A loud cry came from Jaakor as he sped at ninjas speed, bypassing other Bakugan and posing behind them with green slashes all over their bodies. Clones comprised of Radizen, Reptak, Contestir, and Vulcan all were taken back as they were unprepared for the assault.

"Ability, activate!" Shun held up a Darkus ability. "Super Explosion Burning!"

Skytruss and Orbeum followed in Jaakor's pursuit, their projectile launchers expelling light purple wire that laced around each Bakugan that was stunned by Jaakor's superb speed. The pair met up with their sensei and let go of the string, in which the area burst into spontaneous purple explosions that happened behind them. Even as the ground shuddered, the ninja trio of Bakugan stood unfazed by their superb attack.

Shun kept his eyes shut, but he didn't seem to mind. In fact, he looked downright serious as his eyes opened once more. 'There's still plenty more around. We have to reduce their numbers as fast as we possibly can.'

Jaakor reaffirmed his foothold when heard the sounds of something spinning. "Hm?" When he turned around, he saw the explosive purple energy suddenly breaking away from a gauntlet that had a rotating grid on the wrist. He barely ducked and jumped away from a secondary fist that came down, which sundered into the ground.

"Sensei!" Skytruss worried.

Orbeum looked back, seeing the Bakugan that were supposedly taken down having no damage sustained. "This is insane!" He looked at the Rex Vulcan using Hyper Aegis suddenly sucker punching him harshly, sending him sliding off towards the side.

"Orbeum, no!" Shun shouted.

"This isn't good. Even with their numbers, they're instinctively countering everything that we throw at them." Jaakor observed. "It's like the enemy has our data."

Rubanoid backpedaled, with Linus on his shoulder. "You think that it has to do with the Empyrean?!"

"It's possible. If these were any other Bakugan, they wouldn't be putting up a fight." Shun's gaze shifted over. "It's like those soldiers in Solaris, only they don't have partners to think this thoroughly…watch out!"

Jaakor turned at the sound of a menacing caw as an Apex Atmos clone sped past him at lightning speed. The force cut between him, Skytruss, and Orbeum so harshly that all three Bakugan screamed when the shockwaves came in a compressed air cannon that blew them over.

"Shun!" Linus screamed. He looked up and saw the Apex Atmos circle around at incredulous speeds. "Such speed…"

Rubanoid stepped up. "I won't get past me. Linus! Time to step up!"

Linus' eyes narrowed. "You're right. Let's do this, Rubanoid!" He began tapping onto his Castle Knight gem for a sequence.

"Ready, Destrakon Gear."

Red energy materialized into a hand-sized ruby material that Linus threw at Rubanoid. "Battlegear, boost!" The Battlegear attached itself onto Rubanoid, transforming his wings into multiple heads reminiscent of his own. "Battlegear Ability, activate! Destrakon Gear Vickers!" Rubanoid's multiple heads opened wide and fired various beams that jettisoned up after the Apex Atmos.

The Kimera clone twisted its body and cawed as it suddenly broke off into a spritz across the sky, making a tailwind that the multiple red heads followed, via Aerial Stream.

"Where is it going…?" Linus watched the Kimera copy hurry across the area, hurrying towards a Hercules Fly Beetle. "What the-?!"

The Hercules Fly Beetle clone glanced over at the oncoming Atmos that suddenly right angled skywards, making the red beam continue after it. It slammed its arms into the ground, causing angled, sharp precipice stone to jut up and sever the attack into various angled shots, via Precipice Slate.

"What?!" Drago was blindsided when a red beam suddenly struck his side, causing him to fall over with a painful thud.

"AAAH!" Dan fell off of Drago's shoulder and tumbled onto the ground with a thud.

The red beams scattered in narrow yet precise blows onto everyone who was caught off guard. Plitheon, Nemus, Raptorix, everyone on the allied forces were buffered by the attack, hitting them in the back or sides to deter them long enough for physical blows to swat them down. Their brawling partners like Marucho and Lena were buffered badly when Radizen and Phosphos hit the flooring harshly.

"Gngh!" Wilda dropped to a knee, his body sizzling from that red beam that got his back. "Ow! Something blindsided me!"

"Wilda, hang in there!" Mira shouted. She looked back, seeing the sizzling angled rocks that receded into the ground. 'That attack was from across the other side of the Empyrean. Did that Atmos deliberately project the attack towards an ally, knowing it would use an ability to reflect it along a wider range?' Her eyes widened. 'They're not just battling on data instincts. They're battling off of each other's personal experience from Bakugan they know, too!'

A Kimera-Verias raised its staff into the atmosphere, before bringing it down with a golden shine. All at once, the Haos Savior empowered every enemy they were facing, causing all of them to give out immense cries that signaled their empowerment.

Jesse's eyes widened in shock. "What a surprising twist!"

"Did all of their power really just double in an instant?" Zenet worried.

"This is starting to get annoying. We better pick up the pace then." Mason said.

"Right! Let's everyone!" Ren insisted. "Battlegear…"

"-BOOST!" Everyone who was able fired their Battlegear onto their Bakugan. All the Gundalians had their Bakugan bringing out their Battlegear, Aranaut's Battle Crusher assembled and readied for action.

"BakuNano!" Rafe and Paige shouted. "Destroy!" Their Bakumeters summoned SlingPike, as well as Lanzato. The devices turned to the wrecking ball and the sword and spear combo that Boulderon and Wolfurio respectively adorned.

"We need help for this one!" Baron shot his arm up with a Bakugan Trap. "Bakugan Trap, Haos Piercian!" In a dense yellow light, Haos Piercian came down besides Nemus, ready to do battle.

Ace whipped his arm up and tossed up his Bakugan Trap. "Bakugan Trap, Flash Falcon Fly!" The rectangular Bakugan transformed into its true form, providing a sizeable mount for Percival that he jumped on.

"BakuNano Bombaplode, destroy!" Spectra summoned Helios' BakuNano, which replaced his engine behind his back into five, long-range cannons that had silver and green trimming along them.

"Guys, now it's our turn! Let's combine!" Dan declared.

"You got it." Gunz said.

"All set!" Shun said.

"Let's do this!" Marucho followed.

Drago and Retpak were first as they locked forearms and glared the other down. "Bakugan, unite!" In unison, they gave off a bright rainbow shade as their bodies mixed into red and yellow. Appearing in a blitz with dark heels on white metal legs, Aeroblitz was present, striking a heroic battle position.

"Now it's our turn, Roxtor!" Radizen jumped up with Roxtor, the two embracing each other. "Bakugan, fuse!" Together, they dropped and rolled across the flooring, making blue and orange mix into a swirl that shot skywards. Coming down was Betakor.

Jaakor clutched his fists as green energy endowed himself. Skytruss and Orbeum were covered in dark purple energy before firing themselves towards Jaakor. "Bakugan, unite!" In a bright flash, the three Bakugan manifested into Magmafury, who touched down in front of Shun.

"Now this is more like it." Paige smirked. "Finally, time to stomp these guys down for good!"

Dan clutched his fist high. "Victory…is gonna be…ours!"

Responding in kind, Aeroblitz let out a roar as he jettisoned as fast as lightning, smashing a knee into a nearby Hydranoid, knocking it and several Bakugan down behind it like bowling pins.

Julie raised a fist in cheer. "That's what I'm talking about, guys! Go! Keep the pressure on them!" As the battle raged on, the young reporter turned around and looked towards the sky with a worried frown. 'I still can't help but wonder what that explosion was up there. Oh, I hope those other guys are alright.'


"Hey, you guys better be picking up the pace back there!" Xander called out. He was currently amongst the pack that continued the ascent towards the top, and unlike Maximus, his patience was as thin as paper.

"We're moving it, alright?!" Shuji backlashed, although he was beginning to pant from. "Damn, he's getting pushier by the minute. I knew he's a hothead, but damn."

"Looks like they're giving us a run for our money, as you humans put it." Fly Beetle pointed out.

"That's easy for you to say. You're not the one running, are you?"

"The others still haven't caught up, even after all this time…you think that they're alright?" Jelldon fret.

"Who knows." Atmos responded. "But we all came here with the same objective. They voluntarily held themselves back just so we can accommodate the gap's climb. If they can't hold their own, then that responsibility falls on them."

"He's right. We need to set our sights forward. That's the priority right now." Esther commented, her glare fixed dead ahead.

Luke was hightailing it behind Rogue Zero, his mind racing as fast as his legs could carry him. 'That explosion from before, did it really stop Lucia? And it took Cesar with him…was that all deliberate?' As he went on, his mouth moved. "Esther, what do you think Rogue Zero is after?"

"Who knows. We've been at odds for the longest time…but it's possible that they've changed. It isn't unlikely. They wouldn't have come here otherwise." She shot him a look. "Probably because of the example that you set, Luke."

"You really think so, huh?" He thought about it, in the end choosing not to doubt himself. "Heh…yeah, maybe."

Maggie sighed. "I still can't help but wonder what that explosion did just now." She turned towards the walls, seeing instead of the usual magenta networks that would flash every now and again, it was blue. "Something weird happened, I could feel it."

"Yes, it is rather cumbersome to imagine." Jase replied. Even he wasn't certain of the circumstances, but he was onto a hunch. 'That explosion, no doubt it wasn't any ordinary energy charge. The energy it must have released may have affected the Empyrean in some manner. Perhaps…'

Shawn looked over at Jase. "What are you thinking, Jase?"

"…oh nothing of the sorts. Just hoping this old soldier's legs get him to the top is all. It'd be a crying shame if I had any of you young folk carry me the whole way." He teased.

Shawn sighed, exasperated. "…right."

His peers all went silent as they continued their path ahead. Rogue Zero went on as well, their feet paddling as they took the highroad towards the upper chambers.

"Hmph, you feel that?" Xander quipped.

"Yes…I do." Hendrix grunted. "The negative energy levels…they're rising."

"Looks like we're not that far off. About time." Ariella retorted. "Let's just hope whomever is next is fortunate enough to meet up with us."

"…" Maximus offered no compliance nor statement as he kept his eyes fixed on the entrance to the next chamber coming up ahead.

The present group steadily approached the oncoming chamber entrance. Immediately, the negative energy they've felt before had dramatically spiked from out of nowhere. It was just as strong as it was when they encountered Lucia, perhaps more so. They came up to the entrance and braced themselves.

"Looks like we're up for something big." Shuji stated. "Seeing something up ahead."

Abis' orange eyes were fixed ahead. "What is that?"

The party made way through, immediately entering upon an area that made them reminisced if something that felt like an isle. All their eyes went around as they immediately noticed the difference in what that this chamber had compared to the one Lucia was in.

Rather than a small, calming stream running around an island, the entire outside perimeter was a dark blue water, which flowed outwards to becoming immediate vapor. The arches were apparent to show the atmosphere they were over. The white porcelain tiling was still present, but the ridges were crusted, with some scattered white stones here and there to make the appeal of a rocky isle. Even the flowing water crashed against the rocks every now and again.

"It's like…we're back on Outback Isle…but we're not." Luke stated. He remembered well of what the isles were like, and they most certainly weren't anything this vaguely ominous. Bare, maybe. But at least the air felt pure. Here, it felt forlorn.

"It's not as bright as it was from below us. It looks like it's due to the elements that the chambers comprise of." Jase deduced. "Water…and earth…"

A small wake of a wave crashed near them, causing Shawn to step back from the sprays. "Such strong waves…it's like a storm." He looked around, feeling not even the wind blowing, nor the ground shaking. "I don't think the Empyrean is shaking. Maybe it's reacting to the energy around us."

"Maybe the more energy that's given off, the stronger the course is." Atchibee stated. "I certainly feel it stirring incredulously."

Killian faced forward. "Look alive, guys…we're not alone here."

They all faced forward, just as two waves crashed and sprayed across the rocky ridges surrounding them. They immediately noticed two familiar figures that didn't sit well in any of their stomachs.

"See that you fools went and shook things up from below. So not cool. The hell you come off entering our turf and messing with our game plans! You all on something?"

Shawn recognized the voice. 'That voice…that's-!'

Jumping in from seemingly out of nowhere, Magnus stomped his foot and crossed his arms with his head held high. "Alright, we were going easy on you all before, but now you disrespectingz us just by busting into our crib. Didn't anyone tell you duh warnings?! Guess we'll be mirking some bozos after all. Magnus Hunt, Subterra Pillar of Hades Pillars…and if you ain't gotz it, then you be gettingz it when I drives it into ya."

"Magnus." Luke drew his sword.

Maximus turned his head towards another direction. "What's this? Another standing ovation?"

Everyone heard another wave crash, a giant one at that. Within the sprays against the large circular isle, it was reminiscent of rain that glistened on a beautiful, mermaid-themed attire on a beautiful curvaceous frame, belonging to a very beautiful and flaunty woman. Her heels were a deep blue, with deep blue and crystalline-themed dress with straps keeping the top on. Long, blue gloves with a woven silky cape hung at the elbows as diamonds were on rings and bracelets she adorned. When the water came down, each scale on the dress shined with her porcelain skin tone.

"Hmmm, what a beautiful view, isn't it?" Her blue lipstick curled into a smirk. "Over a beautiful land, befitting that of a beautiful woman. I mean, it's only befitting, right?" She put a hand to her hips as she raised her head with a smug look. "The epitome of refinement, Amina Island. The Aquos Pillar of Hades Pillars, and the richest of its kind."

Ariella's glare hardened. "Amina…"

"…" Hendrix glared daggers at Magnus, his respective senior in rank. Or rather, former ranking.

Amina turned her head away and shut her eyes. "Ugh~! What is that in front of me? Is that trash actually looking at me? Excuse me, but if you don't get out right now, your ugliness is going to stain my beauty. Now, get lost."

Maximus face was still unclear, but he seemed awfully serious. "You two look well…a little too well."

"You've got some ballsy teeth you have moving that mouth, fool." Magnus scoffed. "Better choose wisely what to say next otherwise you'll lose them."

Amina sighed. "Is everyone ugly and deaf? Why did I even bother?"

"They're just as confident as Lucia seemed. Something is different about them." Esther pointed out. 'Lucia had herself a new Bakugan. There's no doubt we might be expecting the same from these two. This energy they're giving off alone, it's more than an indication of the strength they possess than they did before.'

Killian turned towards Maximus. "What do we do?"

"…" Maximus offered nothing to say. He just looked at their foes blocking their next stairway entrance on the far end of the Empyrean.

"Looks like we're gonna have to get past these guys then…" Shuji balled his fists, when a burly arm impeded his path. He looked at it, then up towards Hendrix as he kept his chin down and started with heavy, calm strides towards the front.

"Hendrix…" Ariella noted.

He walked until he was face-to-face with Magnus and Amina. "I'll handle this." He said bluntly.

Ariella's eyes were wide at how deep and serious Hendrix was. It was almost comical. She sneered as she walked right behind him. "Hm, please. As if we'd let you take the glory like Cesar did. Besides, I've been meaning to settle something myself. Just don't get in my way, big guy. Alright?"

He glanced back at her, then forward. "Very well then."

"Hendrix…and Ariella." Luke watched them pace themselves side-by-side until they stood before their enemies at hand. Not one, but two of Rogue Zero willing to provide a blockade broad enough for them to get by.

Magnus observed the two stepping up towards them and scoffed. "Hendrix, my homie. Where the hell have you been, man? What happened? I thought we were tight an all."

Hendrix glared. "You're not very bright, Magnus. I pity you."

"Pfft, man, what you be talking about? Wherever the hell you'd be gonez', it'd be tripping you all over, because I should be the one saying that to you. You've really done it in that I don't know how I'm supposed to bail you out of this one."

Hendrix squinted. "I don't need saving…you shouldn't have from the very beginning."

"Amina…long time, no see." Ariella greeted in her snobbish tone. "You look like you've been digging into your pockets again. How much did it cost to make that fancy getup?"

"Ugh, excuse me, but who are you supposed to b-!" She stopped in the middle of her retort when she noticed something familiar about Ariella's attire. "Wait a minute…is that…is-is that…." She started shuddering, showing genuine anger. "Is that…my dress?!"

Ariella slyly smirked. "Hmph, figures I would get your attention this way. You always pay more attention to what you want that it's so hopeless to get any reason for you to turn anyone's way. My, how pathetic."

"GIVE ME BACK MY DRESS RIGHT NOW! IT'S MINE! WHAT IS IT DOING ON THAT DISGUSTING, FILTHY THING THAT YOU CALL A BODY?! YOU'RE GERMS ARE ALL OVER IT!"

"You want it so bad, then why not come and take it?" she challenged.

Xander turned away, his gaze still foxed on Ariella. "Heh, well I can see that you're busy with your little family dispute over here. We'll leave you two to sort it out."

"Please, Xander. Like you can use eyes to tell what's right in front of you isn't that obvious." Ariella sniped. "Get going! Now!"

Maximus turned his head away and started for around them. "Very well then. Have fun." He sniped. "Xander. Killian…we're going."

"You got it." The two other members said in unison.

"We should go, too…something's telling me we better not be here for long." Shawn said. He knew all too well the troubles with personal matters. After all the trouble they went through back on Earth to rally up their friends and family, who could blame him?

"He's right. We need to follow while Hendrix and Ariella are stalling. Move quickly." Esther prompted.

Everyone hurried along and rushed around the scene. They left Hendrix and Ariella alone as they glared down Magnus and Amina respectively. They looked deathly serious if their postures and glares were of any indication. The waves crashed along the rocky white shores as the four combatants were standing an equal distance. The floor's accents shined a bright blue network instead of magenta once again.

Once everyone was out o the way, their personal business could unfold.

"Hendrix, my brother. My homie. Where've you been man?" Magnus asked. "I'd be looking all over for you had it not been for all of dis mess with these pests."

"You shouldn't have to look for me, Magnus. I don't need you, like you need me." He retorted.

Underneath his visors, Magnus furrowed his brow. "Brotha…I saved you. I bailed you out from those streets. You'd be paying debts by saying stuff like that? We made a great team. Just us and the homies back in Troposphere. Remember that?"

He shut his lips tight. He wished he didn't remember such a time, but he knew better than to fuel the flames. His fists clutched out of the anger he was boiling up, however. Something which didn't go unnoticed by an unnerved Amina.

"You." Ariella turned to Amina. "You stole what is mine. And mine alone…my beautiful dress…tainted! How are you going to pay for this, you sorry scum?!"

Ariella wasn't moved. "Heh, that's what you wanna call it? No matter. After all…I wouldn't expect you to treat your younger sister anything less than scum." She paused to allow the moment to sink in. "You truly are delusional, Amina, aren't you? So greedy that she'll do whatever she must to get her way. If that isn't pitiful enough, I don't know what is."

Amina's brow twitched. "You…you dare talk back to me?! Let alone look at me?! Foul, disgusting trash like you think you're so high and mighty, when really you can't be anything more than worthless, replaceable, scum!"

"Heh…well at least this trash is good for something. Perhaps I should show you just what I mean?" Her eyes darkened. "That is, unless you just want to buy your way out of this one."

Magnus whistled. "Damn, even I don't mess with this fine bitch over here. You'd be asking for a death wish."

"Why else did we come here?" Hendrix prompted. "So, you want to settle this…or not?"

Magnus glared daggers at his muscular enemy. "Homie…I'll set you straight. On my life, you're coming back to your senses."

Amina smirked maliciously at Ariella. "I'll be sure that the Empyrean's waves wash away your stain once I get rid of this blinding sight right before me."

Once again, a giant wave crashed into the sides of the isle around them. The waves shook the chamber, stirring up battle energy that was about to unfold between them all.

Amina: 100% Ariella: 100%

Magnus: 100% Hendrix: 100%

"Let's just see how much it'll take to make that you tick until you send yourself off, shall we, sis?" Ariella teased, holding up a Gate Card. "Gate Card, set!" The card went flying out, disappearing into the ground in a deep blue rippled. "Bakugan, brawl! Bakugan, stand! Go, Aquos Megalo Clawcer!"

In a deep blue light, giant claws unearthed and stabbed the ground, causing huge indents that immediately repaired themselves. Giant claw with a huge star-like shield on it levered upwards and them slammed on the ground. Clawcer's mouth brace split open, revealing his sharp teeth as he let out a blistering scowl.

Amina huffed at the sight. "Ugh, so repulsive."

Relying on his own constitution, Hendrix threw in his Bakugan next. "Bakugan, brawl!" He threw the Subterra Bakugan into battle. "Bakugan, brawl! Bakugan, stand! Go…Subterra Bloom Rafflesian!"

In a brown light, the ground was pierced again when thick, thorny briars shot out, while a towering, thorny stem surfaced. Its bud opened, revealing the five petals that had "eyes" that shined brightly upon being summoned. The Bakugan expelled a loud roar at his summon to the battlefield.

"Seeing that you're taking after our old homies' insignia to heart, Hendrix." Magnus chimed. "Never really got why you were into flowers, but damn, you really gotta break this fetish you've got going for ya."

Hendrix balled his fists. He had nothing to say to the likes of his adversary and former comrade.

"Yo, I be talking'z to you! Don't be dissin' a homie, man!" Magnus still didn't get a response. His irritation grew that much more intense. "Damnit man, alright then…you be asking for it. I'll bring ma home boy to his senses." He held up his own Bakugan, which was black, magenta, and brown. "Alright, time to reclaim our ole' stomping grounds. Bakugan, brawl!"

The Bakugan went flying out. As it did, Hendrix narrowed his eyes as he felt a pressure from the capsule.

"Bakugan, stand!" The ball popped open, revealing a tail flipping open, along with four limbs and a head. A magenta light flashed upwards before a shockwave of magenta energy traveled in all directions, making a explosion of magnitude beneath everyone. Pieces of the ground defied gravity, reducing to crumbling bits when the pulsing light roared with a deep, sundering tone to it.

Hendrix and Ariella covered themselves, as did Clawcer from any debris that blew about. Rafflesian looked on as the bright light faded, allowing a view of what could have been a monster.

Hendrix squinted.

"Rip'em to shreds…Subterra Vulrax!"

Two hind legs stamped into the ground, kicking up the Empyrean ground beneath. The front legs stamped heavily, doing the same thing. What arose was a Bakugan that had a structure much like a muscular dog, but it was anything but one. It had hind legs that were like a dog, yet had front legs that resembled a human. It had a thick black snout that overlapped the front of it. It had a brown, dense, rigged underjaw with fangs overlapping the overjaw. It had magenta eyes with black overlapping scales going from the brows over the pointed brown ears. Black scales surrounded the magenta scales, which ended up becoming a large, ridged backbone that went all the way from the head to the tail. Black plating and scales were still there, but along the spine and across the back, spiky, rugged plates became spikes that gave it some impression of an Ankylosaurus. Dark brown scales covered the bare, rugged skin as the joints to the limbs had black rocks jutting out of them. The wrists had cuffs similar to the rocks. On the underbelly was a magenta rock spike that jutted out.

His long tail swayed around through the air as his upper body arched up a little. He opened his maw wide, unleashing a loud, blistering roar that sent ripples across the atmosphere, spreading outwards and making debris that hasn't been broken expel towards them. Had it not been for Clawcer's shell, it would have really hurt Hendrix and Ariella.

Vulrax lowered his head, snarling low at his prey with a high guard. "Atta boy." Magnus teased. "Right where we want'em."

Amina rolled her eyes, scoffing lightly as she held up a ball with black, magenta, and blue coating. "Honestly, you're so poor in taste…but my Bakugan, she's the epitome of beauty. Allow me to demonstrate." She tossed her Bakugan into Bakugan. "Bakugan, brawl! Bakugan, stand!"

The ball form opened, where eight long appendages opened to reveal a head and arms. This time when a magenta light exploded outwards, the atmosphere grew more liquefied. A humid presence erupted around them that it felt like air after a rainstorm.

Amina smirked evilly with her chin raised high as a towering pillar before her diminished, revealing a black silhouette with octopus-like limbs that shifted to reveal glowing magenta eyes.

"What…is that supposed to be?" Ariella squinted with an uneasy dread crawling down her spine.

Amina smirked wider. "Perhaps you would like to know about my Bakugan…Aquos Plasmera!"

The light expelled in all directions, revealing a humanoid feminine Bakugan that had octopus-like qualities. While very dazzling in composition, her overall feminine appeal mixed with the sea creature was something else. She had a human upper body that was all bright blue, with deep blue lips and magenta eyes with eyelashes. Three dark blue markings resembling upside-down eyelashes hung below the eyes. She had fin-like ears that were all diamond-like. Her hair was comprised of long, elastic, black tentacles that she controlled at her own will. The fronts all had three magenta dots at the base of each tendril. A diamond choker was on her exposed neck, with three dark blue orbs along the collarbone. Magenta diamond pauldrons guarded her shoulders, and more magenta dots were scattered like bubbles over her translucent bright blue skin. Diamond rings hung on the elbows. Black rills were behind star-shaped magenta cuffs that kept the black glove in place, with a magenta core on the back of the hand. From the breast down hung a large mantle that was patterned in diamonds varying from black to magenta. Her stomach was exposed. From the waist down was a deep blue ring with a pure diamond center that was attached to eight octopus legs that were all black, with bright blue undersides and deep blue custom cups aligning them evenly. Magenta diamond patterns were segmented all the way to the diamond-like frilled ends, which glistened with the light refracting off them.

The Bakugan's magenta eyes shined brightly as it gave off a loud, siren-like wail. The waves suddenly exploded all around as a sign to her arrival to arms. The crashing waves brought down a drizzle that made Amina and Plasmera's diamond patterns on their bodies shine beautifully.

Plasmera: 1000 Megalo Clawcer: 700

Vulrax: 1000 Bloom Rafflesian: 700

"Looks like these new guys are packing some actual power. A power level of 1000?" Ariella observed. "Guess the Doc's predictions of stronger Bakugan really was spot-on."

Hendrix balled his fists with a stoic expression. "Even so…we shall persevere. Rafflesian, lend me your power."

The giant plant raised his briars in preparation. "My strength shall be yours for this fight, Master."

"Let's just get this over with already." Amina cockily chimed. "The less I see you, the more I can see a new beautiful world through a nice view in a bubble bath."

"You want a bubble bath? Then this'll do just fine!" Ariella held up an ability. "Ability, activate! Abyss Blow!" Clawcer's eyes shined bright blue for a moment before he growled loudly, loud enough that the earth trembled. He opened the jagged pincers on his huge claw and fired a generated blast of water that tore a path after Plasmera.

The attack met its mark, erupting the enemy Bakugan in a powerful explosion of mist that leveled the ground around it.

Plasmera: 1000 (-300) = 700 Megalo Clawcer: 700 (+300) = 1000

Vulrax: 1000 Bloom Rafflesian: 700

As the mist cloud surfaced around the opponents, Ariella looked on with a slight scoff. "Was that all it took?"

As the mist cleared away, several tentacles were shown guarding the front where the attack would have struck. They separated to reveal Plasmera completely unscathed from physical harm done to her humanoid top-half.

"Oh dear, you forgot the bubbles…" Amina showed an ability. "That's disappointing! Ability, activate! Sea Ghost!" Plasmera's tentacles all slithered about before the diamond flipper tips went translucent. They went down into the ground without breaking it, seemingly fading away like ghosts.

"It's coming from below." Hendrix warned.

"I can see that!" Ariella snapped. "Clawcer, be ready!"

Clawcer's eyes gazed about, his huge shield and pincer combo staying low for a high guard. However, he was blindsided when a sudden rush of ghastly tentacles came from below, pushing him off the surface and into the air, screaming mightily in shock.

"Clawcer, what?!" Ariella gasped.

Clawcer screeched as the world shifted around him. He smashed on his back into the ground, a position that was impossible to get off of so easily. The thud was powerful enough to make Ariella stumble.

Plasmera: 700 Megalo Clawcer: 1000 (-500) = 500

Vulrax: 1000 Bloom Rafflesian: 700

Clawcer groaned as the shock from that attack did a number on his durability. He was gradually weaving his legs to and fro trying to get up, but he was completely open.

"Dem weakest ones always be'z bark the loudest before being put down." Magnus scoffed. "Ability, activate! Rave Hunter!"

Vulrax spread his limbs evenly and swayed his tail in the adrenaline kicking in. He raised his front half, the claws glowing dark brown and thickening with triple their length. He roared as he raced like a bloodhound chasing after its prey and leaped high above, bearing his incisors on the exposed Clawcer.

Plasmera: 700 Megalo Clawcer: 500 (-500) = 0

Vulrax: 1000 (+500) = 1500 Bloom Rafflesian: 700

Magnus' visors shined brightly. "You don't belong in my crib."

"KKROOOAAH!" Vulrax bellowed out with bloodcurdling might as he pounced down onto the exposed Clawcer, much to Ariella's horror.

"Ability activate, Yggdrasilium!" Hendrix shouted. Rafflesian responded promptly, drilling his briars into the ground and summoning a thick field of sharp briars along the outside, with slim roots shielding him and Clawcer on the onside.

Vulrax came down and slashed at the briars, but his nails were evenly matched with the thorns surrounding Clawcer. The Bakugan jumped off and landed on his hind legs and slouched up with nails digging into the ground.

Plasmera: 700 Megalo Clawcer: 0 (+1000 +500) = 1500

Vulrax: 1500 Bloom Rafflesian: 700 (+500) = 1200

Vulrax snarled as the walls of briars gave Clawcer enough time to use the roots as a base and push himself up. Ariella glanced at Hendrix with a sneer. "Hm, not bad timing you big oaf." She complimented…or as close to one she could give. "Now, let's see what other kinds of tricks we can pull on them."

"Save your insults for after victory is assured, Ariella. You'll get sloppy otherwise." Hendrix replied.

"Yo, Hendrix, ma homie. I really don't be want'zis to hurtz you and all, but you better be getting out of duh way, foo'." Magnus insisted.

Hendrix glared. "And, if I don't?"

"Then I'll have to be messing'z you up some, too." At that remark, Vulrax snarled low as he eyed Rafflesian next.

Ariella kept her eyes forward, but her focus on cooperation with Hendrix. "Listen, you just focus on support. Clawcer will cover offense."

Hendrix chose to not argue. Now wasn't the time to dispute. "…very well then." He held up his Bakumeter, showing two abilities overlapping one another. "Double ability, activate! Deep Incense, plus, Ingrain Life!"

Rafflesian's closed bud gradually opened, revealing the blossoming petals inside that expelled a luminescent spore that spread around him and Clawcer. Meanwhile, his briars dug deep into the ground, pumping injected power that made a Subterra aura flow within him.

Plasmera: 700 Megalo Clawcer: 1500 (+300) = 1800

Vulrax: 1500 Bloom Rafflesian: 1200 (+300 +100) = 1600

As the scent filtered through the briar field, Vulrax and Plasmera were wary as they watched their opponents gain power. They had to bring it down, no matter what.

Magnus turned towards Amina. "Yo, woman! You be pitchin' in or what?!"

Amina eyerolled and held up an ability. "Fine by me. Ability activate, Down Neptune!"

Plasmera's eyes glowed bright blue and her tentacle hair wriggled around, like it had a mind of its own. She raised her arms high, with the palms glowing bright blue. From the sides, the giant waves surrounding them shot skywards, arching over Plasmera's head into a swirling hemisphere of water. She directed it down onto the opposing Bakugan in a dense aqua pillar that smashed into the briars surrounding them.

Plasmera: 700 Megalo Clawcer: 1800 (-500) = 1300

Vulrax: 1500 Bloom Rafflesian: 1600 (+100) = 1700

The condensed water pillar ate its way through the briar shield, with water pressure so intense that even the thick roots were starting to bend to where they snapped. From above, Clawcer and a stasis Rafflesian looked up and saw water leaking down until the briars snapped completely, blowing water down in a condensed pump.

"Ability, activate! Foam Dowser!" Ariella snapped back. Clawcer's mouth guard instantly opened to expel a large field of dense, foamy bubbles that encased him. The downward jet of water hit the bubbles, but instead of going through, it was all absorbed. Time slowed down as the added water to the foam actually caused it to spray bubbles everywhere. The air rumbled as foam completely exploded across the battlefield.

Plasmera: 700 Megalo Clawcer: 1300 (+500) = 1800

Vulrax: 1500 Bloom Rafflesian: 1700 (+100) = 1800

"You happy you got your bubble bath now?" Ariella teased. "And thanks for the added water so that the suds can multiply."

"The hell?! They be using that attack as a smokescreen…not shabby for someone who ain't used to the street way. But…" Magnus held up an ability as well. "Now you can't see us…"

Inside the foam shield, Clawcer regained his composure along with Rafflesian. They were able to elude their opponent for now, but they didn't have very long, that was a given. "Milady, what do we do now?" the crab asked.

Ariella shifted left and right. She knew they were safe within the foam, but it wouldn't take long for them to counter. If she knew anything about her sister, it's that she gets what she wants, even if its them dead.

Hendrix was being as calm as he can be in the face of the obscure. He was aware that Magnus was shifty, sly, and will cut corners the easy way to get wherever he need. At this thought, he braced himself.

"Here it comes…" he snarled.

Ariella gasped. "Pardon?!"

At his warning, there was the sound of a rush of limbs that drew closer with each passing second. Something blinding jumped out of the foam, roaring with his eyes shining brightly. It was Vulrax as he charged Clawcer and Rafflesian at the same time.

Time slowed down as both Bakugan took a large hit as the rocky, hound beast dispelled all the bubbles surrounding them, much to Clawcer's chagrin. Ariella was left dumbfounded, while Hendrix grunted.

"What happened?!" Ariella gasped.

Through the new opening, Hendrix looked at Magnus, who had an ability up and going. "Ability, Hound Zone-In! Once this Bakugan be smellin'z you, there ain't nowhere you be hiding from."

Vulrax's thick nostrils wrinkled as he smelled something from behind. He caught the scent of Clawcer bringing down his shield pincer. With lightning-fast movements, his tail swept behind, knocking Clawcer over on his side with a graviton thud.

Hendrix snarled. Rafflesian raised one of his briars and swung it down onto Vulrax, who weaved out of the way. Another wave of briars came down and he dodge that as well, and then another. Rafflesian had enough and came down with a clean slam on his rocky-scaled back, but the impact was deflected off just as easily. The momentum made Rafflesian recoil as Vulrax stamped on the ground and pounced for Rafflesian, his sharp fangs biting into the thick briar body and pinning the huge stemmed beast to the ground. The ground rumbled from the pinning thud that even Hendrix had to block against.

Plasmera: 700 Megalo Clawcer: 1800 (-500) = 1300

Vulrax: 1500 (+600) = 2100 Bloom Rafflesian: 1800 (+100) = 1900

Rafflesian went to make a briar rise from behind Vulrax, but the Bakugan swatted his tail, knocking it away with no problem.

"Yo, man. You know precisely why I was the leader of the pack, right?" Magnus challenged Hendrix. "It's because me and diz Bakugan got's stuff'z in common. We ain't sitting around waiting for stuff'z to happen. If you wantz it, den you be get it." Vulrax snapped down harder, digging his claws deeper into Rafflesian. "Diz be happening to those who disrespects de alpha…just like how you walked out on me and duh boys when we needed you most, man. So why?"

"…" Hendrix breathed heavily out of his nostrils. His glare had a fixed defiance in them against his former comrade. Magnus didn't budge as he intended on getting the answers out of his "homie".

Clawcer's huge claw pierced the ground as he used it as a cane. He struggled to stand when he felt a presence staring him down from behind. He heard the sound of octopus tentacles and looked back with Ariella to find Plasmera there, with Amina snorting.

"How's about I show you just how high of stature that trash like you can drop from?! Ability activate, Siren Somber!"

Plasmera's three chest jewels shined bright blue, glinting several times before the inside of her mouth shined brightly. She opened wide, expelling an earsplitting, distorted blast wave of blue frequency waves that tore apart the earth beneath. Everything shook haphazardly as Ariella and Hendrix covered their ears from these boisterous shouts heading their way

Plasmera: 700 (+500 (x4)) = 2700 Megalo Clawcer: 1300

Vulrax: 2100 Bloom Rafflesian: 1900 (+100) = 2000

The entire battlefield shuddered at Plasmera's exasperated wails. Waves broke apart, and the earth they stood on was vibrating with this silique. Amina seemed to be the only one who relished in the harmonic wailing.

"Mmmm, such a lovely tune, don't you think? A chime that gets more powerful with every Bakugan on the field." She raised her chin mockingly. "Beauty as well as a charming accent. Why, I just might get jealous over myself."

Though Ariella couldn't hear what she was saying, she had a good idea of what it could be: Something obviously mocking. 'If…we don't shut her off…then this'll be bad!'

With the wails shaking the earth beneath, Hendrix had to adjust his footing. The briars and roots that kept feeding Rafflesian power were discomforted underneath the ground. With Clawcer and Rafflesian unable to fight back promptly, the wails exploded into denser soundwaves that spread into their direction, while Vulrax raised a claw to gauge out Rafflesian piece by piece.

"Ability, activate! Scarp Thorn Mine!" Hendrix shouted.

Rafflesian growled as his briars arched into plunges into the shaking earth. Vulrax looked back at the briars going underground. He faced Rafflesian and jumped away at the last second when sharp, jagged, angled thorns exploded from below. They fanned out across the ground, blocking out Plasmera's soundwaves and overtook her with a giant wall of jagged thorns cornering her.

"Excuse me?!" Amina exasperated.

Vulrax landed within an open zone of the thorns, his rocky scales protecting his from any shrapnel that cut him off. However, he looked ahead, very much annoyed with his rock jaws open at Rafflesian beyond the spike field.

Plasmera: 2700 (-1700) = 1000 Megalo Clawcer: 1300

Vulrax: 2100 (-1100) = 1000 Bloom Rafflesian: 2000

"Shoot, the hell he just do?!" Magnus yelled at the spiked mine field. "I said that I'd be finding you'z when you hiding, but not when it'd be like this, man."

"Nice going." Ariella smirked. "How's about we double up on this one, follow my lead."

"As you wish." Hendrix grunted.

Ariella lifted her blue Bakumeter as her other arm reached out. "Ability, activate! Sea Stalker!" Clawcer's spiked crab legs arose and stamped into the ground, summoning a fissure f seawater that went straight ahead.

Hendrix followed. "Ability, activate! Terra Form!" Rafflesian ruptured his briars beneath, summoning very large rocks and overturned earth from below that went projecting with Clawcer's attack at the opponent.

Plasmera: 1000 Megalo Clawcer: 1300 (+400) = 1700

Vulrax: 1000 Bloom Rafflesian: 2000 (+500) = 2500

The aquatic fissure and earth debris continued its course, combining into an oncoming wake of earth and water that bored its way through the thorn minefield into the incapacitated Bakugan. With very limited movement afoot, neither could fully escape the eruptive wake that was about to engulf them.

A singular thought ran in Ariella's mind. 'This time…she won't get her way!'

The eroding wake of the attack finally reached Plasmera and Vulrax, but Amina looked visibly annoyed. "Heh…ability activate, Glamorous Blizzard!"

Mere millimeters before the rock, thorns, and the water could make contact, there was a small time-lapse before Plasmera's convulsed. She let out an unintelligible shriek before an omnidirectional blizzard of glittering blue frost and diamonds blew everything away. The elements, even the spiny thorn garden, were all reduced to atoms as this shockwave of glistening diamond energy overtook Rafflesian and Clawcer, forcing both Bakugan to take some cover, as with their partners that were unable to counter.

"AAAAHHH!" Ariella screamed at the top of her lungs as she shielded herself from glowing blue energy waves that felt like a storming blizzard. She lost footing easily while Hendrix leaned forward and blocked using his forearms.

Plasmera: 1000 (+1700 +500) = 3200 Megalo Clawcer: 1700 (-400 -500) = 800

Vulrax: 1000 (+1100) = 2100 Bloom Rafflesian: 2500 (-500 -500) = 1500

The raging storm of energy diamonds shook the battlefield once more. The storm kept brewing around Plasmera as she stood at the center of this enormous hurricane of energy. It howled like the wind, obscuring everything in its path so that no one could see no hear what was happening.

Amina laughed wholeheartedly at her uproarious overturn. "How beautiful can this possibly get?! I knew that it was dazzling, but something this flashy deserves much more! So sad that it had to be for such lowly trash of a living being like you lot!"

Ariella was on a knee as her clothes shifted everywhere. Some of the scattered debris and dust by the thorns and diamonds buffered her, causing her arms to get scraped and cut. Blood came down, but she persevered. She managed to open her eyes, looking ahead with resolution.

"Ability, activate! Shell Brace!" Clawcer was stuck in the midst of the storm, his body's carapace hardening to where he seemed like a frozen statue inside the blizzard of energy. 'As long as this ability is active, he should be immune towards other abilities.'

Magnus narrowed his eyes under his visors. "She be stupid to have come unprepared."

Beside Clawcer's shell-hardened body, there was a silhouette f something with a magenta gleam. With how harsh and bright the blizzard was, Ariella barely saw it before it was too late. "On your right!"

Clawcer didn't see in time when Vulrax lunged out of the blizzard, tackling Clawcer harshly. Even his giant pincer shield wasn't enough as cracks got on it when Vulrax ran straight through. His magenta ridged backside all the way towards his tail glowing and looking bonier than before. The force it packed was far too much for Clawcer to stand up to as he fell over, much to Ariella and Hendrix's surprise.

"Milady-GAH!" Clawcer collapsed onto the ground when Vulrax's thick head careened around, toppling him over.

Magnus smirked. "That'd be Bracken Border. It nullifies your ability, and it'll chaw on your shell until all the spoils are ripped out of you. Diz be what's happens…when you cross to my home territory. Even without warning, you no not ever mess with ma homie life, ya hear?!"

Vulrax roared out as he whirled around, his fangs bared as his huge tail battered across Clawcer and Rafflesian; the shockwaves in turn blew Ariella and Hendrix off their feet and onto their backs. Vulrax roared as his onslaught continued, opening his hazardous maw and biting down hard.

CRUNCH!

The sound of crunching was heard loud and clear when Clawcer felt one of his several legs get taken a bite out if. The Bakugan roared in pain, but Vulrax used his strong arm to pin him down as he ripped into his helpless prey.

"Dinner and a show, how quaint." Amina chimed.

"But…there's still one more thing be missin'." Magnus pulled out a glock, a personalized one that he effortlessly fired a bullet from without warning.

BANG!

The projectile fired too quick to dodge. It sped right into Ariella, hitting her left shoulder with a crushing wake. It felt like time once again slowed down for both Hendrix and Ariella as they processed what they witnessed, and felt inside. For Hendrix, it was a deafening chill that was made clear in his eyes. For Ariella, it was a bleeding agony that her mouth couldn't quite form yet.

It took several seconds for the receptors in Ariella's shoulders to finally pick up on the blood spray and bullet lodged in her bone. The blue-haired woman let out the most painful, mind-destroying scream she could have ever given off as she reeled onto her back. Hendrix, unable to fully process what happened, looked on with morally frozen eyes at Ariella's cringing body and tears in her eyes.

"Milady-GAAAH~!" Clawcer was trying to reach for her, but try as he could for his giant shield pincer, Vulrax's superior muscle pinned him as he kept his jaw locked on a leg.

Amina smirked vividly at the sight. "Even her shrieks are repulsive! And yet, I can't get enough of it. What a fun little dinner trick you did there."

"Hmph, yeah, well, I missed. I'm a little rusty, alright. Be'z a while since I held a glock." He held it up towards Ariella again. With their Bakugan momentarily pinned down, there was a clear shot towards her once again. "Doz time I won't miss. Nobody be messin with ma crib, alright…nobody. Ain't dat right, Hendrix?"

Hendrix said nothing. His eyes remained wide as the world seemed almost muted within his field of vision. All he saw was Ariella in tears and trying to hold onto her wounded shoulder, while Rafflesian and Clawcer were at the mercy of the opposing Bakugan. This was becoming a one-sided massacre with no say. No consideration. And no remorse by someone he stood by back in the old days.

At that point, he was starting to look down in regret. This was a fight that couldn't be won.

"Hen…drix…"

Hearing his name, he snapped back towards Ariella. "Ariella…?"

Her eyes were stained with painful tears, but she was still looking at Hendrix with her usual glare. "It hurts…it…it really hurts…"

The broad man went silent as he heard her loud and clear. He never heard something like this before. The sounds of painful, slow deaths, which trumped the swift ones he and his gang would do, was bringing him back to the days. The days where it all changed for him and actually felt for those who suffered by the ruthless.


In the dark precipice of Interacia, there lied Troposphere, a growing, bustling domain thanks to the new water filtering system flowing through the growing city thanks to one of its prestigious scientists. Or so it's been told.

However, even such brightening cities can also have a darkness in them. In this case, it was the one group that all of Troposphere and its residence was very much aware of and knew to stay away at all costs.

Deep inside of an alleyway, there were about a dozen men of whom seemed to be with late teens to theirmid-20's, couldn't have been more. They all had dark blue coats with red flower insignias on them. They all were either smoking or playing cards to gamble off whatever credits they had on them towards each other. Their swears whenever they lost their shares were heard loud and clear out towards the streets, which was the signs for everyone to make a break for the farthest area possible.

"GAHAHAHA! READ IT AND WEEP, FELLAS!" An older, gruff gangster shouted, slamming his cards down on a table. He continued laughing as the full house gave him solid victory over the blue cards, which was Interacia's credit. "About time I get something good!"

"Man, you and your broke ass just got lucky!" Another member shouted. "Aye, fellas! Wanna go another round?"

The winner gangster raised a brow. "Eh? Double or nothing, huh? Heh, suit yourself."

As the small crew was getting their cards shuffled for another round, two fellows were a ways away from the scene. On opposite dumpsters, Magnus was smoking through a cigarette, while Hendrix had arms crossed and looked to be getting some shut eye.

"Looks like it's gonna be another calm one today, eh Hendrix?" Magnus muffled through his speech.

Hendrix didn't bother opening his eyes. "Whatever. It's just another slow day." His tone wasn't very deep, and he sounded far more arrogant and bored than he typically was.

"Damn dude, somebody's in a mood." Magnus pulled the cigarette out of his mouth and blew smoke in a small puff. "But ah well, you're always like that. What you gonna do?"

Hendrix snorted. He cared very little for what others had to say. He was just someone who was like anybody else in the gang that was Troposphere's underworld. Someone who lost his parents due to circumstances, be it disasters or Devil Miasma, and was able to hold his own in a fight. And with how much broad muscle he packs, it's no wonder why he was the vice-gang leader in these parts. If anybody came across him, or got too close when he wasn't in the mood…he'd either snap their necks or crush their skulls with a stomp. Though to be fair, surviving was an instinct, and Hendrix survived by fighting. That's how he got up to where he was now, even without a gun. He was the "No-Weapons Menace" of the group, whereas Magnus held onto the gunning of whomever he wanted. The ultimate dynamic duo. Get too close, either you're shot, or you were strangled. No easy way out when you aren't strong.

Magnus looked up towards Troposphere's ceiling that was the outer lands. "Damn, what's it gotta take for this shtick to get moving? This is all cold down here." He reached for another cigarette, but found it depleted. He sighed. "Man, already?"

"You smoke too much." Hendrix snorted. "You should cut back."

Magnus craned his head. "Man, I'll stop anytime I'd be feeling it! Here!" He flicked him some blue cards that fell at his knees. "Alright, you wanna kill time? How's about go and gets me some more smokes. The good kind."

Hendrix picked up the cards and got up. "Fine." He picked himself up and went off towards the street, away as the gang members behind them were roaring when the gruff member slammed down another full set. Blue cards went flying everywhere while members rolled back with groans.


In the shopping district, it was no surprise that eyes were turning towards Hendrix. His attire was a dead giveaway for whom he was affiliated towards. People steered clear of his path when he went up to a vendor, glaring his startled associate in the eye.

"M-May I help you, sir…?" The old man with a bushy moustache asked.

Hendrix laid down several blue credits, approximately 12,000 credits. "The good kind. Don't get any other."

"C-Coming right up!" The vendor hastily zipped behind the glass casing and undid the keyhole. The glass unlocked, he picked out a sealed case of cigarettes and handed them to Hendrix. "There you go. Will that be all?"

Hendrix looked down at the cigarettes in his hands and back at the vendor. He could see the scarcity in his eyes. He narrowed his eyes and gave him a crude, cold look reminiscent of death before turning away. The vendor sighed in relief.

This was as it's always been for the broad and tall man. Wherever he went, people were so afraid of him, almost as much s they were in fear of the land breaking apart beneath them. Regardless of whether or not they were afraid or not didn't change the fact that he wanted his space. Anybody got too close or stood in his way, they'd face his hands and cemented pavement. He didn't value anyone who was weak. They weren't worth the effort. If you wanted to know what death by an iron grip was like, then people would just line themselves up and Hendrix would apply the domino effect, simple as that.

The people cleared away as he turned back into the alley. He turned left and right until he realized the coast was clear. With a gruff snort, he put his hands into his pockets and walked deeper into the darkness.

As he made way deeper, he heard the sounds of a faint cry echoing towards Hendrix. He stopped in his tracks and heard the cry coming from up ahead. His brow furrowing, he stepped forward and got closer towards the disturbing outcries.

"Hey, who's there? Whoever you are, you better have a good reason for being here." He declared.

"Hello~?!" a sniffle came from ahead. "Please! Someone helped me!"

Hendrix growled and drew closer. The sobbing got louder the closer he got towards it. He came up to the side of a dumpster and peeked over, seeing the culprit hiding in its corner.

There, with her hands huddled around her head, there was a little girl, an Interacian for that matter. She had silver-white hair with brown eyes that were stained by tears. Her knees were hugged all the way up to her face as she sobbed uncontrollably. It stained her little red skirt in tears.

"Hey, kid." The girl heard the noise and looked up. There, staring her down with his shadow over her was a tall and scary-looking man. "A little squirt like you shouldn't be here. These alleys don't belong to you."

The frightened little girl sniffled. "I'm…I'm so sorry. It's just that…it was rush hour…and my mom and I got separated. I don't…" She sniffled harder. "I'm sorry! Please don't hurt me, Mister!"

Her little sob story didn't provoke anything for Hendrix. He snorted and turned away. "Just stop crying. Anymore and I'll clam you up myself."

The little girl went silent at his warning, her eyes wide as she saw the intimidating stature that was Hendrix as he walked away.

"You better get back into those streets if you know what's good for you. You're lucky I don't tamper with small-fry like you."

Before he fully took off, the girl stammered before she clumsily stood on her feet once more. She was scared, but what she was scared more of was being let alone. "W-wait! Mister! Can you…" She stepped forward. "Can you help me find my mommy?! Please, I have no one else to turn to!"

Hendrix stopped in his tracks and glanced over his shoulder. "And why would I do that? Kid, you have no idea who you're talking to. You shouldn't be anywhere near someone like me."

"Please?! I-I'm really sorry, honest! But I'm just so worried…" She lowered her head, tears swelling up once more. "I don't know who'll hold me if the ground shakes…or how to get home by myself. Mommy always said, that you should try your best to be as open as possible, and maybe, you'll probably see more sunlight from above. So…please? Just this once? I promise that I'll pay you back somehow! So…just this once?"

Hendrix sighed. He really didn't want to have anything to do with this little girl. She had no business with him, nor did he with her. But if he heard crying again, he was gonna lose it. The innocent plea she gave would have melted the simple hearts of anyone…just not the heart of Hendrix Stone, a man of a solid rock for a heart.

As the girl stated sniffling more, prepared for any backlashes, Hendrix walked past her instead. "Where is it?"

"H-Huh…?"

"I just asked where your home is, little squirt. Better start walking before I lose my patience."

"Y-you mean it?" Her eyes widened with hope as she ran past the man. "Thank you so much, Mister! Hang on, Mommy! I'm coming home!"

"Shut up and start walking!"

Hendrix couldn't have been anymore annoyed with anything than he already was right now. He was downright wanting to break something if not for being out in the open. People steered clear of him as soon as he was within their sights. However, the little girl who was happily humming and skipping along the riverbank. She looked so carefree that it seemed almost unrealistic for someone to be that jovial.

"Thanks again for coming with me, Mister Hendrix! Now it won't be so lonely!" she smiled softly.

'This child is acting like a go-lucky munchkin. It's sickening.' He thought to himself. He would have the audacity to kick her into the river next to them, but he had to refrain himself. "Look, squirt. This is only until you know where your home is. Now where is it?"

She pointed at the bridge up ahead. "Up there, you see? We have to cross that bridge, and then it should be a straight shot!"

"Hmph, fine. Just pick up the pace-!" Suddenly, the ground started shaking beneath them. The rupture gradually intensified until the entire city was having a forceful magnitude.

Nearby, citizens were having trouble standing. "Gah! What's going on?!"

"Oh no! Another earthquake!"

"You serious, that's like the 5th one this week!"

Hendrix kneeled down so as to retain his balance. However, the little girl wasn't so lucky, as she lost her balance and fumbled into the water in the riverbank. She squealed as she splashed down hard.

"Huh?" Hendrix looked over, seeing the kid's plunge. "That's an unfortunate thing to happen…"

The girl sudden sprung up from the water, splashing about haphazardly. "Help me! Help! I don't know how to swim!" She started bobbing down and down, her tiny lungs taking in water little by little. "I *cough* can't swim! Somebody save me!"

Hendrix steady arose to her feet as the child was starting to submerge a little bit by bit. Honestly, he couldn't care less about what would happen to her, but when he looked around to see if anybody would help, none of them were open as they were trying to hold their own ground. He looked back at the girl, pausing for a moment before growling with gritting teeth,

"Gnnnggh…!" Just as she submerged, he reached into the river and grabbed her arm. He hoisted her up like a ragdoll as she coughed out water.

It took a minute for her to collect herself. She was coughing profusely before any of her senses came back to her. "I'm…*cough* I'm still alive?" She turned towards her savior. "Mister, did you-?!" Hendrix moved and dropped her onto the pavement. She landed on her bottom with an "Oof!"

"What do you think you're doing, acting like this is some fancy game you're gonna beat, huh?!" he retorted to her, shaking her cower away in fear. "Squirts like you should know it's not safe doing stunts like that! Didn't your mother do any better for you?!"

The little girl started tearing up in fear and shame. "I…I'm sorry!"

Hendrix turned away, rubbing the back of his head. "Gnnngh…" 'Honestly, this runt is too big of a pain. I shouldn't have even bothered to help her if she was going to be this big of a hassle.' He stopped and glanced back at her innocent face. 'But it's not like I have anything else to do. The sooner she's off the streets, the easier it'll be for all of us. Let's just hurry this along so Magnus can get his damn smokes already.' He turned back around and gave the girl a serious glare. "You better be more careful. Next time that happens, you're on your own."

The girl slowly nodded. "I-I understand…sorry."

Hendrix grunted and started past her. "Just get walking, and stay close alright?"

She coughed again and stammered back up in tow. "Okay…!"

The two continued their little venture, with the girl's attitude becoming a little more cheerful again. Though her humming settled down this time. She seemed to have taken Hendrix seriously as he walked behind her, keeping an eye on her.

"…" He was silently observing from behind, his attitude lightening some. 'Hmph…good, looks like she's farther away from the river this time around.' People maneuvered around him with haste. 'And it's good people are being mindful as well.'

"Hey, Mister?"

Hendrix looked up. "Hngh?"

"What's it like in the streets? Is it adventurous? Is it cool or edgy? I heard it's really scary, but I thought I'd hear that from you."

Her chipper tone made it seem so nonchalant. But at the same time, it wasn't like there was much of any room for Hendrix to necessarily give her a warning like last time. "Hmph, you really wanna know, kid?"

"Hmh!"

Hendrix sighed. "Look here…the city is a dangerous place. You know there's crooks and people out there who have bad reputations. I'm one of those people, so why above all would you want to hang around someone like me, when I clearly cannot be trusted?"

The girl looked up to think about what to say, before her answer came clear to her. "Hmm…well I guess." She smiled. "It's because you decided to help me out in the first place! So you're not all that bad!"

"But you know that I hang around people like me, right? They're nowhere near as public safe as I am. They'd be breaking your bones…and shooting you dead on the spot."

"Then I'll just have to be sure to stay away from them unless it's with you." She chimed so musingly, skipping to and fro once again. "Meeting you taught me something. Even big guys can have hearts…oh! Look!"

Up ahead, there was something that looked like an ice cream stand. Or at least what appeared to be an appeal of one. The sight didn't appeal to Hendrix, but it sure made the girl's mouth water.

"You like sweets?"

She nodded vigorously. "Yeah! I love them! I gotta get one…!" She stopped to dig into her pockets, but realized all her credit was gone. "Huh? W-where's my change Mommy gave me? Did it get stuck in the water?" Her mood dropped again. "Ooohh…"

Hendrix angrily groaned. 'We're wasting time with her fiddling with these pointless cravings.' He looked at her, seeing her crestfallen gaze on the ground. He sighed, reaching into his pocket for a single blue card. He handed it to her. "If it will get us home faster, use this. That's all I'm lending you."

"Y-you mean it…?" She chirped, her eyes sparkling with envy. She accepted the card and looked towards it like it was a gift from the gods. Her mood immediately improved. "I knew it! You are nice, Mister Hendrix! Thank you so much!" She hurried over and smiled at the vendor. "One chocolate cup, please!"

Hendrix grumbled as he rubbed the back of his head. He was starting to lose patience, but seeing the kid with her chocolate ice cream in a styrofoam cup for some reason made him want to ease up on his balling fists…just a bit.

With the ice cream in hand, the girl chimed away as she and Hendrix were coming to an intersection to one of the solid streets. She paused and turned towards the street, recognizing where it was going towards. "Oh, Mister Hendrix! Look!"

Hendrix turned towards the street and immediately recognized the small garden surrounded by bordering. It only had a little bit of grass in it – just enough to make a football field – but it had flowers and a border around it.

"It's the new nursery, so?"

She turned towards him. "Can we just make one more stop? Please~? It's just a small stop, it'll only be for a few minutes! I promise!"

Hendrix furrowed his brow in annoyance. "But enough time has been wasted." He paused when she saw her eyes intently sparkling for a plea. He lowered his chin and gritted his teeth. "Gnnngh…fine! Only a couple minutes! After that, it's straight home, little girl!"

Her eyes brightened up in joy once more. "Really? Yay! I'll be quick, I promise!" She darted off with a cheerful skip in her step, borderline bouncing with such glee. Though visibly annoyed, Hendrix followed.

Upon arrival towards the gates, the girl hummed as she ate her ice cream on the way inside. The gates were open for Hendrix to star up at, recognizing this as the new flower nursery that was still in the makings. He was substantially curious, however. Why would someone want to go to the one place on Troposphere where light shines down? It didn't make any sense. Nevertheless, he went inside.

Upon entering the gates, he instantly looked around to see where the little girl was. He scouted outwards until he picked up on a body right at the foot of a blooming flower bed.

'Hm? Is that…?'

Several meters ahead, white flowers were scattered all over the garden, either in clumps, or were finely spread out. The little girl was in front of the central bed, standing before the tallest flower. Her little ice cream cup was in her hands as she seemed to have calmed down. Her jovial, peppy mood had mellowed out, and she seemed to be empathetic towards something.

Footsteps closed in on her from behind. Hendrix stopped a close distance and observed her watching the flowers. 'She came here…to see flowers?'

After a long pause, the girl softly smiled. "Hey, Daddy…guess what? I'm still alive, just like how you and Mommy wanted us to be."

Hendrix's eyes widened.

"Today was a really crazy day. I almost died, but I met this man. He's really big and scary, and he could be a little mean sometimes…but he's helping me out of his good. And I don't think he's that bad. I wish you could be here to see me, Daddy. The flowers today are blooming more beautiful. Are you happy to see me?"

Hendrix looked towards her and back towards the flowers. All around, the flowers were a single white color, a color that reminiscent that of heaven. At least, that's what he's been told. He didn't bother to think nor even consider the meaning of some fancy flowers, other than them being a part of his gang's emblem. The white was like a sign of purity, like ghosts that were resting all around them. On one hand, it felt spiritual. But on the other hand, it felt…haunting. If these really did reminisce of the passing, could it have been souls that he may have killed? He didn't like the idea of being haunted his entire life by spirits.

But, turning back towards the little girl, she looked so interested and happy, talking to the flowers that were sitting there right before her. Seeing her face basked in the small beams of sunlight above, it made him shut his mouth and seemingly lose his tightened hold on his fists.

The little girl's moment came to an end when she turned and walked up towards him. "Okay, Mister Hendrix…I'm ready."

He nodded. "Alright…let's get going." He turned away with her as they left the flowerbed. However, he looked back over his shoulder and gave the garden one last look before departing.

Suddenly, something touched his open hand. His eyes widened when he looked down and seeing the girl smile as she held his hand. She smiled so merrily at him, but his discomfort only grew.

"Let go, kid." He moved him hand away, but in the end she reached for him regardless and hung onto his huge, rough hands. He wanted to swat her away, he really wanted to…but just looking at her, he just couldn't find the strength. It'd ruin this vague feeling he had going that was somehow…enlightening?

"Mister Hendrix, look! There it is!" The little girl stopped and pointed ahead at the small house that sat on a smell edge of Troposphere, a few houses away from there the filtered water would eject through the net and out into the dark ocean. Even from here, the coastal air felt clear. "It's my house! It's my house! We've made it!"

Hendrix lowered his chin. "So it would seem."

The little girl looked up towards him and smiled in deep gratitude. "Thank you so much for everything, Mister Hendrix! I can't thank you enough for being so nice to me! You really are a good-hearted person, even if you live in the streets!"

Hendrix's eyes widened and blinked. He couldn't say anything back because of how cutely the girl smiled at him. It was embarrassing to look at her in the eye at this point and turned away. "Alright…better get going now. Your mother is waiting."

"Yeah!" The girl let go of Hendrix's hand and raced towards her house standing several meters away along the alcove rocks. She went up and smiled wide. "Mommy~! Mommy, I'm here~!"

"Maddy? Maddy!" The door flung open, revealing the little girl's mother, who seemed to be an exact replica of her, only more mature. Upon seeing her daughter, she started to mist in the eyes and gasped. "M-Maddy…!"

"MOMMY~!" Tears flew off Maddy's eyes as she ran up to her mother's arms. The two embraced endearingly, as though they were separated for a hundred years. The two sniffled and cried their hearts out in the open.

With the mother-daughter duo embracing the other in their reunion, Hendrix looked on, watching the scene with a serious expression. He didn't look on with any means of hate nor discontent, but the fact remained that somehow, in some twisted way, he was able to spare an Interacian life. He must have been smoking something before dreaming, because that's what this felt like. And yet, it wasn't a bad dream. It felt like…a good dream.

After what felt like an eternity, the mother pulled back and looked her daughter in the eye. "Maddy! Thank god you're alright! When I lost you in the rush, I thought I…!"

"Mommy, it's okay, really!" she grinned. "It wasn't all that bad. I had somebody with me the whole time! See?"

The woman turned towards Hendrix, who stood about fifty feet away from the house. Even from a distance, meeting him in the eye left a shiver down her spine, as though she recognized him. Hendrix, on the other hand, just stared neutrally.

"S-sweetie…that man…he's not somebody you should be around, you know?" She nervously told her daughter. "That red flower and clothing…they're part of that gang. You know, the one Mommy warned you about on the other side of Troposphere?"

Maddy shook her head energetically. "No, Mommy. Mister Hendrix helped me. He got me back home safe and sound!" She started to list all the things they did. "He walked me back home, he saved me from drowning after that earthquake, and he paid for that chocolate ice cream that I love so much! And he accompanied me for when I went and visited Daddy today! He's just a little cranky, but he's really good, I promise!"

"Uh, i-if you say so…" She wasn't at all convinced with what her daughter spoke of. She was just glad to have her back, that's all that mattered. She and Hendrix locked eyes once again, though the way she looked seemed fairly assertive. "Thank you, for bringing my daughter home." She strained the words so strongly, as though like a warning.

Getting the message, Hendrix grunted and nodded his head. His business done, he turned and walked away to get back to the gang's alley.

Realizing that he was leaving, Maddy ran out to the street and waved her arms back at Hendrix. "Mister Hendrix~! Thank you so much!"

Hearing his name called, Hendrix lifted his head up a little as he pressed on.

"I'll never forget you or what you did for me! I promise, next time…I'll be the one to give you chocolate ice cream! Until then, wait for me!" Her smile widened. "Thank you!"

Hendrix continued on, as if muting her out. But as he pressed on, his lips curved just for a small bit. He raised his arm up high as a sign of him acknowledging her and her smile. For the rest of the way back, that very small curve on his stone-cold frown remained there.


A few days passed since that incident, and things amongst the gang were back to the way they were supposed to be. The gang was currently spread out, eating lunches and sandwiches they either bargained for a good price, or downright threatened with handhelds. Magnus sat atop of a dumpster. Whereas Hendrix had his head down, conserving his energy.

"Hmph…ha!" The gruff gangster slammed his cards down again, showing everyone a full set. "Hehe! How do you like that?! Three in a row!"

Another gangster slammed his cards down in frustration. "Man, this game is rigged! The hell you be getting these hands?!"

"Heh, lucky draw I guess. Alright, next round, who's up, fellas?!"

As the gangsters were riled up and smoking, so was Magnus was he stuck out the cigarette and blew out some smoke. "Yo, Hendrix. You still good, man?"

Opening his eye, the broad man grunted back. "What do you want now?"

"You've been quiet, a lot more than usual man. Just making sure you'd still be with us and all." He brought the cigarette into his mouth again and sat back. "Mm, damn these hit the spot. Knew you wouldn't let us down."

Hendrix offered no words of compliance. In truth, for the strangest reason, he's been in an awfully reasonable mood for the past day or so. It was so strange, but then again, nobody in their right minds wanted to question him in the first place. It was already awkward enough to ask such a terrifying man a simple question if they wanted their head ripped off their shoulders.

"Whatever, man." Magnus scoffed. "What's important is that the homies still got the greens. That's all we gotta worry about."

Hendrix grumbled low to himself.

"Yo, Mag!" A member chimed. He was walking past them, having returned with a newspaper flier in his hand that he passed along. "Got something for ya." He passed it along to Magnus as he kept walking towards his other members.

Magnus looked down at the flier printed in black and white. What he saw only made his eyes roll. "Pffft…looks like news is spreading faster than it usually does. Yo, Hendrix, take a look at this." He tossed the paper towards Hendrix, who caught it without much effort.

"What is this?"

"Looks like those city folk are catching onto us. Them be messing with us and our shtick by snitching. That ain't right."

Hendrix didn't comprehend well of what he meant by that, but he obliged by looking down at the sheet of paper right before his eyes. As he read on, his eyes slowly widened and his usually calm face was gradually turning more horrified with what he saw.

He read the headlines:

This morning, a terrible tragedy struck the off-shore residence of Troposphere. A mother and her daughter were found inside their homes, dead and stripped bear of belongings. Authorities found evidence of glass broken and doors unhinged. When soldiers arrived on the scene, it was too late to save them. They were found having two bullet holes; one in the neck, and the other in the head. Residence believe this to be the works of the local gang that inhabits these streets.

"…" Hendrix was glued towards the screen, his eyes so wide and stricken with shock that he couldn't believe his luck. 'What…what the hell is this? That woman…and that child. Were they…?'

"Those damn soldiers be getting too close for dem own good. I swear, I'll be bopping them once I see them around here for snitchin'z on us." Magnus huffed, holding up his glock to show he meant business.

Hendrix gave him that same look he gave the newsletter. "…what?"

"Hm? Oh~, sorry bud. We forgot to tell you." He sat up. "You were taking yo sweetass time getting back, so we had one of duh fellas tail to see where you'd be heading'z towards."

"You…what…?" He turned towards the fellow gang members, specifically, the one who was winning all of those card games and getting the blue credits.

"Yeah, Bo over there be tailing, and I have to say you found a mighty fine one indeed, brotha." He jumped off the dumpster and pat Hendrix's shoulder, not bothering to see his shocked expression. "I thought you'd be tripping on us, but it turns out you were leading us to a bounty. Dem gals had enough credits on them to last us a while. You do good man. You do us some good'z. Ain't that right?!"

Bo looked over his shoulder and then back towards his hand. "Hm? Oh, well, it was a good time. Me and the boys got what we needed and scrammed. That lady, she was fine too…heh. Too bad when she tried calling for help I glad to glock her straight through her."

Hendrix silently recalled Maddy's face. He could recall that sweet, sensitive smile she had given him so many times. His feet started moving on their own.

"Don't forget that little brat, too." Another member reminded.

Bo drew another card and blinked. "Oh, the little squirt? Yeah, she was looking at me funny. And she asked me stuff like 'Are you Mister Hendrix's friends?' or something stupid. Man, the girl was so stupid she should have hid before I bopped her clean through her forehead."

Hendrix walked up behind him, staring down with a blank, hollow gaze.

"Pfft, they had some tasty foods tho." Another member chimed. "Glad we got dem'z as well. Talk about a steal."

"Looks like we'll be swimming in blues that'll last us a while, especially me." He laid down another set of full houses. "Heh, looks like I win aga-!"

CRACK!

Everyone went stiff and cold when the cracking of neck bones rattled throughout the area. Blue cards along with mixed gaming cards that were hidden beneath Bo were laying down along the ground, whereas his body fell off the chair with his neck crooked in a gross fashion.

Hendrix huffed in and out, his fingers flexing as his teeth gritted. He was so out of breath from that one neck snap that it looked like he was a mental wreck. Not that anyone would have realized.

"GAH~! BO! WHAT THE HELL?!" a member panicked. He, along with the other members gathered around Bo's body, whereas Hendrix stood there, gritting his teeth.

"Woahwoahwoahwoah! The hell just happened?!" Magnus looked over, only for his cigarette to plop off his mouth, onto the dumpster, and then onto the ground. "Bo?! Bro?!" He turned towards Hendrix. "Hendrix! The hell, man?!"

"…" Hendrix said nothing. The look of pure, unadulterated rage was in his eyes as he snapped back towards Magnus. For the first time in his life, Magnus felt genuinely scared for his life.

"Bo! C'mon man, wake up!" A gangster shouted. He shifted him about, but he saw more cards fall out of his sleeves. 'Huh? Wait…' He picked one up, realizing it was part of the full house set he'd always win with. 'This guy…he's been cheatin' the entire time! I knew this came was rigged!'

"Wait…he'd be cheating?!" another member chirped. "Damn, backstabbing?! For real?! Man, I'm taking all my change back!"

"Forget about that! Hendrix, boy! What the hell?!" another member rushed into his face, but Hendrix turned towards him, paralyzing him with a death glare. "U-Uh…dude…?"

"GRAH!" He violently swatted his forearms, knocking the grunt down onto his side completely unconscious. "Gnnngh…YOU!" With another violently swing, he punched the other grunt straight into his face, knocking him out almost instantly.

"Shit! He's lost it!" A member panicked. "Hurry, restrain that bastard!"

"Forget that, we need to stay away!" another pleaded.

"GRAAAAHHH!" His anger was at a feverish pitch, and he couldn't control it. The more he felt for this Maddy and her mother, the more pain he felt. And right now, this was the only way to make that pain ease. "You all…WILL PAY!"

"YO! HENDRIX! OVER HERE, MAN!"

"…" Hendrix paused and turned around. He looked over at Magnus, who held his glock up ready to shoot. He wasn't fazed in the slightest.

"Homie…dog. Listen…you need to get a grip, I'm telling you this for everyone's good here, alright?" He spoke in a matter-of-fact tone, yet his eyes showed genuine worry. "Now…just back away, and we can talk this out."

He paused as he breathed deeply through his nose, and out through his mouth. Hendrix was fuming as his glare hardened on his sworn brother. "You…"

"What?"

"You…let this HAPPEN?!"

Magnus flinched. "Uh…yeah, so?" Hendrix approached him. "Hey, where's this coming from? You lost it?! What's with you man?!"

"That woman and child…they were nowhere near our territory…they did nothing to provoke us…so why the hell did you KILL THEM?!" He roared into his face.

"I didn't. Bo and the boys did! Hey, don't give me that look dude, it's not like it matters! Like you said, they were weak from the start, they should have been more prepared if they wanted to interact with one of my home dogs. Is this seriously the thanks that I get for having your back man, seriously?!"

Hendrix was ready to bust his head open. He really wanted to. As he reeled his fist back, another flash of Maddy's smile came across him. He froze for a moment before he gradually lowered his fist. Fir some reason, he just didn't have the will to do this kind of thing anymore.

Rather than expect some deadly punch, Magnus found himself unscathed. "Uh…dude?"

Without another word, Hendrix morbidly frowned as he shook his head at Magnus. Not getting the message, he watched as the larger guy walk passed him, shoving himself out of the way. Adjusting, he watched in awe and shock as Hendrix kept his back turned as he got farther away from them.

"Where is he going?"

"Beats me…" another member frowned down at Bo. "Poor Bo…"

Magnus kept his glock up and wanted to shoot at Hendrix in the back…but he just couldn't. His eyes were wide with a distraught expression as one of his closest brothers was getting farther away with each passing second. And not even once was he looking back at them. His glock slowly levered down.

"…I can't shoot a homie…that's this possie's biggest code…" He frowned heavily. "The hell man, just…why…?"


The light shining down on Troposphere's garden that was still growing was silent, with very little winds brewing from around the area. There were several large patches of white flowers clustered together, with even more flowers seemingly blossoming out of the grass.

Hendrix found himself walking into the garden by himself. He stumbled to a stop, his head down as he looked at the flowerbed directly in front of him. He held a long pause as deep regret fell upon his face. What he felt was perhaps the most sickening feeling he's ever felt from anything out there. Worse than what he would normally feel, which was nothing at all. This was worse. This…was what heartache felt like.

"Mister Hendrix!" In his head, he could still hear her sweet voice, the innocence of her tone lingering there in his mind.

He closed his eyes to think hard about what's happened with himself and what he's been through. It was a very rough going on his part, and he had no means to control it. It would have been better if he had just left her there…but no, he had to end up being his big hero just for the sake of a child.

"Young one…I'm so sorry…please, forgive me."

He felt a strong tickle on his wrist, making his eyes open and look down. In front of him was a large white flower, the same one Maddy stared at yesterday. But beside it, blooming, was another white flower. A very small flower, with the whitest petals he's ever seen.

He felt a blinding light from above. He shielded his view of the brightening light of the outer lands that were directed onto him. He looked up in dense inquiry as to why the light was beaming. Probably because the sun was directly overhead. Or maybe…maybe it was a sign from another place. A place that felt warm and bright.

He levered his hand down and adjusted his eyes to look directly into the light. Its warmth and radiance was reassuring, just like Maddy's. 'This light…is this her…her way of letting me know…she's in a better place…little one…I…'

Unable to hold himself back anymore, his fists balled tight as he curled up, screaming at the top of his lungs into the light that continued to warm his stone-cold heart.


The harsh crunching of Clawcer's legs were heard loud and clear. The Bakugan wasn't lasting very long as his opponent was voluntarily chomping him up like a hungry hound.

Amina yawned loudly. "This is all fun and all, but can we move this along? This is starting to bore me, and I'd much rather see this world become beautiful enough to where I don't have to look at it without gagging."

"Damnit woman, will you hush? I'm trying to concentrate here." Magnus looked at Ariella with the glock cocking. "Alright, let's get dis dumb bitch out of duh way. Wanna see a place where me and ma homies can claim, too."

Ariella moved her head to look at the glock. Her shoulder hurt a lot, but it wouldn't hurt as badly as this next shot. She braced herself for the bullet.

"MAGNUS~!"

The echo of this enraged shout made the entire chamber go silent. The gangster leader was dead silent in shock when he heard his name. For some reason, he felt a shiver down his spine. "…the hell?"

Another shout came in conjunction. "Double ability, activate! Sprout Bombardment, plus, Terra Form!" A barrage of dense orange buds shot like bullets of their own, along with formations of earth that went flying after Vulrax. The Bakugan stopped his advances and was immediately pushed back by buds and rocks that forced him to jump back to Plasmera's side.

The barrage didn't stop there. A series of buds and earth rained down, smashing into the earth to create large tremors that made Amina and Magnus grunt. The trembling and magnitude was so intense that the glock was knocked out of the latter's hand as he tried to keep balance. Plasmera and Vulrax scowled as they were blocked out by the wake and dust of this ongoing attack.

Plasmera: 3200 (-300) = 2900 Megalo Clawcer: 800

Vulrax: 2100 (-300) = 1800 Bloom Rafflesian: 1500 (+500) = 2000

Amina coughed as the dust was getting into her lungs and eyes. That attack was making everything hard to see, let alone feel what was going on. "What…is going on?!" she coughed.

"I don't know! Something just snapped out of nowhere!" Magnus exasperated.

As dust brewed around the area, a strong set of footsteps was heard loud and clear. They echoed loudly, like heels through a high ceiling hallway.

"Is this how low you are willing to fight?!"

Magnus gasped at that angry voice. He and Amina raised their heads at they saw a silhouette come up in front of a stupefied Ariella. Her eyes were shrunk as Hendrix stepped forward. His face spelled nothing but pure, unadulterated rage. "You steal from those you know can't fight. You ransack, you kill, and you leave the dead unburied! You are far from ever being sought as a brother!" His eyes pierced daggers full of writhe. "You will suffer…over, and over again in hell!"

"Hendrix…" Ariella was completely speechless. Her eyes were so shrunk that they seemed almost nonexistent. Hendrix never had any kinds of outbursts like these before. Not ones of this magnitude. She almost regretted insulting him all those times.

"You take lives so that you can live, no matter how innocent. And there were those who didn't deserve it, yet you still…" Hendrix was reaching a fevered pitch. He saw the face of Maddy one more time. It made his fist ball so tight that veins were throbbing out of his arms. "Innocence suffered…nobody needed to die…but you…you…YOU TOOK AWAY THEIR INNOCENCE~!"

At his rage, Rafflesian was endowed in a dense brown aura. The Bakugan reared up and expelled a violent roar as his briars wailed everywhere. "KRRRRRRRRR!" The blossoming Bakugan cried out with frivolous anger. The ground grew fissures that scattered, expelling the dark blue water that was around the perimeter in gushing geysers across the battlefield. Magnus and Amina covered up, unable to get a solid grip on what to do.

'I've never seen Hendrix snap like this before.' Ariella realized, staring at his back. 'This man…just what kind of madness did Magnus unleash…?'

Hendrix glanced down, shocking Ariella. "Ariella…"

"…"

"Are you able to stand on your own? It's okay…Magnus would never shoot a 'homie'."

The woman processed what Hendrix was asking her. Her shoulder hurt, and it was on fire, but with him in front of her, she felt secured enough to stand. She smirked cockily. "…hmph, as if you need to ask?" She stood up, clutching her shoulder with a smirk. "After all, I have to settle something with my sister. Though I do admit, you're coming through big guy. Can you keep it up?"

His eyes narrowed. "Until my last breath is drawn."

"Hmph, bold words…I like it. Clawcer! We're not through yet, are we?!"

The crab Bakugan staggered back up, his glare pushing new limits. "Of course not…Milady!" He flexed his claws, expelling a loud cry with an Aquos aura erupting from his body.

Amina scoffed at the petty display. "Ugh, what are they on about now? Their voices are still ringing too loudly you know." She glared at Magnus. "Hey, I thought they were dead already?"

"That bratty sister of yours will be once I get a good aim damnit!" He reached for his glock again, but with Rafflesian and Clawcer up, as well as the debris littered about, there wasn't a lot of room to shoot. He narrowed his eyes under his visor. "Damnit, can't aim at all…"

"Big guy…this time, you take the charge. I like to see where this goes." Ariella said.

"You follow after me." He told her with a glare forward, his Bakumeter shining. "Ability, activate! Deep Incense!" Rafflesian's closed bud petals spread open to expel another green energy spore that spread around him and Clawcer. The pain on Clawcer's leg gradually diminished, but the damage was still evident.

Plasmera: 2900 Megalo Clawcer: 800 (+300) = 1100

Vulrax: 1500 Bloom Rafflesian: 2000 (+3000 = 2300

Amina eyed the cloud spore surrounding the opponents, visibly unimpressed by what she was seeing. "Hmph, you can't hide your ugliness from me, you know! Ability, activate!" she shouted. "Lone Diamond!"

Plasmera's blue gemstone on her body shined bright, glossy blue, like crystal water that refracted sunlight. She crossed her arms and channeled the energy into an expelled blast of radiant diamond light that saw through the incense. Rafflesian and Clawcer covered themselves as the incense faded away.

Plasmera: 2900 Megalo Clawcer: 1100 (-300) = 800

Vulrax: 1500 Bloom Rafflesian: 2300 (-300) = 2000

Ariella's eyes narrowed. "Let's see how flashy you are after this! Ability, activate! Foam Dowser!" Clawcer growled as his braces expelled a wild jet of bubbly foam, bocking out the piercing diamond light and giving Rafflesian and himself some breathing space. Both of their power levels returned to 1100 and 2300 respectively.

"Do it now, Ariella!" Hendrix yelled.

Not wanting to argue with him, Ariella swiped towards the battlefield. "Gate Card, open! Silent Land!"

The Gate Card's light fanned across the battlefield, illuminating beneath all the Bakugan. However, Plasmera and Vulrax were the ones who were the ones who were unable to move.

"With Silent Land, you won't be able to move nor will you able to activate any of your abilities." Ariella chimed. Her shoulder was hurting, but this felt like a grand payoff.

"That's what you think." Magnus sniped. "Yo, Vulrax!" He inserted two fingers into his mouth and whistled loudly.

The Bakugan's eyes shined brightly as he snarled. His magenta ridged back glowed once more and his body started to move slowly, readjusting while the glow on his back remained bright, much to Ariella's immense shock.

"With Bracken Border, it also makes Vulrax immune to Gate Card and ability effects that otherwise prevents him from activating abilities…like diz one!" He held up an ability. "Ability, activate! Sunder Ripper!"

The Bakugan let out a primal roar as he slammed his tail into the ground, propelling him into the midair area. His limbs spread out and he slashed across, making his jutting stony elbows glow with a bright magenta aura and extend to twice their length before he spun down like a scaly drill into the ground. His rotation speed and impact gradually made the Gate Card cracked apart until it shattered, sending the shrapnel as well as fissure debris flying into the foamy veil.

Plasmera: 2900 Megalo Clawcer: 1100 (-400) = 700

Vulrax: 1500 (+500) = 2000 Bloom Rafflesian: 2300 (-1600) = 700

The earth exploded ahead of Hendrix and Ariella, the latter looking more shocked at the huge eruption of rock and earth. "My Gate Card was nullified…? What explosive power."

Through the roaring dust waves, Vulrax pounced out, expelling a loud shriek with vindication in his magenta eyes. "Ability activate, Hound Zone-In!" Vulrax's nose wrinkled as he picked up on Clawcer and Rafflesian's scent. He dug his claws into the ground and pounced forward, drilling a hole through the foam directly into their path. "Once I get a whiff, I'd be smellin'z yo blood! Vulrax, tear'em up, good!"

"KRAAAAAH~!" Vulrax lunged with his claws first, hitting something surprisingly hard. However, it wasn't Clawcer nor Rafflesian.

"What?!" Magnus went wide-eyed. He watched the foam disperse through the area, revealing a thick wall of briars and roots that enveloped Rafflesian and Clawcer alike, so much so that they seemed almost camouflaged inside.

He looked over, seeing Hendrix having an ability active. "Ability…Yggdrasilium!"

Plasmera: 2900 Megalo Clawcer: 700 (+1800 +500) = 3000

Vulrax: 2600 Bloom Rafflesian: 700 (+2600 +500) = 3800

"Is this how you like to fight?! Magnus!" Hendrix roared.

Magnus squinted as time slowed down for the realization to kick in. 'Dey used the bubbles as a coating so that we couldn't see the briars and dem thorns. My homie…knows how I always be playing!'

With Vulrax's nails dug into the briars, he was stuck when an opening revealed a glowing blue mass on the opposite end shining. Neither he nor Magnus were fully prepared.

"Ability, activate! Tsunami World!" Ariella chimed.

Clawcer growled ferociously in payback as his claw shined an intense Aquos mass. Several flashes happened before he blasted dense energy water into Vulrax's exposed stomach, sending him flying through the air screaming in agony.

Plasmera: 2900 Megalo Clawcer: 3000 (+400) = 3400

Vulrax: 2600 (-400) = 2200 Bloom Rafflesian: 3800

Amina took the opportunity at its finest to get another move in. "Ability, activate! Down Neptune!" Plasmera's gems shined brightly as she raised her arms up to conduct the surrounding water. It flowed to a single point above and unleashed a downward flood onto the opponents.

"Ability, activate!" Magnus followed. Vulrax doubled over and slid backwards to a churning halt, then his maw opened wide. "Zone Pulse!" Vulrax opened wider as a dark brown ripple expelled from a vertical point, condensing the ground below as a beam-like shockwave blew straight ahead.

Plasmera: 2900 Megalo Clawcer: 3400 (-500 -500) = 2400

Vulrax: 2200 (+500) = 2700 Bloom Rafflesian: 3800 (-500 -500) = 2800

"You ready, tough guy?" Ariella chimed in.

"Just do it." He grunted.

Clawcer and Rafflesian braced themselves as the two attacks were coming from two different directions. The crab looked up, while the flower faced the oncoming expanding force leveling the ground.

"Ability, activate! Sprout Bombardment!"

"Ability, activate! Abyss Blow!"

Rafflesian expelled exploding pellets of orange bud-like energy while Clawcer aimed skywards and fired a condensed blast of water skywards. The bombarding bud waves went through the narrow reaches of the condensed energy pulse, with the shots going straight into Vulrax's gaping maw. A bud exploded, causing a severe shriek that was muted out through the ongoing barrage of explosions.

Clawcer's gushing attack managed to tear an opening into the downwards stream, streaming at high speeds that Plasmera wasn't able to fully block in time. The pressurized blast hit her square in the chest, causing an explosive burst of mist and water that caused her the shriek out in a siren-like song of pain.

The shockwaves of their explosive attacks reached Magnus and Amina, causing them both to cover up for their lives. They grunted as water and explosions traveled over them with such force.

Plasmera: 2900 (-300 -300) = 2300 Megalo Clawcer: 2400 (+300) = 2700

Vulrax: 2700 (-300) = 2400 Bloom Rafflesian: 2800

Gray smoke covered the area for a short time, but the added mist from Clawcer's attack caused humidity to intensify for a short while, enough to make the haze dissipate. Magnus and Amina were barely able to collect themselves and looked ahead, seeing the area of which their Bakugan resided settling. Both their irises shrunk at the perplexing sight.

"How could they…?"

Vulrax careened his head up as his smoking mouth ached. He groaned weakly before falling over. As he did, he reverted to ball form at the same time Plasmera did, who was in the process of falling onto her back.

Amina: 20%

Magnus: 20%

Clawcer and Rafflesian were silent as they reverted to ball form, though unlike their opponents they returned to their partners' hands. The look on Hendrix's face showed nothing but unadulterated rage. Ariella's face was a much more composed one, but a smirk tugged at the corner of her lips

"…" Amina was dead silent, realization coming across her shocked expression.

Magnus was steady to regain himself, but he looked at Hendrix in a stupefied manner. "Yo…what the hell was dat?"

"You say that you would never shoot a homie. You call me soft…you need to get yourself together. No. It's far too late for that." Hendrix cracked his knuckles. "You are far from salvation."

"Hendrix…" Magnus was left stupefied. He couldn't begin to think of what to say now.

Amina shook in her spot, her fingers twitching. When she looked down at her dress, she saw that it had a stain from a passing debris from earlier on the waist. She looked at Ariella with her eyes dilating. "You…you just…you~!"

Ariella kept smirking. "What's the matter, sis? Credit got your tongue again, like it always has?"

Amina was completely silent, before she almost completely turned cynical. "You…YOU DARE TAINT MY BEAUTY EVEN MORE?!" At her outburst, more tides crashed along either side of the battlefield. A blue network faded in and out of the terrain in her irate. "UUUGH! EVERY TIME! EVERY SINGLE TIME! WHY CAN'T YOU JUST DIE ALREADY?!"

"Heh, probably because you're too busy being a psycho, sis." Ariella hummed, clutching her shoulder in angst. "Are you sure you've really matured? Because all I see before me, is a big, whiny, senile, tramp of a woman."

Amina's eyes twitched. "Get…on your knees, and kneel in apology!"

"No."

The waves in the perimeter diminished. The words spoken just now made the pressure change as a complete silence filled the entire chamber. Magnus and Hendrix turned towards their respective partners as the tension from them turned towards them.

"…what…did you just say…? Did you just say…"

"No?" Ariella beat her to the word Amina cringed at. She saw her sister's face contort some from that word being spoken. Her usual snark was gone, instead having a dreading glare. "Yeah, I said it. The one word that stated it all. You remember, don't you? Or were you so slumped into your own world that you forgot about what happened when you didn't get your way?"

Both sisters went silent as the memories were coming back to them. As waves crashed up on either side, the light from the outside sun brought light that reflected on their home.


Even amongst the crumbling, unstable rock that was Interacia, there was still some measure of class and wealth amongst peers who were able to see the light of another day. Though some had a little more of that privilege compared to others.

On a foundation made on the edge of a peninsula, the light of the outer world shined down on what was a mansion, one the very few – perhaps only – of its kind. With how many years it takes to cultivate for such an enormous estate, this one certainly took a while. But the payoff was more than adequate.

Inside the banquet hall, there were four Interacians that were equally divided up on the table. Each one had their own lavish meal set in front of them. There was a mother and father, both adorned in eloquent ornaments and fancy attires. Similarly, two little girls were on opposite end of the table.

One of these girls had an ocean blue tone to her hair, which was neatly kempt and conditioned by the servants who worked tirelessly to make sure it was to her specifications. The younger siblings had a more sky-blue tone, and had her hair tied in a bud.

"Ah~, now this is much more like it. Cooked to perfection." The father chimed. He had a thin white moustache, with a tuxedo and gloves. His hair was slicked back, and he had glasses on. He cut into another piece of finely cooked meat, which was marinated in some sweet sauce. "Mmm…good. Finally, you get it right."

"It only took five cooks. Honestly dear, are any of these people good at cooking?" the mother chimed. She was a woman who seemed to be around his age. She had deep blue hair that was wavy, much like the older daughter. She had red lipstick and a nice porcelain skin complexion, with a deep blue dress that showed her ample bust.

"I understand, dear, but the populace is still in a crisis." The father noted. "We're fortunate that we're still unscathed." He held up a glass of wine. "To us."

The wife hummed as she tapped her glass with his in honor of their toast. They drank up once more, savoring the fine wine aftertaste.

It was another day for the Island family in their sanctuary that was called their luscious home. While there were no greens growing, there was still plenty of ground for them to be on the peninsula. The outback made of smooth rock had a porch where one could watch the dark waters sway to and fro in the underground world. The mountains that were in the distance and the large waterfall that went down a multitude of them made it a solid reason why this place was left untouched.

The estate itself was like any other one. The Island family, the most noble and rich of its kind, had the most lavish of everything, from chrome utensils, to the most dazzling of jewelry out there. It was evident especially on Amina and her mother. The younger sister, Ariella, had less of it, but seemed more content.

"At least today we didn't have to let anyone go." The father chimed. "That'd be more money out of our pockets."

The mother sighed. "It's getting to be rather tight these days. Surely some of these lower-class folk can learn better trades. Our stocks are barely stable as they are." She looked down at the meat in front of them. "And it certainly doesn't help that they're trying to tax us some more for security benefits."

"They need the money for the supplies…but yes, they could stand to speed it up. The longer this goes on, the more money we'll be pouring out than we're taking in."

"Bleh!" From the other side of the table, Amina spat out her steak. The chunks flew onto Ariella's plate, much to the younger sibling's horror. "Ew! This isn't mac n cheese! What is this?!" she angrily turned towards her parents. "Mother, Father, what were trying to feed me?!"

"Amina, you requested that you try grown-up food, and this is what it is." Her father reprimanded. "That's what steak is."

Amina turned away snobbishly. "Hmph! Well I don't like it!" She saw her younger sibling's plate and took it. "I want this!"

"Hey! No fair!" Ariella snapped. "You can't have that!"

Amina raise her chin. "Well it has my spoils on it. So that makes it mine." She showed off by stabbing the creamy macaroni with her fork and began chewing. After a couple seconds, she spat the food back onto the plate. "BLEH! This is even worse than that other stuff! Mother, who cooked this?! Why would you let someone bake us this slop?! Get me a better cook and a meal that doesn't make me gag!"

Amina turned towards the parents next. "Mommy! Daddy! Sissy took my dinner!"

"Now young ladies, what have I told you about punctuality?!" the father testified, his mood souring with the growing stress. "Waiter, take the plate and bring a fresh batch out for Ariella, would you?" One waiter complied and took the plate. "And somebody inform the cook to meet me in my office after dinner. We'll have to have a talk with him."

Ariella crossed her little arms. She looked extremely upset, but knowing the dinner will be remade will help keep her calm. "Can I at least get some more apple juice?"

With a snap of his fingers, the father's signal was clear for a waiter in the waiting to present a plate with a plastic cup of fresh apple juice. He sat it down in front of Ariella, who huffed. "Thank you." Even though her tone was a little crude, at least she said it, which was more than what her elder sister could do.

Amina folded her arms and flicked off her junior sibling. "Hmph, suite yourself. Someone of my stature requires a better drink than that anyway! You can keep your disgusting food." She wanted more. A lot more. But no matter what she got, no matter how rich or lavish the item, or the taste o the meal, she was never satisfied. This was Amina at her most basic, a contrast to Ariella, who was…still a brat, but a brat that at least had some measure of dignity over vanity. Amina's attention went over towards the adults in the room, where she eyed the wine glasses. "Waiters!" She clapped her hands, bringing a waiter to her side. She pointed at the adult beverages. "I want those. Give me some, will you?"

The waiter looked at Amina with surprise and nervously turned towards the Island parents. He worked over towards the father and began having a small conversation. It was low, so Amina couldn't hear, yet her patience was wearing thin.

"Well, what's taking so long?! I want my drink!"

The father finished speaking with the waiter and the two nodded in understanding. "Sorry, sweetie. The answer is no."

Amina blinked several times. Did she hear that right? This was the first time that word was spoken to her. She just gave her folks a blank look. "N-No…?" she repeated.

"Hm?" Ariella was silent at her sister's contemplation.

"The answer is no, Amina. Sorry, dear." The father repeated.

Amina blinked again before she scrunched up. "No…no? But…what does that even mean? 'No'?"

"It means you can't get this wine." Her mother explained. "You're only 9, you can't have this until you're 21."

"B-But…but I want it…" she paused. "So then…does 'no' mean I don't get what I want…?"

"Of course it does." The father explained.

Ariella looked away from her folks to see her sister visibly shaking. She looked so confused that she was going to go into like some kind of breakdown. That, or the shivering was because she was getting cold. She looked fine. Her lips weren't turning blue or anything. Yet somehow, the 5-year-old daughter looked at her and felt discomforted.

"No…so it means…no…NO?!" she suddenly snapped. "But I always get what I want! Always! What's this stupid word that you just made up so that I can't have whatever I want?! I wanna see this word and fire it immediately!"

"Amina, dear, it's a word. We'll get you some apple juice instead." The mother insisted, only for Amina to slam her hand on the table. "Amina!"

"I want it! I want it, I want it, I want it!" With every time she said 'want', her hand slammed that much harder on the table. "I want that drink! I want it!"

"NO!"

"I WANT IIIIIT! I WANT IT!" She screamed at the top of her lungs, her face getting as red as a tomato as tears were flying off of her. She was kicking and screaming in her seat, screaming the same thing over and over again.

"Enough of this!" the father stood up. "Young lady, you will behave this instant! You are 9 years old now! You must behave as one!"

"I WANT IT! GIVE ME IT NOOOOOOW!" With angry tears staining her face, Amina got out of her seat and grabbed the entire tablecloth. With fury, she pulled the entire place setting and the dishes towards her. Several glasses and fine china fell over in an instant. Ariella's apple juice, their meals, everything in a few seconds splattered around her. The wine glasses shattered and juices stained the carpet, much to the staff and everyone's sheer horror. "NOW IT'S RUINED! CLEAN THIS MESS UP! AND AFTER THAT, FIND ME A NEW RUG! AND SOMEBODY FIND ME BETTER PARENTS THAT DON'T TELL ME 'NO'! I HATE IT!"

"Servants! Take and lock her in her room! Hurry!" the father shouted. "She won't be allowed to do anything tonight!"

Servants filed around at Amina's gargantuan tantrum as she threw everything around. They grabbed her by the arms and legs and carried her out as she repeated "NO, NO, NO, NO~!" The giant doors slammed shut as she was vacated, leaving the banquet hall a disaster.

Ariella, still shocked at the scene, was left horrified. Her eyes were locked on the closed doors and made way towards the mess her sister said. All because she was given the answer "no". She was on the verge of crying, but with her father and mother already in a fit, she hurried and used the napkin that she had in her lap and wiped away her tears.

Her father looked down at the mess the heiress left them in utter disappointment. "Ugh, look at this mess! This is gonna cost us at least 700,000 credits to replace these fabrics! The stains are never gonna come out!"

The mother looked over at Ariella, who was looking down trying to not move a muscle. She humbly walked over towards her. "I'm sorry, dear, but your macaroni will have to wait just a little longer…do you want a snack to hold you over?"

Though her appetite was ruined completely, Ariella was now afraid of the unspoken word that Amina suffered, so she opted a compliance. "…yes, Mommy."


"That was when Mother and Father said 'no' to you for the very first time in your life." Ariella sniped, facing her elder sister with a hate-filled passion. "Of all the things to get worked up over, it was just a simple word."

"A word that meant I didn't get my way." Amina bitterly shook at the reminder.

"Yes, and do you know what you did next?!"


"AAAAAHHHHH!"

She screamed at the top of her lungs, her eyes shrieking in horror as she saw many staff lying on the ground. Some had eyes opened, while others didn't have eyes at all, just bloody messes. Red was painting the floor and countertops, and gashes were in heads, as well as necks. Everywhere, littering the ground…was dead bodies. The sight horrified her so much she panicked.

"MOMMY! DADDY!" she cried throughout the palace. She turned and ran away as fast as she could back towards the staircase. She panted heavily and stopped at the bottom. She looked up, hearing some faint noises at the top, like groans and moans, with sounds of slashing. "MOMMY! DADDY!" The girl cried their names again, but she didn't get them to come down. "AMINA! MOMMY! DADDY!"

In a rush, she rushed again, but when she reached her parent's room, her face paled at the grizzly sight. It left her startled.

The room's nightstands, and the clothes lying all around, they were all getting whisked in growing fires. Meanwhile her eyes shrunk as she saw a dark silhouette around the flames bring its arm with a knife down for the umpteenth time, stabbing head yet again despite having already done.

"A-Amina…" Ariella choked fearfully.

The figure robotically got off the bed, staying turned away. For a few seconds, nothing happened until the figure turned, reveling Amina. But Ariella could only see the face of a devil overlooking flames with bags of dreary eyes full of loathe.

In a cruel, cold tone, the elder sister seethed one word as the flames started to roar around her. Like a curse ghost, he spoke: "…Noooo…"

Paddling, swimming, whatever she could, Ariella knew she had to get away. The dense, cold water surprisingly stung on her skin as much as it did her eyes. Though, it could've been a mixture of salty tears. She wasn't a very strong swimmer, but the peninsula was so thin that the solid straight path it took miles out was almost completely submerged.

As he heard crackling and a large heat signature behind, she knew she couldn't look back. The entire mansion was set ablaze in a roaring inferno that lit up the underground Interacian realm. She couldn't look back; she mustn't. The monster was still back there…and the fear that she may catch up to her was upon her. So for what felt like an eternity, she bobbed across the Interacian shallows, reaching the shores of the coastal city along the area.

Once she had reached shores, she started gagging. Her head reeled forward and spat out water to refill her lungs. "Bleh! BLEH!" Her throat tightened before even more water flushed out. She had to run. Keep running…running…until that monster of a sister was nowhere near her.

"I…have to get away…" she muttered. "Get away…and hide…hide…" That's what she muttered towards herself. It was low, and no one could hear her, let alone see her. It was the thick of night, so the best that someone like her could do…was stumble. Stumble. And Stumble. Until she couldn't stumble no more.

However far she got, a brine trail was left in her wake up towards the rocky shores. They entered the small settlement, which was still operable at the time. With night still fresh, it would have been impossible to see where she was going.

That is, until she felt what seemed to be trash cans made f tin metal. They were along the alley of a building, which was made up of dull bricks from settlements that had failed in past attempts. It was here that Ariella was finally able see come measure of comfort.

Looking back from where she came from, she only saw a dull flicker from the ocean that resembled her home, now a burning, cindering hell where her sister reigned. Her eyes misted up again and huddled behind the trash cans. She moved very slowly, and very quietly in fear of what the outside world held.

Until dawn would come, she would have to hide in that shell. Away from the rest of the world until it all passed.


It felt like days, maybe hours in fact. Through her eyes, Ariella could just see everything move too fast for her to realize what was going on. She was hiding so long and her stomach continued gurgling. After the incident, eating alone was going to be a big issue.

"Hey, did you hear?" Nearby, a woman spoke amongst her peers. "Something happened last night."

"Oh really, like what?" a peer questioned.

"I hear that huge mansion off the peninsula suffered gravely overnight. It must have been collapsed on by something."

Another woman gasped. "Wait! You mean the Island Mansion?! But that's the wealthiest place to ever hope to be! I'd kill to be there!" Little did she know, not far behind, Ariella's tint body cringed at that notion.

"I know. All of us do. But it was lit on fire by something. We're seeing pieces of wood and debris wash up along the shores. A lot of materials really."

"Were there any bodies?"

The woman shook her head. "Afraid not. All the stuff that's washing up is beyond recognition. And fine jewelry sinks, too."

"That's a shame. But I guess that's the ways of the world I suppose. C'mon, maybe we can still find something we can use. Something is better than nothing."

Following their logic, they went to scavenge along with several other people along the shorelines. Meanwhile, staying behind, Ariella was hiding away, like a grab in its shell from the cruel weight and terrifying world that was picking off the stronger society's crumbling might.

"H…elp…" she muttered low, yet no one would have been able to hear her. "Help…"

Young one, are you alright?"

Ariella's eyes widened. She turned her head in shock at someone who stood above her, looking down with a neutral, authoritative expression. The way he looked seemed rather modern, but no less was he that much more startling towards her.

Huddling away, she squealed. "Eek!"

"At ease, I mean you no harm." He turned towards the shores nearby, and then looked back down at Ariella, specifically her attire. "You are…a survivor, perhaps?"

Ariella sniffled and hugged her own head. "Please…don't burn me, too. Please…!"

"'Burn'?" Pausing, he started to get the idea. He gingerly kneeled down. "Young one, calm yourself. I insist. I promise, no one at this moment is going to harm you. Now, will you be willing to explain everything?"

Ariella swallowed a lump. She shuffled in the dirt and looked up at Riaan with a pleading gaze. "…o-okay."

For the next minute, Ariella hiccupped her way through a very tough but very interesting explanation that was interpreted as a "monster" slaughtering everything in its path. The place she escaped sounded more like a warzone if anything.

Once her tale finished, Riaan took a moment to process everything. 'So that's the general idea. Either someone broke in and burned the house down out o ire…or someone inside snapped. The way she described it, it's possible that it could have been the latter. All but herself were killed. So who else could have…' His brow furrowed. 'This will require an investigation immediately. I'll have to get the knights on this as soon as possible.'

Ariella kept sniffling, her tears unable to stop. "That…that monster…she might come for me. I just…I just want Mommy and Daddy…"

Riaan truly sympathized with her. The best that he could so for her right now, was ensure she'll be alright. And yet, his mind raced faster than what his mouth could process. 'Still, to have swam all the way here from that far of a distance. This little one must really be desperate if she almost died to have made it this far on her own. She's also and Island heir, one of the richest and profitable families that help with our taxes and soldiers.' He came to a conclusion. 'Perhaps, maybe…'

Tears stained Ariella's eyes so much that she couldn't see Riaan's face anymore. Everything was blurry to her. Instead of Riaan, she saw the silhouette of a god who coveted her in his shadow.

Though she couldn't see, she could make out the hand that he extended to her. "If you come with me, I will promise that no harm will come to you by her ever again." He assured in a fatherly voice.


"That was when Riaan was willing to take me in…after you killed everyone in our home, burnt Mother and Father alive, and after I barely escaped with my life. Even now…I can't help but fear every single day of my life knowing what would happen if I ever saw you again." For a moment, Ariella's composure was broken as her face contorted with grief and anger. "Riaan was willing to be kind enough to take me in and find me a low profile refuge under his tutelage."

"…" Amina was dead silent for so long, but it soon came to realization for her when her expression grew even more serious. "…so? Was that all you had to say? Because all I could comprehend was that you said no to something I wanted from you."

"How can you honestly be so immoral because someone said-"

"No? Hmph, don't think that I haven't learned anything over these years, you trash. Lord Riaan made sure that I learned what that word meant. Even after I was taken in for condition, it still…aches when someone tells me that word." Her eyes shrunk as she glared at Ariella. "I bet…the reason why you lived this long, was because you could have the family inheritance, isn't it?!"

Ariella frowned heavily. "That means nothing to me. What matters is that the monster that is my sister is living a life that she doesn't deserve. I'm done running in fear from you, you hear me?! No means no! If you want me dead so badly, you'll just have to make me!"

Amina lowered her head, seemingly turning off for a moment. The air around them grew ominous as she started a low chuckle. "Hm…hmhmhmhm…hahahahaha…HAHAHAHA…HAHAHAHAHA!" Her insane laughter kept growing, until it showed on her face her true colors: A vile, sickened porcelain-skinned monster that had a mouth hung wide open with a delusional state of mind in play. Ariella's spine tingled with a sickening feeling. "You…you want what's rightfully mine?! Mine! You're such a poor excuse of a lifeform! Everything is mine! Everything! Your life I can do away with! The air, water…it's all mine! I'm the most beautiful woman to ever exist! Someone like me should just get whatever she wants! No is an automatic death sentence! NO! NONONONONONONO! NOOOOOO~! HAHAHAHAHAHAAAA~!"

Magnus looked at Amina's mentality completely breaking down. "Damn, this bitch is even scarier than she normally be." He looked towards Ariella. "You really set your sis on the edge there, girl."

Ariella raised her head as she stood by Magnus' side. The waves around them were crashing madly, yet in spite of that, Ariella didn't sway. "What can I say? That's all the more reason why we're here. Isn't that right, Hendrix?"

He stepped forward, glaring. "Yes."

Magnus held up a Gate Card. "Then if ma homie wants to snap as well, guess I ain't got a choice but to glock a few bullets in ya, too!" He threw it out, sending a shockwave running through the area.

Altogether, the four hellbent combatants braced themselves as they threw in their Bakugan. "Bakugan, brawl!"

In four lights of brown and blue, Plasmera and Vulrax emerged on one side, expelling magenta waves and earthquakes as they glared ahead. Clawcer and Rafflesian rivaled their opponents' stand, glaring ahead readily.

Plasmera: 1000 Megalo Clawcer: 700

Vulrax: 1000 Bloom Rafflesian: 700

"You aren't beautiful enough to claim anything that's rightfully mine!" Amina held up an ability. "Ability, activate! Sea Ghost!" Plasmera scowled as her glistening flipper ends on her tentacles turned translucent and plunged into the ground. With her attack beginning, Vulrax stepped in front, glaring down Rafflesian.

"Ability, activate! Rave Hunter!" Vulrax raised his head high and roared with all his might. His nails lengthened and thickened with energy. He lunged after Rafflesian with intentions to rip him apart.

Both attacks drew closer as ghastly tentacles slithered out of the ground at the same pace Vulrax pounced.

Plasmera: 1000 Megalo Clawcer: 700 (-500) = 200

Vulrax: 1000 (+500) = 1500 Bloom Rafflesian: 700 (-500) = 200

Hendrix was quick enough to activate a counter. "Double ability, activate! Yggdrasilium, plus Deep Incense!"

Rafflesian summoned a giant veil of thorny briars around himself and Clawcer, while inside, a casing of roots sealed them in. As this was happening, his petals unfolded to expel more green spores. The ghastly tentacles and razor-sharp claws made impact, only to be deflected off the briars.

Plasmera: 1000 Megalo Clawcer: 200 (+500 +500 +300) = 1500

Vulrax: 1500 Bloom Rafflesian: 200 (+500 +500 +300) = 1500

Ariella cackled a cynical giggle. "So ugly! Ability, activate! Glamorous Blizzard!" Plasmera's eyes widened before her entire body expelled an omnidirectional shockwave comprised of broad diamonds that glittered across the battlefield.

It hastily rushed into the huge briar wall, managing to eat its way around and make shrapnel of thorns and diamond dust hit Hendrix as he moved in front of Ariella. The broad guy grunted as his arms were up to shield his comrade.

"Hendrix!"

"Don't worry, I'm…fine!" A stray thorn flew by, gashing his arm. He gritted his teeth in pain. "Hurry!"

Ariella didn't sway. "Fine then! Ability, activate! Foam Dowser!"

Clawcer's eyes gleamed brightly as the briars and thorns were being turned to crystal diamond. He expelled a field of foamy bubbles just before the entire structure shattered to diamonds. The earth shuddered as the hardened diamond fragments rushed everywhere around the foam barrier.

Amina's eye twitched in anger.

"Ability, activate!" Magnus yelled. "Dual Chain!"

Vulrax's eyes gleamed brightly again and widened a little. He expelled a loud roar as his body glowed with a magenta aura, as did Plasmera. Both Bakugan's combined aura was enough to create an airwave that spread itself out. Nearby rock and debris scattered far away, blitzing in the shockwaves that diffused much of the bubbles.

The ominous growing power reached Hendrix and Ariella as the former shielded his wounded comrade.

Plasmera: 1000 (+600) = 1600 Megalo Clawcer: 1500

Vulrax: 1500 (+600) = 2100 Bloom Rafflesian: 1500

'Their power levels just spiked up at the same time!' Ariella thought.

The shockwaves from their pulsated power kept Clawcer and Rafflesian from seeing what was coming their way. Plasmera's tentacles reached out and grabbed Clawcer with the suction cups. He was picked up and swiftly slammed into the ground. She did it again, harder. And instead of a third time, Plasmera instead used two extra tentacles to uppercut Clawcer high into the air – albeit still attached – and slammed him down as hard as possible onto Rafflesian.

The impact was incredulous. Both Bakugan sundered harshly as shockwaves tore up the ground around them. Airwaves and rocks made Hendrix barely stable as his burly arms kept taking blows for Ariella. His anger spiked, he let out a dastardly roar of anger into the shockwaves.

Amina maliciously smirked. "Your hideous faces…MAKE ME WANT TO PUKE!"

Plasmera kept her suction cups on Clawcer and dragged him off Rafflesian. Her tentacles danced as she dragged the plundered crab across the ground, degrading his shell into the white earth along the ridged outside of the battlefield. Stones were shattered by the hard shell and harsh tidal waves followed along the course taken, until Plasmera finally let go and used the momentum to send him flying towards Hendrix and Ariella.

As his shadow became larger, the two realized they had to move. They separated and jumped out the way of Clawcer's blistering sunder. The ground ruptured as a pillar of rock and earth fanned everywhere, making both battlers topple over as they were trying to keep away. They doubled over, where Ariella rolled along her side, slamming onto her back; Hendrix doubling onto a knee and punching the ground to hold his stand.

Amina couldn't help but laugh arrogantly. "That's right! Roll around in the dirt like you filthy peasants are! It just proves no matter how high you think you are, you'll never be anywhere near my beauty! Hahahahaha!"

As Clawcer was embedded into the ground, neither he nor Rafflesian could manage very well. Their muscles and tendons were torn apart drastically. They couldn't move even if they tried. Ariella laid on her side, gnashing her teeth to hold in her painful cries from landing on her shoulder.

"Ability, activate! Degression!"

Plasmera's tendril hair slowly curled up before flicking in hazardous fashion. The small spots glimmered brightly and she extended her arms out. Vapor liquefied into swirling water cyclones that surrounded Clawcer and Rafflesian individually until they massed into solid spherical water prisons that barely gave them room.

Amina tossed a lock over her shoulder. "Now you can't activate any abilities, just like how you can't hope to gain any of my fortunes."

Ariella gnashed her teeth. 'She blocked both our abilities…!'

Hendrix squinted as he glared daggers ahead. He stamped his fist on the ground firmer to get himself up before his ally.

"Shoot them this instant, you bum!" Amina crudely ordered.

"Tch, damn woman, give me a break would ya?" Magnus was pissed with how bossy she was being, but he complied no less. He aimed his glock at Ariella. "Alright, stay still diz time, ait'z?"

Ariella grunted, but before a bullet gunfire was made clear, Hendrix stomped on the ground, standing firmly in front of her. Once again, Magnus squinted as he hesitated to shoot his reason for being high in the ranks.

"Ariella, can you stand?!"

The wounded woman grunted as she was using Hendrix's distraction to get up. The pain was excruciating, but she fought back the urge to throw up. "Don't worry…" She wiped her lip with her arm. "Amina's constant chores did a lot worse for me than this." She looked at the situation their Bakugan were in. "Guess it's time for the ace up my sleeve. Let's see how well this does." In her palm, she held up a triangular prism that was primarily blue, but had silver along its edges.

Magnus blinked. "The hell is that…?"

Amina's eyes shrunk with a darkening glow around her face. "It better be something to give me a better mood~!"

Ariella smirked. "You'll like this little surprise!" She threw the figure skywards. "Come forth, Bakugan Trap! Tripod Theta MK2!"

The Bakugan trap went flying skywards, opening into three triangular sides, each one having metal around the attributes. The inside had a good amount of metal, especially around the brace. A blue light enveloped the Bakugan Trap and the atmosphere crackled with a silver-blue lightning bolt that shot down in front of the water prisons. It made a loud crash, diffusing into a mist that covered the battlefield.

"What now?!" Amina angrily shouted. "I can't see…huh?"

"The hell? Is that one of dem Bakugan Traps dey used?" Magnus raised a brow.

The mist cleared away, revealing Ariella smirking as a large humanoid figment stood above everyone. It looked very similar to Tripod Theta, albeit there were some changes done to him. His bright blue pauldrons were replaced by metal pauldrons with blue energy gems woven in them. Metal bracelets were on the biceps. The armor along the arms were mechanized gloves with spikes at the ends. The blue brace around his mouth had become silver. His skirt was essentially the same, but the bright blue sides were replaced by metal. His entire trident had been replaced by a metal staff with a silver spear-like javelin on the one side, and on the top was a silver three-prong trident with a power charger at its base. The three triangular plates had turned from bright blue to silver, with the attributes they covered becoming darker in shading.

Plasmera: 1600 Megalo Clawcer: 1500/Tripod Theta MK2: 500

Vulrax: 2100 Bloom Rafflesian: 1500

"The hell is that supposed to be?" Magnus rebuffed.

Ariella smirked maliciously. "I'm sorry, have you not seen an evolved Trap Bakugan? We weren't in the lab just for Cesar's sake, you know. We had to make sure we came ensured. We've made Tripod Theta into a cyborg to amplify his powers." Her eyes narrowed. "Shall we see for ourselves? Ventus Ability, activate!" A Ventus Ability shined as she reached out her right arm. "Vortex Reaper!"

Tripod Theta MK2's eyes glowed brightly as the Ventus triangular plate shined on him. He raised his trident high as the energy charger created a green vacuum that projected a cyclone that he controlled.

Amina and Magnus grunted as the wind were getting to be drastic. Tripod Theta pivoted and turned around, slashing across the water prisons. The cyclone followed the path of the trident and vacuumed into the water, sucking it all up and freeing Rafflesian and Clawcer. As the followed through, the cyclone dissipated, leaving Tripod Theta MK2 in a slashing pose with water raining down on him.

"That ugly thing just nullified my ability?!" Amina outraged.

Magnus held his glock up still, but Hendrix still impeded his path. "Foo', my patience is getting thin, man. You know I don't do well be waitin'z." Hendrix didn't give a verbal reply. Instead he just glared menacingly, much to his ire. "Tch, Gate Card, open! Enemy Down!"

The Gate Card shined brightly below, creating a magnitude beneath the enemy Bakugan. Rafflesian, Clawcer, and Tripod Theta MK2 shuddered as they felt their power being taken away from them.

Plasmera: 1600 Megalo Clawcer: 1500 (-300) = 1200/Tripod Theta MK2: 500 (-300) = 200

Vulrax: 2100 Bloom Rafflesian: 1500 (-300) = 1200

"I don't think so!" Ariella winced as she raised her Bakumeter arm high. Her shoulder was on fire, but it didn't stop her from pushing forward. "Ability, activate! Crab Gong!"

Clawcer raised is gargantuan shield claw high into the air and slammed it down with all his might. The ground ruptured until blue ripple-like shockwaves spread out. They shattered the Gate Card completely, making the shards spread out with the energy into Vulrax and Plasmera. Remnants of the shards passed by Amina and Magnus, the two covering up to avoid any shrapnel passing by.

Plasmera: 1600 (-300) = 1300 Megalo Clawcer: 1200 (+300 +300) = 1800/Tripod Theta MK2: 200 (+300) = 500

Vulrax: 2100 (-300) = 1800 Bloom Rafflesian: 1200 (+300) = 1500

With the shockwaves giving them leeway, Hendrix took the initiative to attack. "Ability, activate! Scarp Thorn Mine!" Rafflesian raised his briars, before plunging them into the earth again. Same as before, spike-like protrusions of jagged thorns raced across the battlefield at staggering speeds.

Magnus raised his Bakumeter. "Ability, activate! Bracken Border!" Vulrax's magenta ridged back shined brightly. He lowered his hard-scaled head and lunged after the spiked mine crossing their path.

Vulrax closed the distance quickly, his head ramming first into the thick thorns. They immediately shattered, spreading thinly as he kept charging towards Rafflesian. Vulrax roared with a wide maw as he chewed through spikes.

Ariella narrowed her eyes. "I can see where you're coming from."

Tripod Theta MK2 braced himself as the thorn destruction drew closer. Spikes went flying and the maws of Vulrax drew ever closer.

"Ability, activate!" Ariella showed an Aquos ability active. "Andro Net!"

Tripod Theta MK2 raised his free arm, where a compartment in his gauntlet opened up to reveal a small hole, from which a net made of blue energy expanded out and engulfed Vulrax by the head and around his frame. Blue electricity crackled around his entire body as the net kept him anchored down towards the ground.

Plasmera: 1300 Megalo Clawcer: 1800/Tripod Theta MK2: 500

Vulrax: 1800 (-300) = 1500 Bloom Rafflesian: 1500

"And because of Andro Net, you can't activate any abilities either." Ariella chimed.

Magnus glared hate-filled daggers. "That'd be what a dumb lady think, but don't forget, I got'z Bracken Border up!"

Vulrax's eyes opened wide once more and he careened his head around through the energy net. With his ridged back still active, he shrugged the netting off, making it dispel into thin air that crackled. He glared down Tripod Theta MK2 and lunged for him with his maw wide open.

"Ability, activate!" Hendrix roared. "Sprout Bombardment!"

"Ability, activate!" Ariella added in. "Morbid Deluge!"

Rafflesian roared outwards as he unleashed a bombastic blast of energy buds like a machine gun.

Meanwhile, Tripod Theta MK2 raised his trident end high into the air, summoning a dark, murky water cyclone that swirled around him. It thinly stretched about until he directed it outwards in an expanding deluge that headed for Vulrax and Plasmera.

Plasmera: 1300 (-300 -300) = 700 Megalo Clawcer: 1800/Tripod Theta MK2: 500

Vulrax: 1500 (-300 -300) = 900 Bloom Rafflesian: 1500

The tides and buds flooded across the ground and atmosphere, drawing closer to their targets. However, Amina looked visibly anxious to where her eyes shook. "As if I'd let a foul mucky water drench my beautiful pet! Ability, activate! Glamorous Blizzard!"

Plasmera's eyes widened before she whipped around her tentacles. Once more, a collective mass of diamond-like snow energy exploded out from her body, engulfing everything in the scattering wake. The incoming attacks. The blizzard closed in on the enemies swiftly.

Plasmera: 700 (+300 +300 +500) = 1800 Megalo Clawcer: 1800 (-500) = 1300/Tripod Theta MK2: 500 (-500) = 0

Vulrax: 900 (+300 +300) = 1500 Bloom Rafflesian: 1500 (-500) = 1000

The dazzling blizzard drew closer, but Hendrix acted accordingly. "Ability, activate! Yggdrasilium!"

A wall of briars grew out of the ground and acted as a shield from the blizzard's violent rush. The attack went all around, but nowhere did it hit the fellow Bakugan as soft roots ingrained infused with their bodies, filling them with power.

Plasmera: 1800 Megalo Clawcer: 1300 (+500 +500) = 2300/Tripod Theta MK2: 0 (+500 +500) = 1000

Vulrax: 1500 Bloom Rafflesian: 1000 (+500 +500) = 2000

Even though the violent blizzard had moved around them, Ariella could still feel the drafts generated by the wake still breaching through. "We need more power!"

Hendrix was covering up, when he heard some kind of hiss in his pocket. He reached in and pulled out Legonoid's cylindrical form. "Legionoid." The Trap Bakugan incoherently hissed, but he seemingly understood. "…very well then. This last time, lend us your power! Come, Subterra Legionoid!"

In a brown light, the Bakugan Trap shined brightly and appeared besides his comrades, his six heads hissing as he stood at a power level of 350.

Hendrix inserted a Ventus ability. "Ability, activate! Draft Poison!" Legionoid hissed mightily as one of his heads opened its mouth wide and expelled a green mist-like venom. It exhausted into a gas that filtered through the area, engulfing the ally Bakugan who inhaled it and filled them with power. Attributed auras outlined them, especially for Rafflesian and Clawcer.

Plasmera: 1800 Megalo Clawcer: 2300 (+600) = 2900/Tripod Theta MK2: 1000 (+600) = 1600

Vulrax: 1500 Bloom Rafflesian: 2000 (+600) = 2600/Legionoid: 350 (+600) = 950

"Now it's my turn!" Ariella held up a Darkus Ability. "Darkus ability, activate! Spirit Divide!" Tripod Theta MK2's Darkus symbol shined on his triangular emblem and he raised his trident into the air. A Darkus aura engulfed his allies, in which they all streamed said energy into Tripod Theta MK2's trident, making the charger shine brightly with crackling purple lightning.

Plasmera: 1800 Megalo Clawcer: 2900/Tripod Theta MK2: 1600 (+200 (x4)) = 2400

Vulrax: 1500 Bloom Rafflesian: 2600/Legionoid: 950

"You serious?! How dey be getting that far ahead?! Dat ain't right!" Magnus shot Hendrix a glare. "Alright, fo', I know you don't be liking this, but I'm about to get rough on ya."

"That's not like you, you don't play rough. You play dirty." Hendrix pointed out, recalling how Magnus would always shoot anybody whom would cross their territory for no reason. "You have no right…to even consider yourself an honorable Interacian!"

"The hell you be spouting about honor?! All dem years, I think'z you got screws knocked loose! I'd be fixing that right up for you! Ability, activate! Rave Hunter!" He pointed directly at the shield. "Rip whomever is in yo face, Vulrax!"

Vulrax roared mightily as he went charging on all fours into the briars. This time, when his nails thickened and slashed, they cleaved a slash into the briars in front of Legionoid.

Plasmera: 1800 Megalo Clawcer: 2900/Tripod Theta MK2: 2400

Vulrax: 1500 (+500) = 2000 Bloom Rafflesian: 2600/Legionoid: 950 (-500) = 450

"I don't think so!" Ariella held up an ability. "Ability, activate! Vortex Reaper!" Tripod Theta MK2 slashed his trident, summoning a tidal wave-like vacuum that he struck Vulrax with. The Bakugan slowed down, his nails disappearing, but he was still coming in hot.

"Double ability, activate!" Hendrix shouted. "Clear Poison, plus Dense Poison!"

Legionoid had two mouths wide open as a blue, toxic venom blast struck Vulrax. The poisonous attack engulfed the Bakugan, completely stopping him in his tracks. Similarly, another head aimed at Plasmera, firing a toxic blast that engulfed her as well.

"What you be doing?!"

Legionoid opened up a third maw and expelled a brown venom that also struck Vulrax. As the poison made impact, the Bakugan's body weight felt a little heavier, most likely due to it infiltrating the muscles.

Plasmera: 1800 (-800) = 1000 Megalo Clawcer: 2900/Tripod Theta MK2: 2400

Vulrax: 2000 (-500 -500 -200) = 800 Bloom Rafflesian: 2600/Legionoid: 450 (+500) = 950

Legionoid finally let up and the toxins started taking effect. Vulrax and Plasmera shuddered as the weak toxins were actually holding them back, but only by so much. Add in the damage they took earlier, everything was running on empty, or so it felt.

"Heh, guess these new Bakugan they have aren't that big of a deal after all." Ariella chimed. "Guess we got psyched out for nothing, unlike some people…" She shot a glare towards her sister. "Isn't that right, sister?"

"Don't…call me that! YOU LIFELESS PLAGUE! JUST DIE ALREADY SO I CAN HAVE EVERYTHING!"

Ariella arrogantly smirked. "No. So are you gonna do anything about that?"

Amina's eyes were dilating as her fingers twitched. The look on her face could have been relevant to that of someone who looked like they've seen a ghost. It was a look that Ariella relished in, for all the years that her sister absent-mindedly used her for labor and cleaning up after her messes.

"You girls be dealing with your own messes. I gotz to get ma boy straight."

Hendrix grunted. With the stalemate met, he gritted his teeth and used one of Rafflesian's briars as a high point. The Bakugan slammed the briar down on Magnus, who ducked and rolled away from the vicious slam. He felt a shadow loom from above, making him look up to find a fist that smashed into his cheek. The gangster leader's visors instantly shattered as he floored from the impact.

Hendrix loomed over his former comrade, giving him a glare of zero sympathy at the huge bruise he left on his face. Magnus shakily raised his head and looked up at Hendrix. "Hendrix…homie…"

"Stop calling me that!" He raised a fist and punched down hard. However, Magnus rolled to the side, barely escaping as he arose to his feet, glaring down Hendrix.

"But you are, and you always will be! Are you that stupid?! We know you ain't bright man, but even you should know why I'm here, too! I told you this before, didn't I?!"

Hendrix furrowed his brow. He watched as Magnus adjusted his footing.

"Not long after you left…the gang was trying to adjust. We'd be doing fine until…they came."


Labored breaths came from Magnus as he was paddling around in the darkness. Multiple footsteps were behind him as constant gunfire went through the dark alleyways they traveled through.

"The hell…is going on…?!" Magnus was running for his life away from the gunfire onslaught. His clothing was all torn up, with cuts and gashes all over his face and body. Every now and again he'd turn around and fire back to the dark, only to either miss or the sounds of metal clanking.

"Shit! He's getting close! GAH!" A gangster's cried with the sound of spraying blood was heard loud and clear.

"Rufus?! Ruf!" Magnus yelled back. "Damn you!"

The sounds of grunts and splattering was heard again, and then again. The more time went on, the less in numbers the gunfire became. Lances and daggers were stuck in bodies that Magnus had to maneuver around, further alarming as well as enraging him. Eventually, however, one last grunt came from behind that preceded with a thud. Another body added to the count.

"The hell…is this thing?!" He rushed towards around a corner, where he turned and ran up towards a dead end. "Shit!"

The sound of metal clanged behind him. "You done running?"

Magnus turned around, his eyes wide as he came face-to-face with the person who was responsible for all this carnage. Filing past his sworn brothers, blood stained the heels of a red-armored man who was bald and had a bloodthirsty look in his eyes. Out from the shadows he came, revealing himself to be a very familiar armored madman in service to a certain someone.

"No more hiding from your reality, you little pest." The man known as Zion sneered down Magnus, his eyes bent on making the menace feel every ounce of fear-inducing adrenaline possible.

"The hell are you?! Coming here and messin'z with ma streetz and killing'z me homies! That ain't cool, dude! Die!"

From his glock, he started firing away at Zion, but the bullets were either deflecting off his heavily-armored suit, or deflected by the wrist dagger and handheld blade. Bullets deflected off him, much to the gangster's chagrin.

"Damnit!" Magnus swore to his aching breath. Zion swiped his arm, sending a dagger flying that Magnus countered with his glock. The result was his hand being mercifully nicked while the glock fell and shattered to pieces.

"Gaaah!" He dropped to a knee as he clutched his bleeding hand.

Zion approached him with a dagger in hand. "It's futile. Milord sentences me to quell you and your so-called gang's business. A feeble attempt at evading your death will make it come that much quicker for you."

Magnus flinched. "T-That'll be the day!" When Zion brought his dagger down, Magnus grabbed with his spare hand and twisted the wrist so as to throw Zion off balance. The armored monster regained his balance just as Magnus beelined and zipped for the exit.

Seeing him take off at such speeds, the warrior bared his teeth. "Tch…bloody fool."

Panting as he escaped for the nearest city street, Magnus was getting heavily desperate. His gang was dead. He was bleeding. And he had nowhere else to turn to. He had to get away as fast as possible, whatever the cost!

He closed in one the exit, seeing a light up ahead. 'There it is…the exit! What?!'

Standing at the exit was Zion, his dagger pinpointed and flung dead ahead. Magnus was quick to duck and roll away as it pierced the ground. He thud on his knee in the process, making him cringe. "Gngh…damnit!"

"That'll do for now, Zion." A voice called out.

Immediately reacting, Zion grew stern and stood down. "Yes, Milord."

"'Milord'? What…?" Magnus blinked when he turned around. Still unable to stand, he rolled over and saw someone approach him from behind. "The hell is this?!"

The man revealed himself as Riaan, appearing out of the blue while holding a domineering stature. His magenta eyes were searing daggers into Magnus' soul. There was a long pause that set in between them.

"So…you're the so-called leader of the infamous gang that I've been hearing about."

"Who're you?" Magnus sniped, but Zion glared over him.

"Watch your mouth, fool!"

Magnus gnashed his teeth. "The hell you be telling me! What the hell is going on here?!"

"I believe this is what you would call a 'comeuppance'. I've been hearing ongoing rumors and tales about a certain group of interloping Interacians within Troposphere. Reports of despicably high body counts for no apparent reason. So that's when I sent Zion to quell any of these…mishaps."

Magnus slowly turned around, seeing Zion glaring at him. He turned back forward in growing horror.

"So…you killed my boys…just because we'd be getting rowdy?" He tisked. "The hell kinda excuse is that?! My boys are all dead! We did nothin' wrong!"

"I see…so that's how you defend your case?" Riaan paused. "So you 'glocked' people who simply come across your own turf without any provocation, and in doing so, send a message that you are safe, in a world that's full of terror already?"

"Look man…" Magnus' glare grew serious, to a depth that became so deep that it poured out his aching soul. "I didn't ask for this. None of ma boys did, alright?! We be just trying to survive, that's all!"

Riaan and Zion looked at each other and allowed Magnus to continue his plea.

"I lost my folk because of this damn rock we live on, so who else was I supposed to turn to? Not like I had a lot of dem choices, you know? Be it something, we've gotta get by somehow. Datz how I led ma boyz. You ain't gotz it, then you go getz it. If you can't, do what needs'z to be done, you see? One of ma homies walked out on me a while ago, and dat broke ma heart. Now because of you, ma homies are all gone! Who the hell am I supposed to console to?! Being in a house or a damn street, family ain't gonna be easy to come by, y'know?!"

Riaan listened to Magnus' desperation. To some extent, what he said he could seemingly empathize with. He was vastly aware of Galilea with her gracious amount of management, and the struggles and suffering that Lucia had to endure; she was the one responsible for foreseeing this actually. One way or another, everyone suffered in some way, and Magnus was no exception. He had to resort to any means necessary for not just himself, but for the benefit of others who were just like him, and Zion took them out.

With Magnus visibly flustered, Zion was tempted to end him. "Milord…what shall we do with him?"

Rather than give a prompt answer, he looked directly at Magnus. "…so I see. That's how it is." He kneeled towards the shaken man. "So you were able to survive this long while looking out for others. And in doing so, you provided in a manner similar to how a family works…"

Magnus spat off to the side. "Yeah…so…?"

"This all happened because we live in a broken world, a world that I am currently in the midst of making anew." He stood up, his chin raised high. "You were able to elude Zion, kill, and you even speak in plea of someone whom deserted you, yet you still seemingly revere. I cannot condone your actions...but I certainly do sympathize. Perhaps, this may benefit the both of us."

Magnus paused. He was starting to get a sense of what Riaan might be getting at. "So…what do I get out of this?"

"Your actions have been reprehensible indeed, but I believe that in spite of one's methods, there must always be a reason for their actions. You do so to cover for the prospect of loneliness. I, too, know what that feels like. With your experience, you may be open to a lifetime of closure…but, it won't come easy. Not without cooperation, which is what you are good with…is this accommodable?"

Magnus had no idea what he was saying, but it sounded like he was given a chance to live. His brow furrowed as he gave Zion one more turn, and then back at Riaan. Between death and an opportunity at hand, he knew exactly what had to be done.

"Okay, tell me more."


"That day, all ma homies, our family that you let behind…were murdered in cold blood by Riaan." He clutched his fists tight, visible anger showing on his face. "That damn bastard…the only way I could bargain my life was to get in the head honchos like he would have offered! But I told him…that as I gotz ma homies back, then I'd comply. That's why we searched and scouted you, foo'! If I'd be wanting a new world, better be with people I can trust. I don't really care if you feel the same, but no matter what be happening…I don't shoot a homie! Especially the only one I be gotz left!"

Hendrix glared at him. In some twisted way, he could respect what Magnus was saying. He was someone who just didn't want to be alone in this twisted world. He had Hades Pillars, but he wasn't personal with many of them. This was Magnus' true nature: Somebody who wanted the security of people he could actually trust. And anybody who wasn't…would get killed. If you survived, you were welcomed. That's how it was with him and the gang back when they met. The past was still something that stuck around, even to now.

"I'd be doing anything if it means that in some way, ma boys are still remembered. We were unstoppable back in the underworld. We can be that again, you and me, foo'! So like it or not, we've gotta-!" He was silenced by a right hook that sent him staggering back.

Magnus stopped and covered his mouth. That punch dented a few of his teeth. He spat out blood off to the side and looked back at Hendrix, whose looks didn't sway. "You say that I have grown soft, and yet are you hearing yourself? Where is your self-respect?"

Magnus gasped. The look in Hendrix's eyes showed complete dread.

"Somebody who's out to kill you is in your territory. You want to survive, right? Then…" He punched, making Magnus dodge as his fist slammed into the ground. "You better remember know how to fight!"

Magnus gnashed his teeth. He leaped away for enough distance. "Foo', you make this too tough! "

From above, Vulrax's tail swung down, something that caught Hendrix's attention. It moved too fast in his blindspot, but a briar from behind wrapped around his waist and pulled him back before the tail crushed the ground where he stood.

Time slowed down between the pair. Magnus' looks weren't those of his usually collective self. He just stared off as Hendrix's composition was in another world. His mind went back to the little girl that he had smiling. Something that touched his heart. And Magnus robbed that…all for the sake of them sticking together. It was unforgiveable.

Rafflesian set him back behind him to help maintain a distance.

"You giant idiot! Everything I've done was for a new age that we can be fly in! Don't you dare drag this away like you did your own feet! Ability, activate! Zone Pulse!"

Vulrax's tail swayed around as he opened his maw as wide as possible. A bright orange-brown energy pulse stored up power for a brief moment before it was at full power. "HENDRIX!" Magnus' cry was put into the ability's speed. A pulsating ripple blast jettisoned across the ground, breaking it to pieces as it made way for the opponents.

Amina huffed as she held up an ability of her own. "Nobody…says no to me! Ability, activate! Siren Somber!" Plasmera's eyes glimmered as the jewelry on her body emitted a powerful shine. She opened her mouth wide, expelling blue shockwaves that magnified into groundbreaking blue waves that rushed into the opponents.

Plasmera: 1000 (+500 (x6)) = 4000 Megalo Clawcer: 2900 (-500) = 2400/Tripod Theta MK2: 2400 (-500) = 1900

Vulrax: 800 (+500) = 1300 Bloom Rafflesian: 2600 (-500) = 2100/Legionoid: 950 (-500) = 450

The Subterra and Aquos shockwaves rippled outwards, fusing to become combined patterns of hypersonic soundwaves that destroyed the earth as it closed in on its targets. Everything shook before Hendrix and Ariella as they gazed at the incoming dread.

'She used our numbers to increase her own power! And the rate of the Zone Pulse's speed is making it too fast!' Ariella realized.

Clawcer and Rafflesian braced themselves for the destructive wake of the combined attack, but Legionoid stood before Rafflesian, while Tripod Theta MK2 swung his staff in front and stabbed the ground, intending his stand.

Ariella's eyes widened. "Huh?! What are you guys-?!"

Hendrix looked just as stupefied.

The pulse waves that were about to hit the already wounded Rafflesian and Clawcer was blocked off by both Trap Bakugan standing their ground. Using their own bodies as shields, the pulse waves struck them all full might, sending the rest around them with airwaves that made debris fly everywhere. Hendrix and Ariella covered up once more to keep themselves from sustaining serious damage to the head.

Legionoid screeched in bitter anguish before his body was unable to keep up. He hissed in agony as his scales started chipping away in the hypersonic destruction of the combined power until his six head and frame shined bright orange-brown and faded away, leaving behind orange specks in his place.

Meanwhile, Tripod Theta MK2's body cracked as the metal was getting to be uncomfortable. Even so, he didn't move his position. Cracks of energy spouted out of his frame, until most of his entire body was covered in it.

"Milady!"

"Master!"

Both Interacians realized the intention that the Bakugan meant. Together, their eyes gleamed at their opponents.

Tripod Theta MK2 let out a blistering cry until he couldn't hold out any longer. Time slowed down as his frame was caught in the hypersonic blasts. Shining a deep blue, he growled lowly until he faded away in blue sparkles. And at such an expense, the jet blasts of soundwaves kept going.

"Ability, activate! Shell Brace!" With time having been on their side, Clawcer moved in front of Rafflesian and hardened his carapace to its maximum extent with a dense, blue aura. The slowed sound blasts were stopped cold as Clawcer's power went up towards 2900, untouched. "Hendrix, do it now!"

Grunting, Hendrix readied an ability of his own. "Then let us finish this…ability, activate!" He held up an ability that had a bright glow onto it. "Cavernous-X!"

BA-DUMP!

A low pulse came from Rafflesian that rippled into the ground. The blooming flower grunted as the chords went into his body, and he grunted lowly as several flashes happened around his entire frame. The edging of his petals had a familiar magenta chine to them as the veins on the body traced down the trunk, absorbing into the ground around them. It ingrained into magenta root-like thread that covered the entire battlefield.

"GRROOOOAAAAAH~!" Rafflesian unleashed a blistering battle cry that shook not just the land, but also the earth. Pulse waves went wild with a magnitude that made it feel like the entire tower was shaking.

The ground flickered spontaneously beneath Magnus and Amina, enough to make them lose sight of what was in front of them. Rocks began defying gravity as Rafflesian's briars dug deeper, creating an omnidirectional pulse that happened underground. The tidal waves from outside the perimeter crashed into each other and split apart. Rock exploded into diced debris that sailed above Vulrax and Plasmera. Both Bakugan let out searing cries of anguish as fissures and uneven land formations were beginning to collapse them in.

Plasmera: 4000 (-3900) = 100 Megalo Clawcer: 2900

Vulrax: 1300 (-1200) = 100 Bloom Rafflesian: 2100 (+5100) = 7200

Rafflesian's cries echoed through the area, sending another shockwave through the ground. Fissures spliced open uneven fragments of the white earth that made up the battlefield. Kicked up debris fell onto Vulrax and Plasmera, intending to bury them within ruptures that made even the chamber's walls crack apart.

Magnus looked around, realizing their lives were at gracious risks here, he snapped back ahead. "Shit! He's really trying to bury us! We be crushed, foo'!"

"Do something about it!" Amina backlashed.

Magnus went wide-eyed and looked at Hendrix. He stopped and took a long, deep pause to see that he had to go to such lengths to cause this much trouble for them. His widened fixation brimming with horror turned to anger. "Grr…grrrrr~!" Unable to hold it back, he expelled a loud cry outwards. "HENDRIX, YO IDIOT! I CAN'T BELIEVE DIZ! YOU WANNA GO DOWN THAT BAD, THEN SO BE IT! BUT JUST KNOW THIS, YOU ASKED FOR THIS!" He held up his Bakumeter, showing a forbidden ability.

'That card…' Hendrix realized what was coming. "Ariella…"

Ariella scoffed. "Hmph, fine by me."

Magnus closed his eyes as his ability activated. "Get ready, because that pretty flower of yours…is gonna be uprooted! Ability, activate! Frenzy-X!"

A purple core appeared on Vulrax's head that expelled chords around his frame. It all dispersed into his body, where he tensed up as magenta aura engulfed his entire body.

The air pressure began changing again. The momentum the fissures were having before shifted to the rupture happening around Vulrax.

Hendrix's eyes gradually widened. "What…?"

Vulrax's eyes widened with bright magenta. Several flashes of bright magenta appeared from the rocks on his body before he expelled a bloodcurdling roar skywards. Several stray beams of energy exploded in spontaneous directions, piercing through fissure levels that were getting above them. The rays emitted their own magnitude levels that made the foes cover themselves up. Magnus watched with an anticipated, serious look at the power produced by his Bakugan.

The shrieking of Vulrax came to an end as his magenta ridges glowed brightly. The stray energy materialized into hyper-long nails that were on his claws as he stood up on his hind legs. He looked even more menacing than he did as quadruped.

"Look out!" Ariella panicked.

"KRAAAAAH~!" Vulrax stamped his left hand on the ground, the nails digging into earth and extending towards the capsizing fissure wave in front of him. Five magenta outlines of claws appeared and cut the rock into shrapnel. It kept going, reaching far out until it passed between Rafflesian and Clawcer and through the Empyrean walls. Magenta nail beams spliced through the air, searing anything that came in contact with it.

Another seismic wave approached and Vulrax backhanded the rock wall breaking down on him, cleaving slash waves that went clean through. Even going as far as slice five grazes into another Empyrean wall. He slashed across the ground, splicing a fissure with his own created by his own energy nails.

Plasmera: 100 Megalo Clawcer: 2900

Vulrax: 100 (+10,100 +1500 (x2)) = 13,200 Bloom Rafflesian: 7200

"Diz be an ability that not only adds my opponent's power levels combined, but it'd be adding extra for every opponent it'd also be affecting. You wanna step up…" He reached out, and Vulrax slashed away. "Then we'll cut you down to size!"

Razor energy nails the size of woodland trees slashed through the fissures generated, cutting away every obstacle that stood before it. His frenzy was to no limits. Vulrax screeched madly as slash waves continuously leveled and diced the field, making it impossible for Rafflesian to get through any solid hits in.

'He's splitting apart debris to minimal pieces so they won't have any effect!' Hendrix realized.

Rafflesian let out a roar of disgust, in which he plunged his briars into the ground further. A vibration was felt beneath Vulrax that he picked up on and saw several briars wriggling around him. Their spiked ends all came down at once, but in one swift motion, Vulrax spun around, slashing his nails horizontally.

Several magenta glimmers cleaved into the briars before they all sliced into pieces in split seconds. Vulrax stood unfazed as thorny briars fell like rain around him, but he looked ahead at Rafflesian, snarling like a monster on the hunt.

Hendrix's teeth clutched tightly. 'Not good!'

Vulrax lunged with all his might, his nails brought back so he could cleave Rafflesian into pieces, just like his briars. At the last second, Clawcer moved in front with a purple core already fading into his body.

"Ability, activate! Shell Drive-X!" Ariella voiced.

Vulrax began a relentless barrage of nail waves at point-blank range. Clawcer stood there and took it with his giant star-like shield in front. It hurt like hell, but the splicing nail waves weren't getting through. They instead bored waves to halves, and the walls were destroyed, only to be repaired mere seconds later, and then sliced again. The relentlessly claws was like a menace that refuses to show mercy, but Clawcer persevered.

Plasmera: 100 Megalo Clawcer: 2900 (+500 +500 +500 +500+500…)

Vulrax: 13,200 (-13,100) = 100 Bloom Rafflesian: 7200

Hendrix glanced over. "Ariella…"

"What are you standing around for? Don't worry! Just go!"

He furrowed his brow and took off towards Magnus. With Vulrax's nails intercepted, Clawcer was doing his best to keep him at bay, enough so that Hendrix could make way through the legs. Vulrax's tail came subconsciously down, but he was able to maneuver slightly around that and used a piece of rock picked up and ran up the edge and jumped off. He roared as he came crashing down onto Magnus, but he was able to dodge at the last second. Hendrix glared up at him and went on the attack. Blow after blow, Magnus bobbed and weaved, unwilling to give Hendrix any leverage to hit him.

Vulrax let out a shriek as he slashed once more, his nails making the outer shell of Clawcer's star-like shield gain even more magenta cracks. The Bakugan backed off, seeing the carapace looking like it was about to burst with shrapnel at point-blank. After taking so many hits, with each strike, Clawcer's power had reached a power of 9900.

Clawcer braced himself as he waited for Ariella's command.

"NOW~!"

"At your command!" He brought his claw around and yelled at the top of his lungs. Ariella did the same as the star's outer shell ultimately cracked until a bright field of shrapnel exploded.

A bright explosion of magenta and white shards erupted everywhere. Nothing but a searing flash enveloped everything, including Vulrax as the Bakugan was too close. Everything went blank for a moment, so much so, that anything and everything was engulfed.

Ariella stood before the blinding wave, her tattered attire shifting. She neither flinched nor scoffed. Rather, she looked invested. The eruption went on enough to where her brows furrowed.

'Did that take do it…?'

"Hmph…how poor."

The light faded, revealing that everything around them had been destroyed by Clawcer's forbidden ability. Of course it all instantly repaired itself soon afterwards, what didn't change was Vulrax still standing with his energy nails still active behind Plasmera, who seemed unfazed by the attack.

"W-what the-?!" Ariella gasped.

"Hngh?" Hendrix glanced back.

Clawcer staggered one of his huge legs back. Plasmera's sudden entry was alarming enough, but the humanoid siren/octopus hybrid looked completely unfazed by the attack. The sounds of laughter came from afar, a.k.a, Amina Island.

"Amina?!" Ariella fret.

The elder sister's laughter made it seem like she had lost her sanity. And by all accounts she very well did. "You think that I'll just let you come here…come here, just so you can do whatever you want to us?! As if someone like you could ever hope for anything more than a poor excuse of a life that I own!"

Ariella glared daggers at her elder sister. What she said struck a nasty chord, but she didn't stray.

"You have no comprehension…to just what I was given! This world…everything…it needs to be beautiful, rich…so I can own it for myself…" Her thoughts were drowning back towards many years ago, when she was found by Riaan.


Inside his illustrious castle in Solaris, Riaan was currently on his throne. The doors knocked, showing indication of knights on the opposite end.

"Enter." He announced.

The doors opened, allowing the entrance of a single soldier. Once he stood before Riaan, he saluted with his straightened body. "Your eminence, we have come bearing the report about the Island family estate incident, just as you have humbly requested."

Riaan nodded. "Very well. Were you able to uncover anything vital?"

"Yes, Milord. We were able to bring it back with us and kept her contained. For the moment, she is extremely uncooperative. We apologize in advance, but, we had to resort to militaristic means to subdue her."

"'Her' you say?" he parroted. 'It's been six weeks since that fire little Ariella talked to me about. Now that I think about it, she did mention something about a monster. Could this have been…?' Realizing he was digressing, he cleared his throat. "Alright. If it's no trouble, I could like to see this for myself. Shall it be more accommodable to be presented to me or shall I follow?"

The soldier lowered his salute. "Milord, for yours as well as the soldiers' safety, we had to restrain her. We'll bring her in." He turned around to face the large double doors. "His eminence requested to see the refuge! Permission to enter granted!"

Four soldiers filed in, every one surrounding the angles of a little girl that was inside the perimeter. She was gagged, and looked visibly well, if not distraught. She had a psycho look with the gag in her mouth in which she muffled swears and everything else about her. She was bound by rope and tied to a soldier's wrist to make her obey. She seemed more like a feral animal if anything else Riaan saw about her.

'Those eyes. She looks so demented.' The psychotic eyes were the first thing Riaan saw instantly. He knew the definition of crazy, but with how she looked, she looked like she wanted to murder everyone in this room just for breathing her air. She would have actually done so if not for the binds.

"MMMMMM! MMMM!" She muffled swears. She wouldn't shut up, and kicking and squirming tightened her restraints so much that she was unable to break free.

A soldier stood tall in presentation. "Milord, we've found her along the shores of the estate. Visibly, she was in perfect health. But her personality has become terribly destabilized. When we came into contact with her, she screamed for us to go away, and not say 'no' to her."

"MMMMMMM!" Veins popped out of Amina's head as she screamed muffled. At the guard's back, she lunged, but the chains from the other three held her at bay.

"Careful! She's snapping again!" a soldier shouted.

"We have to take her to a detained center at once!" A soldier leaded. "Milord, what are your orders?"

Rian observed her heavily, noticing just how she snapped at the behest of the word 'no'. He remained silent for a brief moment to debrief what the little girl he has in sanctuary at the moment explained. She burned her parents, killed everyone and the mansion, and grew mentally unstable…all from this one word? It was foolish, and yet, at the same time, he thought about the pros to this worse-case scenario.

"…place her in a cell for the time being." He explained. "For the time being, it seems this Interacian has seen negative influences that demoralized her. We'll have to commence conditioning once she calms down."

The soldier nodded. "Understood, Milord. Take her away at once, to the nearest cell!"

"MMMMM! MMMMMM!" Amina ferally muffled as she was being taken away. The doors went shut behind her, making her cries almost nonexistent.

The leading soldier from before turned towards Riaan. "Milord, do I have permission to ask what you are entailing with her?"

"It's quite alright. I understand if there is plight in your minds about her being contained. After all, we're already under a crisis enough. Allow me to explain." He stood up and started walking down the stairs. "As you know, Interacia is already in a critically unstable state. Because of this, people have taken to sheltered lives, so much that their lives are expanded only within that very little range. I doubt anyone knows how to interact anymore or comprehend a social marking. That little girl that we have seen before us just now, is an example that must be set. If an Interacian like her can at least become stable out of her mental illness, then this will no doubt benefit Interacians for the future. But for now, let's what we can…and make sure that by the hard way, we can at least make one Interacian's suffering be at peace." He started for the double doors. "Come…we have much work ahead of us for this one."


"Five years…" she mumbled. "For five years, I was kept in a torturous room, with a bed with curtains that didn't even have a soft fabric. Sometimes the lunches ran 10 minutes late. But whatever I asked for…it never came. Not until that bastard Riaan started making me learn the comprehension of 'no'."

Amina stared wide-eyed at her sibling's tale. She remembered that Riaan did explain that her sister was in conditioning many years ago, but she didn't realize until now how long it took for her to realize the extent of her insanity. 'It took her…five years just for her to understand and accept 'no'? Just for that long?'

"And once the conditioning was over, you know what I told him…" Her look turned to a twisted grin. In some weird light, she seemed delighted in the most insane way possible. "I told him…'I want everything. And I mean everything'. I'll get whatever I want, however I please! Nothing, not even the likes of a novice was going to stand in my way! He was willing to comply and give me these 'privileges', but under such stupid conditions…"

Amina stood at the base of Riaan's throne, looking up at him as he glowered down at her. "Very well. I am in need of someone who is willing to put their ambitions to use. However, I do believe that I must require conditions for you to earn such a wright."

"Like what?"

"I do believe that you are familiar with your sibling, are you not? She is currently within our custody as well, fitting into society as we speak. I wish to enlist her as well. However, I understand that she will be very much mindful of you."

Amina raised a brow, looking up towards the ceiling. "A sibling?" Her eye squinted. "Hm…huh, I have a sibling. I almost forgot."

Rian sighed. "Listen very well, and remember this. For this project, I will require the support of the best that I have, and I believe that you and Ariella deserve a chance. She will be under your direct command, but…you may never, ever lay a hand nor harm her by any means. To put it in terms you can understand, no hurting or killing Ariella…is that understood?"

"…so, I understood…but you know what?" Amina's shoulders shuddered. Her composure was almost completely gone. "I…don't like it. I don't care anymore. I'll just…take everything I want right now! Because you're all idiots believing that someone like me should follow rules! I AM THE RULES! FORGET THE DEAL! IF HE SAYS NO TO KILLING YOU BUT I STILL WANT TO, THEN I'LL JUST KILL YOU ANYWAY! THEN AFTER THAT, EVERY LAST DROP OF CREDIT WILL BE ALL MINE FOR THIS WORLD! HAHAHAHAHA!"

Ariella grunted beneath her breath. 'So she's a lost cause. But if that's the case…at the very least…' She straightened herself with resolution. 'I can give her the sweet satisfaction she's been craving.' She smirked maliciously in her own right. "Well then, what are you waiting for?! You want me dead, don't you?! Or are you too lazy to do it yourself?!" she challenged. "You want to defy Riaan so badly to fill whatever impossible desires you want! Well reality check for you, it's because you take everything for granted that you'll never make it very far if you do!"

Amina's already shrunken eyes sharpened. "You defy me?"

"Yes. I defy you as a morally composed entity. A person. And as a sister."

"I see…THEN DIIIIIEEEE~!" Amina held up her next ability, which looked to be a forbidden one.

'What will that one do?!'

"Ability, activate…!" Amina held up the ability, her face twisted with a bright smile and shadows over her eyes. The ability radiated a magenta glow. "Symphonic-X!"

The purple core had already embedded into Plasmera, as did the chords. Her eyes and the gems on her body glowed magenta. Suddenly, the atmosphere; wind, earth, even the giant waves, lost all meaning of sound. As if everything went on mute.

For a moment, everything felt like time stopped around them. That's how silent it was. Ariella looked around, her skin crawling as everything seemed silent. An eerie feeling crawled up her back. "What is she…?"

Clawcer glared down Plasmera as the latter's gems shined brighter. Very lightly, a sweet yet harmonic chime, similar to those that sirens play to lure those close, chimed through the chamber. The diamond patterns on the body glimmered as the harmonic chimes made the silent water ripple in various spots. The water gradually became dozens – to hundreds – of tiny hemispheres that floated over everyone's heads. Each globe of water had a glossy shine like a diamond core within them. Hundreds of shining liquids hemispheres dazzled over everyone's heads as they tried to count just how many of them there were.

Ariella looked up, her eyes shrunk and teeth gritted together. She had her fists balled as she couldn't tell which to be more afraid of. The hundreds of bombs above…or the psycho sister who gave her the darkest, most deranged smirk anyone could possibly give. Given the circumstances, she knew the obvious choice.

"Ariella!" Hendrix yelled.

"…" Ariella looked over and gave Hendrix a neutral face. She seemed so blank, but at the same, time, she couldn't help but smirk.

Through Plasmera's beautiful notes, Amina had her arms spread out at the glorious recital. "Beautiful music, and a beautiful ability~. These lowlives…they must know how far low they really are…" She directed towards her opponents. "And do not worry one bit, my pet…their voices are not worth being heard from again!"

"I have nothing more to say anyway. You're a monster…through and through." Ariella finished.

Amina's smirk turned huge and toothy. She raised her head and raised her arms up. The shining diamond water globes all shined brighter than before. Plasmera spread her arms out as her tendrils hair went mad. She reached a high note, from which the pitch caused every single water bubble to explode into magenta diamond suns that illuminated the atmosphere. They all went down as fast as comets that Ariella saw in her eyes. She stood still as everything for her world went white.

BOOOOOM!

Over and over, hundreds of sonic magenta orbs of compressed water impaled the ground, crushing everything that was beneath it. The roots and fissures Rafflesian had laying around were leveled. Clawcer stood there, taking blows that impaled his carapace, beaming through his Shell Drive-X like it was nothing. The crab let loose vile screams as he sustained severe blows after one another.

Plasmera: 100 (+3900 +2000 (x2)) = 8000 Megalo Clawcer: 9900 (-7000 -1000) = 1900

Vulrax: 100 (+13,100 +1200) = 14,400 Bloom Rafflesian: 7200 (-5100 -1000) = 1100

The bombastic chain made fireworks race across the ground. Magenta rainwater spewed everywhere, flooding across the ground at a rapid pace. Ariella's screamed were muted as lightspeed jets of these comets pummeled her and Clawcer.

"Milady…Mi…lady…" Clawcer's voice was getting weaker as his armor was breaking continuously. He was running low on steam. He saw one final bomb head straight for his face. "Forgive…me!"

Faster than the eye could blink, a piercing aria bomb shot clean through Clawcer's carapace, crashing into the ground clean through the other side. The crab Bakugan was still for a moment as everything in his bosy went limp. His mind, his spirit…everything. He knew that his battle was long over. His body glowed bright blue, but instead of returning to ball form, he staggered backwards until finally, his smoking frame made momentum flow forward, collapsing him into the ground before everyone.

Where Clawcer crashed, a blue energy explosion engulfed everything, quaking the earth with his energy that he's ascertained throughout his many battles. Rafflesian and Hendrix looked over, horrified as they watched both their partners take killer blows.

"Gnnngh…GRAAAAH~!" Directing his anger forward, Hendrix punched forward with all his might, whereas Rafflesian's briars regenerated and shot them at Vulrax.

SHING!

It happened in the blink of an eye. Massive energy nails raced up towards Rafflesian, slicing through every inch of his briars. Vulrax, running on his hind legs towards his target. Vulrax even went as far as cleave through the flood balls that continued to fall between him and Rafflesian. The Bakugan crossed his sword nails and appeared before Rafflesian with a terrifying pounced. In a split second, Rafflesian was left completely still as magenta slash marks were all over his body, going straight through as Vulrax appeared right behind him. The nails retreated back to their original form while Vulrax went to being quadruped again.

Hendrix looked over and saw his partner look at him, as he did with him. The blossoming Subterra Bakugan was stiff as he could feel his uprooted, shredded body finally give in. The broad man's face gradually fell in grief as his partner fell over.

"Mas…ter…" Rafflesian's petals gradually wilted away, his body turning to Subterra particles that gave off a weak groan. In a matter of seconds, Rafflesian's body dissolve completely, spreading thin sparkles that fanned into the atmosphere.

"GRAH!" Hendrix clutched Magnus by the throat with one arm, cutting off his air almost immediately. He heard a prompt gag from the former gangster leader.

"Gnngh…bro…please…don't make me…break the code." Magnus' only plea was that. He shakily held the gun up to Hendrix's chest, but he just couldn't bring himself to pull the trigger.

Hendrix furrowed his brow, squeezing harder than before. "Do you not value your own life than its own worth? We knew our worth when we came here…and that's why we're here now…to show everyone that even with no worth to this world…a life can still change another's."

Magnus was gasping for air like a fish. He was coming down to the most critical seconds of his life. Anymore pressure, and Hendrix would snap his neck. The gangster leader was starting to feel heat in his head rush through his ears. For a moment, he was seeing his life flash before his eyes. His fellow gang members and how they ruled part of the Troposphere alleys. Just them. 'Fellas…what do you think…?'

Meanwhile, Hendrix was keeping a tight hold, not bothering to exchange words with him. 'Ever since that day, I vowed to not take a life so precariously ever again. Nobody needed to die back then. But…this is the one exception. Whether I go or not, this world will be much better without this monster!'

"Gngh…GRAAAAAH~! HENDRIX!" Magnus screamed at the top of his lungs.

"MAGNUS~!"

Both cried out with all their might. It all came down to desperation for survival over ideology. It was shown in their eyes that they could no longer see the same person they once respected in the past. Fingers clutch a neck as a fist pulled back, as a finger clicked to a trigger.

BANG!

Everything went black for a moment as the sound of something breaking went through the Empyrean chamber. Two bodies fell over with a strong thud. It took a moment, but Hendrix and Ariella fell on their backs, both each from their respective attackers.

Magnus huffed in exasperation, on his bottom as he was shakily holding up his glock. His other hand clutched his severely bruised neck as he coughed. As he tried catching his air, Amina stood a ways away, watching the sight of both Hendrix and Ariella with a disgusted scoff.

Unfortunately for Hendrix, Magnus' desperation won out a little faster than his iron will. A bullet hole went straight through the chest, where the heart would be. Blood began covering the overcoat he adorned, especially over a petal design close to where the heart was. The woven petal color went to blood red. He laid there, deeply breathing as he was looking up towards the ceiling.

Ariella was no different. Her body was severely damaged. The attack she was hit with left dense wounds along her waist and on her neck. The right side of her face was covered in blood. Her legs were pointed towards each other and was unable to move them. She didn't feel much of anything, only…pain.

Breathing. That's all the two could do right now. Just keep breathing through the pain. But no matter how much breathing it was to them, every exhale only made them cringe.

Ariella gritted her teeth, but she wasn't able to feel her enamels. They were numbed out. 'I…I can't even feel my teeth gnashing…so is this how it feels to die slowly…? It's cold…' She weakly tilted her head towards her left. 'Hendrix…'

Heavy grunts came from the man that was laying on his back. "He…finally shot me…" He coughed up blood, much to Ariella's shock.

"You idiot…!"

"Gnngh…" Hendrix levered his head back down, trying to collect whatever breath he had left in himself. He was shot clean into the heart, something he knew was vital. Something every needed, but something that wasn't of value for Magnus nor Amina apparently.

A cough came from his side. "Hen…drix..."

He looked over, seeing Ariella's hazy eyes fixed on him.

"Hendrix…was I…was I a bad person…in the end? Did my life…actually have worth to anything in this world…?" Tears appeared in her eyes that she couldn't hold back anymore.

Hendrix barely heard what she said, but even in his dying state, he could make out what it was like. He frowned softly towards her. "…yes. It did."

Ariella sniffled. "How?"

He looked at her softly. "Ariella…tell me…did you feel like you were meant to be here?"

She paused to consider her answer. "Yes."

"Then…that's reason enough. I…I want to thank you…for being there in my life as well…"

"Hendrix…" Ariella sniffled, her lips quivering softly. "You…you're such a big dolt…I can't believe that of all the people to consider my friends…it had to be you."

He managed a smirk. "That's something-!" He coughed more blood. "I'm willing to rest with." He looked towards the ceiling with Ariella. "So…you believe that we've bought the others enough time?"

Ariella chuckled. "Who knows really? You know how Maximus is. He wouldn't care." She meekly snorted. "That hooded delinquent…can't believe he really talked us into…this…" Her voice got weaker on the last part.

As they looked up towards the ever-going ceiling of the Empyrean, the waves were all they heard as the sunlight from outside blinded everything. They covered their eyes at how bright the sun beamed on their faces.

'The light…it's brighter than usual.' Ariella thought. The light became too much that it actually engulfed her. She winced as everything or her went totally white.

When she opened her eyes, she could actually see straight. She blinked several times as her vision made her see a white plain. For a moment, she figured she went blind had it not been for the fact that she could see and feel her body again.

"W-where…am I…?" She lowly mumbled. "The last thing I remembered…my body was nub…and I was in so much pain…so how come now I feel so…light?" She looked over, gasping at the realization that she wasn't alone. "Hendrix?! You're here, too?!"

Like Ariella, Hendrix didn't look hurt in the slightest. He lowered his head and hummed.

She sighed. "Figures you'd be here, but where're-"

"Ariella? Sweetie?"

Ariella stiffened at the voice from behind. She was completely still in her thoughts racing back to something all too familiar about the question. "That voice…did I just imagine it…?"

"Mister Hendrix~!" Hendrix was next to tense up at the giggle from behind.

When both turned around, the white plain they stood on faded away. The background faded into a sky blue atmosphere with white clouds going over their heads. Their feet were planted on a grassy plain with white flowers lined up on either side as four individuals stood on the opposite end. The four looked at them all with bright smiles.

Ariella instantly recognized the two that looked at her directly. There was no second-guessing just whom it was. "M-Mother…? Father…?"

Hendrix looked over from Ariella's parents to the familiar kid and her mother. He looked just as shocked to see them, especially the kid with the ice cream. "It's you…"

"Hey, Mister Hendrix!" Maddy happily chimed. She held up a small styrofoam cup of ice cream out. "Look what I have! See?! It's that chocolate ice cream cup I promised you!"

"Young one…even after all this time, you still…"

Maddy giggled in joy, and her mother laid a hand on her head and smiled at Hendrix with a nod of approval. For some reason, this made Hendrix sigh with his head down, a soft smile coming across his composure. He looked…happy.

Ariella stared at her parents, still trying to process seeing them again. She was just perplexed alone that they were in the same place. She swallowed a lump in fear and regret.

"Ariella…it's been a long time." The father spoke up. "Too long…I trust the outside world and Amina have been crucial on your shoulders, haven't they?"

"Er…something like that…"

The mother sighed. "Well, she certainly takes after me, I suppose. I wish I could say the same about our other daughter."

"Mother…Father…" She turned away in shame. "I'm so sorry! I was a failure at being such a gracious woman that I know you both tried to raise from the outside world! I tried to keep quiet, honestly! If I had known it'd turn out like this, maybe…maybe I could have…!" She lowered her head in sadness, fearful of ever facing her folks.

The Mother and Father looked at each other somberly, then the Mother spoke. "Sweetie…listen. None of this is your fault. You don't have to feel ashamed of what happened. If anything, it's our fault for raising your sister the way we did. Had we known about her, perhaps maybe we could have done something to begin with…but that's all part of the past."

"Ariella, dear…" The father stepped up. "You did well. Very well in fact."

Ariella gasped. She whipped around, facing them with shock.

"Not only were you able to survive up to our ages, but you've managed to survive this world beyond our walls. I suspect it wasn't very pretty, but…"

"But you made the best of it, even if things didn't go your way one bit. You were able to face your fears in the end to show just how much of a woman you are to how you both…how Amina was raised. Ariella…we're so, very proud of you."

The father smiled softly. "I'm glad to see such a fine woman that is our daughter."

Ariella's feelings finally broke down. All the anxiety, all of the fear she felt in her life from her sister's psychosis; it felt like all of that weight she had burdened on her shoulder had lifted. She looked at her parents, lips quivering as the happiness that she's been deprived of has finally been found.

She felt a hand grab her left one. She looed over at Hendrix, who warmly smiled to her. "Come on…they're waiting for us."

Ariella paused before she reciprocated the warm smile, tears of happiness flowing from her cheeks. "…yeah."

Hand-in-hand, Hendrix guided Ariella as she tried keeping up with him. Maddy smiled widely as she held up the ice cream up with the smiling mother in waiting. Ariella's parents stood right beside them, watching their daughter as they all vanished into the light, forever washing away the guilt forever.


Hendrix and Ariella's hand laid atop one another as their bodies went limped, their life gauges both depleting to 0%. Their faces were painted with closed eyes, but at the same time they had soft smiles.

"They…they be dead…" Magnus realized.

"They…they are?" Amina blinked in surprise. She looked over at her sister's corpse in the sunlight, resting lifelessly. It soon clicked to her of what happened. "That means…I…I…" She was speechless at first. A low snicker came in, then evolved to a laughter that got louder and more maniacal with every second. "HAHAHAHAHA! YES! FINALLY! SHE'S DEAD! That means…that means…it's all mine! The inheritance is all mine! HAHAHAHAHA! YES! EVERYTHING CAN BE RIGHTFULLY MINE!"

"You really are a psycho ass bitch, you know that?" He looked at Hendrix's corpse, looking on somberly with a disapproving frown. "Homie…why…? We could've gone bac to having it all for ourselves…why'd you make me break the code? You so stupid."

Amina laughed hysterically. It didn't matter to her what Magnus said just now, the words of nobody else mattered to her entitled form. "I can have everything…and make it better than anyone…all for me!" Sheslowly turned towards Magnus with a deranged stare. "You…" Magnus furrowed his frown. "You…are you gonna say that word, too? You…you want the fortune, too?!"

Magnus shook his head. "Man, diz be all sorts of messed up."

"AMINA ISLAND! MAGNUS HUNT!"

A booming voice was followed by a monstrous pressure. Magnus felt his skin crawl when he heard the sound of thunder, followed by a draconic roar that made a magenta flash illuminate everything.

'Dat voice…it can't be…' Magnus whipped around to the fading flashes, his eyes widening as he gazed up at the man who stood before them. He looked genuinely shocked. 'The boss?!'

Riaan's form stood tall and domineering. He was not alone, as Armagedoid towered right behind him with a glare that rivaled his master's. Magnus and Amina expected some kind of welcome. However, judging by the pressure they were giving off, they seemed rather displeased.

"What…have you both done?" Riaan started.

"Boss, foo'?! The hell you be playing at?!" Magnus quipped. Bad choice of words.

"Silence this instant!"

"KROOOOAAAAR!" Armagedoid careened his head skywards, expelling a violent roar that shuddered the entire chamber, nee the Empyrean for that matter. His terrifying power cause more networks of blue to erode from around them coming all the way to the bottom of their feet.

Riaan continued to domineer, his look showing anything but satisfaction for what just transpired. "Amina…Magnus…I trust that you two remember explicitly well of what our agreements were, did you not? If I recall promptly, I believe that they entailed something about your familiars, no?"

Magnus looked over at Hendrix and Ariella's corpses, then back at Riaan. His face grew confused. "Er…something like that?" He paused. "But look, you gotta listen, boss. They wanted to kill us. You saw it for sure, right?"

Riaan continued like nothing was spoken. "I believe, Magnus, was you said was 'that as I gotz ma homies back, then I'd comply.' That's what you said, and the entire reason why Hendrix was enlisted. Is it not true?" He turned towards Amina. "And Miss Island-"

"You…you dare say my name…with such an ugly tone!" Amina chastised so frivolously. However, Riaan just stared at her. That tone was far from a demeaning one. She just interpreted it as that. "Tch…hahahaha! I'll have anything I want! However I want it! And I want everything I can get beautiful!"

"Master…" Armagedoid mumbled.

Riaan's face fell with his opinion on his lackies. "It appears that…those five years of conditioning her behavior ended up being fruitless by the end. And because of that, even more lives that didn't deserve such deaths ended up suffering them." He sighed mournfully. "Truly, this is a pity."

"A pity? The hell you be calling a pity?! I had to do what was necessary, man!" Magnus defended.

"And I do not blame you for that. I understand your intentions on survival to the most capable of extents."

"So then, why you be so…?"

"Because, every person has a basis to work on. Without that base, what kind of ambitions could they possibly hope to achieve. Instead of facing death for your crimes, Magnus, I was willing to give you a redemption. And you said that in compliance, you would have me scout Hendrix for you. Of which I did. I held up my end of the bargain, but under what plausible grounds can you consider yourself trustworthy now that you turned your back on what you said?"

"…" Magnus looked in every direction, trying to come up with some kind of excuse. But when he thought about it, he got visibly lustered that he couldn't think of anything to back up on his earlier plea.

"Both of you, listen very well. I allowed you both to be a part of this in hopes that in spite of past circumstances, a person can still move forward if they were given another chance. Chances such as these only come once…not twice. At least, not in a single lifetime. You both are convicted under accounts of murder and psychosis. Magnus, the deal we have made is what you turned your back on. You only did so in order to preserve your skin. I saw that clearly in this fight. And Amina, I had you under five years of conditions with accommodation of the highest prices, and yet in spite of that, it was never enough. You always wanted more. You wanted everything, but we agreed that you wouldn't do any harm towards your sibling. Do you not understand the suffering she's went through because of your greed?"

Amina giggled lowly, not because she found Riaan so hilarious, but because of her own thoughts interpreting what he was saying. "I want it all…and no one stands in my way! No! The only one can say that is me now! I say no! No! No, no, no! Hahahahaha!"

Riaan morbidly frowned at the expense of his associates' misery. 'Looks like she's become completely deluded. This is more than just a mental illness obsession at this point. She can't even tell what she's doing right now. All her senses have been taken over by her desires for everything in her vision.'

"You…you are going to say it, aren't you?" Amina hissed. "I…I will kill you, and make everything my own! I CAN HAVE EVERYTHING, AND MAKE IT BEAUTIFUL FOR ME, AND ME ALONE! PLASMERA!" At her behest, the Bakugan raised her tendrils.

'Shit, I ain't liking where diz be heading! I gotta get outta here!' Magnus had to defend himself. "Vulrax!" The Bakugan snarled as it crawled up behind his master to comply.

Riaan was dead silent. He looked over at Armagedoid, who gave him a look of understanding as well. The Bakugan glared ahead, his eyes glowing bright magenta.

"Yo! Sick'em!"

"SHOW THEM MY BEAUTY IN THIS UGLY UNIVERSE!"

GLOOSH!

It happened so fast that no one could have seen it coming. The air went silent when Magnus and Amina awaited for their Bakugan to sick on Armagedoid and Riaan for self-defense, but they only heard crushing sound and snapping. They turned around slowly, seeing a sight that startled them both.

Vulrax's claw was impaled into Plasmera's chest, going clean through to the other side. Meanwhile, Plasmera's tentacles were wrapped around the limbs so harshly that the sounds of crushing bones was heard. Pressure and impaling kept the two Bakugan on each other, much to their masters' shock.

"The…the hell just…?!"

"You must be so desperate that you can't see what's in front of you." Magnus whipped forward, seeing Riaan standing with Armagedoid, whose magenta eyes were shining brightly. "You forgot that Armagedoid has the power to control Bakugan…though under discretional means."

"You Bakugan…who were created for the solemn reason of power…cannot compare to our own rectification." Armagedoid sniped. His eyes shined a little brighter, causing the claw and the tentacles to wedge even deeper, much to each Bakugan's wailing agony.

Magnus stepped away, realizing he was corner. His body shuddered and he had no choice now. He reached for his glock and aimed it at Riaan. "Foo', listen to me! Diz ain't being fair!"

Riaan morbidly frowned at them. "Neither was the way that you treated your kin." His magenta eyes brightened. "It's true that what Rogue Zero has done deserves vindication, but in this way, it only makes me realize what a mistake it was to believe that Interacians who chose to live such poor lives could ever hope to change. Hendrix and Ariella…I wish for them to rest well to where they have gone to." His gaze hardened. "You, on the other hand…I'm afraid that where you both will be going will not be anywhere as hopeful."

Magnus started shooting bullets, but the glock cocked so many times, yet nothing came out. "Shit! Out of bullets already?! I knew Zion have that much!"

Amina was in her own little world, smiling wide at the bright sunlight. "So beautiful…I want it…I WANT EVERYTHING! HAHAHAHAHA!"

"No…diz ain't be happening! Not for all the trouble for ma boys!"

"Eh?" Amina slowly craned her head around. "You…just said no? No…to me?"

"Girl, in your dreams! You psycho bitch get a grip!"

Riaan watched the dispute. It was like watching a delinquent child and a brat at the same time. It was as pitiful as it was annoying. "Armagedoid…tell me, is this pitiful to you? To have such allies who don't hold true to their promises?"

"Indeed, Master…shall we enact mercy?" the black dragon prompted.

"…yes. I have made a mistake, and I must take responsibility…let us correct it." He reached forward, in which Armagedoid's maw opened wide to generate dark dragonfire. "Magnus Hunt. Amina Island. As I have said before, your action of self-preservation I understand…but it's clear that you've had no intention on doing so for the benefit of Interacia's new beginning. The new world…will not be welcomed by you."

Armagedoid opened his maw wider, unleashing a brightening flare that neither the two Interacians nor their Bakugan could escape. Magnus looked on with utter horror, while Amina gazed at the attack with a twisted smile, reaching out to it like she wanted it.

"AAAAAAHHHHH~!"

"HAHAHAHA! COME TO ME~! YOU'RE MINE-!"

The dragonfire engulfed everything within the chamber. The entire floor shook as the destructive flare bored a hole clean through the Empyrean, beaming far out into the distance. Magnus and Amina's frame vanished within the wake, and their Bakugan, no matter how strong they were, couldn't compare as Armagedoid's fearsome blaze made their figures fade into the light as well.

Once the attack ceased, nothing was left within the Empyrean's current chamber. The dark water was completely still, and the battlefield began regenerating itself promptly. Armagedoid stood behind Riaan, seeing that nothing was left of Amina nor Magnus, not even their Bakugan.

Riaan closed his eyes, frowning heavily in the actions taken. "I was hoping for a more appropriate burial. But…I suppose this is suitable enough. A body without a life in it is just as death is to all. But still, for Rogue Zero to seek out their true colors at the cost of their lives…how appropriately…poetic this is, I suppose in some aspect."

Armagedoid looked down at Riaan. "Master, we continue forward, no matter who was our enemy and ally. We acknowledge them for their actions and ideals, and continue on ours for them as well. That's what you said, right?"

Riaan opened his eyes. "Yes, Armagedoid. Allies or traitors, we must focus forward…we've just needed to clean up this little mess I've made." He looked over at Hendrix and Ariella's corpses, pausing to reflect on their actions. "Come."

Together, they teleported out of the chamber, the blue networks changing paces and started up the Empyrean once again.

A light breeze carried through the Empyrean. The dark waters that surrounded the isle-like battlefield gradually diminished. It became a calm sea that shifted rhythmic tides to and fro. The isle remained bare, et basked in the sunlight, radiating their frames, Hendrix and Ariella were at rest along with the tides.


Higher up, Rogue Zero and Luke's group continued their path towards the top. They hurried as fast as possible, while the quakes and eruptions from farther below settled down. Networks were racing up past them, until for a moment, Maximus came to a halt.

"What is it? Something wrong?" Luke wondered.

For some reason, Maximus had just felt something. He didn't know what exactly, but he looked over and saw something drifting up the center of the Empyrean. They looked to be blue and brown sparkles, intertwined as they danced their way towards the Empyrean's top.

"This light…" Esther frowned. "Is it…?"

"Hendrix…Ariella…" Maggie caught onto this feeling. She had a good guess to what this meant. Once again, everyone fell silent.

They all watched the two dancing sparkles continue skywards, all of them having silent respects in response. Shawn lowered his head and narrowed his eyes. Shuji's fists balled tightly at just how many people were falling because of this mission.

Killian had his head down in grief. He turned back forward with Xander and Maximus. "I just hope it wasn't too painful for them."

Xander smirked. "One can only hope, you know." He straightened up. "But…who knows. We still have a long climb ahead of us, right Max?"

"Hmph, keep it moving." Maximus swayed his cape and sprung up to the next flight of stairs. His two remaining cohorts followed.

Luke continued behind, but it didn't stop him and Esther from remembering the two.

"They were the first two people we battled, weren't they?"

"Yes, they were." Esther meekly grinned. "It's hard to believe that so much time has passed since then. But still, we learned the basics from just them…Luke, now we must remember that knowledge."

"Yeah, and make sure it lasts us to stopping Riaan."

With resolution, the remaining members soldiered on skywards, while the blue and brown sparkles drifted away to the heavens.


Sorry it took 2 weeks instead of one week, guys. It took a whole week to write their backstories, and then it took another week to write out the entire battle sequence. Still, I hope that Hendrix and Ariella's sendoff was solid enough for you guys to stomach.

Now we're left with only half of Hades Pillars and Rogue Zero remaining. How will this impact the last of this story? Let's find out! Hope to hear your thoughts!