A/N: I do not own the rights to Bakugan Battle Brawlers or any of the characters therein. I do own a few fan characters, however, who will be introduced in future chapters.

Chapter 2: The Game

Dan was slightly out of breath as he reached the park. Just like when he was younger, he would sometimes run before a brawl to get his adrenaline going and sharpen his reflexes. But even this wasn't helping his attitude today. He couldn't kid himself—it was Drago who made brawling so worthwhile back then. He made him aware that Bakugan were real. It wasn't just a silly game. It was he who told him that humans and Bakugan needed to work together to stop Naga. He actually had a reason to fight back then—to save Earth and Vestroia from destruction, but now…it seemed as though Bakugan really was no more than a silly child's game.

Dan looked down at his watch: 3:28 PM. Two minutes until the showdown. He absent-mindedly sifted through the Bakugan he had brought with him—all Pyrus specialty, with decent G's. He sighed as he remembered how he and Drago fought together as a team. His dragon friend had so much strength, so much confidence. Dan knew that there would never be another like him.

"So, Dan…are you ready, or are you just going to sit there and run through your futile strategies over and over again in your mind?" Hearing the voice of his challenger snapped Dan back to reality. Calm, with a hint of arrogance.

Now he got to see what Spectra looked like face-to-face. He noticed what seemed to be small jewels embedded in his red mask, with its one glowing digital eye. The other was hidden by that crazy hair of his. Covering his thin frame was that jester-like red coat with the black feathers, and tall brown boots with golden ribbon-like markings. He looked so out of the ordinary, as though he was from another time and place.

"Of course I'm ready! There's no chance that you're going to take over my spot as the ultimate Brawler." But deep down inside, Dan knew that there was a real chance that he might lose this brawl.

"Is that so? I don't think you know what you're up against." Spectra was unperturbed.

"Yeah. I do! You're just another power hungry freak who wants to be number one, and has something wicked planned."

The corners of his mouth upturned in a smile as he regarded Dan, paying no mind to his empty insults. He turned a small black and red orb around in his right hand, as though it were a healing stone.

"This is the moment we've been waiting for. We can't disappoint Lord Naas. All our practice has lead to this first battle with one who opposes us!" Spectra sensed his Bakugan's voice in his subconscious.

"Field open!" Dan shouted.

Time slowed to a halt as runes representing the six attributes appeared on the ground, opening the dimensional portal. The two could feel themselves falling into the unearthly arena, landing nimbly on their feet. If this were the "real" world, neither would have survived the fall. Luckily the battlefield had the dimensional properties of Vestroia, and there, physics worked differently.

They threw down their gate cards first, then their Bakugan. A metal warrior with red and orange armor appeared on Dan's side of the field. A purple centipede with razor-sharp mandibles manifested on Spectra's. The two fought, fire attributed Robotallion dodging Centipoid's strikes with ease. A blast of flame hit the Centipoid in the middle of its head, causing it to back away in pain. The warrior had the upper hand as he sent fireball after fireball crashing into his sluggish foe. Knowing that he was going to win, he took a brief moment to rest.

A fatal mistake.

The next second he was caught off guard, trapped in the blade-like pincers of his foe. The Centipoid had the higher G level, and with no ability cards thrown down, Robotallion never had a chance of winning. Reduced back to his ball form, Robotallion rolled to Dan's feet.

"I have to think of a strategy…I can't let this freak beat me like this!" But try as he might, no strategies would come to his mind.

"Giving up so soon, Dan Kuso? I expected more from you." Spectra shook his head in disappointment. "As the top Brawler in the world, you should have me ready to surrender by now!" He sneered, spreading his arms out in a mock gesture of grandeur.

Dan said nothing, throwing his next Bakugan into the fray. Spectra did the same. Dan was battling Centipoid again, but this time Falconeer was his fighter of choice. The avian Bakugan's huge wings unfolded as it let out a piercing cry.

"Gate Card OPEN!"

Now feeling twice as powerful, the Falconeer dove with outstretched talons, seeking revenge for the fallen Robotallion. The huge arthropod tried to dodge, but it was no match for the speed of a Falconeer in an attack dive. Downed in a firey blaze, it hissed as it clattered uselessly at Spectra's feet. Falconeer keered in victory like a hawk before Dan caught it in ball form.

"A character card? Amateurish, yet unexpected. Maybe you have a chance after all." The glimmer in Spectra's eye was unsettling.

"What is it with his eye? It's not like any I've ever seen…is it robotic?" Dan couldn't help but wonder as he flinched under his foe's blank stare. This Spectra was odd.

"You bet I have a chance! I'm going to prove to you just why I'm number one!" Again, a lie. He wasn't going to show weakness. He couldn't.

Dan went with Falconeer again. Spectra hmmphed as he threw his next Bakugan into the fray. Dark energy rolled off of the ball like smoke before it snapped open. A small dragon-like shape emerged, then a flash of white light. When it faded, Dan couldn't believe his eyes. A monstrous dragon of crimson and ebony, snarling as it flexed its enormous wings, a whoosh with each beat. Silver spikes jutted out from its chest, arms, legs, and shoulders like medieval armor. One lighting-blade-like metal horn adorned its head. A tail probably twenty feet long all by itself whipped around restlessly. He lost all hope. There was no way he could beat this Dragonoid!

"I am Viperhelios. Victory is mine…the Beos will be pleased…" The dark dragon said in a deep, hissing voice. He launched into the air with astonishing speed, clashing with Falconeer in mid-air as he let out a deafening roar. Fore and hind talons locked together, it was apparent who the victor would be. Even so, Falconeer did not back down. He summoned all of his strength to create a blast of flame that would have done most Bakugan in.

Viperhelios didn't even flinch.

"Darkness Wave!" The behemoth roared, dark energy dancing between his razor sharp teeth. More and more smoke poured from his nostrils as the attack gained strength. Then, in one immense blast it was unleashed, and the Falconeer was slammed into the ground, defeated.

This time, he went to Spectra, not Dan.

"What? How did you…" Dan's mouth fell open in shock. Spectra just smirked again.

"Viperhelios' Darkness Wave ability makes any defeated Bakugan the property of yours truly. Would you like to see an encore?"

Once more, Dan said nothing. He threw his next player onto the field: a saurian warrior stood in front of the immense dragon. Saurus' green reptilian eyes narrowed as he tried to figure out his opponent's weak spots. Then, nostrils flaring with a snort, he leapt, striking at Viperhelios' sides.

"Irritating pest…you think you can defeat me? You, too, will fall to darkness! Darkness Wave!"

The dreaded attack hit Saurus head on, and he fell to the ground in pain. He struggled to get up, but slumped to the ground. Spectra held his gloved hand open as the Bakugan ball flew into his palm. Only his hair and coat moved as an unearthly gust swept past, his looks intimidating to the brown haired boy opposite him.

"Three strikes, you're out…Dan." He hated the way Spectra said his name, like it was so inferior he couldn't bear to say it.

He watched with distaste as Spectra walked away, like a gladiator who had emerged victorious in battle. Dan hadn't been defeated in so long…it was a painful experience. What was he going to say to the others? They surely wouldn't be happy that he hadn't called them for back-up, when he easily could've. And what was that Beos thing Viperhelios mentioned? He sighed as he walked down the deserted street, wondering how he would explain himself.


It was a perfect afternoon as Alice started her walk home from campus. The clouds looked as though they were painted in a perfectly blue sky. Birds chirped out melodies that welcomed summer. Squirrels chased each other around the trees, chattering. Why take the bus when it was so gorgeous out?

Soon, Alice became aware of a doorway shaped multicolored light off to her right. It couldn't be! It reminded her of the dimensional transporter that…

"Didn't think I would come back, huh? I was trying to get your attention, but either you were too oblivious or you just didn't want to see me." A familiar spiky haired blonde said, characteristic grin on his face.

"Masquerade!"

Unable to stop herself, Alice did something she never would have some five years past. She hugged her alter ego, pressing her face into his jacket.

"Okay…I guess you did miss me after all…" Masquerade looked down at the brown eyed girl hugging him. Alice quickly let go, ashamed of her random show of affection. She looked up at the face she hadn't seen in years. He had certainly gotten a little taller, and subtle changes in what she could see of his face showed that he was older. His blue triangular mask was replaced by the smoother ski goggle-like one she had seen in her dream. He still wore a sleeveless white trenchcoat, though it looked newer. So did his belts, boots, and pants.

"Masquerade…why did you leave me? Where…where have you been all these years?" Her eyes showed sadness, and for a second, it was as though she hadn't changed a bit from the last time he saw her, in the vision they shared. She still seemed a child, although Masquerade knew this wasn't the case.

"I've always been here, you know…well, here and there, I really should say." He chuckled a bit, brushing her hair behind her ear. Alice blushed, his action taking away her frustration with his answer.

"I've been wondering…if you don't mind me asking…how were we separated?"

Masquerade lowered his head as he thought. "I can't be sure. I think it had to do with your decision to help Dan fight Centurion and Drumen. It wasn't solely your decision, of course…I let you become me, because I could tell how much you cared for Dan. Don't think it was easy for me, though…I hated his guts, but I figured, "What's there to lose?" So I helped him. But when I did help him…something changed. I saw how much he and Drago worked as a team, their unstoppable spirits. I hate saying this, but I admired him a tiny bit. Mind you, just a tiny bit. Once I started having these positive thoughts about my former enemies, it seemed I became permanently separated from my original dimension. Don't ask me to explain how…I'm no quantum physicist…but I'm pretty sure that's why we were separated."

Alice just nodded as she absorbed this information. It made sense to her, at least. "But still…why did you leave? I needed your help so much of the time…"

"No you didn't. You got along just fine without me, didn't you? Now that you mention it…maybe that's another reason for me becoming separate. I had served my purpose in helping you advance as a Brawler, and since you were becoming quite the Brawler yourself, you didn't need my help." He brought his hands to hers as he spoke, removing them at the last sentence for emphasis.

Alice smiled. She guessed that she never did give herself enough credit. "You're probably right…I just didn't have the confidence…and I couldn't get it unless I had to do things by myself."

Masquerade nodded. There was silence between them. A breeze swept passed, causing his trenchcoat to billow out. Alice's hair was gently ruffled. It was like that scene so many years ago. Only this time, it was in the real world.

The Darkus Brawler turned his back to her, sunlight glinting off his mask.

"Remember Alice. You still need to fulfill your destiny. Prior events were only a small part of it." He held up his transporter card between his thin fingers, disappearing in a rain of pastel light as he traversed dimensions.

Alice still had many unanswered questions. She wondered briefly if she should tell the others. Nah…they wouldn't believe it. It would be her own little secret for now. She couldn't help but wonder, though. What destiny was there left to fulfill? Could her dream about Masquerade's warning of a new threat be real?

A/N: Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I've since updated it to include more Masquerade/ Alice elements, and just improve my descriptions in general. I also added a smidge more interaction between Spectra and Helios. Please R&R, but no flames!