It's only one month after I last updated, which is better, I think, than my usual sporadic updates~

This chapter will introduce a few more obstacles for Nicole, so it'll be a good one. Thanks to my new beta Dakotawolf447 for giving much needed advice :D

Chapter Six

Nicole's POV

I waited impatiently by the ladies' restroom for Azumi. Just where the heck was she? After our loss–which hadn't been as spectacular as I would've liked–she had up and disappeared, sniffling all the way. I knew she was disappointed in herself and probably figured I hated her. It wasn't true, of course, but I'd realized from the beginning how unsure she was of herself and how emotional everything made her.

For a while after she'd left, my own confidence had faltered. Was I so sure we could rescue all the Bakugan when the one I had befriended couldn't–or wouldn't–fight? Zora was counting on me, hopefully, but Azumi's lack of spirit could crush our cause before it began, not to mention I was all alone.

I sighed, feeling defeated and wishing it was all just a dream.

But it wasn't. I was living it, and I had to act. First, though, I had to find Azumi.

Wandering through the endless corridors of the Battle Arena, I searched high and low for her. There were doorways lining the corridors but each of them was tightly locked. The only open passages were the ones that led to the stands where the fans sat. Eventually, I realized it would be ridiculous to search the entire dome for her, so I stopped looking and went back to where I'd started.

Another hour passed before I saw Azumi again.

"Miss!" she cried, jumping into my open palm.

"Where'd you run off to?" I asked, trying to keep the anger out of my voice. I wouldn't have her breaking down on me again.

She jumped up onto my shoulder. "Just looking around." We walked in silence for a moment, no destination in mind, before she added, "The little green boy and his friend must be super nice. Everyone likes them."

"Mm-hmm," I responded, tight-lipped. Quite honestly, there was something about Lync I didn't trust. I'd learned enough from Zora to know when someone wasn't telling you the whole truth. She had done it plenty of times, and I'd associated a sinister undertone with it, an undertone that Lync seemed to have whenever he spoke. He may have looked like an innocent angel, but there was something diabolical about him.

And who was this friend Azumi was talking about? Since I'd walked in, I hadn't seen Lync talk to anyone besides those in charge of the tournament and security guards, and they'd all obeyed him as if he was their superior. Maybe it was the person he worked for.

The boy in question chose this precise moment to show himself, walking coolly toward me, his flamboyant green cape billowing behind him. He looked ridiculous, all wide shoulder pads and more cape than body. I wasn't quite sure whether his hair or his outfit looked worse. Eh, they were equally terrible, I decided with a another good look at him.

"That was...something else," he said, referring to the battle fiasco.

I laughed nervously while Azumi sighed sadly. "Yeah...something."

Lync grinned, falling in line with our walk. "Hey, no big deal, but I figured you'd been with your Bakugan for a while."

"No," I breathed, nostalgia washing over me and keeping my mouth moving instead of shut. "I've brawled before with another Darkus Bakugan."

"Really?" he asked, eyebrow quirked. "I watch all the tournaments, but I've never seen you in one."

"She's from earth!" Azumi blurted out cheerfully.

Shut up, shut up! I yelled mentally, but she didn't hear me.

"And she rescued me when all the Bakugan were taken by the bad people."

"Did she?" Lync remarked, and I heard a hint of smugness in his tone. This is exactly what I meant about an undertone. I don't know if he did it on purpose, but it was almost as if he was baiting me by acting like he knew something I didn't.

"Yep," she announced proudly. She was giving all this information away about me to a virtual stranger, so was it any wonder I wished she were shy again? Her mood swings were beginning to wear on me.

Lync didn't mention more about it, though, instead taking a right turn and beckoning me after him. "This leads to the Vexos' headquarters in Alpha City. We hang out and relax around here. Well, me and Volt do. We've got a spare room around here for you, since you fulfilled your part of the bargain."

I followed him into a dull corridor, a set of double doors ahead of us. He typed in a code on the keypad to the right, a light glowing green above the door as the doors slid open. We crossed the threshold, entering what looked like a battleship's control room. There were flashing lights, red buttons, stiff-looking chairs and plenty of chromed surfaces. Someone sat brooding in one of the chairs, shooting Lync a dark look. He was a heavyset guy dressed in white with reddish hair. His face seemed to be contorted into a permanent scowl.

"Nickyla, this is Volt Luster, Haos battler for the Vexos."

I waved and he grunted his acknowledgment.

"Volt isn't much of a people person," Lync explained, leading me away and taking another right into a room with a more relaxed atmosphere.

The room was bright, illuminated by multiple windows. It looked relatively comfortable, all the basic accessories of a bedroom present without the lavishness I was used to. Azumi squealed with delight, disappearing from my shoulder and making a dash toward the bed. She giggled as she rolled around on it, obviously never having seen anything like it.

"Miss! You have to join me!" she shouted exuberantly.

I declined politely, wondering why Lync was still in the room. He stood by the doorway, watching our every move and it disconcerted me. His seafoam eyes glimmered rather innocently, but I wasn't about to be fooled.

"Lync," a muffled voice called through the door. "It's time. The others will be here soon."

"Looks like I have to get going," he said. "I'll see you in a bit." He gave me a smile and escorted himself out. The door took forever to close, a sigh of relief escaping me once I heard his footsteps fade.

"Miss, it's fluffy," Azumi laughed, settling herself on a pillow. Why couldn't I be that carefree? And more importantly, was I the only one who saw how potentially dangerous these Vexos were? I didn't know how many of them there were, but the few I had seen had done nothing to inspire trust in me.

I poked my head out of the room and found the control room completely deserted. A devious idea hatched in my mind. One could call it Zora-like, even.

It was time to go spying.

"Azumi," I called out casually. "I'm going to go for a walk. I'll be back soon, 'kay?"

"Okey dokey, Miss!"

I grinned widely before stepping out and putting my game face on. I was relieved that she hadn't argued with me, wanting to come along. She probably wasn't capable of it, anyway. For one, I wasn't comfortable with the idea of corrupting her with my increasingly shady actions. Second, she'd probably blow my cover with her unpredictability.

I quickly doubled back into the arena's main hallway, remembering the path we'd taken all too clearly. No guards were around, and I wandered around for a bit, not quite sure what it was I was looking for.

"No use trying locked doors," I told myself, finding an exit and heading to the second largest building in sight. It was a sterile white, the glass front doors unguarded. Shrugging, I headed inside, not noticing anything suspicious immediately. It seemed like a regular old office building. A secretary sat at the front desk, dutifully ignoring me, and every now and then people in white coats would hurry across the floor, elevator to elevator.

I was at a dead-end.

Sighing loudly, I turned back to the front doors, ready to leave, when spiked orange hair caught my eye.

It was Volt! He'd emerged from an elevator and was walking down a hallway I hadn't seen previously. It was in a corner, hidden by various decorative plants. He didn't see me, and I began following at a distance.

Everything had been going well until a pair of guards caught sight of me. They were posted at attention far from the entrance, where no one could see them and grow suspicious. You didn't have guards unless there was something you wanted to protect.

They nodded at Volt, letting him by without questioning, but since I wasn't directly behind him, they gathered in the middle of the hallway to block my way.

"Halt!" one shouted. "Identification."

Great. I managed a sheepish smile, and called out to Volt.

He didn't turn, and for a second I thought he was going to leave me behind. "Let her pass."

They looked at each other uncertainly, but allowed me to go after the Haos brawler.

"Next time think your plan through," he drawled after we'd passed a few doors.

I stiffened, choosing not to seem intimated, though I was. "Whatever."

He scoffed, and I bet he rolled his eyes, too. We were silent for a while. He allowed me to follow him, and I made sure not to get too close. To be honest, I feared what he could do if someone provoked him. His burly physique almost guaranteed him the win in a fistfight, so what could he do in a battle of wits and Bakugan? I'd rather not find out.

I'd finally gathered the courage to ask him where he was going–it'd occurred to me that this side trip might not have been a very good idea for getting that proof I wanted–when he stopped abruptly at a heavily reinforced door, again password-protected. Two other guards eyed me, and I averted my gaze to Volt's back.

"Sir?" they asked, referring to me.

He remained silent, and again I knew he was capable of leaving me behind. "She's with Lync."

The guards stepped aside and Volt let us through in a matter of seconds. I found myself face to face with a creature unlike any I'd ever seen before. Its movements were stiff, its cry shrill, its appearance menacing. I took a step back, eyes wide at the monster behind the glass. We were standing above it, I realized, gaping at the immense size of the beast. People on the inside of the glass dome around looked focused on their task, whatever that may have been.

"What..." I swallowed. "What is that?"

Volt shot me a sideways glance. "What you're seeing is the first ever mechanical Bakugan."

"A what?" I shouted, the noise inside the glass dome escalating.

He didn't bother repeating himself because I had heard him very well. I stared, stunned at the monstrosity that reared its green head beyond a flimsy window. Mechanical? How could someone create something like this when there were perfectly good real Bakugan existing? I could almost understand, if Bakugan no longer existed, but they did. Somewhere. Why didn't they go out and rescue the ones captured instead of trying to make new ones?

I looked to Volt, ready to voice my question when he spoke calmly. "Mechanical Bakugan will be stronger, ultimate, and will have none of the limitations that real Bakugan do. Professor Clay is sure of that. The more power, the better."

I shook my head, disgusted. "This is wrong," I whispered, ready to bolt. "How can you do this?"

He didn't answer, merely looking straight ahead.

I turned and ran, afraid of what would happen to me if I stayed. The guards didn't chase after me, and I didn't care; I still ran. Azumi was wrong. They weren't good. They were building these monsters to be stronger, but what about personality? What about all these other Bakugan, what would happen to them?

More than ever, I had to find Zora. She would know what to do. She could get me out of this mess. I needed her here with me.

The battle arena was in sight, and without hesitation I tore through the crowds assembled outside. I kept running, determined to get Azumi and get both of us as far away as possible from here.

I'd reached the inner hallway again, the one that led to the bleachers or to the Vexos control room. I didn't have time to stop and watch the battle, but I slowed to a stop outside the first doorway when I saw the duo on the right. One wore a cloak and the other a mask, their opponents two flamboyant girls.

I willed myself to continue, but again I hesitated leaving, stepping into the sunlight. The cloaked one...those eyes...why were they so familiar? I gazed a bit longer. It wasn't just the eyes, but the posture, the way the mystery brawler carried himself.

"Who are you?" I asked, half-poised to leave, torn between the choices.

As if on cue, the cloak came off.

Well, the next chapter will be where the real action starts, so stay tuned. Grace me with a review?

Cocoacharm15