Hello, I am back from the world of the dead. I took me a long time to get back here, so you better be grateful!

Dan: No way! You were postponing this on purpose!

Golden: Dan, you sit on a throne of lies. LIES! I will expose you! Maybe I'll have Shun save Runo!

Dan: *Gasp* You wouldn't!

Golden: … I don't go back on my word. So, congratz to anyone new here. Or anyone who has read this story and favorite…

Shun: Golden?

Golden: Yeah?

Shun: Runo umm… Runo maybe might have kinda…

Golden: Spit it out Shun.

Shun: …Escaped?

Dan: And this is where I post the disclaimer before anyone dies…

Disclaimer [As posted by Dan]: GoldenPiggy does not own Bakugan.

Note [As posted by Shun]: I hereby promote author Breezyfeather. Even if she.. did what she did in Ultimatum…

Note 2 [As posted by Golden]: Oh, and thank you Ozora-Chan for reviewing. Be sure to pick up you're virtual cookie basket on the way out.

Note 3 [As posted by Golden]: Getting onto the story…

Ch 4- The Calm before the Calm of the Storm

Dan ran through the rusted gates of the old mansion. The overgrow was thick, and made it harder to navigate. If he wasn't tripping on roots or vines, Dan would be stumbling in the dark. Though it was daytime, the thick trees –which, Dan noticed, they hadn't seen outside the gate- made it dark as night, with only the smallest of light escaping through the leaves.

Dan sighed. At this pace, he would never find Runo. The vegetation only grew denser the closer he got. He slipped his hand into his pocket, pulling out Drago. Popping out of ball form, Drago looked at his partner.

"What's wrong Dan?" The pyrus Dragonoid asked.

"It's just… well…"

"'Just' what Dan?"

"It's nothing Drago. I just thought you'd want some fresh air."

Drago looked at Dan. He hadn't believed the obvious lie, but decided to go along with it, if just to see his partner's true intentions.

"Sure Daniel…"

With that, Dan perched Drago on his shoulders and continued along.

[Marucho]

Marucho had been walking around the school building. Of course, it felt strange to be there. His job was easy- blend in and ask questions. In fact, that was exactly what he was doing.

Marucho looked at his new 'gossip buddy'. He was a peculiar one alright. He had strange purple hair and red eyes. Of course, Marucho couldn't judge. His friends had hair colors of all different kinds. Dan had brown, Runo had blue, Julie had silver, Shun had black, Alice was a red-head with that red-head orange color hair of hers, and he had blonde.

Shaking his head, Marucho turned to his new buddy.

"So," he started. "I hear you're new in school, right?"

Markus nodded. "Aah. I just transferred yesterday." He smiled brightly. "I really like it here."

"Well, that's good news. Say, you don't know anything about a girl named Runo, do you?"

Markus closed his eyes for a moment. Runo… Runo… That name seemed familiar. He turned to Marucho.

Opening his eyes, he nodded. "Yeah. Blue hair, right? We ran into each other yesterday. She seemed really nice."

Filing away the information for later, Marucho looked to Markus.

"Thanks for your help. I really appreciate it."

Markus nodded. "Sure. No problem." He stated as Marucho went in another direction.

Just as he was turning the corner, Marucho felt something. It was that feeling you felt before something bad happened. If feels like… The calm before the storm… He thought. Except… This doesn't really feel like the calming…

[Michael]

Michael looked at the screen infront of him. He had been typing for the past hour, making tweaks to his program. He looked to Runo, who was still hooked up to his strange machine. Looking back to his work, he saw that he had gotten a message.

Reading it, he grinned. It looked like he had picked the right Brawler to steal. With that, he made the final few tweaks and started the program.

[Dan]

Dan stopped at the giant oak doors that stood before him. Cautiously, he pushed them open, only to be greated to an empty room.

The room was dark. It had a couple couches and tables, but nothing else. Dan decided that the room was just there to hold space, so he moved on.

Entering room after room, and finding nothing, Dan had just about enough. The mansion didn't seem like it was so big. To add to the fact that he was getting hungry. Deciding that the room in front of him would be the last one he'd check today, he walked in.

Unlike the other rooms, this room had light. A giant pit took up the majority of the area, looking to be strangely similar to a playing field of sorts. Though, that wasn't what had caught his attention.

His eyes were focused on the purple wearing caped figure on the opposite side.

The figure had black hair and wore a cape. He couldn't tell eye color. He wore a purple shirt, and black slacks from what Dan could tell from the side of the pit that distanced them.

"My my." A voice rung through the room, and Dan reliezed it to be coming from the male opposite him. "Daniel Kuso. What a pleasant surprise. I've been waiting for you." Said figure sighed. "It took you forever to get here! Do you know how bored I was? I had to play with my new toy! And I hate wasting things just newly added to my collection."

Slowly but surely, the comments were riling Dan up as he realized that the figure before him was speaking about Runo. Dan grit his teeth.

"Ah, she was so fun. Testing and seeing her reactions to all kinds of things. I remember the first test I did with her. Who knew such a frail body could take so much. She was such a beautiful blue after that one."

Clenching and unclenching his fists, Dan asked "Who are you?"

"Me?" The man replied. "I am no one. But, you may call me Michael."

"Alright, Michael," The name spit out like poison. "Give Runo back!"

Michael tsk-tsked. "Now Daniel, that isn't the way to ask for something. You are a guest here. Though, I suppose if you want my precious toy that badly, you will have to earn it."

Dan looked curious. "Runo is not an it! Stop speaking about her like you speak of an object!"

"Fine. If you want my precious Runo, you will have to earn her."

"And how do you suppose I do that?"

Michael smiled. "With a brawl, of course. I'll even allow you to use your Dragonoid." Michael's smile quickly turned into a grin. "However, if you lose, she will be mine. You will never come to try and rescue her. Understand?"

Dan looked thoughtful for a moment. Then he glared. The two words fell from his lips.

"I accept."

Hook, line, and sinker.

[Marucho]

Marucho looked at the principle, eyes widened beyond belief.

"S-s-sir. What do you mean!?" He questioned yet again.

"Marucho. I'm sorry, but in all honesty." The principle started.

"There is no one who goes to this school named Markus Fariu."

Golden: Dun dun dun!

Dan: Dang it! You leave it at another cliff hanger! Why!

Shun: Dan?

Dan: Yeah Shun?

Shun: Shut up.

Julie: Ooooh! Shun said a bad word!

Shun: *Stares at Julie* Julie, that is not a 'Bad word'.

Julie: *Pouts* But, but, Marucho said it was!

Marucho: No I didn't! I'm too stunned about what going on!

Dan: What's going on on your end?

Marucho: I justfound out that Runo's so called friend doesn't exist!

Dan: What? I can't hear you!

Marucho: Stupid 'No-Telling-Others-What-Happened-With-You' Wall!

Shun: Guys, who gave Julie cookies again?

Golden: I think it was Marucho.

Shun: Marucho?

Marucho: No.

Shun: Dan?

Dan: Huh?

Julie: No one gave me cookies… I'm just playing Actor #3. The crazy one.

Shun: Actor #3?

Julie: Yeah.

Golden: *Takes Julies script away* Okay, no more Out of Story practices for you.

Julie: Fine. You didn't include me.

Golden: Sorry. I have a cat. He wouldn't let me finish. Plus I have school and all that stuff.

Dan: Enough of your excuses your procrastinating Pig!

Golden: What did you call me?

Dan: Sorry?

Golden: *Presses a button*

-Trapped door opens under Dan's feet and he falls in-

Dan: Ow!

Shun: *Looks at Golden* The Poison Pit?

Golden: Mmhmm.

Shun: Don't you think that's a bit much?

Golden: Nope!

Note [As written by Golden]: To anyone reading this, sorry. I will try to get another update. Maybe? I'm on Xmas break. Anyways, I wish I could've written more. This wasn't really a chapter…

Has anyone noticed that I haven't planned anything for this? I mean, I had an idea…. But then… well… Nevermind. Bye.

Word Count: 1,496