Author's note is at the END of chapter since I don't want to keep you all waiting.
Bakugan Baby Brawlers.
Chapter 11: Forever United as One.
"Runo...come on honey...he'll be back..." Fabia ran a hand through her indigo hair as Runo kept sitting there, gazing at her feet.
Sighing, the Neathian princess turned towards Julie who was slowly patting a sleeping Marucho. The teen couldn't miss the forlorn look of sadness on the faces of all three kids.
"Hey...cheer up you guys...I'm sure Shun and the others will be back soon...they're just...too caught up..." The teen knelt to meet Julie's eyes, "Okay?"
The tan girl nodded and turned towards the small blond again.
Fabia frowned. She was trying so hard to keep them all together, yet it seemed that their smiles were linked to Dan and Shun. Alice wasn't there to help her and Keith had left too.
"How about we watch a movie or something? Sounds good?" She once again attempted to lift their spirits.
Runo got up without a word to follow her as the princess took Julie's hand. Entering the living room, the teen ushered the two girls towards the couch, "So...any special requests?"
Runo just shrugged but Julie tried to participate, "Peter Pan?"
"Hm..." Fabia mused over the girl's choice, "Runo? You want to pick?"
The blue haired girl shook her head. It appeared as though all her liveliness had vanished when a certain brunette left.
"Okay then...Peter Pan it is." Fabia began to load the movie.
Soon the three girls were watching the animated movie with two bowls of caramel popcorn.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0oo0o0o0oo0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Shun gripped the small girl tighter as he tried to shield her from the rain. The hail had stopped but the rain was still soaking them. Shivering occasionally since his jacket was wrapped around the orange haired girl, he tried to look around and find some form of help. Never before in his life had he felt so helpless and lost.
Alice's eyes were closed, her hand loosely clutching Shun's shirt. Her peaceful face had a slight frown etched on it as she was shifted to a more comfortable position.
Shun tried to take a step forward. However, the muddy ground slid from under his feet as the rain made it slippery. Yelping in surprise, the teen winced as he felt a sharp pain lace through his ankle.
"A sprained ankle...just what I needed when...-"
However, he didn't get a chance to complete his phrase as he caught sight of something. Something far off, present in the air. Topaz eyes widened as Shun recognized it as the brawlers' private plane. Ignoring the pain in his ankle, he quickly got up and looked around for something to let the pilot know his origin.
Balancing Alice in one arm, the teen reached in his pocket and pulled out a few shurikens as he began to throw them at the plane's windshield one by one, not too hard that it would shatter the waterproof glass, but hard enough to produce sound.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0oo0o0o0oo0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
"Tap!"
Keith leaned forward, trying to look through the rain. It was hard enough to look for his missing team mates the way it was. The storm wasn't helping the matters either.
However, he was snapped out of his concentration as something small hit the glass screen once, twice...four times...five times...
"Is this the hail again...but...no..." Squinting his eyes, the teen tried to look closely at the protruding foreign objects, instantly recognizing them as blades of shuriken as lightening cackled, followed by thundering of clouds.
"What the..." Keith frantically pointed the plane's search light in the direction of invading shurikens. His eyes widened drastically.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0oo0o0o0oo0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Shun fell to his knees as the jet showed no signs of recognizing him. The teen willed himself to throw more of the blades at the windshield but his body deceived him as his mind realized how exhausted he was after all the rush of adrenaline wore off.
"No...have to...darkness...Alice...cold...plane...help..."
Topaz eyes closed as their owner collapsed in an unmoving form on the unforgiving ground, not being able to take any more of the exertion. The girl present in his arms showed no reaction as she hit the ground as well. Her hand slipped off the now unconscious teen's shirt whose arms were surrounding her loosely but protectively.
However, they missed the light that now shone over their faces as the jet began to descend rapidly.
And...they also missed a shadow standing behind the raven haired teen, holding a glinting knife, a menacing smirk tugging at his lips as he slowly brought the blade closer to the teen's throat, inch...by...inch.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0oo0o0o0oo0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Dan blinked open his bleary eyes as he felt himself jerking in his seat. Looking up front, he saw Keith working furiously on the control system. Confused, the boy shifted his gaze towards the window beside him but caught sight of nothing but dark clouds and water droplets that landed on the glass. He could feel their transport descending gradually.
"Keet?"
The said teen didn't turn to regard the boy, "Yeah?"
"What happen? Why we...going down?" Dan yawned as he rubbed his eyes.
"We've found Shun."
Dan perked up, "Really?! Where?!"
"Down below us." Keith concentrated on his work.
"Really?!" Dan struggled to look through the dark abyss spread outside.
"Yes. Really." Keith exhaled as he succeeded in landing at a plain area not far from where his friend was present.
"Let's go, Keet! Let's go! Let's go! Let's go!" By now, Dan was bouncing in his seat.
"Now Dan...listen..." Keith silenced the boy, "I'll go get them. You stay here and...keep an eye on the outside."
"No!" Dan was horrified, "Me no put my eye outside! I want my eye!"
Keith face-palmed, "Just...just stay here. Don't leave your place."
The small boy huffed as he pouted at the teen, fumbling with his seatbelt, "Go get my Shun!"
"Okay..." Keith rolled his eyes as he stepped outside the compartment.
The blond teen squinted his eyes as he caught sight of something he hadn't noticed before. He could see Shun not too far away but he could see something else too...however, he couldn't make it out clearly what it was. The boy decided to check it out and quickened his steps.
Sapphire eyes widened as Keith approached the two figures, one lying lifelessly at the other's feet...the other towering over him with a dagger as he grinned darkly.
"Leave him alone!" Keith halted a few yards back from his friends as he glared at the shadowed man.
"But where's the fun in that?" Wiseman's smirk extended.
"If you inflict a single scratch on one of them, I'll...-"
"Do what?" The point of blade lingered at the pale skin of the ventus brawler's throat, barely touching it, "Cry?"
Keith bit his lip as his mind ran out of options. 'Throw out my bakugan...too risky. Try to negotiate with Wiseman...even more risky...' Closing his eyes for a brief moment, the teen took a deep breath, "What do you want?"
"Everything." Wiseman twirled the knife idly as it rested on Shun's neck.
"Let them go, Wiseman. Haven't you had enough? No one's getting in your way now." Keith tried to stall some time as he desperately thought of ways to get out of the tricky situation.
"Oh but that's the point..." The pressure on the glinting blade increased a bit, digging it deeper in the skin. A few crimson drops glistened from under it, "They will get in my way...he will get in my way...just like he did last time..." Wiseman kicked Shun lightly, an ironic expression crossing his face.
Keith clenched his fists, "Why are you doing this?"
The man raised a brow, "Why? To have the whole world at my mercy, of course. Why else?"
"And just what do you hope to achieve?!" The teen's patience was wearing thin as crimson drops turned into a small rivulet.
"Everything." Wiseman repeated, deadly calm, "You see...my recent plan was supposed to be flawless. This time...I was bound to succeed...but when your friend here..." He shifted the blade just a small fraction of an inch, "Intervened...he messed it all up. Which is why...I am here...to rectify my mistakes from the past."
"How?" Keith narrowed his sapphire eyes.
"Simple. I fixed up my machine. Upgraded it. And now...all I need is..." Wiseman had a crazed smirk, "The baby brawlers...so that I can send them back where they belong."
The blond teen suddenly understood, "So you're just gonna use that machine to send them back to their time and it'll solve everything?"
"Ninety nine percent."
"But...-"
"NOOO! YOU KILL SHUN!"
Momentarily distracted, Wiseman and Keith, both turned abruptly at the scream as Dan charged towards them , tackling Wiseman full force and landing beside the said raven haired teen.
Keith saw his chance and without thinking, pounced at Wiseman from the other side, trying to knock the knife out of his grip.
"What the hell!" The man growled as he fought for the blade.
Delivering a solid kick to his abdomen, Keith punched his face, hearing a satisfying crack of a broken nose. Blood began to pour freely as Wiseman staggered back only to trip over Dan who was shaking Shun.
Keith didn't spare the man any opening and grabbing hold of his collar, he repeatedly slammed his head in the ground, eventually making the now knocked out man slump down without a response.
Satisfied, the teen turned towards his friends, only to see a sobbing Dan, "Dan? What's wrong?"
"Him...he be dead..." The small brunette hiccuped, hugging Shun's arm tightly.
Keith frowned as he knelt down and felt for a pulse, taking the teen's wrist. He found one, weak but steady, "He's not dead yet. Come on, let's get them out of here."
"They...be living?"
"Yes...they're alive." Keith glanced at the unmoving heap of Wiseman, wondering what to do about him. However, Shun and Alice were his priority so the teen decided to ignore the man. Gently pulling the small girl out of the unconscious teen's arms, Keith picked her up, "Dan...stay with him. I'll be right back."
The young brunette gave a vigorous nod.
Making quick work of placing the orange haired girl in one of the seats and covering her with a thin blanket, he went back to get Shun.
Dan sat beside Shun, a sad expression present on his face as he kept chanting to himself, "Him no dead...him live...him live...him no dead..."
Keith came over to the small boy and gave him a warm smile, "Let's go home, Dan."
"Home..." Dan tilted his head and stood up, "We go home."
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0oo0o0o0oo0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Dan was fidgeting. Behind him, his two closest friends were lying unconscious. Keith had told him they were going to be alright but he still couldn't help but wonder about the situation...the mess they'd gotten themselves into. His mind wandered off, recalling his dream...where he had seen flashes of his lost memories.
"Dan...? Hey, Dan? Daniel...?" Keith glanced back when he received no response. Seeing the young boy lost deep in thoughts, he sighed. Ever since they'd rescued a certain raven haired teen and an orange haired girl, the brunette had been silent and somewhat...confused.
Deciding to leave the boy to his meditation, the teen focused on the task at hand, flying through the rain.
A short span of time passed in silence. The brawler's place was coming in view now.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0oo0o0o0oo0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
"Where...am I? What happ-ow! Why does my everything hurt?! Got to wake up...open your eyes, dammit! Ow ow ow! I swear if it's another practical joke...wait...I remember...a few things. There was...Alice...and Wiseman...the cell...we escaped...the storm...cold...but...I'm feeling pretty warm enough...so does this mean I'm still alive? Why can't I remember anything else?!"
The incoherent thoughts began fusing into conscious ones as Shun regained feeling in his body and willed himself to open his eyes and move. The teen managed to blink open his topaz eyes and glanced around, registering his blurry surroundings.
To his right was a mob of orange...which he hoped was the hair of a certain young girl. Shifting his gaze to his left, he saw a brunette peeking at him from above his seat. The boy squealed and slipped out of his seat belt, jumping off his seat and running towards the teen.
"Keet! Keet! Keeeeet! Shun! Shun! Shuuuuun!"
Before Shun could get a chance to stop the hyper brunette, he was practically being choked as small arms hugged him around the neck way too tight.
"Dan! Let him breathe!" Keith had finally managed to land the machine as he decided to check out what the commotion was about in the back.
"Shun! I worry! And I miss you, Shun! I really, really, really missing you! Where you be?! Why you late?! I look for you and found no Shun! And I ask Keet and we fly and we find you sleep so we take you and...mmphh!"
Keith heaved a sigh of relief while effectively placing his hand on Dan's mouth, stopping his endless rant, "Now Dan...good brawlers don't bother Shun when he wakes up after an unplanned nap. They go sit in their seat, put their seat belt on and wait for Shun while he regains his breath after they've tried to choke him to the point of nearly fainting again!"
Shun glared at the blond teen as he took a few deep breaths, "I'm...fine."
"Sure..." Keith rolled his eyes as he bent over to check on Alice. The young girl was still asleep, "Be grateful that I found you when I did. Both of you were turning into popsicles!"
"Bakugan Battle Popsicles!" Dan giggled from his seat, "You funny, Keet!"
"Thanks Dan." The teen gave the boy a dry look before turning towards the Ventus brawler once more, "What were you thinking?! Why couldn't you stay in a shelter instead?!"
"I did..." Shun sat up slowly as he ran a hand through his raven bangs, "Something happened...I...I think Wiseman had attacked us. He must've been following me. He was demolishing the cave. We had to escape."
"How come you're still alive? The storm was pretty strong." Keith gazed at the teen, "I thought you wouldn't make it past a few hours or so."
Shun gave the blond a sarcastic look, "Thanks for trusting me."
"Not challenging your inhuman will-power. But not even a ninja like you could maintain his stamina for too long in that weather." Keith defended himself.
Shun shrugged, "Whatever."
"Yeah..." Keith mimicked the ventus brawler's action, "Whatever. We've reached our place anyway."
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0oo0o0o0oo0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
The moment Shun stepped in the building, he was suddenly tackled by two young girls and a Neathian princess. A small blond was stumbling after her, holding her finger for support.
"Shun! You back!"
"Yes Runo...I'm back."
"And...Dan back too?"
"Yep."
"You really back?"
Shun sighed, "Yes Julie...I really am back."
"Foam wheve?"
"Huh?"
"He means 'from where'..."
"Well Marucho...you wouldn't understand."
Shun blinked as Fabia hugged him tightly once the young brawlers let him go. A faint tint of red appeared on his cheeks. Fabia, who was a bit over-whelmed at the reunion, glanced up at him with tearful eyes as he hugged her back.
"I thought you'd never return." The princess whispered quietly.
"I promised, didn't I?" And the raven haired teen smiled...a true smile.
"Guys, I'm gonna take Alice to her room. She'll wake up soon. I'll be back." Keith stepped aside.
"No! Him my!"
"No, mine!"
Dan and Runo...who had begun their reunion with a hug...were now wrestling, arguing about something...or more precisely, someone. Pushing and pulling, they suddenly collided with Shun's back.
The startled teen's lips met an equally startled girl's cheek as his head hit hers. Eyes widening, the two broke apart as Keith bent over, laughing hard when he saw them blushing furiously.
"It was an accident!" Fabia whacked the blond teen's shoulder, "Stop laughing!"
Dan and Runo were confused. And so were the other young brawlers. Shun and Fabia were embarrassed. Keith found it hilarious.
And just like that...they were back together once again.
…
There...you have it. I tried to gather most genres in one chap. Hope you are satisfied. I apologize for the delay...but my life suddenly took a tragic turn so...yep. But it's done now. That change...I mean. I haven't given up on this story...not now, not ever. I promise on my life, I'll strive hard to complete it soon.
We've hit the mark where the number of reviews has started occupying three characters!
Shun: She means we've gotten past hundred reviews.
Thanks to all my readers and reviewers for staying with me through this. I could never have done it without your motivation. Thank you!
Replies to GUEST reviewers:-
To 'Guest': Well...here you go! R&R!
To 'Jaybird2000': Thanks! Sorry for the delay. Well...cliffies are becoming a part of my writing now...sorry! Read and enjoy!
To 'Teehee': It's okay. I understand. Oh...I see. But my writing has improved a lot over the time. This one is a proof of that. Awww well...you're making your writer blush! Thanks, it really means a lot! Enjoy!
To 'Terrah111': He does? Never noticed. But I think the guy who called me 'mate' might have watched it.
To 'Hi': Thank you...sorry for being late...hope you like this chapter!
To 'Starinthedark13': First of all...accept heartiest gratitude on reviewing non-stop till this story reached a hundred reviews...! Cookies, candies, chocolates, trifles, sodas for you! coming towards your reviews... No, I'm neither mad, nor British! In fact, to be very frank, English is my second language. To post a fanfic, you need to have an account here. Sign up here, choose a pen-name, and voila! Um...Wiseman doesn't really has any proper security. He's mad! :P And thanks for the motivational complements! Believe it, you've encouraged me a lot! LOL yes, Dan can have his mature moments too...though he just ends up being more funny! I did try to focus on other characters too in this chapter...hope you're satisfied. You aren't annoying at all. Your reviews made me smile. And very heart-warming birthday wishes for your brother! ^^ Thank you for the tips and advice. I normally have a very vague idea about the actual theme of a story. Mostly just a phrase or something. And then the plot is refined gradually. Like...for this story...I randomly got this brain wave, 'Baby Brawlers'...then a picture of Shun holding a toddler brawler came in mind and off I went, typing furiously on my netbook! Once again, accept gratitude from the bottom of my heart. You're one of the top two factors that made me update sooner than I expected myself to! (Factor numero dos being my own conscience! :D ) Well of course I do! What else would I consider you?! You're one of my BFFs now -hugs you super tight- I'll make the first move in hugging, if that's the case! XP Your suggestion has been taken into account. And I haven't really planned ahead that much...but I don't think it'll exceed fifteen. Heck maybe I end it within next two chapters! Who knows...depends on my inspirations. XD Fly on and don't look back! (Sorry...it's my personal line...I kinda fit it in random places at random times!)
Read and Review, peeps!
Hope out,
Until next time!
