"Well… First of all, haven't you seen his marks? Drago is a true Dragonoid, and Neon Dragonoid isn't part of the main Dragonoids. Neon Dragonoid is actually a member of the ancient Neon Bakugan Race." K explained excitedly. Neon sighed in slight annoyance.

"I haven't heard of these Bakugan before." Naito said.

"It was more of a type of Bakugan: Neontype. Not all of us were known as Neon Dragonoids. Neon Bakugan also have markings the other types find strange and sometimes alluring. Also, we have powers hidden in us, more so than our younger brethren. Mine is the ability to protect others against nightmares and dream based influence."

"That dream protecting didn't really help much with the ones I got with Magmel." Dan put in.

"That was different, Dan. Magmel was actually asserting direct control. Neon wasn't strong enough at that point." Drago reminded his partner.

"Yeah… sorry about that, Neon."

"It's fine."

"Cool. Whiplash was a defender Bakugan, too." Naito said. He then looked at Whiplash's marble form, then to the ground. "Then we ran into Anethema."

"I think I can guess what happened after that." K stated. Neon floated up from K's shoulder, alert. "What's wrong, Neon?"

"I sense something off." Her dragonoid partner responded.

"I think Whiplash can sense it too." Naito added.

"Can you, Drago?" Dan asked.

"Yes, it is very unsettling."

"We know of your presence! Reveal yourself at once!" Neon demanded.

"As you wish." A man in a black coat and a mask said as he stepped forward.

"Who are you?" Naito asked. "Wait, that mask- You're with Anethema!"

"My, you're perceptive." He looked at Dan and Drago.

"You know this guy?" Dan asked.

"No, but that mask is a telltale sign that he works for Anethema. I had managed to defeat several of them with the help of a few friends. But… um, never mind."

"That makes him a bad guy." K reasoned.

"I have one goal in coming here, Kinia."

"What's that? Hey! How do you know my name?!"

"To collect the Gate and Key." The man pointed at Dan and Drago. "And those two possess them."

"What Gate? And, which key?" Naito asked, again confused.

"Dan and Drago are connected to the Sacred Orb. Code Eve, Mother of all Bakugan. Dan and Drago basically hold great power." K explained.

"Why do you want it?" Naito asked the man with the mask.

"Why else? The power of the Sacred Orb is legendary; to wield such power would make one near Godlike. And, the one you called Anethema desires it for his resurrection. I commend you, Naito. You and your friends managed to forestall his return." He smiled coolly. "Or it may have just been you, after Anethema made you fight two of them and turned the other into dust." He chuckled a little.

Naito's eyes teared up a bit. "Leave them out of this!"

"While only the Key is required, boons unto the minion that secures an extra prize for his master." That got a sharp glare from Dan. "Hmph. If you will not surrender quietly, I have no choice but to destroy you and take the Master's prize that way."

"We'll see about that!" K stepped up to the threat.

"Drago and I aren't going that easily. Especially for some creep!"

"Very well." He pulled out a Bakugan Gate Card. "I challenge you to a Bakugan Brawl."

"Bring it!" Dan brought out a card of his own and was joined by K and Naito.

"This'll be easy!"

"Let's do this."

"Field Open!" The time around the Brawlers slowed to a near halt and then everything vanished as they were brought into the nexus where all brawls occurred. The filed they were in was covered with a slight mist. The area above them was a shifting dark grey. The masked man stepped into view from within the mist.

"Shall we?"

"Gate Card Set!" K said as she threw a Gate Card down. It glowed purple, grew and faded into the ground, waiting to be activated. "Bakugan Brawl! Bakugan Stand! Let's show him Darkus Neon Dragonoid!"

The Dragonoid emerged, roaring. "You shall lose!"

"Hmph. Bakugan Brawl! Skyress Stand!"

"Skyress? How did you-?" Neon started

"Skyress is with us. He must've beat Shun. But Skyress would've just gone back to him; no way would she be doing this if she had a choice. He must be controlling her or something. That's gotta be it!" K cut in.

"Anethema." Naito theorized.

"Your observation is correct. I defeated your friend, and then asserted complete domination over his Bakugan."

"We shall win Skyress back, then!"

"Lucky us, that Gate Card can do whatever we need it to. Gate Card Open! Winner takes all! This Gate Card will allow us to remove his control over Skyress. If we win. Oh! It also cranks up Neon's power level by 150 G's!"

"Darkus Neon Dragonoid Power at 880 G's." The bakumeters stated.

"Skyress is now at the disadvantage. Smart." The man said. "But fruitless. Ability Card Activate! Hurricane!"

"Ability Activate! Reaper Beam!"

"Skyress Power Level doubled and now at 1500 G's. Darkus Neon Dragonoid Power Level increase by 200 G's to 1080 G's." The bakumeter beeped.

"Neon needs a bit of a boost. Let's see, what do I got? Aha! Ability activate! Darkus Destruction!"

"Neon Dragonoid Power Level now at 1580 G's." Along with the Reaper Beam's ray of Darkus energy, another beam with a dragon's mouth shaped at the end of it collided with Skyress. "Skyress Defeated."

"NO!" Their opponent despaired.

"You kinda hogged the stage, there K." Dan teased.

"Urasai, baka!" K caught Skyress and Neon as they reverted to marble form. A dark aura surrounded Skyress and vanished.

Skyress promptly popped open. "What's going on?"