Chapter 1 Just Like Old Times

"I love you."

"I know! Like, you must have said it like a million times!"

The world was spinning around her and she was getting really dizzy.

Where am I? Who IS that calling out to me?

"I love you. I love you," again the voice taunted.

"WHY WON'T YOU REVEAL YOURSELF?" she finally screamed.

Again the voice repeated, "I love you."

"Seriously, it's driving me insane, why won't you show your face? I am CLUELESS!"

"I love you."

Are those the only words he knows?

"I'm too lonely for this! Show…Yourself…pleaseeee…" She said desperately.

With that, tears welled up in her eyes. She just couldn't hold it in anymore. She fell to the ground. The tears flowed from her eyes like waterfalls. There she was. A pink mess on the ground. Yet, all the voice would say was, "I love you."

"I love you."

If he really does love me, then maybe he would show himself and come out to comfort me.

"I love you."

Then a figure moved gracefully behind the shadows, but not quite revealing its face.

"It's me. Do you know who I am?"

She shook her head in dismay as more tears rolled down her cheeks. She reached out as if to try and grab the figure. He slowly stepped back, deeper into the shadows.

"Come and find me…"

With that Julie Makimoto woke up suddenly from her dream. Tears came to her eyes as she thought about who it could've been in her dream. How is it even possible? No boy would actually fall in love with me. I'm an obsessive, ditsy, scatterbrain. Who would love that? With that, Julie suddenly burst out into tears. I know who loves me. The only one who ever loved me was Gorem. I could tell him ANYTHING and he wouldn't judge me. He was my Gorem and I was his Julie. I could share my deepest secrets with him and he wouldn't tell anyone. He was the only one who I fully trusted. With those thoughts, she began talking to herself.

"Gorem…Gorem…Gorem…where are you Gorem? I'll never forget the day I met you. And I'll never forget the day we said Goodbye."

Sayonara.

Julie picked up the album of that day with misty eyes. When she opened it up and looked at a picture of all of them together, a tear fell from her eye. Usually she was the happiest, bubbliest girl on the earth, but when she thought about Gorem and the long lost Bakugan Battle Brawlers, she couldn't help but go misty eyed, if she didn't start bawling even though she wanted to stay strong.

"Wow. That was 1 whole year ago."

Ever since that day she felt a strange emptiness in her heart. Julie wanted to forget that day. She hated living in the past. But that day just kept haunting her like a ghost. It just wouldn't go away.

"Why are there sad goodbyes? We should all just say goodbye as if we're all going to see each other again."

With that another tear came down her cheek. And another. And another.

"Wow. I miss them all so much. Maybe I should check the old Bakugan chat room to see if anyone is online. It would totally cheer me up like THAT!" she said, snapping her fingers and drying her eyes.

Julie hadn't seen any of the brawlers in person, except for Billy since that sad day 1 year ago.

She logged onto the Bakugan website wondering who would possibly be there after all this time, and much to her surprise, there were two other very familiar brawlers, logged on as well and in a chat room. Julie eagerly joined the chat with her old friends Runo and Marucho, only staring at them for a while before saying anything. Wow! Boy did just one year change them. Runo looked much more mature, and she had grown ten times more beautiful. Marucho, the little blode, was not so little anymore. He was actually beginning to look very handsome. The all too familiar faces of Runo and Marucho were not very easily recognized by the silver haired beauty. Little did she know, one year had changed her greatly too.

"HEY GUYS! LIKE, WHAT'S UP?" she shouted in her usual cheery voice after staring at them for a while.

"Hey Jules!" Both Runo and Marucho shouted simultaneously.

"Wow, I haven't talked to you guys in like forever! What's happening?"

"Well, I've been pretty busy lately and I'm finally getting some time off for 2 months so I was thinking about having you guys come up for like a month and hang at my place and—"

"OH MY GOODNESS! I WOULD LOVE TO! I MISS YOU GUYS LIKE SOOOOOO MUCH! Oh and by 'you guys', you mean like Dan, Shun, Alice, Run—"

"OF COURSE HE MEANS US! HE'S NOT GONNA JUST INVITE YOU AND NOBODY ELSE! JEEZ JULIE! SOMETIMES I WORRY IF YOU USE THAT BRAIN OF YOURS!"

"WELL EXCUUUUUSSSSSSEEEE ME! I'M SORRY THAT I'M A LITTLE EXCITED TO LIKE SEE YOU ALL AND JUST HAD TO DOUBLE CHECK WITH MARUCHO BEFORE I GOT MY HOPES UP! AND OF COURSE I USE MY BRAIN! THAT'S WHY I'M SO SMART!"

"HA! YOU? SMART? THAT WOULD BE THE DAY! YOU'RE SUCH A ABSENTMINDED—"

"Guys, calm down. Runo, she just had a question. And Julie, there's no reason for you to get all flustered. We'll all hang out together soon and I don't want any fights at my house so could you guys please make up?"

"Ok! Well I'm very sorry Runo." Julie said in her peppy voice.

"I'm sorry too Julie," Runo said with a small smile.

"Ok. So like Marucho, I'm gonna get to see everyone again? Just like old times?" Runo rolled her eyes at the question. After all, wasn't that question already answered and established? It was a good thing that Julie didn't notice.

"Yes Jules," Marucho said smiling, "Just like old times..."