Chapter 11: Fearing the return
Drago watched the portal behind them making sure it closed before anyone could follow after. Once it closed he set back and let Dan take control making the green emerald disappear and the dark reddish brown slits reappear. Dan was happy to be finally returning home, but how would his friends and family react when they saw what he had become. What would his mother say or do? Would she recognize him? Would his fellow brawlers be freaked out?
Spectra saw the worried look on the humanoid dragon's face and decided to ask, "So where's Dan?"
The journey through the portal would take several minutes especially if one end was to close, but this would lend enough time for some quick explanations.
Dan looked up to Spectra meeting his icy blue eyes, "Drago and I sort of merged."
"How?" Gus piped in looking back at the both of them.
"My Baku meter got busted up so I couldn't give Drago any ability cards until this one dude showed up and handed me a strange card called True Bonds." Dan explained.
Gus raised an eyebrow clearly puzzled, "I have never heard of any ability card such as that."
Spectra ignored Gus's comment and inquired, "So that's how you became…..that?"
"Yeah." Dan replied sheepishly as he rubbed his neck and then noticed that the end of the portal was coming up, "Hey, it's Earth."
"Finally," Gus said looking forward and then back to Spectra, "now we can get that nasty wound fixed up."
Spectra rolled his eyes and then returned to the gravity of Earth and stepped out of the portal to find themselves in the early morning of Bay View city. Dan recognized that where they were was his high school's football field. A few seconds after they arrived the portal closed and it was almost as if it never was there. Dan guessed that it had to be four in the morning since the sky was not exactly lighting up with sun's rays, but it was getting close.
"Let's get to the Battle Brawler's headquarters before the sun rises." Spectra said walking off in the direction the Brawlers' home base, "You coming Dan? Don't want to be caught in the sunlight because I know other humans will freak if they see."
Dan wanted to reply with an insult, but kept his mouth shut knowing Spectra was right and trudged solemnly after him. His head hung low and his tail twitched from side to side as he walked also he kept his wings tucked close to his body. Marucho would most definitely be at the headquarters now probably working on some strategy and Dan knew he wouldn't get too bad of a reaction from Marucho nor Kato for that matter. They arrived and Spectra was the one who rang the doorbell.
Sure enough it was Kato who answered and sleepily rubbed his eyes as he looked to see who was on the door step.
"Master Spectra and Gus, what are you doing here on Earth? Oh who's that with you?" Kato said sleepily and Dan looked up and noticed Kato had forgotten to put on his glasses.
"Is Marucho here yet?" Dan asked as Kato let out a yawn.
"Ah, Master Dan, I hardly recognize you without my glasses. Do come in and yes Marucho's been here for about twenty minutes. Shall I go fetch him?" Kato stated allowing them into the lobby of the building.
Dan gave a sheepish smile as he trailed in and his feet made a tapping noise on the tile due to extended toenails, "Yeah could you help Spectra first, he's kind of hurt."
"Of course please follow me Master Spectra." Kato said with a slight gesture and disappeared down another hallway with Spectra leaving Dan and Gus alone.
Gus gazed at Kato until he was gone and then looked back to Dan with a puzzled look on his face, "Either he was surprised by your new look or it's because he knows the place so well that he practically doesn't need glasses to see where he is going."
Dan laughed hard at Gus and only stopped when he heard a familiar voice call his name.
"Dan? Is that you?" Marucho's voice called from around a corner and Dan became quiet.
"Yeah it's us, Marucho." Gus said beckoning the short blonde boy to them, "Just prepare to be shocked."
"Why? Dan's been missing for only a week now." Marucho said coming around the corner while cleaning his glasses using his shirt and then put them back on and nearly screamed when he saw what was standing next to Gus, "What the-"
"I told you." Gus said in a sing-song manner glancing at Dan and then to Marucho.
"Dan?" Marucho asked warily looking the creature up and down for he was starting to recognize several of the features, "What happened?"
"It's a long explanation, dude." Dan told him looking downcast.
Marucho gave a small smile and walked up to Dan and gave his arm a pat since he still couldn't reach his shoulder to give it a proper reassuring pat.
"That's okay. I'll call everyone together so you only have to give it once." Marucho told giving his arm a tug to pull him away from the hallway and take him to the room the Brawlers always hung out in, Gus followed, "Just rest in here for now and I'll get Kato to bring you some food. You must be famished."
Gus gave Marucho a slight smile to assure his mental state was well before he disappeared from the room.
"Hey Marucho!" Dan quickly called after him making the little blonde head poke through the door way, "Uh, leave my parents and Runo out of the loop will ya?"
Marucho nodded understanding his resilience and disappeared once more.
Gus was now more inquisitive, "Why won't you have him notify your parents? If you've been missing for a week I'm sure they would have called the police and are searching desperately for you."
"I know, dude. I just want to get back to normal before officially going home." Dan stated gesturing at himself before he sat down on the long and large comfy sofa. He wanted to lean back and fall asleep in it, but his wings kept him sitting forward a bit and his tail had to curl off to one side. It was a discomfort he would have to endure for a bit.
"You don't mind if I lay down here do you?" Dan asked Gus tiredly.
"Why should I? I'm not the owner of this place." Gus stated with a chuckle.
Dan gave a small smile and then stood up to lay himself carefully on the couch because even though the couch was fairly expensive, but durable he still didn't want to risk have his sharp feature take a tear at it.
"Ahhh…that's better." Dan purred as he grabbed a cushion and used it as a pillow for his head.
He started snoring shortly after making Gus stifle a laugh and then he left to go find Spectra.
