but his body was stiff and so he couldn't move. The ripples spread out from his body as though he was lying on silver water.

"Am I dead?" He started to ask himself. "I wonder if the others are alright. Especially Tech. Now I know how he felt being paralysed, unable to move. It must have been so sad. To only speak and not be able to move."

The silence was then broken when he heard a drip on the floor.

"Tech? No. It can't be."

Suddenly, a shadow loomed over his head. Gold and silver strands of hair dangled above him.

"A woman!?"

The woman in a white robe knelt down beside him and gazed at him pitifully with her silvery, light purple eyes. Duck was speechless as she gazed at him. He couldn't help but think of how beautiful the woman looked. The woman then lowered her face down onto his and locked her lips onto his beak. Duck gave a gasp as his body tensed.

"What on earth is she doing!?" Duck thought immediately. "Why is she kissing me!?"

Suddenly his whole body relaxed as the mallard started to feel drowsy as though he was going into a hypnotic trance.

"But what is this sensation?" He then thought. "It feels so fantastic. So warm and nostalgic and..."

His eyes lost focus on the woman and he finally blacked out.

It was a few minutes when Duck finally opened his eyes and lifted himself up in a sitting position and looked at himself.

"Hey. I can move again." He said to himself until he saw the same woman standing at the corner of his eye.

He approached her as she still gazed at him.

"Did you heal me?" he asked her.

The woman just stared at him. Assuming that she was the only other person in the same place he was, he concluded that it was her who helped him.

"Um... thanks." He said nervously.

The woman then placed her hands on the sides of Duck's beak. Duck flinched as she gazed at him.

"Duck. You are the only one who can save him again." she spoke to him in a soft tone.

"Wait! What do you mean "save him again"?" Duck inquired. "Who are you talking about?"

"You are the only one who can drift between light and darkness to save the one that you hold dear." she said again.

"Are you talking about Tech? What are you saying?" he said in a frustrated tone.

"You are the one destined to cross the walls of the Twilight to seek The Final Piece Of The Puzzle of the one so dear."

"What do you mean "The Final Piece Of The Puzzle? I don't understand." Duck said still confused.

"But do not fear." She said to him. "I shall guide you whenever it is neccesary. And we shall meet again."

Suddenly, the floor glowed white as Duck and the woman started floating upwards. The whole place started to glow white as Duck looked around frantically and then finally turned back to the woman.

"But I don't even know your name!" He whined.

"We shall meet again. And then I will explain everything."

The woman then planted her lips onto the mallard's beak.

"But I-" Before Duck could finish his sentence, he started to fall into the same trance as he did before.

And soon enough, he was floating in mid-air. The only thing he could hear was some voices calling him.

Duck... Duck... Duck...

END OF CHAPTER 2.

zadavias_spirit · Out of This World

I'm speechless. The fight-scene was very visual, the scene where Duck was trapped in that world was very mysterious and overall, IT'SAWESOME!!!!!
Gah, I hate to sound so immature over this story, but it's great.

Siamese712 · I blamed it on the dog...

A-Cat ones again you've done a wonderfull job of righting an AWSOME story

Akira_Cat · Your local cat

Chapter 3

"Duck! Duck! Wake up!"

Duck's eyes flipped open and threw himself into a sitting position. He panted for air as he saw Ace and Lexi crouched beside him.

"Duck! Are you okay?" Ace asked.

Duck gave a few deep breaths of air until he made eye contact with the rabbit.

"I... I'm fine." He gave a hesitant answer.

"Tech!"

The three Loonatics turned and ran to Rev cradling the choking coyote. He choked, as though something had taken his heart out. All of their expressions are of concern for the coyote.

"Tech! Come on buddy say something!" Rev cried frantically.

"I... feel so... cold..." Tech stammered.

"Don't worry Tech!" Ace assured. "We'll get you to the med-lab! We'll get ya fixed up just the way you were!"

Tech choked some more.

"I feel... darkness everywhere..."

He then suddenly had a seizure of some choked breathing before abruptly stopping into unconsciousness.

"Tech! Don't go!" Rev cried as hot tears rolled down his cheeks.

"Quick! Lets get him back to HQ!" Ace ordered as Slam lifted the lifeless coyote on his broad shoulders as they all flew into the sky by their jet packs. As Duck gave a pitiful look at Tech, he started to feel a sense of regret and started to wonder whether it was his fault that Tech was the way he is now.
____________________________________________________

It was an hour and a half since the tragic event happened, and everyone stood around the med-bed with Tech lying peacefully with a breathing mask across his mouth and nose.

"So what do we do now?" Lexi asked in a monotone voice.

"I guess the only thing we can do now is wait. And hope Tech wakes up." Ace said as he turned and exited the room. Lexi and Slam followed Ace out as well. Rev and Duck only remained in the room, gazing down at the coyote sadly.

"I hope Tech wakes up soon." Rev spoke slowly. "It's so strange to see him not with us."

Duck looked at Rev. No-one, especially Duck has ever heard Rev speak so slow before. He knew that the roadrunner meant it. He then turned back to gaze down at the coyote.

"Ring ring. Ring ring."

Duck felt a sudden sharp pain in his head. He let out a short groan and slapped his right hand on his forehead. Rev turned around to see Duck in pain.

"Duck! Are you alright?" Rev asked in worry.

The ringing stopped. Duck slowly removed his hand from his head and turned to face Rev.

"I'm fine." He replied. "I think I need to lie down."

As Duck walked out of the med-room, he delved into one of his pockets and took out his silver mobile phone and checked the screen. It was off.

"That's strange." he thought. "I turned my phone off yesterday. So why did it start ringing all of the sudden?"

END OF CHAPTER 3.

zadavias_spirit · Out of This World

Aww. Guilty Duck. *gives Duck a banana*
I'm not sure what to say about this story yet, since I don't understand (a) what the ringing was, (b) who was with B_V, or (c) what'll happen to Duck later on. But I do wish to find out!

Akira_Cat · Your local cat

Chapter 4

"Duck. Awake."

Duck opened his eyes flicked open and pushed himself up from his lying position and stood to his feet. He looked around to find himself in a pitch black place. He couldn't see anything else apart from darkness around him.

"Where am I?" he murmured under his breath.

Suddenly, he heard the annoying ringtone echoing around the place. He found his phone in his pocket and flipped it open and put it next to his ear.

"Hello?" Duck asked.

He could hear some very deep breathing as though the person at the other end of the line was out of breath.

"Duck. You have to help me. You're the only one who can save me." the voice puffed.

Duck immediately recognised the voice.

"Tech?" He said in confusion.

"Please." Tech begged. " You have to help me before-"

The connection broke temporarily before Duck could hear Tech's breathing again.

"Before what?" Duck inquired. "What's going on?"

He heard a moan down the phone before the coyote responded again.

"You have to find me. You have to complete me before-"

The connection broke again making the fuzzy noise again before the sound of Tech's breathing became clear once more.

"Before what!?" Duck demanded. "What do you mean by "completing you"!?What are you trying to tell me!?"

"You have to help me before- AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGHHHH!!!"

The long, monotone beep then rang in Duck's ears. He pressed the button to end the call. His body was shaking nervously until he heard a worring sound from behind him. He spun around on the spot to see three dark figures in black, hooded trench coats. None of their faces could be seen since their hoods hung over their heads. Duck stood in a ready stance incase they attacked him.

"So, this is the guy who managed to survive Sin's "Draining of Heart"?" the smallest figure said in a teenage boy's voice.

"It's a shame there isn't much on him that I can see that impresses me." the medium sized figure giggled in a female voice.

The other two figures gave a chuckle amongst themselves. Duck frowned and gritted his teeth.

"Hey! Cut it out!" he shouted.

The figures stopped their mocking as the tallest of the hooded people stepped forward.

"We couldn't help it." They said in a male voice. "You just look so foolish into trying to look tough."

Duck's hands clenched into fists.

"Where am I and what's going on!?" he demanded.

"This place?" The tallest figure started. "This is the place where the darkest parts of ourselves wander. This is the domain where hearts, torn by rage and sorrow gather. This is the grounds of our darkest wonders and ruin. This place... Welcome to the Shadow Realm."

"The Shadow Realm?" Duck muttered under his breath.

"You got that right." The shortest figure boasted.

"But soon by the time we're finished with you, everything will become just like this." The second figure sneered.

"And soon, everything will become eclipsed." The figures said in perfect unision.

Duck frowned again.

"Wait! You said I survived the "Draining of Heart" attack from this Sin thing." Duck commented. "Then that must have been the thing that put Tech in a coma!"

"Very good Duck." The smallest figure applauded him.

"I guess you do have some form of intelligence." the female figure said stroking her chin.

"But if you want to find out more," the tallest figure spoke. "You'll have to go through us one by one. And should you be strong enough to beat us, then you'll know more of what happened to your friend."

They all gave laughs of evil as they summoned some purple and black portals and started to walk backwards into them.

"And don't worry," The tallest figure said, "We'll be waiting for you."

The figures started to disappear through the portals. Duck immediately ran towards the portal in the middle.

"Wait!" He ordered. "I'm not finished yet!"

But the portals disintegrated before Duck could get through one. He looked around him to see if there was anymore openings. There wasn't any. Duck swore under his breath and started to run forward into the pitch blackness of the realm. He didn't know what he'll encounter but he was determined to find out what was going on.

END OF CHAPTER 4.

Lumosnight · Loonatic

This is getting interesting. Shall we find out how Duck survived not falling into a coma like Tech? Did someone save him or was it his nature?

CassidyCoyote · Techie 4 life

*comes into the room running and screaming*
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I CAN'T BELIEVE I MISSED SO MUCH OF THIS AMAZING STORY! *faints*

Akira_Cat · Your local cat

Chapter 5

Duck's eyes flipped open and sprang into a sitting position on his bed. He looked down on his crumpled sheets as his hands clenched onto them. He gave a deep sigh and rubbed his eyes.

"Man. What a dream." he muttered to himself.

He then gave a sudden flinch and held onto his head. He gritted his teeth as he tried to control his grunts.

"That ringtone again!" Duck growled under his breath. "Why?"

He turned to his bedside and looked down on his phone. It was switched off.

"Why the hell is it ringing!?" he asked himself.

Finally, Duck's body relaxed as the ringing in his head stopped. He carefully placed his hands in front of him again. He turned to double check that his phone was switched on and that it wasn't his imagination. The phone was definately switched off.
________________________________________________

Duck sat on a silver chair the wrong way round next to the med-bed where Tech laid peacefully unconscious. The mallard rested his head on top of his hands on the top of the chair staring down emotionless at him. The only thing he could hear was Tech breathing through some breathing aparatus and the beeping on the heart monitor.

"This is all my fault." He thought in his head. "If I had moved, then Tech wouldn't have gone and risked himself against that thing."

Duck then heard the creaking from the door. He turned his head around to see Lexi approaching him.

"You okay?" she asked gently to the mallard.

"Should you be more concerned about Tech than me? I'm conscious." He replied. "He isn't."

Lexi gave a sad face and stood next to him.

"I know but you were struck by that thing as well." she said in concern.

"That is a point." he thought. "I did get hit by that robot."

Duck turned his head back to Lexi.

"But I managed to wake up. Tech didn't. Why couldn't it be me on the bed and not him?"

"I... don't know." Lexi stammered. "All we know is that that thing that put Tech this way has some connection with those black monsters we fought against for the last week. It isn't just a coincidence."

"So does that mean that me still being conscious wasn't an accident?" Duck asked her.

"I don't know." the rabbit repeated. "But it could have been worse. Rev could have ended up the same way as Tech too."

"Yeah." Duck puffed out. "He hasn't been himself since the attack."

"But he is grateful." Lexi smiled at him. "If it wasn't for you then he would have gotten hurt too."

The mallard then turned back to Tech on the med-bed.

"You know what? I'm pathetic."

"You're not." Lexi frowned. "Even I couldn't have rescued Rev from that monster when it was about to blast them."

"But I couldn't save Tech!" He stood up and slammed his fist on the top of the chair. "I was pathetic enough to let Tech take my blow. But I couldn't even repay the favour!"

He felt Lexi's warm hand on top of his shoulder. That calmed him down a little bit.

"Duck. None of this fault." She comforted him. "You weren't the one who hurt Tech. You couldn't do anything about it."

She then turned away from Duck and walked towards the door and grabbed the handle.

"And don't say you're pathetic." Lexi said for the last time. "You what Tech is like. He doesn't like seeing you feeling weak. He doesn't want to feel that way too."

She finally exited the room, leaving Duck to give a pitiful look at the coyote, breathing with the assistance of a breathing apparatus and being monitored by the heart monitor.

"Tech." Duck sighed. "I'm so sorry."
______________________________________________

Duck ran across the dark floor. He panted as he sprinted across the realm until he stopped to grab his breath back. He huffed and puffed as sweat dripped down his face.

"I... I can't do this." He said, still puffing out the warm breaths of air.

Suddenly, some orange light shone down upon him. He squinted at this as he lifted his head up. A small, orange flame floated in front of him, with the glow of the same colour creating the aura around it. Duck gazed at the flame in a nostalgic trance. He felt so warm inside and found it a relief to see that there was something that stood out from the darkness around him. He subconsciously lifted his left arm up, as if to stroke the little flame until he heard a clanging noise. He spun around as if he snapped out of his trance and saw a golden candle stand with a white candle stick on top of the candle stand.

He walked up to it and picked the stand up. He gazed at it in curiosity. He turned back to the orange flame and approached it again. It suddenly started dancing in the air. Duck's eyes followed it jumping, skipping, rolling about in the air until it finally floated towards the wick of the candle stick. It caught itself on it and the candle burned like a normal candle would. Duck held the candle stand high, staring at it in wonder, with his thoughts asking him so many questions that he could not put an answer to.

"Well. You have some light. Now isn't that pretty?" a mysterious voice snickered.

Duck turned around to see one of the figures with the black, hooded trench coat, with the hood covering his face. Duck scowled and clenched his fists, one of which clenched the candle stand tighter.

"Who are you!?" Duck demanded.

"Aaww. The ugly duckling wants to know my name." The figure mocked as they pulled their hood back to reveal a young fifteen year old boy with short, spikey, orange hair and green eyes. He smiled a confident smile as it turned into a mocking grin.

"The name's Zac. And don't you forget it." He announced, pointing his intimidating finger at Duck.

END OF CHAPTER 5.

Lumosnight · Loonatic

That boy's attitude reminds me of Tom Marvolo Riddle. Get way from him Duck!

Akira_Cat · Your local cat

Chapter 6

"The name's Zac. And don't you forget it."

"And you're introducing yourself to me like that because?" Duck said sarcastically.

"You should be more respectful when standing before a member of the Shadow Clan." Zac spoke formally. "It was very rude the way you answered to me you know."

"I don't have to respect you!" Duck snapped. "You were one of those guys who put my friend in a coma!"

"Oh yeah. About the mangy dog." Zac said, scratching his head.

"You bastard!" Duck shouted in rage as he summoned a pair of glowing orange orbs and threw them at the boy.

But he dodged them with incredible speed and agility as the orbs flew past him through the air.

"Nice try Duck." Zac grinned again. "But you see, I'm with the Shadow Clan. And that means I'm incredibly powerful. And for trying that stunt on me, I'm going to have to teach you a few manners."

Zac stretched out both of his arms and a pair of thick, long, shiny, red police batons magically appeared in each of his hands. He twirled them around with skill and charged at Duck. First he tried to hit the mallard with a three hit combo with the batons. But Duck managed to dodge all of the blows and kicked the boy on the chest. The boy flew backwards but landed on his feet. He didn't seem injured. The boy charged at Duck again, demonstrating martial art type movements against the mallard. Again, Duck managed to avoid the blows and dived to the left side before Zac could punch him again. The boy turned his head around to see the mallard panting.

"Not bad Duck." He complimented him. "But I was just going easy on you. Now you'll find this painful!"

The boy somersaulted backwards and was about to punch Duck when the mallard disappeared into thin air. Zac scowled as he quickly spun around to find some glowing orbs hurtling towards him. Zac batted the orbs out of his way with the batons and charged at the duck standing in front of him. He was about to bat him down when he hit something hard. He saw the candle stand in contact with his batons. Both of them tried to push against each other with shear force.

"You're really good you know." Zac grinned at him. "But I'm afraid you're gonna fall at the first hurtle. And it would be a great shame to see you do that. Especially when you're trying to make it up to your doggy friend of yours."

Duck gritted his teeth as he tried to hold his opponent off. He stared at the candle stand for a second when at that moment, flash backs of the scenes where Duck was about to be attacked by the grey robot when Tech took the blow for him. The struggle to push Zac off from him reminded him of the horrific tragedy, where the coyote sacrificed himself to lie in unconsciouness while Duck walked free. This filled the mallard up with a burning rage.

"Tech is not a dog! He is a coyote!"

He finally pushed Zac away from him and lunged the candle at the boy. But instead of just poking him and giving him a minor burn with it, the flame was stabbed into his body and Zac screamed in a painful agony. Duck pulled the candle out of him as the boy collapsed, holding on the left side of his chest. His head slowly tilted up to gaze at the mallard.

"You... you son of a bitch..." he stammered as he tried to stand to his feet but he collapsed again. "How could you do this to a respectable member like me?"

"Because you hurt one of my friends." Duck answered.

He suddenly noticed black particles dissolving from the boy. Duck took a step back.

"You're... fading away."

Zac looked at his body and panicked.

"No!" He squeaked. "I don't want fade away! No! Noooooooo!!!"

As he completely dissolved into darkness again, so did his begging cry. Duck just stood there with an emotionless face. He actually defeated a member of the Shadow Clan. He looked down onto the candle that still burned brightly on the candle stand. He looked up at the distance of darkness and started running forward into the pitch black environment.
___________________________________________________

"What a stupid boy." the female figure spoke maliciously, as she stared into a monitor screen, watching a figure running to an unknown destination.

The other hooded figure watched the screen along with the woman.

"I always knew he was a ****y little fool." he muttered. "I didn't see the point of recruiting him."

"And it serves him right for being over-confident." the woman added. "And I thought he'd learnt his lesson of over confidence from that tragic accident with the electric generator."

"Yes." the man sighed. "Every other fool that shouldn't have been there made it apart from him."

"But now that he's gone, that gives the duck the feeling of a false sense of security." the female figure smiled evily.

"And that's when he'll meet Nina?" The man asked, even though he seemed to know the answer already.

"Yes." the woman chuckled. "And then she'll be able to dispose of him and hopefully do a better job than that pathetic boy."

"Yeah." The male figure put his hands behind his head casually. "When he meets Nina, she'll show him no mercy..."

END OF CHAPTER 6.

Akira_Cat · Your local cat

Chapter 7

Duck opened his eyes slowly and immediately held onto his head with one hand. The ringtone rang through his head as it did before. Before then, it stopped and Duck rose up to his sitting position and gave a deep sigh.

"Zac..." He murmured under his breath. "What an idiot."
____________________________________________

Duck entered the med-room where Tech was still lying down on the med-bed unconscious. Duck grabbed a chair and pulled it next to the bed and sat down on it. Like before, he sat the wrong way round and rested his head onto his arms that balanced at the back of the chair. He gave a blank stare at the coyote, exhaling huskily through the breathing mask. Duck stared at him in a trance like state. He didn't even hear some footsteps echoing from behind him or even standing beside him.

"So he hasn't woken up yet?"

Duck turned his head around to find Ace looking down on Tech. Duck glanced back at the coyote.

"When do you think he will wake up?" the mallard asked.

"I... don't know." Ace replied.

"But what if he doesn't wake up and he grows into an old frail coyote." Duck said in a worried tone.

"He can't!" The rabbit snapped defiantly. "I'll tell you now that won't happen to him!"

He then faced back to Duck who had concern written all over his face. Ace looked away from him.

"I'm sorry." he apologised. "I'm just still concerned about why you didn't fall into the coma when both of you got hit."

Duck turned back to Tech. Still unconscious.

"I should be where Tech is. Not him."

"But still..." Ace started to walk away from Duck and headed towards the door. "... it's not your fault."

Duck glanced back at Ace as the rabbit exited the room. The mallard looked back down onto the lifeless coyote as tears started to well up in his eyes.

"Tech. I'm so sorry."
_______________________________________________

Through the endless path in darkness, Duck ran as fast as he could, clinging onto the candle stand where the flame still burnt brightly on the candle stick. Huffing and puffing he continued on a pathless route across the dark abyss.

"You better stop right there young man!" a voice commanded.

Duck stopped and spun around to see a nineteen year old girl with sapphire eyes and blonde, long pig-tails that reached down to half way down her calves. And in both her hands were identical looking silver guns that had a sharp blade running along each of the barrels. He immediately knew she was part of the mysterious clan that the previous member spoke about and readied himself in a fighting stance. The girl gave a snort.

"You sure have some nerve to judge people before you know them." the girl frowned.

"Well with those nasty looking guns, no wonder I'm preparing myself like this." Duck barked back.

"Whatever." she ignored his commented. "My name is Nina,"

She pointed the gun at the mallard.

"And no-one who knows my name lives!"

As soon as she pulled the trigger, Duck teleported himself to another part of the battle ground where Nina used ninja like skills to point her gun on target at him. Each time she shot, he teleported. It carried on like that at lightning speed until Duck teleported for the last time and suddenly felt nauseous.

"Oh no!" Duck thought in his head. "Quantum sickness!"

As Nina fired another shot at him, he quickly dodged the bullet. Suddenly, both of them started to sink into the ground for only a short time, and the next thing they knew, they were paddling in water.

"What!?" Nina gasped under her breath in anger. "What is this!?"

Duck was wondering the same thing until he heard a mysterious voice in his head.

"Duck. Use the water."

At first he didn't get it until he realised his other power. Aqua Dense. He started creating a giant wave that rose higher and higher until it started to fold over like a giant tide a wave that could flood a whole city. Nina stood there in fear as the wave rushed towards her and swept her off her feet. As soon as the wave disappeared, she spat out some water and then pointed her gun at him.

"You son of a bitch!" she screamed as she pulled the trigger.

As Duck managed to stand up, the bullet sped through his right shoulder. He fell backwards and created a splash in the water as he held his shoulder with his other arm. But then he felt a shadow hover over him. He looked up to see Nina pointing the gun at him.

"I'm tired of seeing you alive." She sneered viciously. "Now I can finally put my mind at rest now that I can kill you where I want you."

"Wait..." Duck groaned before she pulled the trigger. "I just want you to answer this question: What's going on and why are you guys doing this?"

"Because," the girl started. "I hate everybody. I hate you and everyone else. They don't care about anything. They just swallow you and then spit you out when they got what they want."

"But surely you must have loved somebody?" Duck asked again.

"No!" she snapped. "I don't love anyone and I never will!"

"Come on Nina!" Duck encouraged her. "Think! There must be someone that you cared about for so long, you almost believed it! Who was it!?"

"None of your business!" she shouted at him. "Now shut up so I can kill you!"

"Nina! I hate you!" Duck barked at her. "I never liked you and I never will!"

At that moment, her grip on the trigger loosened. Her face suddenly changed from a vicious assassin, to a face that was ready to burst into tears at any moment.

"You... hate me?" she mumbled as her eyes welled up in pools of tears.

Duck's face also changed to empathy.

"I'm sorry." he apologised. "It just burst out."

"And all this time, I thought you liked me..." she sniffed as a tear rolled down her cheek.

"Well, I would if you didn't start shooting me in the first place." Duck said.

"It doesn't matter anymore." Nina cried quietly. "I knew I shouldn't have thought of you that way."

She started to walk away from him.

"It's just, you're part of the Shadow Clan." He started. "And I assumed that since you were part of them, I had to fight you."

"I guess there's no point in being here anymore." Nina's voice trembled. "I know you have someone else you care for."

She lifted the gun in her left hand and put the end of the barrel to the temple of her head. Duck gasped.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing!?" He called out to her.

"Ridding myself from existance, erasing myself from your memories." Nina stuttered. "For I don't deserve to live anymore."

"Hey! Don't kill yourself just because I've upset you! I'm sorry!" Duck exclaimed. "Just put the gun down!"

Nina lifted the other gun from her other hand and pressed it against her other temple of her head.

"I have nothing to live for." She wept as currents of hot tears ran down her cheeks. "Nothing to be. I can't be apart of this anymore."

"Nina! Wait!" Duck commanded her.

"Goodbye... James..."
__________________________________________________

Both of the hooded figures shared an uneasy silence as they tried but failed to resist pulling their eyes off the screen of the monitor.

"He... unlocked her..." the woman stammered.

"He broke her trance." the man said calmly.

Again, the silence filled the room until the female figure finally turned to the hooded man.

"This bastard cannot go any further!" The woman snapped through her teeth. "You're the only one left to stop him from fitting "The Final Piece Of The Puzzle." Take care of it Aaron."

"As you wish." The man obeyed as he summoned a black and purple portal and disappeared through it, leaving the woman to smash her hand down onto the control panel.

"It's her!" she growled under her breath. "She's helping him get to fit The Final Piece in it! I have to stop her now before she ruins my plan!"

END OF CHAPTER 7.

Akira_Cat · Your local cat

Chapter 8

Duck became familiar to the routine he was doing ever since Tech was put into the coma. After having a vivid dream and listening to his ringtone ring in his head, he'd go into the med-room and sit on the chair the wrong way around and give Tech his sorry gaze as the coyote lied on the bed motionless. But this time, he couldn't help but think about the suicide that Nina commited in his dream. He would have flashes of the horrific images of the red blood spilt into the water as the corpse faded away, just like Zac's body did before. He would remember the warmth of the blood mixed in with the clear water that gradually surrounded him. He could remember his fear when he saw the body collapse after the gun shots were fired. But most of all, he could remember the sadness, the anger and tears on the girl's face. She seemed so innocent after he screamed those hateful words at her. But Duck couldn't help but feel that she had said those words before. Maybe not to him or at any present time, but he felt that she had said those tearful words to someone else at another time before she became a member of The Shadow Clan. He just couldn't help but think about her innocence being destroyed and down graded to a deadly assassin.

"Duck?"

The mallard turned around once again to find Slam approaching the bed. He knew what was coming. The Tasmanian Devil would give a concerned look at the coyote. Well, he couldn't help it. Everyone else gave Tech the same sincere look and hoped that he would wake up into the real world at any moment. But the coyote didn't respond. The Tasmanian Devil turned to Duck.

"When do you think he'll wake up?" he asked him.

Duck looked up at Slam to look at his concerend face. The mallard looked back to Tech laying there unconscious.

"I... really don't know..." he replied.
___________________________________________________

Duck staggered across the floor in the dark scene that he was constantly placed in every night. Still holding the candle stand and the candle burning, he asked himself whether this was all worth the trouble.

"Why am I still carrying this thing?" he panted.

Just as he looked up, a black, hooded man appeared from the purple and black portal and took a few strides forward until he stopped.

"Because it is the key to your friend's freedom."

Duck jumped to his fighting stance like before, still clutching the candle stand in his hand.

"Look!" Duck shouted. "I know you're not gonna make this any easier for me as the others did, but the thing is I don't want to fight you! I've had enough of seeing people getting hurt in front of my eyes! Tech, Zac and Nina! It's torture for me because..."

"I do understand." the man interrupted. "But I still have to fight you anyway. It's what I was commanded to do."

"Then who's your leader then!?" Duck demanded. "Who's the one who put Tech in the coma and sent goons like you to fight me!?"

"Well since you called me a goon, I'll have to introduce myself just so you won't call me that again." The figure said calmly as he removed his black hood to reveal a masculine face with brown eyes and short, shaven, blonde hair on top of his head with his blonde beard in the same state down his cheeks and across his chin and under his nose, with some silver piercings on both of his ears. He then drew out a silver katana from his sword cover from his belt and stood into his fighting position.

"My name is Aaron." he introduced himself. "And I would be honoured to see how you'll beat me this time."

Duck readied his fighting stance.

"So are you gonna fight me or what!?" Duck atagonised the figure.

"As you wish." Aaron said casually as he charged at the mallard.

Duck blocked one of his slashes and dodged him as he threw some orange glowing orbs at the figure. Aaron just sliced the orbs and attempted to swing his sword at Duck again.

"This guy's good!" Duck thought in his head as he dodged another blow from the sword. "He's certainly faster than Zac, and just as deadly as Nina! What is he!?"

He teleported out of the way of the slicing movement of the katana and appeared behind the man. Just as the man turned around, Duck lunged the candle flame at him. Aaron lunged his sword at Duck.

Stab.

Heavy breathing echoed through the darkness. A freeze frame of Duck and Aaron's out stretched arms froze as they both realised what damage was done. The flame was stabbed deep into Aaron's chest. Aaron gave a chuckle as he slowly lifted his head up to see Duck's determined face. He knew that he didn't lunge his sword far enough. Only inches away from his opponent's chest.

"Well done Duck." He choked. "You win."

Aaron collapsed as he dropped his sword. Duck gently put down the candle stand and knelt down onto his knees and cradled the man.

"Aaron. I'm sorry."

The man shushed Duck.

"This is what I wanted." He replied. "I never wanted to become part of the clan. I only did it because I was so strong. But there was this emptyness that no matter how hard I tried to ignore it, it only felt more empty than what it is."

Duck looked around his body and gave a confused face to the man.

"How come you're not fading away then?" He asked. "All the others did."

The man chuckled.

"Because I'm still holding on to my life." He replied. "I don't know when to let go."

Aaron then looked up to the mallard.

"Duck." He started. "Reading books can give you some much information. Especially if it's not yours to see. Maybe you should ask yourself why you managed to wake up from Sin's Draining Of Heart and your friend didn't."

"What?" Duck said in a puzzled tone.

Aaron chuckled again.

"Don't worry. You'll get it when you know. You are the deliverer of The Final Piece Of The Puzzle you know."

"I'm what?" Duck felt more confused at the statement.

"Now let me go." The man ordered. "I want to let go. I can't if you don't leave me."

Duck gazed at Aaron sadly and gently laid him down. Once he stood up, Aaron closed his eyes and his corpse faded away in the background of the darkness like the other members did before him. Duck looked down onto the ground sadly and held back the tears. He looked turned to the candle stand with the candle still burning brightly with it's orange flame. Duck gave a smile to it as he picked it up until he saw the purple and black portal whirling in front of him. Duck hesitated for a moment until he gave a face of determination and approached the portal and entered through it...

END OF CHAPTER 8.

Akira_Cat · Your local cat

Chapter 9

Duck eyes slowly danced as he lifted himself up onto the same sitting position that he woke up to every morning. This time, he was in some very deep thoughts of the dream he just had. Who were those cloaked people really? Why are they attacking him? Why is he carrying around a candle stand with the candle still burning? What did Aaron mean by "reading a book that's not his to see"? And why is he still conscious when both of them got hit? Those were just the questions Duck kept asking himself over and over again.
_________________________________________________

Staring at Tech sleeping peacefully on the med-bed became a routine for Duck. Every morning, he would sit on the same silver chair, the same way he had it for the last few days, gazing at the unconscious coyote odourlessly. The questions that he asked himself on that morning still circled in his head. Suddenly, a voice interrupted his rhetorical thoughts.

"He still isn't awake?"

Duck turned around once more to see Rev. He knew Rev hasn't been himself ever since the tragedy. He was less optimistic and didn't display his hyperactive, cheerful behaviour he once did. The roadrunner stood by Duck as he gave his empty stare at the coyote. At first there was an uneasy silence between them both. But then the mallard started to open his mouth and say something when Rev started to speak.

"You know?" He started. "Tech's been unconscious for four days now. And he still hasn't improved."

Duck looked back to Tech again.

"Yeah." He mumbled. "He's still unconscious."

"But the thing is," The roadrunner continued. "both of you and Tech got hit by that monster. Yet you managed to wake up and Tech didn't. And I've been wondering why ever since."

Rev turned to Duck.

"So I want to ask you the question. How come you managed to wake up and he didn't?"

Duck stood up from his chair and took a few steps back.

"I... don't know."

"ARGH! Why does everybody here say that!?" Rev shouted in frustration. "I don't know! I don't know! Nobody knows! Why can't there be a proper answer!?"

"Rev! Stop it!" Duck trembled.

The roadrunner ignored Duck's pleas and grabbed both sides of Duck's shoulders.

"Why are you still alive!?" Rev shouted apprehensively. "What did you do different that Tech didn't!?"

"I don't know!" Duck screamed as he tried to struggle out of Rev's tight grip. "I don't know!"

"Tell me why!" Rev repeated. "Why are you still awake!?"

"I don't know!" Duck screamed louder than before.

Suddenly, both of them froze as they heard the beeps on the heart monitor beep faster. Rev loosened his grip on Duck's shoulders and both of them gazed at the monitor screen. The beeps then gradually slowed down until it beeped at the pace that the heart beats were going in the first place.

"Did you hear that?" Rev whispered, still gaping at the screen.

Duck still stared at the screen until he turned away from it and approached the door. Rev noticed his comrade walk towards the exit.

"Where are you going?" Rev asked him as he opened the door.

The mallard turned to look at the confusion on the roadrunner's face.

"I'm going to read a book."

Rev gave an even more puzzled face as Duck exited out of the room.

Duck ran across the hallway and stopped at Tech's room. He opened the door and entered quietly into a dark, eerie place where he imagined the scientist worked constantly. He carried on looking around until he finally saw what looked like a dark, brown book.

"That must be it." he thought as he opened the book and looked through a few pages until he came to a page that didn't have any scientific diagrams on, but paragraphs of writing. He decided to read what they say:
_____________________________________________________________
                                                                                                27/07/2774
Dear Log

This morning, I woke up with a nostalgic and feelings of curiosity. I know I've experienced curiosity before, but what I felt was not the feeling that felt normal to me. It came from a dream I had. It was so strange. I had to record this in order for me to look back on it now and then and find a meaning to it. I know I'm not a spiritual person normally but something made decide to write this down.

The dream I had consisted of a woman dressed in a white robe with gold and silver hair. She looked almost like Zadavia. But she wasn't who I thought she was. She was holding a candle, as she was surrounded by darkness. And she said this rhyme that I could not comprehend. She said:

"Hold the light in the air
And it will show you where,
My sleeping self lies beyond,
But it will take you there."

I woke up after that. I'm not going to worry about it too much, but I tend to think of it now and again.
_________________________________________________________

"Tech was acting as though he was in Dreamland or something lately." Duck thought as he turned over the page.

Again, there was no diagrams. Just more writing. He continued to read.
_________________________________________________________
                                                                                              28/07/2774

Dear Log

I had another one of the weird dreams like the one before.

This time, the same woman appeared in a forest with trees that had no leaves. It was surrounded by some for of nostalgic light but she was in a clearing where a fancy, old fashioned bed was standing. The frame was gold and the bed sheets, pillows and the blankets were all pure white. But what was strange though was that I appeared to be sleeping on the bed. But I looked as though I was beaten up by something. And then the woman said another rhyme similar to the one she said before:

"The heart is in another form
With a light that shines and gleams.
Until it returns to the one without it
Still live in only their dreams."

I woke up feeling more curious than before. What did it exactly mean? It's only two dreams though. Nothing that I'd be suprised about. But still, I look back on it and wonder about it's meaning.
_________________________________________________________

Duck gave a shocked expression as he turned to the page he was most curious about. The day before Tech fell into the coma.
_________________________________________________________
                                                                                               29/07/2774

Dear Log.

This dream has to be the most random one I've ever dreamt. And now I know that these aren't mere coincidences. These actually have a meaning! But the meaning is the thing I'm having the most trouble to find. I keep asking myself what it means but I don't know the answer to it for once. Now I know it feels vulnerable when you don't have the answer to everything.

I saw a figure standing in darkness. I didn't know who it was at the time but yet I knew this person. Then another rhyme was said out loud:

"What do you say to the prisoned one
to send the message clear?
The thing that you hold in your hand
will release the one so dear."

By the time I zoomed in on the figure, I woke up gasping for air. But I knew who was standing right in front of me! It was Duck!
__________________________________________________________

Duck's eyes widened when he read the paragraph.

"Tech had a dream about me!?" He gasped in his head as he continued to read the remaining paragraphs.
__________________________________________________________

But what connection does Duck have with the previous dreams I had? I'd understand if it was Rev, Lexi or Ace or even Slam. But what connection does Duck have with what I'm dreaming? Does he know that I'm dreaming these things? Did he have the same dream as me? And does it have any connection with the black monsters we fought four days in a row?

I've got to go now. The alarm's calling us and we have a mission to go to.

End Log.
__________________________________________________________

Duck closed the book slowly. He was too shocked to say anything. All he knew now was that Tech was trying to tell him something. And he knew now that he is the only person who can save Tech now.

END OF CHAPTER 9.

Akira_Cat · Your local cat

Chapter 10

Duck wandered across the black floor, still holding the candle stand with the flame still burning brightly. He continued on until he found a silver table with a figure on. He carefully approached it and looked upon a grey robot. He gasped as he took a small jump back. Sin. The thing that took Tech's consciousness away from him. The mallard looked around until he found a giant mallet. He picked it up and gave a glare of anger at the robot. He lifted the metalic hammer above his head and threw it down hard upon the robot. He started to puncture the robot with heavy blows everywhere on it's metallic body until he stopped and looked upon nuts, bolts, and scrap pieces of metal scattered on the table. Duck panted in relief that the robot could not claim anymore victims for good.

"You know? That was a really pointless thing to do."

The mallard spun around to find a figure of a woman hidden under black hooded cloak. Duck dropped the hammer and clutched the candle stand tighter in his hands.

"You!" He pointed an accusing finger at her. "You're the one who got your goons to try and get rid of me and placed my friend in a coma!"

"Indeed you're correct." The woman smiled casually. "And finally we meet again. I feel like this should be a happy reunion."

"Again?" Duck said in a confused tone. "What do you mean 'again'?"

"Why? Don't you remember me?" The woman asked. "Oh that just hurt me in the heart Duck boy."

"Quit making fun of me!" Duck snapped angrily. "Who are you!?"

The woman pulled her hood back from her head. As soon as the mallard saw her face, he gave a gasp of fright.

"No! That's impossible!" He shook his head slightly. "You're... you're meant to be dead! B- Black Velvet!"

"So you do remember me?" She gave a giggle as she stroked one of her grey bangs out of her face. "I knew you wouldn't forget my face."

"But why are you here!?" Duck stammered.

"Well let me explain." Black Velvet started. "That black hole I was sucked through transported me to this place. The Shadow Realm. Where the dark beings of people who have died or gave up their physical body wander clueless and free. But the reason some of us still keep their body is that we had strong emotions of anger, sadness, regret, any dark emotion that has saved them from losing their mind. They became the members of the Shadow Clan. And I am the leader of it."

"But now there's only you left." Duck exclaimed. "You can't really do anything now."

"Or can I?" Black Velvet interrupted. "You see, the pieces you see on the table made up my own creation. Sin. He was the key to getting us our Fifth Member and disposing of you. But Sin only managed to do half of the job. He did get them here. But it didn't get rid of you. Now think young man. How was it that you managed to survive Sin's Draining of Heart when you could have been killed?"

"I... don't know!" Duck snapped.

"Let me give you a clue." The woman grinned. "Think back to the first time that you met me. What happened that day?"

"You kidnapped Tech and brainwashed him into helping you make the shroud caster so that you could turn the whole city into darkness!" Duck descirbed.

"That's right." Black Velvet clapped hers hands. "And how did he manage to snap out of it? Come on Duck. You of all people know this off by heart."

Duck looked down onto the ground and started to recall the event in his mind.
________________________________________________________

"Wait! I know how we can save Tech!"

RING RING!

"AARRGGHH!!! That annoying sound!"
________________________________________________________

"I used the ringtone on my phone to snap him out of it." He said. "But what does this have to do with this plan of revenge?"

"Now I have another question:" Black Velvet started. "Why do you think you're here trying to rescue Tech and no-one else? You may not be the strongest member on the team. In fact, I was expecting at least the rabbit guy to be his knight in shining armour. He is so skillful with his fighting techniques. But instead, it's you. Now why is that? Does it have something to do with anyone else you know?"

"I don't know." Duck mumbled.

"Now Duck, try to remember." The woman encouraged him. "You got struck by Sin as well. What happened to you that was so different from the coyote?"

Suddenly, Duck crouched down holding onto his head tightly. He grunted and screamed as the immense pain burned through his head.

"That sound! Why is it ringing now!?"
_______________________________________________________

"Duck. You are the only one who can save him again."

"You are the only one who can drift between light and darkness to save the one that you hold dear."

"You are the one destined to cross the walls of the Twilight to seek The Final Piece Of The Puzzle of the one so dear."
_______________________________________________________

Duck's grip suddenly loosened on his head as he huffed and puffed frantically.

"That woman." He murmured under his breath. "She saved me."

"Because of the fact that you were the one who saved Tech, she believed you could save him again under surreal circumstances." Black Velvet explained. "That woman you met gave you the power to travel from the realm of the living to the Shadow Realm."

Duck was overwhelmed by everything he found out so far. But then he gave a frown at Black Velvet.

"So where's Tech now!?" He demanded.

"You want to see him?" She asked him. "Very well."

She lifted her arm up and a black blanket danced behind her until it swirled around as though something was underneath it. The blanket removed itself to reveal a tall, lilac pod on a flowery stand with a figure sleeping inside of it. Duck slowly approached the pod and gave a sad gaze at the sleeping figure inside it.

"Tech..."

END OF CHAPTER 10.

-- Edited by Akira_Cat at 04:45, 2007-09-14

CassidyCoyote · Techie 4 life

OH MY GOSH! *goes into a panic spiral* I am speechless! *faints*

Akira_Cat · Your local cat

Chapter 11

"Tech..." Duck murmured sadly.

Black Velvet strode next to Duck while her eyes focused onto the sleeping coyote.

"Amazing isn't it?" she started. "I am impressed of course by Sin's Draining of Heart so we could bring him here. But soon, Tech will be able to unleash the final phase upon the world once I have The Final Piece Of The Puzzle."

Duck turned his head towards Black Velvet.

"What are you planning to use him for!? What is The Final Piece Of The Puzzle!?"

"My you are aggitated are you?" The woman giggled and walked up to the glass pod and put her hand on it. "As you can see, he is still asleep. The Final Piece Of The Puzzle is apart of him. The piece which Sin took away from him. The most important piece in fact. That last little bit of light that glowed within him. But on Sin's way to delivering the Final Piece, someone stole it off Sin and drained all of it's energy just so they could get away. And I know now that it is her that is helping you achieve your goal."

"Her?" Duck said quizzically.

He then remembered the appearance of the white cloaked woman and looked back at the pod.

"Her."

"Yes." Black Velvet continued. "She asked you to deliver The Final Piece Of The Puzzle back to him in order to wake him up. Without it, he will sleep forever and will never be able to wake up in real life. Without it, I won't be able to awaken the darkness withing him and make him become The Fifth Member as I have planned."

"The Fifith Member!?" Duck exclaimed in shock. "You were going to turn Tech into one of the guys that I killed off just so you could take over the world!?"

"Well guessed Duck." She praised him sarcastically. "But before I destroy the last bit of light that Tech has, I must get rid of you."

Black Velvet raised her left arm to her face and revealed the metallic arm as the long, black sleeve drooped down to her elbow. Duck backed off slowly.

"I'm going to enjoy destroying you and wiping you out of existance." The woman smiled evilly as she charged at him.

Duck disappeared as she tried to catch him and landed somewhere far from her. She turned around to find him and charged at him again. This time the mallard threw two orbs at her. Both of them she dodged. She shot out a green laser at him. Again, Duck teleported out of its way and landed behing her. She swung her arm and tried to hit him on his head. But he ducked under the blow and wiped her off her feet by doing a low sweep. Black Velvet flew in the air and landed on her feet and growled through her gritted teeth.

"Now I see why the others had so much trouble with you. You're just too irritating!"

She ran from her place as they both exchanged punches and kicks at each other until Duck teleported into another part of the realm. He gave a few pants of breath just to recharge himself. But just as he was about to plan his movement of attack, he screamed in terrible pain. Black Velvet punched Duck on his back with the mechanical arm. With the high voltage that ran through his body, Duck struggled to get up once he crashed onto the floor. As the mallard whimpered quietly, Black Velvet approached him slowly. Once she stopped above him, she pointed her machanical hand at Duck's head.

"Now let that be a lesson to you young fowl." Black Velvet gave an evil smile down to him. "I wouldn't try and bother getting up and saving your friend. Because soon he will remember nothing of you and he will never be able to come back. And neither will you."

Duck closed his eyes as he heard the the arm charging. He waited for the final blow to be cast upon him just to put him out of his misery.

"Duck..."

Duck recognised the voice in his head.

"Tech?"

"Don't give up." A second voice spoke to him softly.

"That woman." The mallard thought.

"Please don't die." The voices spoke together. "You're so close to releasing her. And the others that you've slayed. All you have to do is show her the light."

Duck opened his eyes and saw the candle standing in the distance. An energy of determination sped throughout his body. Gathering every ounce of his strength, he lifted his legs up and pushed Black Velvet from on top of him and ran towards the candle stand. Grabbing it, he felt like both of them; Tech and the white cloaked woman were holding the stand with him. With that, he heard a roar coming from behing him. He quickly spun around and lunged the candle stand with the candle on it in front of him. The roar then stopped suddenly. Duck froze in his position as he stared at Black Velvet, choking, as the flame glowed brightly on her chest. She pulled away from the candle and held onto her chest. Staggering, she fell onto the floor, as she continued to wheeze deeply as she started to fade away. Duck still glared at her as she slowly lifted her head up to look up to him.

"You'll never get him back."

With that, she completely disappeared into darkness, leaving Duck standing in the dark background with Tech still inside the lilac pod.

Now he didn't know what to do. He just looked around waiting for someone or something to help him. Nothing came. The mallard fell onto his knees and started to cry loudly.

"What must I do!?" He cried out. "All I ever do is kill people and it doesn't get me anywhere! I know all I have to know but how do I wake us up!? Wake us up please!"

"The answer in the message
Will become clear
with the thing in your hand
you hold so dear."

Duck looked around to see where the voice was echoing from. But what did mean by "something dear"? What was the thing that he held so dear? Duck looked down onto his candle in disapointment. He then felt down his pockets but only managed to pull out his mobile phone. He hung his head down sadly until he suddenly perked up.

"Wait a minute... The answer in the message, Will become clear, With the thing in your hand, You hold so dear! That's it! I know what to do!"

Duck frantically pressed the buttons down on his phone as fast as he could. As soon as he stopped typing he looked down onto his screen to check the message.

"The Final Piece Of The Puzzle: Candle."

Duck looked back up to Tech sleeping in the pod.

"Tech. I hope we both wake up." He said as he pressed the send button on his mobile phone.

Message Sent.

END OF CHAPTER 11.

-- Edited by Akira_Cat at 08:57, 2007-09-17

Akira_Cat · Your local cat

Epilogue

Tech threw himself in a sitting position and gasped for air. Duck however groaned as he slowly lifted his head up from the wall that he sat against. He looked around confused about how he got into the med-room but it wasn't until he finally noticed Tech in his conscious state and just watched him still panting in panic. The coyote spun his head around sharply as he pulled off the breathing mask.

"Duck! Ace! Lexi! Slam! Rev! Anyone!" He called in a frightened tone.

As soon as Duck got to his feet, the other Loonatics burst through the door as they gaped at the live coyote.

"Tech!" Rev cried as he embraced him with open arms and happy tears as he hugged Tech tightly. "I was so worried about you! I thought you would be asleep forever and ever and ever and ever and-"

"Calm down Rev." Slam interrupted as he put his hand on the roadrunner's shoulder.

"So you're feeling okay Tech?" Ace asked him.

Tech seemed to be overwhelmed by the warm welcome he had recieved. He felt like he didn't know any of the Loonatics who embraced him so joyfully. Once he settled in the atmosphere he started to calm down.

"I... don't know." He replied.

As the coyote settled in the crowd of his friends, Duck gazed back at him. Sad but relieved. Why he was sad when he should be happy he didn't know. But all he knew is that at least Tech wasn't dead, and that Tech is awake now. He slipped on a relieved smile as he watched his friends welcome Tech back into the team.
_____________________________________________________

Duck wandered in a place where the colour grey surrounded him.

"What? Why am I still here? Is there something I haven't done?" He questioned in his head as he continued to stroll in the greyness of the place until he stopped to squint at something in the distance. He then suddenly ran towards the black dot in the distance. As he ran, the dot changed into a golden four poster bed with white silk sheets and pillows and two dark brown teddy bears sat on the pillows on the bed. The mallard explored the bed until he heard a voice of a young woman.

They speak of days gone by
Of the dreams that can't die
They steal my broken soul
That's the colour of coal

Duck looked around to see if anyone was near him. No-one appeared to be there.

"They come to me by night
When I no longer fight
They come to me so slow
Like songs of long ago"

"Hello?" Duck asked around him incase anyone appeared from nowhere.

"Why must I be their one
Why had it all begun
When will the moon rise high
That's when I hear their sigh
I lie waiting for a light
Hoping I'm out of sight
Longing to see the day
Just wishing I could pray"

"Where are you? Who are you?"

"But they come in the dark
Leaving a hidden mark
To know where I will go
Even in the deep snow"

"Please. Show yourself." Duck asked politely as he scrambled himself along the bed.

"Your duty is done
The battle has been won
No more shall you need me
So no more of myself you see"

"What are you talking about?" The mallard still looked around frantically on the bed.

"So now you will go
To home where you know
The place you belong
But you must stay strong"

Duck suddenly felt tired and sleepy. He laid his head on the pillow as his body relaxed as his eyes dropped slowly.

"Darkness and light
Together they fight
But the powers they realese
Can also bring peace
Many are born
From a life, they are torn
One in shadows they cope
The other brings hope"
______________________________________________________________

Tech gazed out of the window, overlooking the sunset that hovered over the city. Two days since he finally woke up, but something inside him made him feel less satisfied than he should be. Like there was something missing from within him. He subconsciously delved into his pockets and took out a mobile phone and looked at the screen. He noticed that there was a message that he hadn't read yet on it. He opened the message up expecting something asking him or telling him something. But instead, it was just one sentence.

"The Final Piece Of The Puzzle: Candle"

Tech just stared at the message in confusion for a few seconds until he finally smiled and gave a sigh of relief. He felt like something completed him as he touched the part of his chest where his heart lied. Warm feelings swirled inside him as he continued to over look the city with the sunset orange horizon giving him more warmth to his relieved feelings that stirred within him.

THE END.

-- Edited by Akira_Cat at 08:42, 2007-09-18

Lumosnight · Loonatic

Great fic! But I thought that Duck was drifting in and out of conscious to battle Tech's 'demons'.
I like the Black Velvet twist!

zadavias_spirit · Out of This World

Wow.....
Once again, I must point out that you are talented in all forms of writing; comedy and seriousness. This one was more "creepy" (note to self: find more glamourous word for creepy) than anything else, but the whole image it painted was beautiful all the same.
Kind of like dreams.

Akira_Cat · Your local cat

Lumosnight - Well the scenes where Duck was in the dark or grey place was the dreams. And the one's where he is checking up on Tech is reality. Black Velvet just came around while I was still analysing my dreams. After all, she did want to place eternal darkness over the city.

Zadavia's Spirit - Thank you. I think a word you can use instead of creepy is surreal maybe. I didn't actually realise I've achieved something that I didn't know I was gonna achieve. I think it must be because of the detail I've put in this. And after I finally finished it, I felt kinda sad. So I might be planning a sequel to this. After I see which story is next to write on the story vote.

Thank you everyone for your comments. Another Akira_Cat fan fic will come to you very shortly.

Edit - And I also like to thank Siamese for letting me borrow the poem I liked very much.

-- Edited by Akira_Cat at 03:17, 2007-09-21

CassidyCoyote · Techie 4 life

*faints from too much awesomeness*