Back again for another chapter. This is going to be getting interesting, and it's getting harder to keep the Shifters placed in the story naturally. Anyways, Enjoy the chapter!
First, Dan woke up late, which made me and Azion late. Then, on our way to the meeting, Dan got flipped by Fabia. Afterwards, she hacked into our meeting room to try and get help. This resulted in her and Dan battling, allowing us to see the original Aranaut, and me hearing a name of old. After the battle, Shun confronted Fabia, wanting to hear her side of the story. Things are about to start getting rough for Ren.
Powers beyond reality,
Brought about by few.
Crossing time and space,
Changing the race.
Creating a whole new world.
The time to combine is now,
The time to recreate is upon.
The time now to find the power
To regain your lost time.
"Ability Activate!" Said Dan, holding up a card. "Galactic Dragon!" Drago shot a fireball.
"Not so fast, buddy!" Said Jake. "Ability Activate! Phantom Blow!" Coredem's fists glowed, and he fired punched at the fireball, which dissipated it and hit Drago.
"Not bad, Jake." Said Drago. "You got me pretty good there, your skill is improving."
"Well he does have me as a coach after all." Said Dan. "Okay Jake, ready to kick it up a notch?"
"I'm ready, Dan the Man! Give me everything you got, buddy! Ability Activate! Scale Arrow!" Coredem crossed his arms over his chest, and fired at Drago.
"That's it? Fusion Ability Activate!" Said Dan. "Dragon Surge!" Drago shot a larger fireball from his hands that plowed right through Coredem's attack. Jake could do nothing but watch as it hit, and defeated Coredem. Soon, the two went to talk to each other about it.
"Man, I was so close to winning." Jake hit the ground. "I had you on the ropes but I blew it! Ah, this stinks!"
"Take it easy." Said Dan. "You fought a good fight. You really bring the intensity you show on the football field to the battle arena in a big way."
"You show great promise as a battler Jake." Said Drago. "But there is still much to teach you." A gate opened behind them.
"I'll say." Said Azion. "He still has a lot to learn, but not all of it strategy. However, he will make a great battler."
"Yeah, but one day, soon he's going to make a great addition to the battle brawlers."
"Huh? Who, me?" Asked Jake, getting on his knees. He stood up and jumped from one foot to another. "Yeah, I'm a battle brawler! I'm a battle brawler! I'm a, huh, wait a minute. You said one day I will be, so does that mean I'm not one yet? Why not? Is it because I lost, it's because I stink" He kept rambling.
"Please, stop rambling!" Said Pyreon.
"Just relax dude, you're working yourself up." Said Dan. "You don't stink as a battler, we just have some work we gotta do" Then Jake screamed, surprising Dan.
"I blew it! You gave me a chance and took time out to train and coach me, and I let you down!" He turned and pointed at Dan. "Don't worry Dan the Man, I'll make you proud. I'll prove I'm worthy of the battle brawler title!"
"Ah, okay, big guy." Said Dan.
"Dan." Said Marucho over Bakumeter. "Dan, do you read me?" Dan brought his Bakumeter up.
"Yeah Marucho, I'm here."
"Our security systems have detected another breach from a Neathian agent."
"Are you serious?" Asked Dan.
"It seems he's in the M4 battle arena. Can you meet us there as soon as possible?" Ren walked up.
"We'll be there." Ren touched the screen and a schematic pulled up as Dan ended the call.
"I see you have a lock on the enemy agent." Said Ren. "So how did you manage that?"
"Well Ren, you pointed out that the Neathians were infiltrating Bakugan Interspace by bypassing the access points. So, I re-set the system to raise an alarm whenever it detected a combatant who hasn't entered through an access point."
"That's very clever of you, it sounds like it was a complex job."
"Once I knew where to look for the weaknesses, it was no big deal. Thanks to you, Ren. The only hard part was excluding the shifters from the protocol." Marucho began walking towards the door.
"Uh, right."
"Bakugan, Brawl!" Said someone. "Bakugan, Stand! Let's do this!"
Mason waited a few seconds for emphases. "Bakugan, Brawl! Bakugan, Stand! Rise Subterra Avior!" The kid looked surprised.
"Whoa! Ability, Activate! Gale Storm!" His Bakugan flew up, and aimed down to fire lots of boomerang shaped projectiles at Avior. Very few of them hit. "Yeah boy! Huh?" The smoke cleared showing Avior unharmed. "Huh? But how?"
"Listen kid, you're not gonna win anything using little league garbage like that. Maybe it's time that you learned a hard lesson. Ability, Activate!" Avior came out of his shell and grew wing-like appendages. The group ran in to see Mason about to win. "Long Aerchule!" Avior began powering up.
"Whoa! Unreal!" Said Dan. Avior fired at the Ventus Bakugan, forcing everyone but Mason to close their eyes from how bright it was. The blast then died down, and the Bakugan was defeated, depleting the kid's gauge.
Battle, over! Winner, Mason Brown!
Mason caught Avior. "I'm sure you're a really big deal in the preschool crowd, but I'm looking for someone tougher!"
"That dude's harsh." Said Dan.
"Did you see that?"
"He smoked him with one attack!"
Mason walked towards the exit. "I've got one spot left on my dance card, anyone else up for a twirl around the battle arena?"
Ran walked forward a little. "Heh, Mason Brown."
"Then it must be him!" Said Marucho. "That's the name that the security system flagged.
"Okay, I'm gonna own this guy so badly he'll wish he never stepped foot inside Bakugan Interspace!" Said Dan. He walked forward. "Hey mutton chops, I'm game!"
"Aw snap, it's Dan!" The crowd cheered.
"You're in a world of hurt now buddy!"
"That's right, Dan's a number one!"
"Let's see how your Avior does against Drago!" Then the crowd began cheering Dan's name.
"Dan huh? Ah, so you must be the battle brawlers."
"It sounds like you've heard of us then. Maybe you wanna pack up and leave peacefully?"
"Why would I do that? This may be just the thing I was looking for."
"Okay, so let's quit talking!"
"Jake, you have to do this battle." Whispered Tom.
"Dan the Man, wait a sec!"
"What?"
"You gotta let me take this one!"
"Huh?"
"But why Jake?" Asked Marucho.
"I'm already fired up and ready to go from our training battle! Let me do this and prove to all of you that I'm ready to be a Bakugan Battle Brawler right now! I'll rock this house!"
"Really?" Asked Mason.
"Is that guy serious?"
"I don't want to see him battle."
"Yeah, none of us do!" the crowd began booing.
"Why are you jerks doing that?" Yelled Jake. "I can do this! I'll show you, I'll show all of you monkeys man!"
"Uh, okay okay! Calm down, you can fight this battle." Said Dan.
"Really?" Asked Jake. Ren sighed.
"You sure about this?"
"Yeah, I've got faith in him." Said Dan. "He can do this, no problem!" Dan turned back to Jake. "Go win this thing Jake!"
"Yeah!" Screeched Jake. He walked down to the arena.
The next battle will see Mason Brown versus Jake Vallory!
"I can do this, Coredem and I can win it!" Jake said to himself.
"Yeah Jake, take it!"
Bakugan Field, Open!
"Gate Card, Set!" Said Jake. He screamed. "Bakugan, Brawl! Bakugan Stand! Go, Subterra Coredem!"
"Bakugan, Brawl!" Said Mason. "Rise, Subterra Avior!"
"Ability Activate! Core Knuckle!" The symbols on Coredem's body began glowing, and his fists did the same. "Hit 'em hard, hit 'em fast! Whew!" Yelled Jake. The attack was heading straight for Avior.
"Ability Activate! Offering Armor!" Avior gained an orangish aura that blocked the attack.
"I thought you were a tough guy. Are you just going to hide behind that shield like a scared little turtle?"
"You have no clue." Said Mason.
"What did you say?"
"Perhaps before entering into battle, you should learn a little something about your opponent."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Asked Jake. "You're just trying to distract me! All I need to know is that you're hiding behind your shield like a little scaredy cat! Ability Activate! Phantom Blow!" Coredem fired at Avior and gained 400 Gs. He kept firing at the shield, but was unable to break it. "I don't understand! This even worked on Drago! Why won't this guy go down? Why?"
"Ha, you're a little quick to lose your cool, aren't ya big guy? I get it, I can see that you're scared. Well, you should be."
Jake growled. "I am not scared! You're the one who refuses to come out and fight like a man! Totally!"
"Oh, ok, all right then. Ability Activate! Volting Chain!" Avior's tail came out and zapped Coredem, lowering him by 300 Gs.
"Whoa! Uh, ok, Gate Card, Open! Land, Pressure?" Jake said weakly. The attack stopped.
"Nice move, Jake! Land Pressure is a great Command Card to use 'cause it'll freeze your opponents!"
"Haha, now what pal?" Asked Jake.
"Ability Activate! Luft Howling!" Avior's head came out and he blasted the card, nullifying it.
"Huh? What the?" Asked Jake. Then Avior fired at Coredem, defeating him. "Coredem!" Jake lost 200 Gs off of his gauge.
"That was just a small taste." Said Mason. "Gate Card, Set! Bakugan, Brawl!"
"Let's go, Bakugan Brawl!"
"Bakugan, Stand!" Said both.
"All right, let's try this again." Said Jake. "Ability Activate! Phantom Blow!"
"Pathetic." Said Mason as Coredem fired. "Ability Activate! Battle Howling!" Avior came out of his shell, and fired at Coredem's attack. The shockwave knocked Coredem over, and the impact knocked Jake over.
"Uh, Ability, Ability."
"Save your breath." Said Avior. Jake looked up the fell backwards from Avior being right in front of him. "Battle Howling will prevent you from activating any abilities, so you're essentially helpless.
"I've wasted enough time." Said Mason. "Ability, Activate! Ifreet Cannon!" Avior shot fire at Coredem, and defeated him with 300 Gs, resulting in Jake losing.
Battle Over. Winner, Mason Brown!
"Hmph, big fail for a big guy."
"Man, I can't believe I lost."
"What was that? You're pathetic Jake." The crowd began booing again.
"Just go home, you bum!" We ran up to him.
"Jake!" Said Dan.
"It'll be okay, don't worry." Said Marucho.
"Ha, Dan Kuso." Said Mason. Dan looked at him. "I'll be seeing you around, my friend." He transported away. Dan stood up, then looked down at Jake.
Dan was looking through his locker, trying to figure out what to say to Jake. "Jake, I'm sorry. I let you down." I walked up.
"Dan, don't worry. I figured out a way to help him. Remember how Baron couldn't battle the same way as you?"
"Yeah, but what does that have to do with"
"Hey Dan, hey Atom." Said Julie. Dan closed his locker.
"Julie." Said Dan.
"Pyrus is your way, not everyone's." I said. Dan and Julie walked to get Dan's bike while I went to my locker to get my stuff. Dan then told her what had happened after she asked how Jake was doing.
"Wow, so you actually let him battle?"
"Yeah, he wanted to prove himself so bad, I thought it would be good for his confidence, but it totally backfired."
"What's done is done, Dan. We have to focus on what's important now."
"Yeah, I know. We gotta find that creep Mason!" Then the duo heard yelling, and looked at where it was coming from. They saw Jake playing a game of football.
"Ugh, I looked like a total fool in that battle arena. I let Dan the Man and all the other brawlers down." He went past two other players. "Most of all, I let myself down. I had a chance to show everyone what I could do and I blew it, even though I had a number one brawler as my coach. Well, I won't make that mistake again! If I ever see that creep Mason Brown again, he's going down!" He crossed the touchdown line and the coach blew a whistle. "Yes, yeah baby!" He yelled.
"Look at him, I thought losing would make him depressed." Said Dan. "Seems like it lit a fire in him instead."
"I don't think it's that simple." Said Julie.
"Huh?"
"Ah, Dan, I know all about Subterra Brawlers, leave it to me." She waited for him to finish even after Dan left, and not too long after, the coach called the game. Jake walked off the field to see Julie.
"Hey Julie. What's up?"
"Dan tells me you battled yesterday."
"Yeah, it was a disaster. I just wanted to prove myself as a brawler. I should've followed Dan's teaching more closely, and it might've ended differently. Dan knows best."
"I used to think that way too, Jake."
"Huh?"
"I used to follow Dan around, like I was a little lost puppy. I wanted to be a better brawler, and I thought that meant being just like Dan." Julie began walking up the stairs.
"And did it?"
"Dan is an awesome Brawler, no question, but his style of brawling isn't the best way for everyone. He's wild and impulsive, and that works for him, but it didn't work for me." She reached the top of the stairs.
"Really? Go on."
Julie ran down the stairs. "Every brawler must find their own style. Think about how important strategy is, when you're on the field playing football."
"Strategy?"
"Success involved following your playbook. You need to adopt a similar approach inside of the battle arena."
"Oh."
"Dan's method of battle would fail you in a football game, your strength is in executing a well planned, step-by-step attack which anticipates every possible reaction from your opponent. Just like football, you need to formulate your own sort of playbook for brawling. Your style must involve planning."
"Planning, yeah!"
"You should be able to visualize every round of battle."
"Before I fight it. I think I get what you're saying Julie. I understand."
"So remember that next time you're in the battle arena, ready to throw down. Take a moment and think of your playbook. Then, as you're getting ready to execute your plan, take a deep breath and visualize how it will unfold." The wind began blowing, and Jake walked up next to Julie.
"Okay, visualize the attack." Jake took a deep breath. "I just hope this works."
"Oh, it will." Said Julie. "And keep in mind, the shifters have to keep six strategies ready to go, one for each attribute. If they can do that, you can do this!"
Jake once again entered the battle arena against Mason. "Are you seriously back for more?"
"You stink Jake!"
"Yeah, go home!"
"You're no brawler!"
"Oh man, that's a really, really harsh crowd out there tonight." Said Marucho.
"You think Jake is ready for this?" Asked Ren.
"You bet, he's gonna settle the score, I can feel it!"
Bakugan Field, Open!
"Gate Card, Set!" Said Jake. "Bakugan, Brawl! Bakugan, Stand! Go, Subterra Coredem!"
"Bakugan, Brawl!" Said Mason. "Bakugan, Stand! Rise, Subterra Avior!"
"Don't let my last performance fool you, this battle's different."
"Ability Activate!" Was Mason's only reply. "Volting Chain!"
"Ability Activate!" Said Jake. "Dimension Hole!" Coredem got hit by the attack, but he redirected it down.
"Oh ho, not bad then."
"But let's see how long he can hold out." Said Avior.
"Ability Activate! Scale Arrow!" Coredem fired at Avior, creating a large amount of smoke, but Avior was unharmed.
"Oh yeah? Ability Offering Armor. I just nullified your ability."
"Just like I knew you would. Ability, Activate! Phantom Blow!"
Mason held out a card. "Did you also know that ability wouldn't work on me? Ability, Activate! Battle Howling!" Avior fired at the attack, and stopped it.
"Gate Card, Open! Chain Link force!" The ability was cancelled.
"What's happening?" Asked Avior.
"Oh no!" Said Mason. Coredem gained 400 Gs.
"You think I'd actually fall for that twice, dude?" Coredem fired again, and defeated Avior.
"Ugh, maybe he did learn something from our last battle."
"All right man!" Yelled Dan.
"He used the Command Card Chain Link force to bounce the Battle Howling attack back in their own face! How awesome!" Said Marucho.
"Way to go Jake!" Yelled Dan.
Jake caught Coredem. "Haha, all part of the plan."
"Hm, so you've done your homework this time." Said Mason. "Let's go again." He looked at Avior.
"Don't worry, he won't get the drop on my this time around." Mason gripped Avior.
"Gate Card, Set! Bakugan, Brawl!"
"Stick to the plan, Coredem! Bakugan, Brawl!" Said Jake.
"Bakugan, Stand!" Said both combatants.
"Ability Activate!" Said Jake. "Scale Arrow!"
"I'm not gonna lose to a newbie like you! Ability, Activate! Offering Armor!" The aura blocked the attack, then Avior charged.
"Oh no, Coredem's hit!" Said Marucho.
"Hold on!" Yelled Dan. Avior kept on rushing into Coredem.
"Oh man, he really packs a punch!" Said Jake. "Coredem's in trouble, what do I do?" Then he remembered what Julie said. "That's it! Got it! I can't freak out and do something wild and impulsive. I have a strategy, I just have to take a breath and visualize the battle. Stick to the plan!"
"Had enough yet, newbie? Why don't you just give up?"
"That's not part of the plan! Ability Activate! Armored Exia!" Coredem began to glow. "Armored Exia is an ability unique to Subterra Coredem, he used his whole body's energy line to absorb your power." Avior rammed into Coredem again, who took the 300 Gs that was gained by Avior.
"I didn't expect such a strong defense." Coredem lifted Avior up, and charged forward, and then slammed him down.
"Touchdown!" Said Jake.
"You're going to pay for that one!" Said Avior as he got up.
"Time to put you to bed!" Said Mason. "Ability Activate! Long Aerchule!"
"He's got reach with that neck!" Said Jake. "Defense!" He pressed a few buttons on his Bakumeter, and it began to glow. Ready, Rock Hammer. Jake grabbed it. "Battle Gear Boost!" Coredem attained his battle gear and gained 100 Gs.
"He has battle gear?" Asked Mason.
"Big Deal." Said Avior. "I'll show him!" Avior fired at Coredem.
"Battle Gear Ability Activate! Rock Hammer - Beo-blaster!" Coredem fired from his gear, and the two attacks fought for supremacy. But, Coredem's attack won out and hit Avior.
"What the? Oh no!" He yelled as he lost by 400 Gs.
Battle Over! Winner, Jake Vallory!
"Oh wow, he actually did it!"
"That was totally awesome!"
"Hahaha, just like we planned it, dude. Nice one!" Said Jake as he caught Coredem. Mason jumped down to grab Avior.
"We got taken, he must've been waiting all along for you to stick your neck out like that."
"I can't believe we got beaten by a newbie like that. I thought it was because I was getting old, but maybe it's you who's the problem, Mason."
"Pipe down, you. That kid got really lucky, it won't happen again. Let's go now." He transported away.
The group ran up. "Stop right there!" Said Dan, seconds after Mason transported.
"Looks like we're too late." Said Ren.
Dan looked to Jake. "Way to go, Jake. Nice."
"Yes, it was a very impressive win!"
"Congratulations, Jake. Good job."
"Uh, I actually won? Haha! Does this mean I'm an official member of the Battle Brawlers? Oh yeah!"
Dan and Julie again met up after school. "Really? Jake won? That's totally awesome!"
"Yeah, and it's all because of you, Julie! Thanks a lot!"
"Well Dan, all I really did was have a little chat with him! No big deal."
"Listen up, the key to winning is strategy." Said Jake to his team. Dan and Julie looked at him. "Remember guys, visualize the battle and stick to the plan." The coach blew the whistle, and Jake's team literally bowled over him.
"What the heck is he doing?" Asked Dan.
"I wonder if landing on his head like that was part of his strategy." Said Drago. Dan laughed.
"Ugh, looks like I'll have to give him some pointers on team play next." Said Julie. Jake laughed.
When Ren finds more spies, they come and challenge us directly to a fight. He claims that he doesn't feel right having us fight his battle for him, so he tries to help in the battle. But I know he's up to something most of the brawlers are blind to, but we'll pull through!