Chapter 14: Exchange of information

As soon as his feet hit tile he grimaced as a resounding tapping followed his every step and every so often he would forget to keep his tail off the ground. Runo just looked back at him, every time his tail dragged, with a gentle smile. He let her lead him to the kitchen, but stopped just before the doorway and she knew it because she could no longer hear the tapping of his feet. She went back and grabbed his hand.

"Come on." She coaxed in a hushed tone and dragged him into the dining area of the kitchen.

Everyone at the table looked up and smiled warmly except for Shun and Spectra they wore very faint smiles just so Dan knew they weren't hostile.

"Didja sleep well?" Marucho asked as he sat between him and Runo.

Dan looked at Marucho a little lost at first, but then smiled and relaxed, "Yeah, thanks dude!"

Dan found lunch to be relaxing and just like old times even if he had trouble sitting comfortably due to his wings and tail. They all laughed at each other's joke and some even shared old stories for Jake's entertainment. Even though not all the original Brawlers were gathered it still felt like old times.

After lunch Julie took Runo to work with her and all the boys stayed put to talk business. When it came to talking about Apokkolys, Dan grew a little uneasy especially after the dream he had. They all sat in the meeting room now in their respective chairs. Dan being leader of the Brawlers, sat in the head chair of the table while Shun and Marucho sat on either side of him. Jake sat next to Marucho while Spectra and Gus sat beside Shun since they never officially joined the Brawlers.

Shun spoke first, "So all this Apokkolys guy wants is both Dan and Drago dead?"

"Basically, I don't know what I did to piss him off, but he just wants us dead." Dan stated looking straight at Shun.

"Well Spectra and Gus were prisoners aboard his ship so certainly you guy ought to know what this guy might be planning." Marucho said glancing at the bleached blonde and blue haired Vestals.

Gus went first, "Apokkolys seems like a brilliant scientist and I think the story he fed you is all a lie, Kuso. I think he's just mental and has some other plans up his sleeve. The way he went after you and Drago doesn't seem very assassin mission."

"He's definitely planning something big." Spectra added interrupting Gus, "His plan is erratic, but if we were to piece it all together...the events I mean…it might spell out this guy's actual plans."

"I see." Shun murmured and Marucho gave a nod before he stood up and walked away to the holograph.

A line with branches appeared and it seemed there were things written next to the branches. Everyone went over to where Marucho stood.

"What is that?" Dan asked in awe.

"It's a timeline I made just a few hours ago. It's all the events that happened up until you got back to Earth." Marucho explained as a holographic keyboard appeared and he began to punch in command which made the timeline light up at certain branches, "Here, I had the computer highlight all the easily explainable events."

Dan was amazed at the technology and it's wonders, "Woah, that is too cool, man. So what did you guys figure out so far?"

Jake walked up to one of the highlighted branches and pointed to it as he spoke, "We believe this black prince dude totally threw his brawl with you so he could squash you from behind. Maruch' also said that may have been his first plan that failed."

Shun spoke next, "We also made notations on the highlighted ones. Sadly it seems we are still stuck in the analysis part of this whole ordeal."

Gus smiled smugly a little as he took a step forward from Spectra and looked to Shun and Marucho, "Perhaps the intelligence of a Vestal would be more helpful."

Marucho nodded to him and they along with Spectra set to work on analyzing and debating. This took hours. Dan eventually wandered off with Jake while Shun stayed in the room to offer his help.

"So what all has been happening since I've been gone?" Dan asked Jake as he folded his arms behind his head to cradle it as they wandered the halls of the new headquarters.

Dan had barely seen the place because it was only partially built on the day of his disappearance. It was the living quarters that had been built first that Dan knew well enough to know he would get lost.

Jake stretched a shoulder as he replied, "Lots of stuff, Dan the man, like after you were gone long enough your mom called Marucho and then we all figured out you disappeared. What made it all worse was when Marucho tried to find you using the GPS in the Baku meter, except we only received static."

"Really? Well my Baku meter is kind of busted." Dan informed Jake by showing the wrist that normally adorned the missing item.

Jake went on after taking notice, "Runo freaked when she heard it. Man can that chick get annoying. How can you stand to be her boyfriend?"

Dan blushed and in embarrassment he began to stutter, "W-w-w-what? I am not her boyfriend….w-w-we're just friends.."

Jake looked at Dan's reddening face and laughed, "Whatever you say Dan the man."

Dan would never admit to being Runo's boyfriend until he accept his feelings and right now he wasn't.

Deciding to break the silence Dan spoke, "So what about you and Julie? Hmm?"

Now it was Jake's turn to blush as he too began to deny the facts, "Julie? Naw, she's pretty, but not my type."

"Dude, just ask her already." Dan teased.

Regretting the topic Jake quickly switched it, "So, what all can you do being….Humanoid Dragonoid?"

"What now?" Dan asked puzzled by the new phrase, "Humanoid Dragonoid?"

"Yeah at least that's what little Maruch' decided to call then new evolution." Jake explained.

"Oh." Dan murmured, "Well not much. I can run a lot faster, but I have yet to figure out on how to fly."

"Really? Let's go outside and try to get ya airborne then." Jake said grabbing Dan's arm and took off dragging Dan along against his will.