SailorStar9: Anyway, Chapter 12 goes up, this is Chapter 13. To all my non-reviewing readers, I love you all! Will love you more if you review! *hugs all round!*

Disclaimers: I do not own both the animes. However, I do own the pairing, I hope.

Chapter 13: The Secret Switch

In the forest...

"Please tell me we're getting close." Dan complained.

"We're not far." Aranaut assured. "Hopefully Marucho and the others are keeping the Gundalians busy."

"Don't worry about Marucho." Drago stated. "He's got our backs."

"Even so, they won't be able to hold off their forces forever." Shun pointed out. "We need to keep moving."

"Alright then, this way." Farbia took the lead.

"Why are we stopping?" Dan wondered when the group paused in front of a river.

"Don't you see the giant lake in front of ya?" Hawktor reminded.

"Come on," Dan chided. "What's the big deal? Don't you remember, we can walk on water here."

"I'm not sure this is the same as the Sacred Spring." Shun reminded.

"Come on, as long as we're pure of heart, we'll be fine." Dan assured.

"Wait Dan." Farbia voiced as Dan took a breath and dashed across the water. "It's just a regular lake." as Dan hurried across the water surface to avoid being drowned.

"But how is he..." Farbia gaped in astonishment.

"Panic does that to people." Mercury shook her head.

"Saves the day!" Dan whooped, landing safely on the opposite shore.

"I think I'll try something else." Shun remarked and tossed his grappling hook around a branch of a tree and swung across the water.

"Well, that was a very impressive way of crossing the river." Hawktor remarked.

"Thanks." Dan replied.

"He was talking to Shun." Drago stated.

"Boys. I'll never understand them sometimes." Mercury joked. "Come on, Farbia. I had the liberty to cast a 'Float' spell on you too."

"Right." Farbia nodded and the two girls literally walked across the water.

"Not bad." Dan noted. "We all made it across, but I think I get extra points for style."

"You wish." Farbia kidded.

"Especially when that statement comes from one of the two who apparently," Mercury quipped jokingly. "Forgot the old 'Float' spell. I mean, come on, that has to be one of the most basic magics we had to learn back during the Silver Millennium. Man, what would Mars and Uranus say to you two right now?"

"Touche." Shun smirked.

"You don't have to rub it in." Dan whined.

In his warship...

"So, Jesse." Stoica stated. "Just like the rest of your incompetent teammates, you get one final chance to prove yourself."

"Worry not." Jesse assured. "In all great dramas, the hero must go through trials and tribulations in order to achieve his redemption."

"Why did I get stuck with him?" Stoica muttered.

In the forest...

"Guys, make sure you watch out for 'Blooming Buttercups'." Farbia warned.

"What's a 'Blooming Buttercup'?" Dan wondered, stepping on a vine on the ground.

"Well, Dan, they're..." Farbia started, before gasping when a flower appeared behind the Pyrus Brawler. "They're a species of giant carnivorous flowers that grow here." she added after the plant swallowed Dan.

"You mean like that one?" Shun asked.

"What a stupid name for a man-eating plant!" Dan complained.

"Wait, hold on, Dan." Farbia cautioned.

"At least they aren't Venus Flytraps." Mercury joked as Shun landed a side kick on an incoming flower.

"Absolutely no overgrown weed is going to have me for lunch!" Dan pulled himself free. "Eh, Shun?"

"Time to run for it." Shun voiced and the group fled.

"Hey, no backstabbing!" Mercury retorted, lashing at an incoming 'Blooming Buttercup' with her solidified water whip. "Thousand Flying Water Needles of Death!" she called, freezing her water whip into sharp needles and honing them in on the flower from all directions, giving the group the opening they needed to run.

"Do me a favor next time and warn me before I step on something that may eat me, okay?" Dan stated.

"What for?" Farbia remarked. "You handled that really well. "I'll even give you extra points for style."

"Don't encourage him anymore, Farbia." Mercury joked. "Don't want his head to get any bigger than it is."

"Hey!" Dan protested as the rest chuckled.

"Farbia says the generator is just over that ridge." Drago stated.

"Awesome." Dan got to his feet. "The sooner I get out of this stinking jungle, the happier I'll be! What's going on here?" he asked when a strong gust of wind blew in.

"Gundalians!" Shun recognized the warship.

"We found you." Stoica chuckled as he and Jesse manifested before the group.

"It's Stoica!" Farbia glared.

"And Jesse!" Dan added.

"Play it cool." Shun advised. "They don't know what we're after."

"Our comrades at the front-line suspected your forces might be a decoy." Stoica remarked. "Looks like they were right. So now, the real question is, what are you really doing out here?" he added as he and Jesse jumped down from the stand.

"Tell, us, what is your motivation?" Jesse voiced.

"This stinks, we're so close." Dan growled.

"Relax Dan, we still have one trick left." Farbia reminded.

"Time for the secondary decoy strategy." Mercury nodded.

"It's all on you there, pal." Dan told the Ventus Brawler.

"Fight on." Shun agreed as Farbia nodded when the two boys exchanged a hand grip. Grabbing Mercury's waist, the Ventus Brawler leapt onto a tree branch.

"We lost two cast members." Jesse noted as Shun took Mercury away.

"Yeah, yeah, who cares." Stoica shrugged. "We'll have our hands full enough with the other two. If the little cowards want to run, then they'll have their own teammates to deal with after we defeat them. Out with it Brawlers; tell us the real reason you're wandering around the Neathian jungle."

"We were just looking for some Gundalian cockroaches to stomp." Dan retorted.

"My, my, my." Stoica remarked. "Aren't you a cocky little boy?"

"Wait, hold on." Farbia stepped forward. "These guys are ours first, Dan."

"Yes, I have a score to settle with Neathia on behalf of the Castle Knights." Aranaut agreed.

"You're a real glutton for punishment, Aranaut." Plitheon noted. "When will you realize you've got no chance of beating me?"

"Now who's the cocky one?" Aranaut taunted.

"Well, this should be interesting." Stoica remarked. "Go and get him, Jesse."

"Gate Card, set!" Jesse started. "And now the curtain rises on our First Act. Bakugan roll, Bakugan stand! Rise Ventus Plitheon!"

"Get ready to feel some pain!" Plitheon declared.

"Here we go." Farbia stated. "Bakugan roll, Bakugan stand! Go Haos Aranaut!"

"The Castle Knight will be avenged!" Aranaut swore. "Victory will be ours, Princess."

"Ability activate!" Farbia and Jesse chorused.

"'Mirage Up'!" Farbia declared.

"'Ghost Storm'!" Jesse commanded.

"Come on, tough guy." Plitheon challenged.

"This is going to be fun." Aranaut stated and the two clashed in the air. "Hold on, where did you go?" he wondered when Plitheon vanished.

"Now you see me, now you don't." Plitheon appeared behind him.

"Wow, I'm having trouble keeping up with the action." Stoica noted as the two Bakugan continued their fight in the air.

"They don't look so fast to me." Lythirus shrugged.

"Ability activate." Farbia pulled out a Card. "'Mirage Fist'!"

"You'll pay for that." Plitheon swore.

"You sure?" Aranaut mocked. "Looks like you're finished to me."

"Don't be so sure!" Plitheon retorted.

"Alright, Gate Card, open!" Jesse commanded. "'Abstinent Judgment'!

"What is happening?" Aranaut knelt on one knee as his power was taken away.

"The Command Card 'Abstinent Judgment' leads all Bakugan who aren't Ventus to their demise." Jesse explained. "Surrender to the slumber."

"No, Aranaut!" Farbia gasped.

"Watch out, Dan." Stoica taunted. "Once Jesse is done with Farbia, I'll be taking your precious Drago as well."

"Ability activate!" Farbia countered. "'Valkyrie Fist'!"

"What?" Jesse demanded when Aranaut shattered his Gate Card.

"I've just destroyed your Gate Card." Farbia supplied. "Which means that Aranaut's Power Level has returned to normal."

"Come on, Jesse." Plitheon chided.

"Ability activate." Jesse relented. "'Great Twister'!"

"Let's take a spin!" Plitheon declared, a tornado encasing him.

"Let's go with the flow!" Aranaut leapt out of the twister. "Princess?"

"Ability activate." Farbia took the hint. 'Spiral Glowdown'!" and Aranaut defeated Plitheon with a hurricane kick.

"Score one for the Castle Knights." Aranaut boasted.

"Nice one, Farbia." Dan noted.

"So, Dan, are you ready to fight me yet?" Stoica taunted.

"Gate Card, set!" Farbia continued the battle. "Bakugan roll, Bakugan stand! Come on Aranaut, let's hit them hard again!"

"With pleasure." Aranaut agreed. "Let's do this!"

"Just finish this." Stoica chided. "Will you please?"

"I'm ready to fight." Plitheon told his partner.

"Enough talking, it's time to get back to business." Aranaut snapped.

"As the lights dim, it signals the beginning of..." Jesse started.

"I can't wait any longer." Stoica cut in. "Now it's my turn to battle. Bakugan roll, Bakugan, stand! rise Aquos Lythirus!"

"You're doomed!" Lythirus declared.

"Ability activate." Stoica stated. "'Burst Fole'!"

"Ability activate." Farbia countered. "'Mirage Fist'!"

"Lights out!" Aranaut dodged Lythirus' attack.

"I see you." Lythirus sang.

"Ability activate." Stoica announced. "'Eel Weakness'!"

"But how?" Aranaut wondered when his ability was nullified.

"They nullified our ability." Farbia realized.

"How observant." Stoica taunted.

"Okay, Ability activate." Farbia stated. 'Mirage Jet'!"

"Princess?" Aranaut echoed when the Card failed to activate. "We're running out of options here."

"Something for you soft ears." Stoica stated. "From what I've heard about Dan, it doesn't seem like him to take such a back seat while his teammates are outnumbered two to one. It's like you're trying to distract us.

"Keep him busy, Aranaut." Farbia said.

"You cannot escape." Lythirus scoffed.

"That's it, isn't it?" Stoica declared. "You're trying to trick me, aren't you?" Why won't you say something? He wondered when Dan remained silent.

Hurry Shun. Dan prayed. I think they onto us.

With Shun and Mercury...

The pair had reached a mountain and Shun let his kunais fly, attaching them onto the mountain side. Using the kunais as steps, he jumped up onto the mountain top as Mercury unfurled her wings and flew upwards.

"Looks like they've started." Mercury remarked, seeing the explosion cloud.

"We need to keep moving." Shun pointed out and the couple went on.

Back in the forest battle...

"Bakugan roll, Bakugan stand!" Jesse started the battle. "Finish them, Ventus Plitheon! Ability activate. 'Fly Destroyer'!"

"Gate Card, open!" Farbia countered. "'Solomon Saber'!"

"Ready, Battle Crusher." Aiko voiced as Farbia summoned her Battle Gear.

"Battle Gear boost!" Farbia tossed the cylinder in.

"What?" Plitheon echoed.

"You're not afraid of a little Battle Gear, are you?" Jesse taunted.

"Afraid?" Farbia echoed. "Command Card 'Solomon Saber' is a Card that's unique only to Castle Knights. It nullifies the opponent's ability and increases all of their Power Levels."

"The Castle Knights have their very own Command Card?" Jesse echoed.

"Yes, and on top of everything I've just mentioned, it also merges with Aranaut's Battle Gear, allowing a Level Two class to be activated." Farbia supplied.

"Ready?" Aranaut stated.

"Battle Gear Ability activate." Farbia called. "'Battle Crusher Demise'! Say goodbye!" and taking out both Plitheon and Lythirus simultaneously. "Had enough yet, scum?"

"Not very likely." Stoica growled. "Gate Card, set!"

"Bakugan, roll!" the two Gundalians and Farbia started the battle again. "Bakugan, stand!"

"So much for your big talk, Brawler allies, Farbia." Stoica taunted. "Two of them have run away and the other refuses to fight."

"Ability activate." Farbia ignored their taunting. "'Fist Ally'!"

"Ability activate." Jesse countered. "'Vapor Shield'!"

"This is one of my favorites." Plitheon used his twin tornadoes to deflect off Aranaut's attack.

"Alright, Gate Card open!" Stoica declared. "'Random Mincer'!"

"Not more paralysis!" Aranaut was forced on one knee.

"What's the matter, Dan?" Stoica mocked. "You look like you're going to cry."

"Aranaut!" Farbia gasped when Plitheon and Lythirus used the Haos Bakugan as a punching bag.

"Hey, Plitheon will keep pummeling him until you bring out Drago." Stoica threatened. "So, let's fight, or do you want to run like Shun?" Wait a minute. He paused. Did Shun take... "Where's Drago?" he demanded, realizing what had transpired.

"Long gone, buddy." Dan grinned. "Right, Bakugan roll, Bakugan stand! Go, Ventus Hawktor!"

"Surprise, surprise!" Hawktor stated. "Ventus Hawktor is in the house."

"What?" even Jesse was stunned. "Where's Drago?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Stoica retorted. "You imbecile. They switched Bakugan."

"Ability activate." Dan stated. "'Bolting Fang, Combat Slug Shot'!"

"Coming right up." Hawktor remarked, bombarding Plitheon and Lythirus with his energy wave. "Oh man, that felt great. I was just itching to get in there and smash the Gundalians around."

"Sorry pal, had to do it." Dan noted.

"Now that they know about our trick, should we connect some more dots for these guys?" Farbia inquired.

"Why not?" Dan shrugged. "It'll be fun to watch them squirm once they find out that their days are numbered. We switched Bakugan as a safety measure just in case you guys jumped us. We knew you'll come after me, thinking that I'll be fighting with Drago. But while I was keeping you distracted, Shun and Drago can continue on our true mission."

"You slippery eels conned us again!" Stoica growled.

"Yup, and we're about to restart the second shield, which will cut off your reinforcements." Dan added. "Ability activate. 'Ninja Defense, Spiral Twister'!"

"This will be a blast!" Hawktor stated, his tornado clashing into Plitheon and Lythirus.

"Jesse, give me something to counter with." Plitheon ordered.

"Ability activate." Jesse countered. "'Hyper Verde'!"

"Ability activate." Stoica added. "'Megalo Stani'!"

"Uh oh." Hawktor muttered as Lythirus' attack came at him.

"Hold on, buddy." Dan assured. "I'm just about to shut these clowns down for good. Ability activate. 'Sky Fang, Cyclone Soar'! Ability activate. 'Ninja Common Streamer'!"

"Nice call there." Hawktor admitted and headed head-first into the Gate Card, smashing it

"Oh yeah." Dan cheered. "Gate Card nullified."

"Wow, that packed a bigger punch than I expected." Hawktor huffed for breath. "Maybe we should dial it on Baku-Bay, huh?"

"You're getting soft on me?" Dan joked.

"Eh, no, I was just kidding." Hawktor sweatdropped.

"I have to win this to stop them from raising the shield." Stoica swore and summoned his Battle Gear. "Battle Gear boost!"

"You're mine!" Lythirus laughed.

"Battle Gear Ability activate." Stoica called. "'Razoid Charge'! Sting, doesn't it?"

"Ability activate." Jesse added. "'Life Eater'!"

"I've had it with these Twelve Order freaks." Dan growled. "Time for some major demolition."

"I'm right behind you, Dan." Farbia agreed. "Let's make them really hurt."

"We're going big, Hawktor." Dan told his temporal partner. "Ability activate. 'Bolting Fang, Combat Slug Shot'!"

"Stand up, Aranaut." Farbia encouraged. "Ability activate. 'Jumping Mirage'!"

"Feel like doing some damage, Aranaut?" Hawktor asked as he took to the skies.

"More than you can ever know." Aranaut agreed as Hawktor's attack slammed into Lythirus.

"This is going to hurt." Plitheon noted as Aranaut's energy blast came at him.

"Redemption has evaded me today." Jesse sighed as both his and Stoica's 'Life Force' dropped to 0.

"Oh yeah, that's right." Dan replied.

"Blast it!" Stoica cursed. "You got lucky today, Brawlers." and the two Gundalians vanished.

With Shun and Mercury...

The pair had reached the vicinity of the shield generator.

"Let's go." Shun stated. "We have to get the shield up."

"Lead the way, Shun." Drago voiced. "I'm ready when you are."

SailorStar9: Now that's done, read and review.