"Hey, Kirk! Wake up!" Rabeeder said at the earliest crack of dawn. Kirk slowly felt his eyes open. He could tell that it was barely morning and school would not be for hours by the light coming through his window. However, he could barely see this because Rabeeder had taken up most of his field of vision.
"Rabeeder..." he groaned, still half-asleep, "Didn't I tell you to never wake me up by sitting on my face?" He shifted his feet.
"But..." Rabeeder replied, "I'm not sitting on your face. Look at yourself." She motioned towards the small mirror Kirk kept propped against his wall. Kirk turned and looked. In the mirror he could most certainly make out Rabeeder. Still, something seemed off. Next to Rabeeder was a similar-sized object... and roughly the same shape, too...wait a sec. Kirk turned to see that his pillow and sheets were decidedly devoid of a body. In dreadful realization, Kirk looked down. Instead of feet, he saw some small nubs and instead of arms, something more resembling clubs jutted out from either side. Now Kirk knew what the object was in the mirror! It was HIM! He'd been reduced to a bakugan!
"What?!" Kirk yelled, "This isn't possible!" Caught up in the unfolding events, Kirk jumped off of his bed and plunged downwards. However, he now realized that he was a lot smaller than he thought and the fall suddenly seemed like a huge cliff. Almost reflexively, Kirk curled up and landed on his carpet surprisingly lightly. Exhaling, Kirk unfolded and looked up at the mirror. He still couldn't believe his eyes. It WAS him! Or, at least what he'd probably look like as a bakugan, complete with headband and slightly sour, stoic expression, "What the heck is going on?!" he yelled, "Why am I a bakugan?!"
"Don't ask me, cuz I don't know!" Rabeeder said, still on the bed.
"Really?!" Kirk asked.
"I would have told you what happened if I did!" Rabeeder protested.
Kirk turned to face the mirror. Okay, he needed to think this over rationally. "Well, Bakugan like yourself can only go back to normal on an open field, so it might be the opposite for humans if they stay on the field for too long? No, that can't be it; there's stories all over the web of people staying in the field way longer than I have. Surely this would have happened before if that was the case."
"Well," Rabeeder said, "Did you do anything weird yesterday?"
"Wha?!" Kirk asked, "Are you saying this is my fault somehow?"
"I'm just asking!!' Rabeeder retorted shrilly.
"Well," Kirk said, "I went to school, had a brawl at lunch, helped that kid on the way home, then went grocery- wait a minute," Then he remembered. On the way back from grocery shopping, the thugs, helping Stacy by using the field card, "That could be it," he said, "Every time I opened the field, I only took a couple of seconds to get into position before I closed it, then opened it up again pretty soon afterward to repeat it. Maybe it wasn't the time I spent in the field, but the fact that I opened and closed it so much in such rapid succession that did it?"
"Well, I guess the constant shifts in and out of Baku-space could make a guy unstable," Rabeeder said, "Wow, Kirk! You're really good at this!"
However, Kirk was more disappointed, "A side-effect, eh?' he said as he looked at his club-hand, 'Still," he said, turning back to Rabeeder who was still on the bed, "It doesn't matter how brilliant I am or that I figure it out, it doesn't do us any good if I can't change back-"
Almost as if on cue, Kirk felt a charge go through his body. He found his eye-level soon shoot over his bed and over his dresser before coming back to a comfortable, familiar position.
"Hey, you turned back!' Rabeeder said.
"I guess so," Kirk said, rubbing his hair, "Still, because I was asleep, I don't know how long I was stuck like that. Guess I have to use the field card in moderation." In truth, Kirk was quite bummed out over this. He thought he'd finally found a useful way of using the field card to his advantage, but if it could turn him into a Bakugan if he used it too much then it wasn't something he could abuse.
"That's great, but..." Rabeeder said, oddly nervous. Kirk looked down to see that Rabeeder was looking at him, but the area around her "head" seemed to be glowing a bright shade of red. She then quickly turned away from Kirk in a flustered manner, "But, could you put some clothes on?"
Kirk looked at his bed. Apparently his boxer shorts hadn't shrunk along with him during the night.
* * * * *
Kirk was dragging his feet on his way home from school. The shock from this morning had gotten him up way earlier than normal and he was still tired. He'd evaded Stacy again and was passing by the park as usual. On his way, he noticed a group of younger kids. However, one of them seemed awfully familiar. He didn't recognize the three he was talking to, though.
"Hey," one of them, a tall one, said, "I heard you didn't show up at school today. You spend the whole day crying cuz you lost your bakugan?" Two others who were next to him laughed. Kirk looked at the other one who was facing him and noticed it was the kid he'd met the previous day. Kirk sighed and began to walk over to see what he could do. However, the words that came out of Jimmy's mouth would stop him dead in his tracks.
"No, I was taking the time to prepare my revenge. You'll be the one's who'll be crying" Jimmy said in a surprisingly sinister voice. The bullies seemed slightly rattled by the sudden change in tone, but weren't intimidated. Kirk, however, was astonished. Was this really the brittle kid he'd met the day before?
"Hmm, actin' so tough!" The lead bully said, "I guess you didn't learn your lesson last time!" He took a step forward.
However, Jimmy didn't move. He smiled, then laughed, "Then let me teach YOU a lesson!" he said.
The bully growled, "Get 'im!" The three began to charge at the lone boy who remained steadfast. Instead, he drew something from his pocket: a gate card. Kirk's eyes went wide, because he was somehow struck with a realization of what was happening. Dropping his bag, Kirk broke into a dead run. However, he was too far away.
"Field...Open!" Jimmy said as the bullies closed in. Kirk tried to get closer, but everything went into slow motion as the temporal distortion was created and the blinding light erupted forth. Suddenly, everything snapped back into the right speed, but it was too late. Kirk could see the three bullies were now lying on the ground, groaning in pain and unable to move. Oddly enough, they were also...soaking wet?
"Wha..." Kirk said in alarm, for nobody he'd ever brawled with on the field had ever ended up in that kind of state, "What did you just do?!"
Jimmy looked up at him, at first, there was the realization of who he was looking at, but quickly his face turned into a scowl, "You," he said viciously, "I remember you!"
Kirk was taken aback by this, but held his ground. However, he was soon surprised again when something small and round floated out from behind Jimmy.
"Well, well," the bakugan said in a condescending voice, "So, it's another person who made fun of you, isn't it?" he said. Kirk didn't know how to respond, "I remember now, he made fun of your play style...
"Geez, why do you have these two mixed together? They're really incompatible."
Kirk looked around as his disembodied voice seemed to come out of thin air. Sure he'd said that, but he wasn't being malicious about it.
"That," the bakugan continued, "and the things he taught you only got you beaten up. He wasn't helping you at all. He was probably laughing the whole way home!"
"Beaten up?" Kirk asked.
"Just shut up!" Jimmy said, covering his ears, "I'm not gonna let you get away with this!" he roared, drawing his field card and pointing accusingly at Kirk, "I'll punish you like I will everyone who makes fun of me!"
Kirk braced himself. He didn't have any time to speak before Jimmy uttered those words, "Field Open!" Kirk shielded his eyes as the field card gushed light in response to Jimmy's command. A flash later Kirk found himself on a different part of the field than he was used to, now being the one dragged into the fray. Kirk looked to see Jimmy and his bakugan on the other side of the field.
"Can't we talk about this?" Kirk asked.
"No!" Jimmy said, "There will be no mercy for evil people!"
"Addaboy," the Bakugan said.
Obviously there was nothing Kirk could do about it now. He hadn't opened the field, so he probably couldn't close it, either. That, and even if he could, Jimmy would probably open in again and then... it would be Baku-Kirk time... As he was thinking this through, Kirk felt something move in his pocket.
"Huh...?" Rabeeder said in a groggy voice as she floated out of the pocket where she'd been napping. However, the sight of the field caught her eyes and she suddenly became alert," Wha, wha, what happened?!" She shrieked, "What are we doing here?! Why didn't I sense you using my card to open the field?!"
"Because I didn't, you blockhead," Kirk quipped.
"Huh?" Rabeeder queried.
"Geh..." Jimmy's bakugan growled, "Oh no, it's Rabeeder. I miscalculated..."
"Wha?!" Rabeeder yelled upon hearing that voice, "Hairadee?! What's he doing here?!"
"You know that bakugan?!" Kirk said in sudden alarm.
Rabeeder shivered from the question, paused, then turned to Kirk, "Of course I do, silly! We're both from Vestroia after all!" she said, followed by that nervous chuckle again, "You didn't think I was the only talking bakugan in the world, right?"
Kirk shrugged, "I guess not..."
Hairadee paused. He'd known Rabeeder to be trouble in the past, but he didn't expect to have to fight her. Still, he'd gotten this far and any chance to throw a wrench in any plans she had was fine by him, "Go for it, kid," he said.
"Hey!" Jimmy yelled across the field, "Don't think you're so tough just 'cuz you have a talking Bakugan, too! I'm gonna make you pay!" And he pulled a card from his hand, "Gate Card, Set!!" And he cast it out onto the field. It glowed a bright blue-green color and expanded to a huge size.
"I guess we're in the thick of it, now," Kirk said, taking a deep breath, "If it's a fight he wants, I guess it's a fight he'll get," He lightly smacked his face with both hands to wake himself up and resolve himself to try his best against this kid because it would be trouble if he lost. But could he bring himself to win? Still, he had no choice.
"Gate card, Set!"
"I'll go first!" Jimmy said, pulling out a blue bakugan, "Let's go, Hairadee!"
"Right!" Hairadee said as he curled up.
Jimmy grabbed Hairadee, drew back his hand, and hurled Hairadee into the air with such speed that it seemed to distort in shape, "Bakugan, Brawl!" he said. Hairadee flew through the air and landed on Jimmy's gate card, "Hairadee, Stand!" And Hairadee popped open. Kirk again covered his eyes as a stream of blue-green light enveloped the field. Streaming out like a falcon came a humanoid form. However, it was twisted and different from anything Kirk had ever seen. Instead of hair, it had tentacles that seemed to resemble dreadlocks, shark-like teeth, and webbed feet. However, it was also complemented by a large pair of feathery wings coming from its back and long talons from its webbed toes. It grinned menacingly at Kirk.
"So," Hairadee said, "Let's see what you got, human of Rabeeder!"
Aquos/Ventus Hairadee, 700g's.
700 g's again, as well as another hybrid. Kirk wasn't surprised, but the sheer difference between Hairadee and Rabeeder struck Kirk. Sure, Rabeeder was anxious to fight, but Hairadee seemed downright maniacal. Clearly this Bakugan had manipulated Jimmy somehow and Kirk needed to stop him. Still, no sense in wasting Rabeeder this early. Kirk reached into his pocket and picked a Bakugan. "Bakugan, Brawl!" Kirk said as he hurled the sphere into the air towards Hairadee. The gray sphere landed in front of the powerful hybrid, "Centipoid, stand!" he bellowed. White light came forth from the unfurled bakugan and revealed a huge, carapace covered monster with many legs and huge, vicious jaws. The giant white centipede roared and clanged its metal jaw blades together.
Haos Centipoid, 500g's.
"Ha!' Hairadee roared, "Is that the best you've got?! Let's get 'em, Jimmy!"
"Gate card, Open!" Jimmy said. The card glowed the same blue-green color as before and revealed Hairadee's gate card. Hairadee chuckled as the energy from the card filled his body.
Aquos/Ventus Hairadee 700 + (200x2) = 1100g's
Haos Centipoid 500 + 80 = 580g's
Centipoid desperately lunged at Hairadee, but Hairadee simply put out one hand and stopped the massive monster cold. He then grinned and drew back his other hand. As Centipoid struggled, Hairadee began to build the two elements together in his hand: A cold wind and drops of water. The water that interacted with the air froze and became ice and Hairadee soon had a miniature blizzard in his hand, "No mercy for the wicked!" Hairadee said in a self-righteous tone. He then thrust his hand forward, "Freezing Wave!" He then thrust out his hands. Centipoid, nay, the entire half of the field was suddenly enveloped in a powerful blizzard. Kirk had to brace himself against the wind and Rabeeder had to cling to Kirk's jacket for dear life in order to resist. The wind was so chilling that Kirk had to tighten his jacket in order to try to keep from getting covered in too much snow.
"I w-w-w-wish you'd br-br-br-brought a P-p-pyrus bakugan..." Rabeeder shivered
After a few seconds, the blizzard died down. Kirk, shivering cold, looked up to see his centipoid was frozen solid from the attack. And above that, Hiaradee was grinning down at him, "Aww," the bakugan said condescendingly, "Did you get a little cold, or are you just terrified to see me?" He then laughed. While not an impressive line, Kirk knew he had to take Hairadee seriously. He couldn't say he'd ever seen such a vicious attack performed before now and part of the shivering could have come from staring such power in the face. Sure, Rabeeder's moves had been impressive, but due to their nature had done little collateral. "Still," Hairadee continued, "I'll show you the fate of anyone who messes with us!" Bringing up a clawed fist, Hairadee dove at Centipoid and smashed the frozen bug over the head, shattering it instantly. Kirk watched as the frozen chunks of his bakugan came to earth before both Bakugan reverted to their smaller forms and left, the gate card forming a marker next to Jimmy. Jimmy smiled.
Kirk's look had become stern and serious. Though the snow on him had already melted and he was now as waterlogged as the bullies from before, Kirk knew he couldn't hold back any longer. This no longer had anything to do with Jimmy, this was about stopping a powerful and dangerous Bakugan and keeping him from causing any more harm.
"Now then," the menacing bakugan said as he returned to Jimmy's side, "Let's finish this, Jimmy. We'll show this guy what it feels like to get hurt."
Jimmy nodded, then took a blue bakugan in his hand, "Bakugan, Brawl!" he said as he tossed it to the only remaining card, "Skyress, stand!" From the blue glow came a cloud of steam and out of it streamed a huge, graceful bird that almost looked like a phoenix. With a waft of its blue wings, it blew away the steam and hovered in place, creating a cool breeze throughout the field as small drops of what seemed to be rain dripped from its moving feathers.
Aquos Skyress, 490g's.
"That weak a Bakugan?" Rabeeder said, "What's he thinking? Let me at 'em! I'll wipe the floor with him!"
Jimmy grinned.
"No," Kirk said, "He's up to something," Kirk turned and looked at his opponent or, more specifically, at the bakugan floating next to him. Kirk was pretty sure he knew what was happening, especially considering the choice of Bakugan. Grabbing his other bakugan, Kirk hurled it onto the field, "Bakugan Brawl, Saurus stand!" A familiar armor-clad dinosaur appeared across from Skyress.
Haos Saurus, 330g's.
"No!" Jimmy said, growling. Rabeeder felt herself do a double take. What? Jimmy's Bakugan was clearly superior and yet he was disappointed. She then looked at Kirk to know what he was thinking, but he was still stoic as ever, "Gate card, Open!" Kirk said. The card glowed and revealed itself: Duck and Win. Now Rabeeder really had no idea what was going on. Had Jimmy known what the Kirk's card was? However, now Jimmy was smiling again, "You thought you had me?" he said, "Just like the stupid people who can't do anything but try to beat people up! Because although my Skyress will lose this fight, when I activate Flowing Waters, I'll put my other two gate cards into my used pile and win the game anyway!" Jimmy held aloft his card and it began to glow. Water then began to spill out of it and onto the ground, the shape of two gate cards appearing in it.
"Not so fast!" Kirk said as the wall of force manifested behind him, "This game isn't over!" And now Kirk held aloft his own ability card: Haos 2. Jimmy's smile faded and Hairadee growled as Jimmy's first tally disappeared from his side and reappeared next to Kirk. And as Saurus knelt down and let the wall hit Skyress square on, only two tally's would be next to Jimmy and a second one appeared next to Kirk as the bakugan returned to their owners.
Jimmy fell to his knees, "But...why?" he muttered, "Why didn't it work? It worked on everyone else..."
"You blockhead!" Kirk yelled as he pointed his finger, "I taught you that move! Did you really think I wouldn't see it coming?! And now I'm the only one who has any gate cards left to play! Don't think you're so tough!"
Jimmy then curled into a little ball. Kirk panted in his anger, but soon heard another sound cover the field. Jimmy then raised his head and Kirk was stunned by what he saw. Jimmy was crying, "Why..." he muttered under the tears, "Why is everyone being so mean to me?"
Kirk suddenly felt a massive pang of guilt. In his efforts to stop Hairadee, he'd gotten caught up and had berated the one he'd tried to help. a somber attitude now covered the field.
"K-Kirk?" Rabeeder asked, disturbed by the silence, "What are you doing? You've got him on the ropes! You should- MMPH!!"
"You stay outta this," Kirk said as he grabbed Rabeeder, closing her up and keeping her from talking. He then took a deep breath, "Look," he said, "I had no idea you were being harassed or that you would get beaten up. Why didn't you say anything?" Jimmy didn't respond, "Didn't you tell anyone?" Kirk pressed.
There was another long pause and the air worked up by Kirk again grew still. "I..." Jimmy finally said weakly, "I...can't."
"And why not?" Kirk asked, "If people are ganging up on you, you shouldn't keep it to yourself!" He said.
"Don't listen to him!" Hairadee bellowed, no longer able to stand by and watch, "He's trying to trick you again!"
"You stay out of this, too!" Kirk roared as he drew back his arm and hurled Rabeeder like a baseball across the field. Hairadee had just enough time to look up for him to be konked on his affixed head by Rabeeder. The two bakugan collapsed to the ground, moaning in pain.
"But..." Jimmy continued, "If... if my mom ever figured out stuff like this happened because I played Bakugan, she'd take them all away from me. But I don't want her to because I like bakugan!"
"Are you sure?" Kirk said, "After all that's happened, can you really say that they make you happy?"
"I don't want them taken away!" Jimmy said, standing up, "I've read everything about the Brawlers and Vestroia and the Bakugan that I can find and don't know what I'd do if I didn't have that anymore! I don't want them to go!"
"Then tell her that!" Kirk said, "It's not the Bakugan themselves that are bad, but the people who use them to do bad things that are bad. And what have you been doing now? Hurting people like this, is this the right thing to do?"
"What? No!" Jimmy begged, "I'm not bad, I'm not!"
"You know what?" Kirk said, the intensity in his voice leaving him, "You're right. You're not the bad one at all. You just gave into someone who pressured you into seeking revenge."
"But..." Jimmy said, "But I've still done some awful things! What should I do?"
"Just forgive and forget," Kirk said, "The things you've done are the kind you can put behind you. Things will get better now that you've stopped."
"R-right..." Jimmy sniffed. However, he seemed to be smiling now.
"Good," Kirk said, "So let's just stop this, okay?"
"No!" Jimmy said firmly. Kirk suddenly paused nervously.
"Heh heh..." A sinister voice said, "That's right," As Hairadee slowly wobbled into the air, "We'll show him real pain!" Kirk girded himself as he feared Hairadee would again exert his influence.
"It's not that," Jimmy said, "I don't want to get revenge anymore, but I still want to fight you." Jimmy smiled, but rather than one of malice, it was one of excitement, "I just want to fight you fair and square!"
Kirk could tell Jimmy was no longer feeling vengeful and finally relaxed, "Fine," he said, "Fair and square it is! Gate Card, Set!" Since Kirk was the only one with any gate cards left, his card took up all of the field, "it's still your turn, Jimmy," he said.
"Right!" Jimmy said, "Because I also sent a Bakugan away with Flowing Waters, I get them back and get to use Hairadee again right away!" he said. He snatched Hairadee and threw him onto the card. Hairadee manifested his true self once more, but this time he looked far more angry than ever.
"Partnerrrr..." A voice next to Kirk moaned. Kirk turned to see Rabeeder floating weakly next to him, sporting a bump on her head from the impact, "Why did you throw me like that?"
"Sorry," Kirk said, "But I just needed you two to shut up for a minute. Anyway, it's your turn, get in there!" Kirk grabbed Rabeeder, drew her back, and threw her in, "Bakugan, Brawl!" He said as Rabeeder bounced into place, "Rabeeder, Stand!" Right across from Hiaradee, Rabeeder appeared in a stream of orange light, glaring at Hairadee.
Aquos/Ventus Hairadee 700g's
Haos/Subterra Rabeeder 700g's
Hairadee growled, "It doesn't matter that your human snapped mine out of my control, all I have to do is beat you down and I'll grab a choke hold over his mind again! There's nothing you can-"
"Oh will you SHUT UP with that annoying voice already?!" Rabeeder screeched, "Thanks to you, my head really hurts and because you blasted me with snow I think that I'm a--ah-ah-ah," And then Rabeeder sneezed loudly, "I think I'm getting a cold!!" She sniffed, wiping her nose with a handkerchief she pulled out of nowhere., "I'm in a really bad mood right now!"
"I thought stupid people didn't catch colds," Kirk muttered.
"I heard that!" Rabeeder yelled.
"Gate card, open!" Kirk motioned and the card revealed itself. Several rocky crags embedded with bright stoned appeared around the two powerful Bakugan. It was the gate card Muddy Ground.
Aquos/Ventus Hairadee 700 + 60 = 760g's
Haos/Subterra Rabeeder 700 + 140 = 840g's
Rabeeder made what was clearly an angry face as she cracked the knuckles on her larger set of hands, ready to deliver a beating.
"H-Human!!" Hairadee commanded nervously, "Ability card, now!"
"Only if you call me by name!" Jimmy said.
Hairadee growled. He didn't want to submit to the human he once controlled, but then he felt Rabeeder's large arms grab his body. As he was crushed in their grip, he knew now he had no choice but to swallow his pride...for now. "J-Jimmy..." he strained out.
"Right!" Jimmy said, 'Ability card, activate! Whirling typhoon!" All of a sudden, a wet gust of wind blew from around Hairadee, causing Rabeeder to lose her grip. Hairadee grimaced and began to spin around, forming a huge tornado that stretched as high as they could see. "Whirling Typhoon is a blue ability card that gives a bonus to Ventus or Aquos bakugan, but because Hairadee is both, he gets both bonuses!"
Aquos/Ventus Hairadee 760 + 100 + 80 = 940g's
Jimmy looked on in wonder. Finally, power that he'd created himself, not from anyone else. Rabeeder, however, wasn't as well off, now trying to shield herself from the wind and rain as the the hurricane inched closer, "Uh, Kirk? I could use some help here!"
"Right!" Kirk said, drawing his own ability card as the wind billowed around him, "Ability card, activate! Light Mana!" The card glowed a bright white and sent a ball of bright energy into Rabeeder. One of Rabeeder's larger hands glowed brightly, filled with the light energy.
Haos/Subterra Rabeeder 840 + 120 = 960g's
Shielding her eyes from the wind and rain, Rabeeder knew she had only one shot at this. Drawing back her glowing hand, She charged at the twister, thrusting it dead center. Fortunately, her grab hit its mark because the wind stopped instantly and Rabeeder found Hairadee solidly in her grip, struggling to get free.
"Finish him, Rabeeder!" Kirk said. Rabeeder nodded and the light energy around her hand began to brighten, enveloping Hairadee.
"Ggh!" Hairadee cringed, "I won't forget this, Rabeeder!" he said as he started to crackle with light energy, "You'll pay for this, you'll pay!" He yelled desperately as the light became blinding and nobody could see what was happening anymore aside from the angry screams of Hairadee, followed by an explosion. "I'll... get...youuuu!!"
The light subsided and the two were back in the park. Hairadee's ball lay on the ground and Rabeeder sat on Kirk's shoulder. For a while, there was silence.
"I guess I won..." Kirk said finally.
"Yeah," Jimmy said, 'But, I don't feel too bad for losing. It was fun!" he said.
"Whatever..." Kirk muttered.
Jimmy looked down on the ground at his fallen bakugan, "Why isn't he moving?" he asked.
"Eh, he's probably knocked out from the power surge," Rabeeder said, "He'll probably be up again in a few days. Still, I'd watch out if I was..." Suddenly, Rabeeder had a small pang if dizzyness and lost her balance on Kirk's shoulder. Quickly, Kirk caught her before she fell too far.
"Are, you alright?" Kirk said, raising an eyebrow. He pressed a thumb against Rabeeder's small head to find it was actually warm, "Is this... a fever?" he asked.
Rabeeder sniffled, "Well, I already wasn't feeling too good when you threw me in agaianst Hairadee and the hurricane didn't help..." She trailed off.
"Oh, what am I gonna do with you?" Kirk grumbled as he closed up Rabeeder and dashed off for home, grabbing his bag on the way. Just when he thought his problems were bad enough dealing with a talking piece of plastic, now it was sick.
Jimmy now found himself alone. But not for long because he could hear the sounds of the three bullies groaning and rising from the ground.
"Ugh, what happened...?" One of them asked. However, upon seeing Jimmy, he immediately froze along with his two friends. They were too scared to talk.
"Hey, uh..." Jimmy said, "I... I'm sorry, and"
"No!' one of them panicked, "Please don't do it again! We'll leave you alone, we promise!" he said. Jimmy couldn't think of a way to respond. For a while, they just stood there in awkward silence. Then, Jimmy took the gate card in his hand and held it up. The three bullies recoiled in terror from it and ran off, trampling and scraping to be the first to get away. Jimmy sighed. He'd been pretty mean, but at least no real harm was done. Jimmy sighed because now he really was alone again. He looked down at the fallen leaves and gave one of them a kick.
"Um, excuse me," a voice said behind him, causing Jimmy's heart to nearly jump from his chest. Jimmy turned around and saw a girl about his age and size behind him, "Um," she said nervously, "That card you're holding. Do you play Bakugan, maybe?" She asked, "I've tried finding someone to play it with but I've never asked anybody..."
Jimmy paused. Indeed while he played Bakugan, too, he hadn't met anyone but Kirk and the bullies who played. Perhaps a new chance for friendship had presented itself.
"Um, yeah."
* * * * *
"HOW?!" Steve yelled as he slammed his fists onto his desk in frustration, causing the bakugan and cards on his desk to rattle around, "How did he pull a strategy like that out of thin air?! It was impossible! I'd countered all of his strategies and he still won somehow! How did he do it?! And on top of that, I felt really bad for two whole days after we fought!" Steve growled and tugged at his hair as he thought of what he should do, the crumpled notes of his strategies littering the floor, "I need something stronger! More Bakugan! More cards! More-" However, Steve was interrupted by a flash of purple light that formed over his desk. Steve recoiled and stood up, backing away as the light formed into a vortex before him. Out from the dark portal came a glowing red sphere It floated before him and lit up the entire basement before the light faded to reveal a red and black bakugan remaining. Steve was paralyzed with fear.
"Hmm...So this is the human world," A deep, almost regal male voice said. The bakugan turned and looked at its surroundings as it continued to float. It then focused its gaze on Steve, "You," it said, "Your anger must have drawn me here. So what was it; did someone righteously defeat you?"
"Shut up!' Steve retorted, "That's none of your business! That loss was only a fluke, I'll get him back next time! I just need more power..."
"Power?" the Bakugan replied in its bellowing voice, "If power is what you crave, I have it in spades. I'll gladly give it to you if you do what I say."
"Really?" Steve said, "What would I have to do."
"Fight," The Bakugan replied, "Fight lots, and win."
"All I have to do is fight and I can have your power?" Steve said, "You'd better be good,"
"Oh, I'm better than good," the bakugan replied, "I'm the best,"
"We'll see," Steve said, "Who the heck are you, anyway?"
"Oh, how discourteous of me," the Bakugan said mockingly. It then unfurled itself, revealing a mighty red and purple dragon sculpt, "My name is Druman, and I'm the answer to your prayers."
Author's notes: Yeah, this is the longest chapter yet. I think it's pretty good. So far, all of my chapters have been the rough equivalent of two episodes. Let me know what you think or if this chapter is too long. What worries me the most is I don't think I could pull out such a dramatic strategy again. We'll have to see.