Alright everyone...time for the ninja himself to come into play...I won't keep you...just read.
"So, any of you ready for battle or are you gonna be chicken?" Currently at the parking lot of Royals Woods one and only Burpin Burger Runo, Dan, Marucho, and Lincoln were currently being blocked off from leaving the parking area of the fast food place by a 16-year-old with green hair that had a purple streak in it. And on his wrist was a Ventus Masquerade launcher.
Runo, Lincoln, and Marucho glared at the green haired boy as Dan simply sighed and put his hands to his hips. "Another lacky of Masquerade huh?" Dan sighed in an unimpressed tone.
"Yeah this is starting to get old." Runo said in an annoyed tone.
"And after last time, I'm really getting sick and tired of this guys games." Lincoln commented as he was still pissed beyond belief over who Masquerade acquired as his last lacky.
"Ah well, shouldn't take long to teach this guy who's the boss." Runo said with a smirk as she strapped on her own launcher.
"No way!" Dan said as a smile came to his face as he stood in front of Runo with his own launcher equipped. "I call dibs on this creep!"
"Hey!" Runo yelled in irritation. "No fair!"
"Dan wait!" Marucho insisted with a concerned expression.
As Lincoln reached out for Dan, it proved to be to late as Dan and the green haired boy both raised up their field cards. "Field Open!" With Dan's card glowing red and the 16-year-olds glowing green, time began to slow down and eventually come to stop as the Bakugan field opened around them and-
"No fair you're butting in Dan!" Runo yelled as the field disappeared and time began to start again.
"Wait a minute…" Lincoln slowly said as he started to realize what was going on as the green haired kid hopped onto a motorcycle parked behind him.
"You got lucky!" The 16-year-old yelled as he started to drive away on the motor bike. "Things will be different next time!"
"Well so much for that." Leonidas commented as they watched the Ventus brawler drive away.
"So, I'm guessing you beat him?" Runo asked with a small sweat drop.
"Way to go Dan!" Marucho complimented his brown-haired friend with a smile. "I had total confidence you could do it!"
However, Lincoln frowned a little as he saw Dan's unmoving and seemingly stuck form. "Hey Dan, are you ok?" Lincoln asked in a slightly concerned tone.
Just then Dan finally turned his head to look at his friends and gave them a bit of a strained smile. "Ah it was nothing." Dan said through his teeth followed by what sounded like a grunt. "I had him on the ropes." But right as Dan finished talking, he suddenly lost consciousness and collapsed on the ground of the parking lot.
"Dan!" Runo cried out in concern as she and the others ran over to check on him.
"Are you ok?" Marucho asked in a worried tone as he tried to shake Dan awake.
"I'll call Lori to come take you home! Just hang in there!" Lincoln told his unconscious friend as he took out his phone and quickly dialed up his eldest sister.
"Man that was way up their on the freaky scale." Dan said as he was currently laying down at his bed with Lincoln, Lori, Runo, and Marucho standing by his bed. It was only a little bit ago when Dan had woken up and the sun was already starting to set in the sky. "I remember I beat the dude but after that it's a total bank."
"Geez, must have literally been one intense brawl." Lori said with sympathy in her voice as she leaned against the wall next to Dan's bed. "Its rare to see you get overwhelmed by this."
"You should have seen him leave Dan. It was hilarious." Marucho explained while chuckling. "The way that wanna be Brawler ran away with his tail between his legs."
"Well it is kinda your own fault for Mr. Buttinski." Runo told Dan with an 'I told you so' look on her face.
"Back of Runo." Lincoln told the bluette with a light glare "He really doesn't need this now."
"I knew this would turn into a snooze fest!" Dan yelled as he shot up from bed and glaring at Runo. "I was just lucky when Drago took that chump out when he did!"
"Well according to my data you'll face much tougher opponents in the future." Marucho started explaining as everyone in the room turned to the blond kid. "So I suggest our strategy focus's on this idea on any future battles."
"In English." Runo said, not understanding what Marucho was getting at.
"What I mean is that a Bakugan is at its peak when all six of its Attributes are in perfect alignment." Marucho summarized before explaining what he truly meant. "Dan's Bakugan is Drago and it's a Pyrus, a fire Attribute. Runo's Tigrerra is Haos, a light Attribute, My Preyas is an Aquos, the water Attribute. And Lincoln's Leonidas is a Darkus Bakugan, representing the Attribute of Darkness."
"Um, hello." Lori spoke up with a bit of annoyed tone as they kinda left her outta this.
However, Dan, Marucho, and Runo seemingly continued to ignore Lori with Lincoln raising a brow at why his friends weren't including Lori and Chrysopeon as the wind Attribute of Ventus.
"Add in Julie and her earth Attribute Subterra." Dan commented as everyone in the room remembered how Julie had recently acquired a talking Bakugan partner of her own. Subterra Gorem, a powerful and giant, even by Bakugan standards.
"That means we're one short. Ventus, the wind Attribute." Runo commented with Dan and Marucho nodded.
This really ticked Lori off as she glared at the younger Brawlers in front of her with Lincoln also getting annoyed at them pretty much forgetting about his oldest sister. But right as Lori was about to raise her voice, Marucho quickly spoke up. "Hey! Guess who has Ventus!"
Dan's eyes snapped wide open as Lincoln felt his heart skip a few beats. "Shun!" The Pyrus user yelled out as he remembered his old friend who used to be the number one ranked Bakugan Brawler in the world.
"Yeah you're right!" Runo said with a big smile on her face. "I mean with how strong Masquerade is, adding Shun to the team will really-
"NO!" Everyone was caught off guard and jumped a bit at the loud no that was given. Surprising everyone even more was that it was Lincoln who gave it with his head turned away from everyone, his face glaring at the ground and his first tightened. "We are not getting Shun!"
"You can't be serious!" Runo said as she glared at the back of Lincoln's head. "I figured you'd jump at the idea of getting him back! You seriously can't still be upset about what happened!" However, Runo quickly shut up as Lincoln's glare met her way causing her to flinch and clamp her mouth shut.
"I understand what happened between you two Lincoln, but you need to push aside all that." Marucho pleaded to Lincoln, trying to get him on board with getting Shun for the team. "Masquerades just to strong, we need Shun's help."
"Well I'm on Lincoln with this one." Dan said with his arms crossed with an adamant look on his face. "That jerk has had nothing to say to us recently and we got nothing to say to him!"
"Exactly." Lincoln agreed with Dan as he turned away from everyone. "And in case you all have forgotten we have a Ventus Brawler. Lori is just as good if not better then Shun."
"Yeah! What was that all about?" Lori yelled towards everyone, not agreeing with Lincoln but wondering why they were kinda forgetting about her. "I'm a Ventus Brawler to ya know!"
"Well, yeah…" Runo slowly began nervously. "You're good Lori…but you're no Shun."
"And what's that supposed to mean?" Lori asked while glaring at Runo who was slowly getting more nervous.
"It just means we need all the help we can get!" Marucho quickly stepped in, trying to defuse the situation. "Lori, you're a great battler! But so is Shun, it would just make our team stronger to have him with us! Please Dan, Lincoln, reconsid-"
"I said no ok!" Lincoln raised his voice even louder then last time getting everyone to flinch. Lincoln then started walking towards the door of the room. "We don't need Shun, and that's FINAL!" Lincoln took a few deep breaths after his outburst before opening the door to Dan's room. "I'll be in the van…" And with that Lincoln left the Pyrus users' room.
Everyone was silent for a moment before Lori slowly started walking out herself. "Look guys…" Lori told everyone in a soft tone. "Shun is…a sensitive topic for Lincoln ever since that happened…so just…ease up a little ok." After saying that, Lori made her leave of Dan's room as well.
After giving Dan's mom a quick goodbye and telling her that Dan was alright, Lori exited the house and made her way to vanzilla where Lincoln was already waiting for her in the passenger seat. Lori could see a little bit of Lincoln's expression in the glass of the window showed he was still quite upset. "You ok?" Lori asked as she got into the Loud family van and started it up.
"…" Lincoln was silent.
Lori let out a sigh as she started driving away from Dan's house and towards her and Lincolns home. "Look…I get it ok." Lori told her little brother as she tried to help improve her brother's mood. "I understand that…you're probably still a little hurt by what happened. Shun was like your bro-"
"I don't care." Lincoln grumbled as he continued to look out the window. "He made it clear he rather have nothing to do with me, so its better that I have nothing to do with him either. If that jerk wants to be on his own let him."
Lori sighed again as Leonidas hopped onto the front part of the van, specifically on top of the radio, and looked up at Lori. "Leave the kid alone Lori." Leonidas told the eldest Loud child. "He says we don't need this Shun guy then we don't need em. I say we're strong enough as it is."
"You're literally no helping right now." Lori told the Darkus Bakugan, giving him a blank look. But since Lori could think of nothing else to say, Lori simply focused on driving home.
In a matter of around 8 minutes, vanzilla pulled up into the Loud house. Lincoln wasted no time in quickly grabbing his partner and quickly running back into the house and presumably going up and locking himself into his room. Lori looked at where her brother ran and simply lowered her head with a frown on her face. "I've never seen him act like this before." Lori's partner Bakugan Chrysopeon said as she floated up to Lori's shoulder. "It's quite concerning."
"Yeah…" Lori let out quietly as she closed the door to the family van and locked it up.
"Why is Lincoln being so adamant and not approaching this Shun you speak of?" The Ventus Bakugan asked, both worried and a bit curious about the situation. "Did something happen between them."
"You…You could say that." Lori slowly said as memories of the past came to her mind. She then Lori finally started approaching the house with one room inside being her destination. "I think it'll be easier if I show you some stuff." Lori then entered her house, not paying attention to her siblings running around a few of them saying hi to her or asking why Lincoln just rushed upstairs.
Once Lori was on the second floor of the house, she looked up at the ceiling and reached out for a string hanging from what looked like a loose part of the ceiling and pulled it down to reveal a staircase leading to the attic. The eldest sibling quickly went up into the attic of the house where the family stored a lot of stuff they either would only bring out for the holidays or is just easier and safer to keep her then around the house.
Lori grabbed a flashlight they kept up here for everyone to use when they go into the attic. She quickly turned it on as she went into the dark corner of the attic that Lucy like to use as one of her secret dark places and walked over to a pile of boxes in the far corner. Lori knew which box she was looking for and started unstacking the boxes still the one on the very bottom was by itself.
"What is it?" Chrysopeon asked as Lori looked down at the box. The box was almost completely covered in dust, showing it hasn't been touched in a long, long time.
"You…know Lincoln's best friend, right?" Lori slowly asked her partner as she continued to stare down at the box.
"Clyde?" Chrysopeon asked with a hint of confusion in her voice. Chrysopeon remembered seeing Clyde a few times when Lincoln would have him over. "Yes, I believe so, he's a rather nice boy with a rather…unhealthy obsession with you."
Lori shivered when Chrysopeon brought up Clyde's crush on Lori. More then enough bad memories with that, but she couldn't focus on that. "Well…Clyde wasn't always Lincoln's best friend." As Lori said this, she wiped over the top of the box in front of her showing that the box was labeled…
My Brother
"Brother?" Chrysopeon asked with her interest now piqued.
Lori didn't say anything and simply opened the box to reveal it was pull of photographs from many years ago. Each and every photo featured in some way a familiar boy with white hair and green eyes and another boy about a couple years older with black hair and brown eyes.
The age of the two boys ranged from toddlers, to young kids, to looking like they were taken just about a year ago. "Yep, these are pictures of Lincoln and Shun throughout the years." Lori explained to her partner. Smiling as she held up a photo of a 2-year-old Lincoln and a 4-year-old Shun.
"Aaaw, they're adorable." Chrysopeon gushed at seeing the two young humans.
"Yeah, Shun and Lincoln used to be friends since…forever." Lori explained to the Ventus Bakugan as she went through more photo's the box had to offer. "They're were pretty much brothers. And when you have so many sisters…a brother is something you treasure."
"…So what happened?" Chrysopeon asked in a quiet and sad tone. Wondering what event could have happened that would have separated these two great friends, brother even.
"…" Lori was silent as a sadden expression came to her face. She remembered it all to well. Right as Lori opened her mouth to speak up, she felt her phone vibrating in her pocket. When Lori pulled it out, she saw that Runo had sent her a text.
Runo – Come to Marucho's house right now. We're getting Shun whether they like it or not.
"Man, if Lincoln and Dan find out what we're doing they're going to be so mad." Marucho said as currently, once the moon was up, Runo, Lori, and Marucho had met up at the latter's house and were ready to go off to Shun's place and go get him.
Due to Shun now living quite a ways away now-a-days, the three were using one of Marucho's family's private aircrafts to get there. With Marucho's butler Kato at the wheel, they would be at Shun's family dojo in about a half an hour. "Ya know I thought those two would jump at the idea at recruiting Shun. Dan and Shun used to be the best of buds and Lincoln and Shun, well, they might as well have been brothers. They're the ones who even made the Bakugan rules."
"Wow, that is almost interesting." Preyas commented with a rather unimpressed tone.
"Call me crazy but I thought for sure they'd wanna hook up with Shun again." Runo said to the Aquos Bakugan as Lori nodded.
"Well, I don't know about Dan, but Lincoln is…still hurting about it." Lori slowly explained to the two humans in front of her who both nodded in understanding. "But I can tell he literally still misses Shun and sooner or later he's gonna have to see him again. And in the situation we're currently in, later doesn't cut it."
And with that said, they simply traveled to Shun's place in mostly silence, with the occasional conversation popping up now and then. "Master Marucho, we're closing in on our destination." Kato informed everyone after 30 minutes of flying passed.
"I see it down there!" Marucho said as he and the other looked down to see a large dojo with nothing but green forest surrounding it.
"Its like Japan threw up on Michigan." Lori couldn't help but joke as she looked at the large area beneath them.
"According to my research, Shun's family owns the largest estate in all of the state." Marucho explained to the girls as Kato started to land the aircraft. "From what I've found out, Shun's grandfather used to be a ninja warrior during the time where they were ninja warriors. His family eventually came here from Japan when he retired and they lived deep in the woods of Michigan and eventually built the dojo we're seeing now."
"Wow, big bucks, an impressive family history and good looks." Runo said with a small smirk on her face. "Hello Shun~"
Lori and Marucho sweat dropped in response to Runo's comment as the former told the bluette. "Runo, remember why we're here, k?"
Soon, Kato found an area where he could land allowing the three Brawlers to exit and walk up to Shun's family dojo. The door was wooden with metal linings and we're quite big and intimidating. "I'm starting to have second thoughts about this." Marucho said with a nervous gulp. "I mean, what if Shun decides he's not interested in joining us? Our whole mission would be a failure, and worse we could lose our Bakugan."
"Quit being such a worry wart." Runo told her rich blond friend.
"She's right Marucho, we have to at least try." Lori said as she and Runo approached the big wooden door. Lori then knocked loudly on the door. "Hey Shun!"
Right as Lori did this, the doors to the dojo opened up almost immediately, granting them all access inside. "Well…that was literally fast." Lori said in a slightly surprised tone as the three of them simply shrugged and entered the property.
Once inside they walked forward further to the main part of the property, they dojo. Runo slide the door open and the three then saw a rather long hallway they couldn't even see the end to. The three then followed customs and took off their shoes before walking into the hallway on the look out for Shun or anyone else that lives here that can tell them were Shun is.
"So you think anyone's home?" Marucho asked as so far they've been walking through this hallway for about 4 minutes and they haven't seen either a person or even a door or an end to this hallway.
"No clue, but let's keep looking." Runo said as they continued forward.
"At least we won't have to worry about getting lost." Lori said with a small sweat drop. "We've literally been walking in one straight line."
"Yeah, kinda reminds me of your place Marucho." Runo commented as the Aquos Brawler looked up at her. "A big oversized mansion with never enough bathrooms." But right as Runo said this she suddenly tripped over a thing piece of string that was set up on the floor to where it was almost invisible.
This causes the sound of clanging wood to be heard outside as the three quickly panicked and looked around. "Runo, what did you do?!" Lori yelled as she looked around for the source of the noise.
"I don't know!" Runo yelled back as suddenly the walls surrounding them suddenly opened up revealing holes in them. Emerging from these holes were long sticks that they narrowly dodged as they reached the other wall. More sticks emerging threatening to trap them and hit them as they quickly ran for it to avoid them as the walls forward had something similar happen. "Run for it!"
They somehow managed to avoid all the trap walls, but as they continued running down the trapped hallway, a floor board opened up revealing a pit fall trap. But the three Brawlers were quick to react as they jumped right before they reached the pitfall and managed to jump clean over it and avoid falling in.
But when they landed, a hole opened up in the ceiling and dropped a net down on them, trapping them. "This house is one big booby trap!" Marucho said as the three struggled under the net.
"You can say that again!" Runo said as she struggled.
"Why would literally anyone do this?!" Lori yelled as she tried to get them free.
"Ahahahaha! Well what do we have here?" The three Brawler's stopped their struggles as they heard the old sounding voice. "A couple of snoopy little kids who have the gol to break into my house." The three then looked to see an old man that looked to be in his 80's but still incredibly healthy and fit. He had tanned skinned, brown eyes, grayish white hair that was down in a high pigtail. He had a big mustache, tiny beard, and big eyebrows with pince-nez on his face. He wore a dark green Japanese kimono and white socks. This was Shun's grandfather, Tsuguo Kazami. "If you kids think you're smarter then me then you have another thing coming.
"Sooo…I'm guessing this is the old ninja dude you told us about?" Lori guessed as they all looked up at the old man glaring at them.
"Yep, that's Shun's grandfather." Marucho confirmed with a nod.
"Wow…" Runo let out with a bit of nervousness in her voice at the rather intimidating old man.
"Now then, tell me why you kids are here. Now!" Tusguo demanded to know as he reached for his back. "Or face the wrath of my…Wooden Stick." Tsuguo then unsheathed a wooden Bokken from his back and pointed it at the brawlers.
"NOT THE STICK! ANYTHING BUT THE STICK!" Preyas yelled from Marucho's pocket as he peaked his head out to see the old man threatening them.
"Please put down the stick. We come in peace." Marucho pleaded to the old ninja with his hands raised up.
"Yeah, we're friend of your grandson Shun." Runo added on, covering her head in case the old man went to town on them with his stick. "We just wanna see him."
"Look, my name is Lori Loud, and this is Runo, and Marucho, we really didn't mean to break in." Lori told the ninja warrior as she crawled forward as much as she could due to being in the net. "Please, just let us talk to Shun real quick and we'll be on our way."
"My grandson eh?" Tsuguo asked with a raised eyebrow. "You say your friends."
"Yes, here we can prove it." Runo said before reaching into Marucho's pocket.
"Hey! What are you trying to do?! Give me a wedgie!?" Marucho yelled as he felt Runo's hand go down his pocket before Runo finally stopped as she pulled out Preyas.
"See? Show this to Shun and he'll explain everything to you." Runo said as she tossed Preyas towards Shun's grandfather.
"NO! PLEASE!" Preyas begged as he accidently hit Tsuguo's head lightly. "What have I ever done to you! You're as bad as Leonidas!"
Preyas then landed up the ground and closed up into a ball to try and protect himself as Tsuguo picked Preyas up and examined him. "Ah, I see." The old man said with a nod. "I know what you are. You're what they call Bakugan Brawlers. I know all about you. So, you're here to get Shun to play this silly game again huh?"
"Yeah…kinda." Lori said with a nervous smile. There was much more to it than that but they really didn't have the time to properly explain everything.
"That's what I thought. He's not interested." Tsuguo immediately told them making them all flinch. "now leave the premises at once introducers!"
"Please. Can't we just see him for five minutes." Runo asked sweetly as she put her hands together. "Please, please, please, pleeeeeease."
"You're starting to get on my nerves kid." The old ninja warrior told them as he hardened his gaze. "Now beat it!"
"Ugh, we don't have time for this!" Lori yelled as she finally managed to throw the net off of them allowing to stand up. "We're going to see Shun whether you like it or not."
"Yeah! And do you mind giving me back Preyas!" Marucho followed up as he stood his ground.
"Heh, sure, what do I care?" Tsuguo said as he flicked Preyas back at Marucho, the Aquos Bakugan screaming all the way. "Now then! Leave my home or el…hold a minute." Suddenly the old ninja warrior realized something said earlier and looked Lori right in the eye. "You! Tall one! What did you say your name was again?"
"Um…Lori Loud." Lori said nervously as Shun's grandfather pointed his Wooden Stick at Lori.
"Loud? Like in Lincoln and Rita Loud?" Tsuguo in order to make sure he was thinking of the right people.
"Yes!" Lori quickly said with a nod. "Lincoln's my younger brother and Rita is my mom!"
"…Fine." The Brawlers eyes widened at what Tsuguo said to them. "You can see my grandson."
"Really?" Runo said as they all gave wide smile. "Thank you so mu-" However, as Runo stepped forward she was quickly cut off from going forward as Tsuguo swiped his stick at her causing her to jump back in fright.
"Eh, eh, eh, eh. Not you two!" Tsuguo yelled as he pointed his stick to Marucho and Runo before finally pointing at Lori. "Only her!"
"What?!" Marucho yelled as he and Runo gasped. "How come?!"
"Because I said so!" Tsuguo yelled making the three of them flinch. "So, unless you want at least her to see Shun, leave my property at once!"
"But…" Runo silently pleaded before Lori cut Runo off with a raised hand.
"Just…do what he says guys." Lori told the two of them with a small smile. "I'll get through to Shun. Just wait outside."
Both Runo and Marucho looked at each other for a brief moment before looking to Lori and nodding. "Ok sir." Marucho relented. "We'll leave."
Tsuguo nodded in satisfaction as he reached for the left wall and pulled up a small hidden area in it to reveal a red button. Once the old ninja pressed the button, all the traps behind them in the hallway disappeared, making a clean passage way. Shun's grandfather then turned to Lori and told the eldest Loud sibling. "Shun's outside, follow me." Lori simply nodded as she followed the man with Runo and Marucho reluctantly headed the other way and left.
"So…why did you decide to take me to Shun when you knew my last name?" Lori asked, quite curious that the old man would finally comply once he knew her last name was Loud.
"My daughter was best friends with your mother." Tsuguo explained with Lori nodded in response. She knew her mother Rita was great friends with Shun's mom Shiori Kazami would spend so much time together before…
"So, what about Lincoln?" Lori asked as she shook the memory from her head. "You mentioned him to."
"…" The old ninja warrior was silent for a moment before speaking. "I remember he and my grandson were the best of friend. Even calling themselves brothers." He spoke in a soft, almost sad tone that Lori was surprised to her come from the old man's mouth. "I suppose…letting Shun speak to one of his sisters is the least I could do for him. However, that doesn't change the fact that the last time I saw that young man he was a very disrespectable brat."
"Look…I get that Lincoln said somethings he shouldn't have." Lori apologized to the old man as she held her arm. "But Lincoln gets…a bit irrational when he's emotional and a lot happened that day for him, Shun, and you. So, can you really blame him?"
"…I suppose not." Tsuguo quietly admitted with his head lowered a little bit.
After a few more minutes of walking, Tsuguo led Lori to a door that led outside. "My grandson is out there." Tsuguo told Lori as he stepped aside. "I'll give you five minute and not a second more."
"Thank you sir." Lori told the old ninja warrior as she stepped past him and opened the door. Once outside, Lori's ears were introduced to the beautiful sound of a whistling tune. Looking around for the source of it.
She then realized it came from above and looked up on the roof of the small hut in front of her and gasped when she saw that, blowing into a piece of grass producing the whistling sound, was the very person she was looking for…
Shun Kazami.
"Hey Shun!" Lori called out, causing Shun to stop playing his grass whistle and open his eyes. "Down here!"
Shun looked down at the source of the familiar voice and saw Lori Loud. "…Lori?" Shun asked in a calm and serious sounding voice as his brown eyes looked down at the 17-year-old.
"Yes! Its me Shun!" Lori confirmed for the 13-year-old. "Its…been awhile huh?"
"…Is Lincoln with you?" Shun asked, disregarding what Lori said.
"N-No…" Lori stuttered as she looked down a bit. "He…actually has no idea I'm here. I came here without telling him.
"Hmm…" Shun hummed as he looked away from Lori and narrowed his eyes and nothing in particular. However, what Lori fail to see and what only people with the most precise eyes could see, he seemed to have a bit of disappointment in his expression before looking at Lori again. "Why have you come here."
"Because we need your help!" Lori told him, Shun's expression never changing as Lori talked. "There's someone named Masquerade going around sending everyone's Bakugan to the Doom Dimension! He's even getting into other people's head and making them play is game! He even got to my little sister Lynn! Please Shun! We need your help!"
"…" Shun was silent as he took all of Lori's words in and looked up in the night sky. Around here, away from the city and people, all the stars could be seen glimmering in the dark sky.
"Well…" Lori asked with a small amount of worry in her voice as Shun remained quiet.
"Sorry. I don't play on a team." Shun told the eldest Loud girl, causing her to gasp. Shun then turned back to Lori with narrowed eyes. "Now leave."
"Bu-But Shun! Please! You're literally our only hope!" Lori continued pleading and asking Shun for help. "Don't you want to see Lincoln again! I know he misses you!"
"…" That cause Shun to think. But it was only for a moment as he closed his eyes before giving Lori a small but fierce glare to Lori. "I said no. Its none of my business."
Lori frowned at Shun's words. She thought for sure using Lincoln would guarantee that Shun would come back…but no. "Fine…" Lori let out quietly as she turned around with a lowered head. But before she left, Lori looked back at Shun and gave the 13-year-old ninja a glare. "Guess my brother was right. Bailing out on others is what you do best." With that said, Lori made her leave…missing Shun's expression change just a tiny bit to a frown and his fist tighten.
Once outside the dojo, Lori was quickly approached by Runo and Marucho who anxiously asked in unison, "So?"
Lori lowered her head in response and slowly shook her head, causing Runo and Marucho to frown and lower their heads as well. "Sorry guys…" Lori apologized to her fellow Brawlers. "He's not coming…"
"Well…at least you tried." Marucho tried to encourage with a small smile on his face as the three started to head back to the aircraft they came on.
Back inside the dojo, in a small storage hut a little far off from the main part of the dojo, Shun was inside thinking about his early encounter with Lori. This storage hut was a place Shun could always go for complete silence that allowed him to think. And he certainly had a lot to think about.
"Are you sure you went her and the others she was with to leave Shun?" A female voice asked the 13-year-old. The voice sounded wise and gentle; a voice Shun had gotten to known well for quite a while. "If they do, they might never come back. They came such a long way just to talk to you."
"…Yeah." Shun admitted as he looked out the single window the hut had.
"Oh Shun…" The female voice said as Shun looked at the Crescent moon in the sky.
"It's alright Skyress." Shun reassured his friend, revealing her name.
"…You miss him." Shun's eyes widened a little bit as he looked to where his friend was. And it was revealed to be a Bakugan. Ventus Skyress. "I can tell you miss him so much Shun. And it gets worse every day."
Shun didn't say anything as he simply looked down. The young ninja reached into his pocket and pulled out a small photo. It was one of the last photo's he and Lincoln took together before he never seen him again. It was a simply picture of him and Lincoln with their arms around each other's shoulder and giving the camera a smirk. "…He doesn't wanna see me anymore." Shun told the Bakugan as he looked at the photo. "He went out of his way to visit…and I brushed him off and didn't even let him inside. Probably hates me now considering what his sister said."
"You won't know unless you give seeing him again a chance." Skyress told Shun in a wise and motherly tone. "If it's because you're worried about me, don't. Everything will be fine. You need to stop running away from whats in your heart. There will come a day where you will have to face up to it. And today might just be that time."
"…" Shun was silent as he stood up and walked up to the drawer Skyress was on and opened it up to reveal his Bakugan belt that could carry cards and Bakugan Balls, fingerless gloves, two Ventus Bakugan, and a stack of gate cards and ability cards.
"Man, I can't believe Shun wouldn't come with us." Runo yelled as the three approached the area were Kato parked the aircraft.
"Yeah, first Dan and Lincoln blow us off and now Shun doesn't want anything to do with us." Marucho said with a frown on his face.
"Maybe those three won't be able to come together again." Lori sadly said as they walked up to the aircraft.
However, as they came forward, suddenly a dark purple blur jumped out right in front of them at incredible speeds…
Shun.
"Shun!" All three said in unison as the 13-year-old looked at all of them.
"So…did you change your mind?" Lori asked with a hopeful smile on her face.
"Are you joining up with us?" Marucho eagerly asked.
Shun didn't say anything as the headlights of the aircraft turned on behind Shun giving him an outline. The three Brawlers watched as Shun strapped on and tightened his fingerless gloves and look all three of them in the eyes and said one thing…
"Only if you can beat me."
The three Brawlers gasped in response. Shun was challenging them. Runo was the first to recover from the shock as she grinned at the young ninja. "Sounds like a blast!" The bluette said as she pulled out her field card. "I'm up for it."
"No Runo." Marucho quickly stepped in to stop the Haos user. "I have a better change at matching my Aquos against his Ventus, you gotta trust me."
"No way you two." Lori said as she pulled out her field card and glared at Shun. "He's all mine.
"I'm ready when you three are!" All of them gasped again as they looked at Shun and saw him pull out his field card. "I'll take all three of you on."
"You can't be serious." Runo claimed, even for someone who used to be number one in the game, there was no way he could take pull off a win in a three vs one scenario.
However, Shun was dead serious as he said, "Yes!" And raised up his field card.
"Field Open!" The three said in unison as Lori and Shun's cards glowed green, Runo's glowed yellow, and Marucho's glowed blue as time came to a stop as the Bakugan field opened around them.
"He's completely crazy." Runo said as they all looked at Shun from across the field. "Three against one, he doesn't stand a chance."
"Gate Card set!" All four of them said in unison as they threw their gate cards onto the field with Lori's landing in front of Shun, Runo's landing to the right of Shun, Marucho's landing to the left of Shun, and Shun's landing in front of Lori.
"Ok I'll go first!" Marucho said as he loaded up his launcher with an Aquos Bakugan. "Bakugan Brawl! Terrorclaw stand!" Shun's expression never changed from the calm and serious one he seemed to always have on as Marucho's Aquos Terrorclaw looked down on him.
Shun then grabbed a Ventus Bakugan in between his fingers and threw it where Terrorclaw was. "Ravenoid Stand!" Throwing the Bakugan, it was revealed to be a Ventus Ravenoid that flew high above Terrorclaw.
"Ok! Gate Card open!" Marucho commanded as his gate card was revealed to be an Aquos Attribute card that boost Terrorclaws power.
Shun then quickly pulled out an ability card. "Alright, Ability Card Activate: Tornado Pandemonium!" Shun then raised his ability card high as a green tornado emerge from is and covered Terrorclaws gate card and canceling the gate card's power and powering down Terrorclaw. Once the gate card was nullified, Ravenoid divebombed Terrorclaw and shoulder checked the giant crab causing it to go back to ball form and land at Marucho's feet.
"Terrorclaw!" Marucho said in concern for his fallen Bakugan.
'Ok Lori, keep your head in the game.' Lori thought as she kept her eyes locked on Shun. 'You can't just jump into battle, even when its three against one its still Shun. Just keep your eyes focused and don't play your turn until you spot an opening. That'll be the time to strike and he'll go down like a house of cards.'
"Alright, my turn now!" Runo said as she loaded up her launcher. "Bakugan Brawl!" Runo then shot out her Bakugan at her own card. "Saurus Stand!" At 290 G's, Runo's Saurus roared as it was unleased in battle.
"But that's not enough G's." Lori stated as she looked at Saurus lower G power.
"And that's exactly what he's thinking." Runo explained with a smirk on her face. "All I have to do is throw down my Saurus character card and double my power." However, Shun simply narrowed his eyes as he threw his Ravenoid into battle once more on his own gate card. "Huh? How come he didn't attack us?"
Lori hummed as a bead of sweat went down her forehead. Shun was planning something but she didn't know what? Shun hasn't played in so long, it was nearly impossible to predict him. 'This isn't good. I can't jump in yet. We both use Ventus, so we can easily disrupt each other, but he still hasn't gone all out. If only I can see what he's doing, I can use my Siege to get things started and then Chrysopeon's Petrifying Stare ability as well as her Serpentine Tornado ability can easily take him out! But for now, gotta play it safe.'
"Marucho, I have an idea." Lori told the Aquos user as she whispered something into his ear.
"Hmmm, as crazy as it sounds it just might work." Marucho said with a smile as he threw down a gate card where his first one originally was. "Alright Limulus, it's all on you! Bakugan Brawl!" Marucho then fired out the Bakugan he spoke to out onto his own gate card where the horseshoe crab Bakugan now stood on.
"And now Ability Activate: Holograph Divide!" Marucho threw the ability card at Limulus causing waves of blue energy to cover the Aquos Bakugan. "With this defense shield Limulus power will increase as the battle intensifies! That's because he'll absorb the power used against him!"
"Way to go you two!" Runo complimented both blond haired Brawlers. "With all that set up, no way is he getting past us."
"Get ready." Shun warned them as he threw down another gate card to the right of his original one and threw down a Ventus Falconeer on it that flew up high and looked down at the three humans its Brawler was facing.
"Dang it!" Lori said as it looks like Shun was one step ahead of them.
"Back to the drawing board." Runo said with a sigh as yet another on of their plans seemed to have back fired.
"Well, looks like my turn." Tigrerra said from Runo's hand.
"Huh? What are you saying Tigrerra?" Runo asked her partner as she brought her hand close to her face.
"Shun's Bakugan are on the verge of attacking." The Haos Bakugan warned them. "I know there moves. Trust me!"
"Atta boy Tigrerra!" Preyas encouraged as he floated up. "You go out there and show em who's boss!"
"Be wary." Chrysopeon spoke up. "Its possible he's up to something."
"Well, I believe in you!" Runo told her partner with a smile as she threw down another gate card to the left of Shun's original card. Runo then loaded Tigrerra up into her launcher. "Bakugan Brawl!" Runo then shot out Tigrerra at her new gate card. "Tigrerra stand!" Tigrerra let out a mighty and powerful roar as she was unleashed into the battle field.
Shun nodded in response to this move. Everything was in place…well…almost anything. "Hey Lori!" Shun yelled, getting the eldest Loud child's attention. "You don't seem to be participating! Let me help you out!"
"Wait…what?" Lori asked as she soon become overwhelmed with worry.
Shun then put Skyress up to his forehead as he asked his partner. "If I need you…are you there Skyress?"
"Always." Skyress reassured the boy.
Shun then looked forward as he held his hand out. "Gate Card open: Quartet Battle!" Shun's gate card then started to glow as it revealed itself as the quartet battle command card.
"Oh no…" Lori let out in dread as two of her Bakugan automatically floated up and was set out towards the gate card. "No! No! No! No!" Lori could any watch as her Ventus Siege and Robotallion entered the battle.
"Alright! Bakugan Brawl!" Rather then let the card do it on its own, Shun threw Skyress at the card where three Ventus Bakugan were waiting. As Skyress stood, storm clouds covered the sky as a powerful green flash emerged from the dark clouds. "Ventus Skyress descend!"
Emerging from the storm clouds was a Bakugan that was massive in size even by most Bakugan standards. Resembled with a Phoenix with green feathers over her body and piercing yellow eyes and sharp talons was Shun's partner, Ventus Skyress.
"Woah…" Lori let out as she and her teammates witnessed Skyress as she let out a powerful cry that shook the battlefield.
"Ability Activate!" Once Skyress was on the field, Shun wasted no time in getting things started. "Winds of Fury!"
Letting out another powerful cry, Skyress generating a massive gust of wind from her wings that covered the entire field and started blowing all the Bakugan on it back as she along with Ravenoid and Falconeer also started flying in the air beyond the cards and also generating wind across the field. "Whats going on?!" Runo yelled as she, Marucho, and Lori struggled not to be blown away.
Before they knew it, all their Bakugan started to get blown away from the battlefield. First it was Limulus and Saurus as they were blown away and reverted to ball form and landed at their respective Brawlers feet. Then it was Lori's Siege and Robotallion as Ravenoid and Falconeer each tackled on and sent them to ball form and at Lori's feet.
"Tigrerra! You need to hang out!" Runo yelled to her partner as Tigrerra tried sinking her claws into the ground to avoid being blown away.
But it was proving to be fruitless as the Haos Bakugan was slowly being lifted off the card. "I…can't!" Tigrerra grunted in one last struggle as she was blown clean off the card. "RUNO I'M SORRY!" And with that, Tigrerra was reverted back to ball form and landed at Runo's feet.
"No way…" Marucho said as they all looked at their defeated Bakugan.
"He…got all of us…" Lori said as they were all now at one Bakugan with Shun still having all of his and Runo having her strongest Bakugan out for the count.
Skyress then glowed as she was reverted back to ball form and returned to Shun's hand with Falconeer and Ravenoid going back to the gate cards they were originally on and staying in battle.
"Welp…we're toast." Preyas said as they looked at the battlefield.
"Maybe not." Marucho said as he put a hand to his chin in thought.
"What do you mean Marucho?" Lori asked as she turned to the short 11-year-old. "He wiped out all of us, one more loss and we're done for.
"Yes, but I believe I figured out his attack!" Marucho said as he went up to Runo who was one her knees checking to make sure Tigrerra was ok.
"Yeah! Chin up Runo!" Preyas encouraged, his spirit now back. "It ain't over till the pleasantly plump lady sings!"
"So we still have a chance?" Runo asked as she turned to her blond friends.
"If there's a will, there's a way!" Chrysopeon encouraged,
"Alright Preyas, we need you, you're our only hope." Marucho said as he grabbed his partner.
"Oh boy, I'm not gonna have to train you in the ways of the Jedi, am I?" Preyas joked with a nervous tone as Marucho loaded up the Aquos Bakugan and shot him out towards Falconeer. "AAAAAAHHHH!"
"Preyas Stand!" Marucho said as Preyas landed on the card.
A stage appeared as some curtain drew back revealing Preyas with his signature umbrella. "I heard there was a little soiree happening so I'd thought I'd just pop in and play! Shall we begin?" Once Preyas was done with his intro, he quickly threw his umbrella away and turned to Marucho with a panicked look. "Now what do I do?!"
Marucho looked to his Baku-pod and saw that Preyas was at 300 G's and Shun's Falconeer was at 320 G's. Shun was quick to act as he held his hand out. "Gate Card open!"
"Not so fast!" Marucho said as he held up an ability card. "Ability Activate: Blue Stealth!"
"Now watch as Preyas the Great…disappears!" Preyas then waved his hands in front of his face and suddenly became completely invisible.
"Huh? Why won't my gate card open?" Shun asked as his gate card failed to open once Marucho activated Preyus's ability.
"Yoohoo! Over here~" Preyas teased as he danced in front of Falconeer with the Ventus Bakugan not having a clue as to where the Aquos Bakugan was.
"Blue Stealth is an ability only Preyas can use." Marucho explained with a smirk on his face. "It prevents you from opening your gate card while lowering your Bakugan by 50 G's and adding the same amount to Preyas.
The Baku-pod then showed Falconeer going down to 270 G's and Preyas going up to 350 as the Aquos Bakugan cracked his knuckles. "Now Preyas the Great will perform is next trick! Making you Disappear!" With that, Preyas delivered a knuckle sandwich to Falconeer sending the Ventus Bakugan back to ball form and at Shun's feet. "Tada! He's gone!" Preyas then went back to ball form and back to Marucho's hand.
"Good job Preyas!" Marucho complimented his partner.
"Why thank you old chap." Preyas said with a british accent. "Just remember, a magician never reveals his secrets."
"Alright guys, I have a plan." Runo said after witnessing the battle in front of her. "I need to get Tigrerra back into battle."
"But Runo, the rules say-" Marucho was saying before Lori cut him off. The eldest Loud sibling gave Marucho a look that said 'trust us' and nodded. Marucho hummed before nodding and turning to Runo. "Go get em Runo!"
"Alright, let's do this!" Runo said as she shot a Haos Bakugan towards the card Ravenoid was on. "Griffon Stand!" Letting out a roar of a lion, Runo's Haos Griffon glared at Ravenoid. "Alright, time to bring the heat! Ability Activate: Venomous Beast Torrent Attack!"
Griffon let out another roar when suddenly, in a flash of golden light, Griffon was replaced with Tigrerra with Griffon now at Runo's feet in ball form. "Face my wrath!" Tigrerra said as she lunged at Ravenoid and slashed it with her claws and sent the raven Bakugan back to ball form and landing at Shun's feet.
"Woah…" Shun let out, his expression still not changing.
"Nice job!" Runo complimented her partner as Tigrerra went back to ball form in Runo's hands.
"Thanks for giving me another change." Tigrerra thanked her brawler.
"Alright guys, this is it." Lori said as she took Chrysopeon in her hands. "It's do or die time."
"Ready Skyress?" Shun asked his partner as he threw down his last Gate Card. "Bakugan Brawl! Ventus Skyress descend!" Once Shun threw Skyress at his new gate card and similar to last time, Skyress flew down from storm clouds that suddenly appeared.
"Alright Preyas, time to battle! Bakugan Brawl!" Marucho then shot out Preyas towards Skyress. "Preyas stand!"
"Alright! I feel like fried chicken for dinner tonight!" Preyas said as he pounded his chest.
"Ability Activate: Fighting Wind with Water!" Activating the Ventus and Aquos relation ability, Preyas glowed as his power was boosted by 100.
"Ability Activate: Cut in Saber!" Runo activated Tigrerra's signature ability allowing Tigrerra to join Preyas in the battle against Skyress.
Once Tigrerra was in, Lori held up Chrysopeon close to her face. "Alright Chrysopeon, its time to battle." Lori said as a look of guilt came to her face. "This battle…I was so busy trying to predict Shun's move I didn't see his real attack coming and it cost us so much…if we lose this…it'll feel like it was because of me not stepping up."
"That's not true Lori." Chrysopeon told her partner in her signature motherly tone. "No one can blame you for trying to help. That was then, and this is now. It's like you said, its do or die! So, show him what you can do! I'm ready."
"Thanks, Chrysopeon, so much. I really do owe you one." Lori told her partner with a soft smile before looking up at Shun with narrowed eyes and pulled out an ability card. "Ability Card Activate: Serpentine Torndao!"
Suddenly Chrysopeon closed up as green winds surrounded her and she was automatically launched towards the gate card where the battle was happening and charged right at Skyress causing the phoenix Bakugan to grunt as she was sent back a bit. "Chrysopeon Stand!" Lori said as, after charging into Skyress, Chrysopeon's true form came into battle with her snake half covered in wind armor.
"Skyress stands at 3-6-0 G's. Preyas stands at 4-0-0 G's. Tigrerra stands at 3-4-0 G's. Chrysopeon ability increase power by 1-0-0 G's, currently standing at 4-7-0 G's." The Baku-pod list all their power levels.
"Gate Card open!" Shun commanded, revealing it to be a Skyress character card, doubling her power. "Alright Skyress, time to lock and load."
"That won't save him!" Runo claimed as she put on a victorious smirk. "We're at 1210 G's, no way he can match the table!"
Just then Preyus jumped on top of Tigrerra and started ridding her as the Haos Bakugan lunged at Skyress with Chrysopeon flying next to them. "We are the champions! We are the champions!" Preyas chanted as Tigrerra roared.
"Its over Skyress!" Chrysopeon yelled as she and her allies charged at Skyress.
"Shun!" Skyress called out to her partner.
"Don't worry Skyress, I still haven't placed my ace!" Shun reassured her as he pulled out his last ability card. "Ability Activate: Eternal Phoenix – Wings of Inferno!" Skyress was then engulf in green flames and she quickly started charging at her opponents.
"Chrysopeon, Tigrerra, and Preyas power decrease by 1-0-0 G's. Skyress power increase by 3-0-0 G's." The Baku-pod showed the ability card transferring 100 G's form Chrysopeon, Preyas, and Tigrerra and giving that power to skyress.
"Oh no!" Lori, Runo, and Marucho yelled in unison.
"It can't be!" Chrysopeon gasped.
"Ah! Mother!" Preyas called out as Skyress charged into them and-
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
A massive explosion occurred causing green flames to spread through out the battlefield. Lori, Runo, and Marucho could only watch in shock as their partner Bakugan fell to their feet defeated.
They had lost.
Meanwhile, Shun was surrounded by green flames as he looked at his losing opponents in the eyes and caught Skyress in his hand. His long black hair blew in the wind as he said, "Sorry…"
"You lose our bet!"
And bad ass Shun is best Shun. As far as I'm concerned, reboot Shun can burn in a fire. But enough about Cartoon Network ruining their great shows with terrible reboots! Shun is awesome and easily one of my favorite characters and I'm so happy to have him in the story now!
Also, for those wondering about my other stories, once I do the next chapter, I'm gonna start working on them again. However, Bakugan will be my main priority. I won't lie, this is my favorite story of all the ones I've made and I easily have the most fun doing it. But I will start to update my other stories again.
So remember to leave a fav, follow, and review and stay tuned for...
"Just for the Shun of it."
And about the flash back episode that would normally come after this one, I'm gonna kinda condense it and do a summary version of it as the beginning for the next chapter.